coming home

More first-rate presentations in class today. Wore my Cards cap, in an irrational attempt to sway the baseball fates as "my team" prepares to take on the Dodgers in round 1 of the MLB post-season.

Older daughter last night dismissed my interest in the Twins-Tigers tie-breaker:"It's not important, it's only baseball." (Some Yankees fan she is!) Then, totally subverting her own position, she flipped on "Dancing with the Stars." Watching Joe Mauer and Albert Pujols is at least as worthwhile as watching Tom DeLay and Donnie Osmond trying to "move it." (Admittedly, their partners may be a bit more worthy of scrutiny.)

I have slightly conflicted allegiances in this series (but only very slightly), since LA is managed by Joe Torre, one of my favorite Cardinals from yesteryear. '71 was his best season in the bigs, .363 average to capture the batting title. My Dad and I went to every Friday night home game that year, my freshman year of High School. (My freshman and I will have to make a different memory, looks like.)

So it was nice to lead off this morning with a report on "Baseball & Philosophy," all about the significance of home as a safe destination. The late George Carlin was really good on this theme, one of his cleaner presentations.

And then, another theme George had strong views about: religion. One of the more interesting questions to arise this afternoon: is religious indoctrination a form of child abuse? Richard Dawkins has written, insistently, that there is no such thing as a Muslim, Baptist, Catholic, or Atheist child... only children of Muslim, Baptist (etc.) parents. Others agree. Dale McGowan says it's in kids' best interests to be parented beyond belief.

There's no reason to think kids can't be raised to value ethics, spirituality, and diversity, is there?

And, my own special hobby-horse: why aren't we acquainting kids with comparative religion and philosophy in elementary, middle, and high school? I know why, but... why not?!

Update: The Dodgers took a "sluggish" 5-3 win in an uninspiring game that went on much too long. But it was worth waiting for LA pitcher Randy Wolf's post-game quote: "Ignorance is bliss, and we gotta lotta bliss." Follow it, Randy.