(September 7, 2015 at 2:26 pm)SteelCurtain Wrote: USNA is my alma mater. There is a ceremony at the end of plebe year (freshman) where we lard up a giant 21 ft phallus, take our shirts off and attempt to mount it to retrieve the prize at the tip. True story. It is known as the "Herndon Climb" or "Vorlon's Wet Dream."
Traditions are weird.
Yeah I heard about you guys' tradition re: the Climb. I think it's great, even if, yes, traditions are weird. But most of them serve a good purpose. We have several crazy things that happen at the end of the fourth-class year, called the Recognition ceremonies.
Sadly, I didn't graduate USAFA; I had to leave after my third class summer (for the rest of you: the training in summertime between Freshman and Sophomore years) due to severe illness that showed up during SERE training. I continued flight training as a civilian, but not as part of an intent to make a career of it; I just love to fly. Sadly, the cost of medical expenses eventually put my flight hours below what it took to sustain my licenses, and I discontinued the hobby to focus on work. Such is life.
A Christian told me: if you were saved you cant lose your salvation. you're sealed with the Holy Ghost
I replied: Can I refuse? Because I find the entire concept of vicarious blood sacrifice atonement to be morally abhorrent, the concept of holding flawed creatures permanently accountable for social misbehaviors and thought crimes to be morally abhorrent, and the concept of calling something "free" when it comes with the strings of subjugation and obedience perhaps the most morally abhorrent of all... and that's without even going into the history of justifying genocide, slavery, rape, misogyny, religious intolerance, and suppression of free speech which has been attributed by your own scriptures to your deity. I want a refund. I would burn happily rather than serve the monster you profess to love.
I replied: Can I refuse? Because I find the entire concept of vicarious blood sacrifice atonement to be morally abhorrent, the concept of holding flawed creatures permanently accountable for social misbehaviors and thought crimes to be morally abhorrent, and the concept of calling something "free" when it comes with the strings of subjugation and obedience perhaps the most morally abhorrent of all... and that's without even going into the history of justifying genocide, slavery, rape, misogyny, religious intolerance, and suppression of free speech which has been attributed by your own scriptures to your deity. I want a refund. I would burn happily rather than serve the monster you profess to love.
