Freethought & Rationalism Archive

rcressl · 03-18-2002, 04:25 PM

I think that maybe I'm just being a pain in the neck and maybe this really isn't anything, but...

On a reading test, one of the questions was:

4. The gods and goddesses of Olympus are different from the Biblical God in that they
a. do only good things
b. control every aspect of human life
c. can be just as stupid, jealous, and spiteful as humans
d. are moral in every way

I didn't put an answer for this because none of these seemed to fit, so when I got the test back I asked the teacher what the answer was. She said that it was C. I said something about how that didn't fit because it even says in the Bible that the biblical god was jealous... I didn't get much further than saying that b/c she then told me that when most people think of the biblical god they don't think of a stupid, jealous, and spiteful god.

There are some more examples of the biblical god's stupidity, spitefulness, and jealousness (which I can post if anyone doesn't think so.)

I still don't think that this was the right answer, and I think that what she said was kind of oppionated (sp.?)...

[ March 18, 2002: Message edited by: trustno1 ]

jordan_tar · 03-18-2002, 04:50 PM

Was this a standardized test, or did the teacher write it?

Toto · 03-18-2002, 04:56 PM

Was this question about a passage that you read? If so, you are supposed to answer it according to the text, not your outside knowledge.

I think you could guess that it was C because A, B, and D are clearly incorrect. C is closer to being correct.

It is one of those truisms that everyone knows (even if it is false) that the difference between the Greek Gods/Godesses and the Biblical God is that the Greek Gods displayed petty human foibles, like jealousy, lust, trickery, etc.

The OT Biblical God is clearly jealous, but is not portrayed as petty or stupid. His anger is usually described as righteous wrath, not spite. He doesn't go around the countryside seducing maidens like Zeus (except maybe once.)

This answer does not depend on the Biblical God being any more real than Zeus.

But you do raise a good point. It's just not going to get you very far on a multiple choice test.

Limac333 · 03-18-2002, 05:00 PM

Go talk to her and say that my personal beliefs make this question diffacult to answer, and that in order to answer it, you have to look at the test from Christian point of view. Which is not the way I choose to life my life

And if she doesn't give you the points go to the principal and your parents.

rcressl · 03-18-2002, 05:49 PM

Thanks for answering

I know that there pretty much is no point in this b/c it's pretty much one of the dumb tests we take that a second grader could pass, but still...

this was a test out of a workbook, i think... it was over our mythology section

i would tell her that my personal belief doesn't go with it, but usually when a kid says something like this (not this exactly, but something that could be comparable with this) she says "Oh well" "Tough" or "Deal with it."

It wasn't much of a big deal, anyway, but i did say something to my mom... i think she's getting used to me complaining and just figures im gonna complain anyway, lol

Alonzo Fyfe · 03-19-2002, 06:15 AM

By my reading, the original question no more supposes the validity of a Christian god than it does the god of Olympus.

And in answering the question, I would assume that the question were to be answered from the point of view of those who are within the myth, not those outside the myth.

It is true that an ancient Greek would say that their gods have all of the petty faults of mere humans, while a Chistian holds that their god is perfectly good and all knowing.

The correct answer is C.

DarkBronzePlant · 03-19-2002, 07:32 AM

Quote:

4. The gods and goddesses of Olympus are different from the Biblical God in that they
a. do only good things
b. control every aspect of human life
c. can be just as stupid, jealous, and spiteful as humans
d. are moral in every way

Did you copy the wording verbatum, or were you paraphrasing? If this is the actual wording form the test, then it was an extremely poorly worded question. "can be"? Anybody/thing "can be" anything (hell, god is omnipotent, no? So why can't he be stupid/jealous/spiteful?) "stupid" itself is a value judgement. Maybe it's reasonable to say that god shouldn't be considered "stupid", but I would say the same thing about the greek gods. They were a lot of things, but never "stupid."

As for spiteful and jealous, I seriously wonder how one could argue that "God" is less spiteful or jealous than the greek gods.

I agree with Toto that if it was a reading comprehension test, and the passage you'd read said or implied that the greeks are stupid/jealous/spiteful and "God" is not, then unfortunately you're S.O.L. (although I would like to read exactly how the passage makes such a claim.) Otherwise, I think you've got grounds for a recount.

