16 year old British girl loses fight to wear chastity-inspired "silver ring thing"

[Bluebear]

The 16 year-old argues she 'needed' to wear the ring to remind herself of her commitment to chastity.

A teenager has lost her fight against a ban on wearing 'chastity rings' while at school at the high court today. Lydia Playfoot, 16, said that the ring, which is inscribed with a verse from the Bible, symbolised her "Christian commitment to sexual abstinence until marriage".

After teachers at the Millais School in Horsham, West Sussex, told her to remove the ring she sought to appeal against the ban, arguing that it breached article nine of the Human Rights Act, which guarantees a person's right to practise their religion or beliefs. But judges ruled today that the school's decision should not be overturned.

Lydia said that she was "very disappointed" by today's judgement. " will mean that slowly, over time, people such as school governors, employers, political organisations and others will be allowed to stop Christians from publicly expressing and practicing their faith," she added in a statement.

Her school denied that the ring was an integral part of the Christian faith and said it permitted pupils to wear a crucifix. The ring is part of The Silver Ring Thing, an American Christian movement which promotes abstinence and encourages adolescents to maintain their chastity.

http://www.manchester.com/National_News/Teenager_loses_chastity_ring_fight-18212909.html

http://www.silverringthing.com/

Her father, the Rev Phil Playfoot, said: "This country is tolerant of any views except those of Christians."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/07/17/nring117.xml

[xultar]

1. That's right. Nip that crazy US fundie shit in the bud. Bravo UK.

[Richard Steele]

9. I'll second that!

Bravo, UK! :toast:

[spoony]

86. Applauding a church state? I'm proud of you, dick.

You do know the dual roles of The Queen in government and religion, correct?

[Katherine Brengle]

96. Um, why deny her religious freedom?

What are we, a bunch of fucking fascists when it's convenient?

[Richard Steele]

102. No one is denying her any "religious freedom".

Her parents chose to enroll her in a private school
with a very strict dress code.

The code says "no jewellery".

Her parents think she shouldn't have to obey that code,
and the Courts said, "Wrong".

"Religious freedom" has nothing to do with it.

[Katherine Brengle]

105. Right, I got that now (about the jewelry thing) but the post I responded to

was celebrating the destruction of crazy US rw fundie-ism, and had nothing to do with the jewelry...

(And I'm not a fan of rw fundies, just of the right of individuals to adhere to whatever whacked out concept of religous faith they choose.)

[Richard Steele]

111. It's because the radical Fundies were trying to frame the issue that way.

This "Silver Ring Thing" (their actual name for it) is
a small fad within the teenage RW Christian demographic.

And this case pointed out how some of that that Murkin-style
fundiementalism is spreading into the UK, where it was all
but unknown until fairly recently.

The US Fundies have been whipping their flocks into a
minor frenzy over this case, using their usual disdain
for facts and logic to claim this case was somehow an
example of religious expression. They were, as usual,
huzzahing this case as another epic battle between them
and the forces of EEEVILLL....

So this decision is more than just one little girl being
told that she isn't too special to follow the rules; it's
the entire Radical Fundamentalist movement FAILING to get
its slimy foot into the British school system.

[ananda]

2. What does it matter..

.. whether she wears the fukkin ring or not?
I don't get the issue here.

[spoony]

4. didn't you read above? If they allow it, the next step

is beheading infidels! Burning witches! Gotta nip that US fundy crap in the bud! Lol.

[Bluebear]

5. Evidently the school's dress code precludes the wearing of jewelry nt

[meegbear]

6. The school she goes to bans jewelry ...

Why? Dunno, but that's the rule. She went to court stating first, that it wasn't really jewelry. The court said a ring is a ring.

So, they fought it saying her "human rights" were being violated. The Old Bailly rolled it's eyes and said "Next case".

[Bluebear]

7. But she NEEDS it, you know, in case she gets horny.

Then she can glance at the ring and say "oh yeah"...

[Sparkly]

13. Can't she wear it outside of school? If it's only about in-school time, that begs the question

of why they're worried about having sex during school hours. :shrug: Fun school, I guess.

[Bluebear]

15. "Fun school, I guess." ROFL!!!!

Who KNOWS what they could be doing at any given moment if they don't have their magic salt peter rings on?

[Sparkly]

22. Did they rule out "I Heart My Hymen" t-shirts??

:hide:

[Sequoia]

27. You're too much!!!

[Bluebear]

30. ...

