So Disgusted ( saw a horrendous TV show tonight)

[Citrus]

when I was young, my third or fourth grade teacher took us on a class field trip to a houston-area "wildlife preserve." given that houston consists of roughly 2.5 million people and a commensurate amount of concrete, the nature walk didn't last long. what stuck with me, however, was the guy at the end of the tour pulling snakes out of tupperware containers and letting me hold one after the next. enthrallment ensued.

I only mention the anecdote because my secondary school has "baptist" built right into its name on its articles of incorporation, and all teachers are required to be self-described practicing christians. we were definitely taught that a serpent was responsible for convincing lady Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, thereby ensuring man's expulsion from paradise and the world's first case of PMS. I'm not trying to be flippant or denigrate any religion, but I think it's safe to say that a good deal of reptile antipathy has legs in the book of Genesis (although I do think the bible could have done a bit better than blaming a carnivorous, limbless serpent for "handing" a piece of fruit to a human. dunno, maybe lizards, salamanders, newts, and frogs were all busy using their arms for other things that day). point being, despite my personal misgivings about organized religion and the institutionalization of certain beliefs/world views, no one ever tried to make me hate reptiles as a child because of christianity. I think a lot of people just believe snakes are slimy, subjectively gross, and afraid that they're all somehow venomous. I absolutely despise roaches without anything to back it up other than "gross, kill it with fire."

moreover, I'll always be thankful for that day when I got to hold a half dozen snakes on a christian school field trip. it was directly responsible for a lot of aquaria, tubs, racks, and enjoyment over the years. and lastly, in defense of the Good Book, cloven-hoofed animals get at least as bad of a rap as reptiles. probably worse.

Lol like I said, I'm uninformed on religion. I wasn't attacking it but trying to make a connection to why most people don't like reptiles. Here's a better one: I forget the exact place and tribe name, but there are rainforest Indians that teach their young to stay away from all snakes. The herpetologist was searching for a cobra. They claimed to have captured one. Turned out to be a vine snake or some sort of rat snake. They know there are lethal ones and don't want to chance it. (Although one of them caught a snake regardless ).
Edit: I just remembered my childhood friend with ultra religious parents had all kinds of snakes as pets. I even went to his church once and there were lizards and snakes in vivariums.


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