Godless Dave · 03-19-2002, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by trustno1:
I said something about how that didn't fit because it even says in the Bible that the biblical god was jealous... I didn't get much further than saying that b/c she then told me that when most people think of the biblical god they don't think of a stupid, jealous, and spiteful god.

It doesn't matter what most people think of the biblical God. She was asking you about the biblical God, so you answered based on the information in the bible. I agree with you that there is no correct answer.

rcressl · 03-19-2002, 05:24 PM

again thanks

and yeah, that was the original question, copied exactly word for word... most tests at our school are worded that way where they aren't to clear...

DarkBronzePlant · 03-20-2002, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by trustno1:
again thanks

and yeah, that was the original question, copied exactly word for word... most tests at our school are worded that way where they aren't to clear...

Well then, whoever wrote that question/test has no business being in an educational role.

03-18-2002, 04:25 PM	#1
rcressl Regular Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Massillon, OH Posts: 281	reading test? I think that maybe I'm just being a pain in the neck and maybe this really isn't anything, but... On a reading test, one of the questions was: 4. The gods and goddesses of Olympus are different from the Biblical God in that they a. do only good things b. control every aspect of human life c. can be just as stupid, jealous, and spiteful as humans d. are moral in every way I didn't put an answer for this because none of these seemed to fit, so when I got the test back I asked the teacher what the answer was. She said that it was C. I said something about how that didn't fit because it even says in the Bible that the biblical god was jealous... I didn't get much further than saying that b/c she then told me that when most people think of the biblical god they don't think of a stupid, jealous, and spiteful god. There are some more examples of the biblical god's stupidity, spitefulness, and jealousness (which I can post if anyone doesn't think so.) I still don't think that this was the right answer, and I think that what she said was kind of oppionated (sp.?)... [ March 18, 2002: Message edited by: trustno1 ]</p>

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03-18-2002, 04:50 PM	#2
jordan_tar Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Denver/Tulsa Posts: 78	Was this a standardized test, or did the teacher write it?

03-18-2002, 04:56 PM	#3
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	Was this question about a passage that you read? If so, you are supposed to answer it according to the text, not your outside knowledge. I think you could guess that it was C because A, B, and D are clearly incorrect. C is closer to being correct. It is one of those truisms that everyone knows (even if it is false) that the difference between the Greek Gods/Godesses and the Biblical God is that the Greek Gods displayed petty human foibles, like jealousy, lust, trickery, etc. The OT Biblical God is clearly jealous, but is not portrayed as petty or stupid. His anger is usually described as righteous wrath, not spite. He doesn't go around the countryside seducing maidens like Zeus (except maybe once.) This answer does not depend on the Biblical God being any more real than Zeus. But you do raise a good point. It's just not going to get you very far on a multiple choice test.

03-18-2002, 05:00 PM	#4
Limac333 Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Cary IL Posts: 77	Go talk to her and say that my personal beliefs make this question diffacult to answer, and that in order to answer it, you have to look at the test from Christian point of view. Which is not the way I choose to life my life And if she doesn't give you the points go to the principal and your parents.

03-18-2002, 05:49 PM	#5
rcressl Regular Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Massillon, OH Posts: 281	Thanks for answering I know that there pretty much is no point in this b/c it's pretty much one of the dumb tests we take that a second grader could pass, but still... this was a test out of a workbook, i think... it was over our mythology section i would tell her that my personal belief doesn't go with it, but usually when a kid says something like this (not this exactly, but something that could be comparable with this) she says "Oh well" "Tough" or "Deal with it." It wasn't much of a big deal, anyway, but i did say something to my mom... i think she's getting used to me complaining and just figures im gonna complain anyway, lol

03-19-2002, 06:15 AM	#6
Alonzo Fyfe Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: 920B Milo Circle Lafayette, CO Posts: 3,515	By my reading, the original question no more supposes the validity of a Christian god than it does the god of Olympus. And in answering the question, I would assume that the question were to be answered from the point of view of those who are within the myth, not those outside the myth. It is true that an ancient Greek would say that their gods have all of the petty faults of mere humans, while a Chistian holds that their god is perfectly good and all knowing. The correct answer is C.

03-19-2002, 05:24 PM	#9
rcressl Regular Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Massillon, OH Posts: 281	again thanks and yeah, that was the original question, copied exactly word for word... most tests at our school are worded that way where they aren't to clear...

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