:spray:

:rofl:

DUzy!!!!!

[Madspirit]

60. rofl

:rofl:

[Gelliebeans]

106. Nominate for a DUzy

:rofl:

[muriel_volestrangler]

107. A fun all-girls school, what's more

and one she's actually left, now.

[meegbear]

29. Damn! I need one of those!

Hell, I get horny looking at french bread these days.

[AwakeAtLast]

91. Wouldn't that be like a label of who's a virgin?

I would think the randy boys would have a field day with that.

Oh, and I'm sure she needs that ring to KEEP FROM HAVING SEX AT SCHOOL. x(

:hi:

[treestar]

121. Exactly, the way she said she needs it for reminder makes me think

That she is going to be one of the first to fail to keep the pledge.

[BurtWorm]

34. That reminds me of the people with Bible software who call tech support

claiming something is wrong with their computer because Bible software doesn't run on it. And the techies will say, "Does all your software have the same problems or just this one?" And the caller will say, "Just this one, but it can't be the software. Didn't you hear me? I said this is BIBLE software."

[treestar]

120. Yet they do allow crucifixes, so in fact it's the opposite

They do allow Christian symbolism.

They may in fact not allow the same for other religions (which, as a private school they can do).

Once again the fundies go out of their way to try to portray themselves as victims when they aren't.

[Madspirit]

They have a rule against jewelry....period...n/t

[Lone_Star_Dem]

16. No jewelery of any kind is allowed in the Millais School in Horsham, West Sussex

It the dress code and this girl wanted an exception due being "special." The ruling simply states that all the students are equal.

[Dukkha]

3. "will be allowed to stop Christians from publicly expressing and practicing their faith"

STEAMING PILE OF BULLSHIT!!!

If you can't abide by the rules of the school, then enroll your sorry brain-washed ass in a private christian school where you won't be "persecuted" and are free to force your dogmatic bullshit on all your fellow students who's faith is so weak and shallow that need graven images to use as a crutch. If your faith was truly divine you wouldn't need help from a "ring"

[frylock]

63. just like it states in matthew 6:6..

But you, when you pray, do so as loudly and belligerently as humanly possible, open your door and pray to your Father who is in the public square, schools, and federal buildings, and your Father who sees what decals adorn thine F350 will reward you.

http://bible.cc/matthew/6-6.htm

[liberalsoldier5]

8. That ruling is pure bullshit.

I'm with the girl on this one. And no, that does NOT make me a "crazy", "wacko", "stupid", "fundie" Christian. This story has nothing to do with politics anyway. I hate it how anti-Christian DUers will celebrate this ruling as some kind of "fuck you" to conservatives. Ridiculous.

[Bluebear]

10. "anti-Christian DUers" - yes, we know, you are so persecuted.

PS, this is GENERAL discussion, not general discussion - politics.

[Arugula Latte]

112. Poor, poor Christians!

They never get to assert their agenda, do they? :cry:

[Madspirit]

14. Get Over Yourself

The school has a rule against jewelry. ...and if you don't like DU, why are you here?
Lee

[Clark2008]

43. Not to start an argument, but the poster didn't say (s)he didn't like DU

Only the anti-Christian elements of it.

And, I agree with that to an extent. I find the anti-Christianism here to be as bigoted as the fundies at times.

Not all Christians are whacked out weirdos. Just like all Muslims aren't terrorists.

[Bluebear]

47. Is this an anti-Christian thread to you?

[Madspirit]

58. Crock of Crap

Jeeeeeesus...Fucking religionists can dish it out and ruin everyone's lives and try to control everyone and try to control the world and try to control our bodies and try to control whether I can marry the woman I have been with for 15 years and try to control whether I can have an abortion and try to control EVERY FUCKING THING and blah blah blah blah....and sure as fuck cannot take it when it's dished back.

You want me to lie? Well I won't. I think religion is THE worst thing on the entire planet and responsible for most, if not all, of the ills on our world.

Gay bars and establishments get burned down by straight white Christians. More than 1200 gays a year, according to the Department of Justice, are murdered by straight white Christians.

Abortion clinics are burned down and bombed by straight white Christians. Doctors who perform abortions are murdered by straight white Christians.

...and the only churches I ever see burned down are black ones and it's by straight white Christians.

