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[embitteredhistorian]

There may already be a thread on this topic, but I couldn't find it.

Which student question have you had that displays the most ignorance? I was thinking about this yesterday, and I realized that the one I've had is "what's the difference between purgatory and limbo?" Either my memory sucks or I've had some really good students in my time (the former MUST be true).

[astronomygal]

This wasn't my student, but "How many meters are in a meter stick?"

[notaprof]

Someone once asked me if pickles grew on a bush or a tree.

[hulkhogan]

What is Canada? (No, this was not philosophically profound; the student had simply never heard of Canada.)

[mountainguy]

"When was Elizabeth II elected Queen of England?"

"What's the Cold War???"

[helpful]

There may already be a thread on this topic, but I couldn't find it.

Which student question have you had that displays the most ignorance? I was thinking about this yesterday, and I realized that the one I've had is "what's the difference between purgatory and limbo?"

Well, what is the difference?

One is a place and the other is a dance?
<runs and ducks>

[embitteredhistorian]

Wait, how could I forget: "Does Beowulf use a lot of strong verbs because he's a hero?"

[onion]

There may already be a thread on this topic, but I couldn't find it.

Which student question have you had that displays the most ignorance? I was thinking about this yesterday, and I realized that the one I've had is "what's the difference between purgatory and limbo?"

Well, what is the difference?

One is a place and the other is a dance?
<runs and ducks>

Yeah, I don't see this as an ignorant question, as it's sort of complicated and even devout Catholics might have a hard time answering it (unless I'm totally missing something).

Purgatory is where one goes after the die if they have committed venial (or "lesser") sins, like shoplifting or lying.  One hangs out in purgatory while your soul is dry cleaned and prepared for heaven.  But I thought they did away with purgatory?  I can't remember.

Limbo is where babies who died before they had the chance to get baptized go, and some believe that if the parents are really good, they can free their dead babies from limbo.  I think most Catholics stopped believing in limbo a while ago, too.  There was another kind of limbo that I vaguely remember from CCD that was for people who had the misfortune to have died before Christ even lived; those folks were in limbo until Jesus came around and cleared their way to heaven.  I haven't met anyone who believes in that kind of limbo (and I have a lot of really old Italian Catholic great aunts).

So, OP, what makes that an "ignorant" question, unless you teach theology or world religions and you were talking to a colleague?

[verysneaky]

Wait, how could I forget: "Does Beowulf use a lot of strong verbs because he's a hero?"

Oh this is my new favorite.

[embitteredhistorian]

There may already be a thread on this topic, but I couldn't find it.

Which student question have you had that displays the most ignorance? I was thinking about this yesterday, and I realized that the one I've had is "what's the difference between purgatory and limbo?"

Well, what is the difference?

One is a place and the other is a dance?
<runs and ducks>

Yeah, I don't see this as an ignorant question, as it's sort of complicated and even devout Catholics might have a hard time answering it (unless I'm totally missing something).

Purgatory is where one goes after the die if they have committed venial (or "lesser") sins, like shoplifting or lying.  One hangs out in purgatory while your soul is dry cleaned and prepared for heaven.  But I thought they did away with purgatory?  I can't remember.

Limbo is where babies who died before they had the chance to get baptized go, and some believe that if the parents are really good, they can free their dead babies from limbo.  I think most Catholics stopped believing in limbo a while ago, too.  There was another kind of limbo that I vaguely remember from CCD that was for people who had the misfortune to have died before Christ even lived; those folks were in limbo until Jesus came around and cleared their way to heaven.  I haven't met anyone who believes in that kind of limbo (and I have a lot of really old Italian Catholic great aunts).

So, OP, what makes that an "ignorant" question, unless you teach theology or world religions and you were talking to a colleague?

It seems the difference is pretty clear to me, who was never a Catholic nor a Christian. Limbo is where virtuous non-Christians go with no chance for Heaven, purgatory is for Christians who have a chance to go to Heaven. It's kinda the difference between a life sentence without the possibility of parole and probation. That seems pretty clear to me, but maybe I just don't understand any of this since I don't believe any of it anyway.

[galactic_hedgehog]

There may already be a thread on this topic, but I couldn't find it.

Which student question have you had that displays the most ignorance? I was thinking about this yesterday, and I realized that the one I've had is "what's the difference between purgatory and limbo?"

Well, what is the difference?

One is a place and the other is a dance?
<runs and ducks>

Yeah, I don't see this as an ignorant question, as it's sort of complicated and even devout Catholics might have a hard time answering it (unless I'm totally missing something).

Purgatory is where one goes after the die if they have committed venial (or "lesser") sins, like shoplifting or lying.  One hangs out in purgatory while your soul is dry cleaned and prepared for heaven.  But I thought they did away with purgatory?  I can't remember.

Limbo is where babies who died before they had the chance to get baptized go, and some believe that if the parents are really good, they can free their dead babies from limbo.  I think most Catholics stopped believing in limbo a while ago, too.  There was another kind of limbo that I vaguely remember from CCD that was for people who had the misfortune to have died before Christ even lived; those folks were in limbo until Jesus came around and cleared their way to heaven.  I haven't met anyone who believes in that kind of limbo (and I have a lot of really old Italian Catholic great aunts).

