I think fingerprinting people is kind of paranoid and ridiculous, but I never thought anyone would be against it on religious grounds. Guess I’m an idiot. Pam McLaurin is an evangelical Christian who takes her book of Revelation pretty fucking seriously. She thinks that by having her fingerprints in a database, she’ll be cursed and marked for eternal damnation. She filed a lawsuit against Texas Education Agency (who will fire her is she doesn’t comply to their policy), citing religious discrimination. Check out one of the passages she put in the brief:
He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand and on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.… Then a third angel followed them saying with a loud voice — if anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God.… He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
It’s some pretty scary shit when you think about it. Has not one really considered the possibility that St. John was totally batshit crazy when he wrote it? Actually, Thomas Jefferson sure thought so, as did Martin Luther. I have to shake my head in disbelief that some people can take the insane rantings of a lunatic seriously (and when I say some, I mean millions of people). Fuck, I need to go grab a drink (or twelve).
November 6th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
I agree this woman’s actions are paranoid. But I couldn’t care less what Jefferson said about the Bible. And Luther changed his position fully eventually once he came to understand Rev.
November 6th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Don’t tell them about their SSN number, the one they used on the HR paperwork.
November 6th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
This woman is a nut. Mark we already know you dont care what people think of your book of lies or fairy tale religion. You are brainwashed enough to turn away from evidence whenever you can to preserve your belief in fairy tales.
November 6th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
I don’t think she has to worry, the Roman Empire already fell. Which that “John” (since it is believed that the writer of Rev was not the author the gospel of John, who in turn is not the Apostle John, but a Greek writer a generation or so after John lived) was writing about.
I loves me some folklore.
November 6th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
How did this woman get a drivers license? That requires at least a thumbprint!
November 6th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
When I was in high school, we had a fingerprinting system for our meal plan and my religious friend JOKINGLY referenced the mark of the Beast in Revelation, but I never thought people would be serious about it. And I like to think that John wasn’t crazy when he wrote Revelation, but rather that he got a hold of some AMAZING shrooms.
November 6th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
Fingerprinting is about making sure the teacher isn’t some child molesting perv/killer from another state. Its about keeping the kids safe. I hope they fire her. She’s obviously already a nut job!
November 6th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
Thiga: I have examined the evidence. I find it remarkable. But the evidence I have for God is undeniable.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
I’m shocked, SHOCKED that this happened in Texas.
Wait, no I’m not.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
Well, this is intriguing.
I’ve been coming to the site since August, and I’ve never seen a religious individual on the comments. It looks like TGA is getting more and more widespread fame.
Anyway, indeed, the woman is insane; but, like TheLoneIguana said, it’s Texas, what do you expect?
November 6th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
Thiga: I have examined the evidence. I find it remarkable. But the evidence I have for God is undeniable.
What evidence? If its undeniable it will withstand the scientic method and then be accepted as fact.It will be peer reviewed and they will all reach the same conclusion as your evidence. We should contact the journals and put them on standby. Its not right that you withold such undeniable evidence from the rest of the world, please Mark show me what your evidence is.
November 7th, 2009 at 12:48 am
The System Works! Fingerprinting and background checks are meant to keep crazy/dangerous people away children. This woman is obviously insane, and she Should be barred from teaching kindergrden.
November 7th, 2009 at 12:59 am
It’s not religious discrimination. Religious discrimination is discrimination based only on what religion you are.
As soon as you start doing things in the name of you religion, you’re unprotected under the law. If she is right, then you could claim a religion that insists you murder people and then hide behind religious discrimination if you did it and were punished.
November 7th, 2009 at 6:10 am
Just fire her!
November 7th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
Well, I don’t want to be fingerprinted either, but I don’t need to quote some hocus pocus book in defense of it!
November 8th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
One would think that anyone as clearly delusional as this woman appears to be should receive psychiatric treatment before she is permitted to resume the duties of her job.
February 28th, 2010 at 3:14 am
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