...and the largest act of terrorism perpetrated against this country, prior to 9/11, was done by a straight white Christian.

Where exactly is all this straight white Christian bashing happening? Inquiring minds want to know. I mean we even have a straight white theocrat in the White House.

Straight white Christians control the world and are killing everyone...to the tune of over 300,000 Iraqis, so far.

So, please point me in the direction of the straight white Christian people being bashed. I see criticisms, occasionally, here but I don't see any damage, any death, any bombings, any burnings, any murder. I want to see. Please.

Show me the gay gangs burning the straight people's houses and bars. PLEASE. Show me the gay gangs burning the Christian churches. PLEASE. Show me the women who want abortions burning down the straight white Christian's gathering places. PLEASE. I just have to see this. Links too...PLEASE.

Lee

[liberalsoldier5]

59. See post #52.

[Madspirit]

68. Deleted because I was the one with Reading Comprehension Problems

Sorry.

Lee

[Richard Steele]

17. Why is that? Can you explain your opinion to us?

And, can you do it without the baseless SMEARS
of anyone who agrees with the ruling, ie: "anti-Christian DUers"?

[Madspirit]

37. It was a hit and run Dick.

People smear and then they run like the wind.
Lee

[Richard Steele]

66. Actually, this one came back! And I'm glad he did. See #52 below. nm

[Sparkly]

18. I don't get how it's "Christian," myself.

I'm sure there are Christian teenagers who have sex, and non-Christian teenagers who don't. How is this a religious issue?

[Lone_Star_Dem]

19. Yes, the girl should have been given special privileges above the other students

Because she was obviously special. :eyes:

[CJCRANE]

20. But a ring isn't a religious symbol in Christianity.

That was the argument. If it was a cross/crucifix on a necklace then maybe she'd have the beginning of a case.

[spoony]

28. Religions have numerous symbols

The circle is present in many of them.

Why do you get to decide what is and what is not a religious symbol?

[Richard Steele]

40. Pfft.

:eyes:

[spoony]

71. Devastating comeback.

What argument can withstand such a withering assault of pure reason?

[Richard Steele]

83. Nonsense needs no rebuttal, merely attention.

[spoony]

85. I know, that's why I called you on that lame comeback :-)

[mondo joe]

45. Is she violating a tenet of her faith by not wearing a ring at school?

?

[spoony]

73. No, but the school didn't take that tack

Since it likewise would not have been a violation to not wear a cross or crucifix, which the school says it allows. So violating a tenet of faith is not a relevant issue in this case.

[mondo joe]

75. Do you suggest any limit on what a student can get an exemption to wear if

they claim it is an expression of their faith?

[spoony]

87. Of course, but that's not what this tangent is about

I personally think the school is totally within its rights and is correct to ban jewelry, since it even makes exceptions for some religious jewelry. But people should stick to that argument instead of insisting on judging a ring's place in personal symbolism.

[mondo joe]

88. But if it makes exceptions for religious jewelry, don't they have to decide

what is or isn't included in "religious jewelry"?

[spoony]

89. They already have

for the most prominent symbols in religions. Which is both fair, respectful, and settles the "where's the line" matter you brought up. Making that distinction is not what I take issue with, it's when people spout off that circles aren't a part of Christian symbolism when clearly they are a part of some people's personal faith.

As I said, I think the school's policy is correct, but disagree with those saying that the ring isn't an important symbol to this young woman's beliefs.

[LanternWaste]

51. Although the Circle may be present in many, many religions,

Although the Circle may be present in many, many religions, it is certainly even part and parcel of the symbols in Christian religion. The young lady is Christian; ergo the circle is not symbolic to her faith.

[spoony]

70. Not true.

A circle, a ring, represents eternity without beginning nor end. This is certainly a part of Christian theology and is, among other places, invoked in every single Christian wedding ceremony I've ever witnessed. And since this ring is a precursor of marriage, it holds similar meaning.

Additionally, within Christianity there are many instances of circles. The crown of thorns, the cross of Iona, the cross of St. Columba, the nimbus, St. Catherine's wheel, and so on.

[LanternWaste]

76. Guess what? It's not.

What in Christian theology brings you to conclude that a circle is the Christian symbol for chastity? Because that's what this all boils down to... that the ring is either a recognized Christian symbol for chastity or it's not. Guess what? It's not.