So, OP, what makes that an "ignorant" question, unless you teach theology or world religions and you were talking to a colleague?

It seems the difference is pretty clear to me, who was never a Catholic nor a Christian. Limbo is where virtuous non-Christians go with no chance for Heaven, purgatory is for Christians who have a chance to go to Heaven. It's kinda the difference between a life sentence without the possibility of parole and probation. That seems pretty clear to me, but maybe I just don't understand any of this since I don't believe any of it anyway.

But, if the student isn't Catholic and never read any, say, Dante (or listened to George Carlin) why would they even know about such places?  It's not like the student is asking, "What's the difference between the Mets and the Yankees?"

[onion]

There may already be a thread on this topic, but I couldn't find it.

Which student question have you had that displays the most ignorance? I was thinking about this yesterday, and I realized that the one I've had is "what's the difference between purgatory and limbo?"

Well, what is the difference?

One is a place and the other is a dance?
<runs and ducks>

Yeah, I don't see this as an ignorant question, as it's sort of complicated and even devout Catholics might have a hard time answering it (unless I'm totally missing something).

Purgatory is where one goes after the die if they have committed venial (or "lesser") sins, like shoplifting or lying.  One hangs out in purgatory while your soul is dry cleaned and prepared for heaven.  But I thought they did away with purgatory?  I can't remember.

Limbo is where babies who died before they had the chance to get baptized go, and some believe that if the parents are really good, they can free their dead babies from limbo.  I think most Catholics stopped believing in limbo a while ago, too.  There was another kind of limbo that I vaguely remember from CCD that was for people who had the misfortune to have died before Christ even lived; those folks were in limbo until Jesus came around and cleared their way to heaven.  I haven't met anyone who believes in that kind of limbo (and I have a lot of really old Italian Catholic great aunts).

So, OP, what makes that an "ignorant" question, unless you teach theology or world religions and you were talking to a colleague?

It seems the difference is pretty clear to me, who was never a Catholic nor a Christian. Limbo is where virtuous non-Christians go with no chance for Heaven, purgatory is for Christians who have a chance to go to Heaven. It's kinda the difference between a life sentence without the possibility of parole and probation. That seems pretty clear to me, but maybe I just don't understand any of this since I don't believe any of it anyway.

But, if the student isn't Catholic and never read any, say, Dante (or listened to George Carlin) why would they even know about such places?  It's not like the student is asking, "What's the difference between the Mets and the Yankees?"

Of course I wasn't there, so I don't know the spirit in which the question "what is the difference between purgatory and limbo?" was asked, but I could see how it could be a sophisticated question with a very complicated answer.

My most ignorant question: "How do I find the syllabus on Blackboard?"  Um, click the big shiny button that says "syllabus".

[embitteredhistorian]

There may already be a thread on this topic, but I couldn't find it.

Which student question have you had that displays the most ignorance? I was thinking about this yesterday, and I realized that the one I've had is "what's the difference between purgatory and limbo?"

Well, what is the difference?

One is a place and the other is a dance?
<runs and ducks>

Yeah, I don't see this as an ignorant question, as it's sort of complicated and even devout Catholics might have a hard time answering it (unless I'm totally missing something).

Purgatory is where one goes after the die if they have committed venial (or "lesser") sins, like shoplifting or lying.  One hangs out in purgatory while your soul is dry cleaned and prepared for heaven.  But I thought they did away with purgatory?  I can't remember.

Limbo is where babies who died before they had the chance to get baptized go, and some believe that if the parents are really good, they can free their dead babies from limbo.  I think most Catholics stopped believing in limbo a while ago, too.  There was another kind of limbo that I vaguely remember from CCD that was for people who had the misfortune to have died before Christ even lived; those folks were in limbo until Jesus came around and cleared their way to heaven.  I haven't met anyone who believes in that kind of limbo (and I have a lot of really old Italian Catholic great aunts).

So, OP, what makes that an "ignorant" question, unless you teach theology or world religions and you were talking to a colleague?

It seems the difference is pretty clear to me, who was never a Catholic nor a Christian. Limbo is where virtuous non-Christians go with no chance for Heaven, purgatory is for Christians who have a chance to go to Heaven. It's kinda the difference between a life sentence without the possibility of parole and probation. That seems pretty clear to me, but maybe I just don't understand any of this since I don't believe any of it anyway.

But, if the student isn't Catholic and never read any, say, Dante (or listened to George Carlin) why would they even know about such places?  It's not like the student is asking, "What's the difference between the Mets and the Yankees?"

Of course I wasn't there, so I don't know the spirit in which the question "what is the difference between purgatory and limbo?" was asked, but I could see how it could be a sophisticated question with a very complicated answer.

My most ignorant question: "How do I find the syllabus on Blackboard?"  Um, click the big shiny button that says "syllabus".

I should explain--this wasn't in America, but in a country with a state religion where world religions and Christianity are part of the public school curriculum, including Catholicism, purgatory, and Hell.

As I implied in my original post, it's not a terribly ignorant question, but just the one I could remember at the time.

[zarathustra]

Where is New England?  Is it, like, in London?

[see_wolf]

"If people are starving in Africa, why don't they just move away?"