[spoony]

84. Changing the lines now?

First of all, you said nothing about "chastity," you said a symbol of her faith, which it can be seen as throughout history. Second, even altering the terms of debate don't change the facts: the ring is a holy symbol in Christian marriage. This ring is connected to that in the context of chastity. Therefore, it is a holy symbol to her faith.

The school needs, desperately, to stick to the no jewelry line of argument, because the one you're using fails terribly.

[Blashyrkh]

114. I'd like to drag a dead cat around...it's a religious symbol.

DON'T PERSECUTE ME YOU SICKOS!!!

:sarcasm:

[Madspirit]

33. They do NOT allow jewelry...n/t

[liberalsoldier5]

48. self-delete

[Manifestor_of_Light]

78. yes they can wear a cross/crucifix.

I refuse to take seriously a religion whose symbol is an instrument of torture and death.

End of argument.

[treestar]

122. It's jewelry that's not allowed

With, it appears, an exception for crucifixes.

Making her victimhood all the more implausible. She could wear a crucifix. She just can't wear the ring.

[LanternWaste]

23. What are the specific and relevant reasons...

What are the specific and relevant reasons that compel you to side with the young lady?

All I can see is that you believe she should be exempt from the rules. Am I missing something, and if so, what?

As for me, it seems the more loudly one tries to advertise their faith, it illustrates a weak faith that needs crutches to prop it up. I consider myself a Christian, but jewelry or lack of jewelry certainly doesn't seem to either help or hinder my faith in any way other than crassly advertising it-- which I believe should be done through my actions rather than my wardrobe. :shrug:

[aquart]

36. Welcome to DU.

We frequently do more than the most shallow possible analysis of events. Which might make you uncomfortable here.

[truebrit71]

39. No Jewelery. Get it? That means...wait for it....NO FUCKING JEWELERY!

...pretty fucking straight forward really....

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

113. And NO NON-FUCKING JEWELRY either!

:silly:

[mondo joe]

44. When did wearing a silver ring become a Christian standard?

[kestrel91316]

46. What is it about "no jewelry" that you don't get??

Enquiring minds want to know.

[liberalsoldier5]

52. To posts #10, 14, 17, 37, 18, 19, 20, 33, 45, 23, 39, 44, & 46:

My bad, BIG time. I didn't realize that the school prohibited all jewelry. My mistake. I withdraw my rant.

[poverlay]

55. I withdraw my mocking(below) if you withdraw your rant. n/t

[CJCRANE]

56. Cool.

At least you're big enough to admit it.

:thumbsup:

[Richard Steele]

65. Thanks for the explanation! nm

[Bluebear]

69. Good deal. nt

[EFerrari]

50. That ring won't protect that kid from pregnancy or STDs

and there's nothing anti-Christian about debunking a program that doesn't work.

[malaise]

53. If a teenager needs a ring to remind her that she committed to chastity, she really

isn't that chaste. The school says no jewelry and that's that.
If she can't control herself without imposing her self-imposed rules on everyone else fugg her. She isn't the first virgin on the planet not by a gazillion and many others managed to shut their flippping legs without jewelry and all this public clap trap.

[ProfessorGAC]

74. If She NEEDS The Ring At All, She Isn't The Least Bit Committed

True commitment doesn't require symbolism.
GAC

[poverlay]

54. Oh, WAAAA, you're so persecuted...

Christians who are awarded silver rings to celebrate how long they can hold an M&M between their knees (Thanks to "Edwardlindy for that expression...I Love IT!) are most definitely "wacko" and "fundie"... Oh, and I'm NOT anti-christian, but am still going to celebrate this as a "F@#$ Y%$" to conservatives. So much more fun that way.

[ProfessorGAC]

72. Duh!

That is all.
The Professor

[Feron]

92. Ordinarily I would agree ,but...

chastity/promise rings are a fad and are no way representative of Christianity. And certainly this girl isn't inhibited from practicing her faith, she just has to leave the jewelry at home. Obviously the school doesn't want people using religion as an excuse to skirt the rules.

Taking off the ring will not turn her into a promiscuous person. It's funny how many Christians gloss over the part in the Bible about idols. If her faith is so weak that she needs a ring, then she never had faith to begin with.

Anyhow the chastity ring business is so misogynist. Why don't men sport these rings? I guess women are so "weak" that they have to have a reminder.

I will agree that the pile on against Christianity does become excessive at times, but I suspect most are just letting off some steam. It wouldn't hurt however if some would think before they post.

Christians ,however, are not persecuted in the least whether it be in the U.S. or the U.K..

[Blashyrkh]

116. Is it because women are more likely to pay a ridiculous amount of money for a ring?

"Anyhow the chastity ring business is so misogynist. Why don't men sport these rings? I guess women are so "weak" that they have to have a reminder."

Men should have a Chastity Tool Belt, or Chastity Slippers.

[Warren DeMontague]

103. Edit. Delete. nt

[ComerPerro]

11. don't think students should be allowed to openly advertise sexual preferences in school, lol

[Madspirit]

26. "don't think students should be allowed to openly advertise sexual preferences in school"

:rofl:

[Warren DeMontague]

12. Good. Gang symbols should be forbidden in schools.

And these nutty anti-sex fundamentalist loonies are obviously a gang.

[Madspirit]

21. RIght Wing Lies

A recent Harvard study showed that few live up to this abnormal chastity crap anyway. Jeez. Teens are going to have sex. They have since the beginning of time. It's probably why our species still exists. Denying this and denying sex education only proves that the Right Wing put their agendas ABOVE the lives of their children. They don't want them to have education about sex or to learn about birth control or STDS, etc. They just want to play like and pretend that teens don't have sex because they don't like it that teens have sex. Fuck them and fuck them again. Their children's lives are so unimportant to them it makes me ILL.
Lee

[Bluebear]

25. I could have had a ring on every finger at that age

I could have waved them silver rings thangs around to show everyone what a 'virgin' I was. Except I couldn't have done it with a straight face!

[poverlay]

57. All those rings my wife used to wear when I met her made me hot. I just loved that goth stuff.

Those rings usually meant that girl was more interesting than most of the others. Of course some of 'em were just freaks though...

[Madspirit]

24. k&r to Bluebear, the cutest little animal-shaped button on the planet...n/t

[TlalocW]

31. Well, I hope her school and the courts will be happy

She says she needs that ring to remind herself of her commitment to chastity. Who are they gonna blame when they catch her fucking every guy within eyesight in between classes? Only themselves.

This is so prevalent of the nutty branches of Christianity - it's not enough to just be a Christian, but they have to make sure that everyone else knows it. They demand that Christian prayers are said in school; they demand that rules be changed for them; etc. If a Christian group breaks a school rule, the fault is never theirs. It's the school trying to throw Christianity out of the system. She could have put it in her pocket and known it was there. She would felt it every time she sat down, etc.

TlalocW

[Bluebear]

35. 'She would felt it every time she sat down, etc.'

I think that breaks another commandment or something.

[Occulus]

41. I personally imagined it elsewhere from her pocket

and having a rather more dramatic effect each time she sits.

[TlalocW]

42. I knew that would get a comment...

I meant that when you sit down, the upper part of your pants tend to tighten up so anything in your pocket is pressed against your thigh. Nothing more.

But the person who replied to you is right, and I did consider posting something about how she could turn it into a different piece of jewelry - I, however, was going to suggest a nipple ring.

TlalocW

[Madspirit]

79. "She would felt it every time she sat down, etc."

:rofl:

[truebrit71]

32. Good!! Don't bring that fundie shit to the UK....

...I love her father's comments too....another poor, down-trodden and persecuted xtian....:eyes::puke:

[spoony]

80. Looked at HM's title lately?

"Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith"

The "fundie shit" came to the US FROM England with the Puritans.

[truebrit71]

97. Umm...no it didn't...

...the kind of fundie shit that this kid's father was spouting is pure Grade-A US of A fundie primetime holier-than-thou 'look at me I'm a poor presecuted xtian' stuff....

[Quantess]

38. "my precious", says Gollum.

They've seen Lord of the Rings too many times, and so, now they think a ring will give them special powers.

[rug]

49. She might as well go out and get laid now.

[poverlay]

64. I know. Without her ring, her vagina is just powerless to fend off all those seeking, well, you

know...

[xchrom]

61. i believe the school will allow some limited religious jewelry -- i.e. a cross or star of david.

but NO other jewelry.

the ring is not a symbol of christian faith -- but of her chastity vowed to her father.

now i'm sorry -- but this is just all kinds of weird.

semi married to your father -- until you're married -- well -- my mind is just too colourful here.

the court definitely made the right choice here -- the ring was A} extraneous jewelry and B} not a religious symbol.

[Maddy McCall]

100. That's just freakin' gross.

"the ring is not a symbol of christian faith -- but of her chastity vowed to her father."

And stupid--it's like these uninformed, uneducated dumbasses are trying to revive some medieval ritual that never existed.

[WritingIsMyReligion]

62. If you're so brain-dead to need a reminder to be chaste,

that says a world of shit about you, doesn't it? Fundie mentality in a nutshell, on display now.

[Crunchy Frog]

67. The poor child's going to become a slut now

since that ring was obviously the only thing keeping her from sleeping with every single boy in the school. Damned anti-Christian persecuters.:grr:

[Madspirit]

77. "The poor child's going to become a slut now"

:rofl:

[Swamp Rat]

81. LOLOLOL!!!!!

:rofl:

[deepthought42]

82. Oops, I'm not wearing one...

:evilgrin:

:spank:


"HA HA!" :P


"The silver ring....thing" wow...sounds creative. :eyes:


Edited to add: Ah, so there are rules regarding jewelry...well, it is just jewelry...take it off at school! I'm sorry I have no sympathy for whiners...

[AwakeAtLast]

93. I seem to have lost mine, too

:P

[deepthought42]

117. You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?

:dilemma:



:evilgrin:








:rofl:

[Oeditpus Rex]

90. Six months from now: 'Girl sues school over her pregnancy'

"They wouldn't let me wear my ring," she said, "so I forgot to be a virgin." :cry:

[Evoman]

94. My stupid work place is just as discriminatory. They won't let me wear my silver cock ring

because they say its a "distraction". :wtf:

Its the only way I can stay abstinent. Otherwise, when I pull out my junk republican-style, woman are actually tempted. I don't have the ring to give them creep vibes.

[Katherine Brengle]

95. I don't understand why they wouldn't let her wear it.

Am I missing something?

[truebrit71]

98. No jewelery allowed in school. Period.

Very simple.

[Maddy McCall]

99. IIRC, the school has a "no jewelry" rule.

She knew that when she decided to do the "ring thing." The school made her abide by the rules.

[mzteris]

101. So wear a chastity belt under your clothes.

They don't search you, do they?

Besides, I think it'd work better for you. In case you "FORGET", ya know.

Or in case some guy doesn't take NO for an answer.

[Warren DeMontague]

104. Okay, I think the School's "No Jewelry Rule" pretty much settles it. That said, notice how there are

no boys in that picture?

[muriel_volestrangler]

108. True; but it's an all-girls school, and they're wearing school uniform

so presumably they are girls all at that school. Having said that, in practice these movements do seem to put more emphasis on girls not having sex than boys.

[Warren DeMontague]

109. I wish I could find the pictures, now. I remember from one of these abstinence rallies

there were a bunch of pictures of the kids, and the kids were all supposed to look real fuckin' enthused about the whole thing.

To make a long story short, the expressions- on some of the girls, but particularly on ALL of the teenage boys- were priceless. I'll keep looking.

[mikotondria]

110. higher power !

She goes to the school and abides by the rules there, that have been crafted to ensure the smooth running of the school, according to the experience and judgment of a group of qualified mature adults. Good girl.
However, when it comes to the 'no jewellery' rule, this os no longer applicable - she feels that because of her 'belief' in the notion of an unprovable concept that lies behind the very creation and fabric of the universe itself, that this necessitates that she can opt out of this ruling by some tortuous 'logic' involving Palestinian nomads, clay tablets, and the like.
I also have an unprovable theory on the creation and running of the universe (however at odds with the evidence it may be), that involves spraying homage to my graffiti god on walls and other surfaces. I understand that this is at odds with the school rules, but for some similarly inexplicable reason, I feel they do not apply to me in this instance, and I respectfully request that I am allowed to 'practice my religion' in this regard, and cover the school in my 'holy' tag..

[opiate69]

115. But she gets to keep Mr Pillowpants in right?

[deepthought42]

118. ...

:spray:

:rofl:

[noamnety]

119. I wonder how the girls' family would feel

If someone started up a different religion, one where people wore a special set of earrings to denote that they were sexually active. Would they support students' rights to wear those in school?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

123. "Chastity is it's own punishment" Bumper sticker I saw.

"It is difficult to believe in a religion that places such a high premium on chastity and virginity." - Madonna