One of America’s most beloved toys might just be a vessel for demonic possession. That’s according to Christian influencer Yasmeen Suri, whose post about a Barbie doll on the shelves of her local Target is going viral.
But it's not just any Barbie. This is the ‘Breathe With Me Barbie,’ a special yoga edition of the iconic doll.
Stickers on the front of the packaging say that Barbie can do five guided meditations and she is packaged in a seated, cross-legged pose.
So how did this doll become a source of internet controversy, generating tens of thousands of likes, shares, and comments?
Suri claimed that the children’s toy was nothing less than demonic, a tool of indoctrination by Satan that could possess your child, cause them to rebel… and possibly even kill themselves.
Barbie Poses a Problem
The post begins: “‘Yoga Barbie’ is at Target on the shelf. Satan always comes as appearing innocent. He will never come with horns and a pitchfork. Satan is after the children. He wants to use them and indoctrinate them for his glory. Then, when he is done, he will destroy them.”
But that wasn't all.
The crux of Suri’s argument seems to be that meditation and yoga are inseparable from Hinduism, and that this is a stealth attack from Satan himself on America’s Christian children.
“God forbids all practices of eastern religion as a Christian,” Suri argues in her viral post. “You must remove all toys and clean your children's room of all demonic attachments” lest they become “rebellious,” “depressed,” and “suicidal.”
Her message went viral, with thousands chiming in to share their thoughts.
Some criticized the reasoning and others outright mocked this idea.
"My daughter has recently been doing yoga, it's been really good for her. Enjoying the red tint in her eyes too, brings a nice ambience to the room," read one comment.
"I want my money back! I never got demon possessed at yoga class. What a rip off!" jested another.
Not everyone disagreed with the post, however.
“The poor children of today,” read one comment with thousands of likes. “Even Barbie's a pagan! I guess next will be homosexual, ponytail Batman action figures. No innocence can be found these days. The patience of Christ for this world to turn from Satan won't last much longer.”
A Bit of a Stretch?
This isn’t the first time the combination of kids and yoga set off alarm bells.
The state of Alabama actually banned yoga in the classroom all the way back in 1993. At the time, Christian conservatives, who pushed the bill, argued that yoga in the classroom was a gateway to Hinduism for children.
The state didn’t end that policy until last year, when Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed a law overturning the ban – although children are forbidden from saying "Namaste," and poses may only be referred to by their English names.
Back in 2018, blogger Matt Walsh reignited a yoga hysteria when he argued that yoga and meditation are unwittingly practicing Hinduism. He suggested that it was “quite literally” playing with fire, arguing that striking a warrior pose could accidentally put yogis in a “demonic trance.”
"What's wrong with just using an elliptical machine?” he asked.
Some Christian leaders agree with the sentiment. They say that even if there are physical benefits to yoga, the potential for demonic influence is too high. As megachurch pastor John Lindell put it, “yoga positions were not designed by your local fitness instructor. They were designed and they were created with demonic intent to open you up to demonic power.”
What do you think – are we all taking a major spiritual risk every time we roll out the yoga mat? Does ‘yoga Barbie’ really risk possessing children?
Or is that a bigger stretch than downward-facing dog?
74 comments
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Rev. Dr. G. Waldron
Just another nut in the far-right conspiracy nut tree.
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Daniel Gray
better then being lost in the conspiracy laden forest of the far left.
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John Albert Daniel
Whoever believes in barbie doll possession sounds like their posses and to say that God does not believe in Eastern Religion this is nuts.
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JWH
I generally consider myself conservative and right leaning but this is a level of nuts that needs it's own classification. It's not far right, far left or anywhere in between. Just nuts.
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Clay Serenbetz
Children don't need a Barbie doll to become possessed. They're all naturally evil.
This whole post screams offensive religious defamation and discrimination. Suri is basically spreading hate, in the same fashion as anti-Semites and neo-Nazis. Suri is the evil one here. Hinduism is another religious belief and deserves as much as respect as followers of Christianity Judaism or Islam. Furthermore, his view of Christianity is warped, as hate is not a doctrine of the Christian Church.
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Robert Gagnon
Just another simpleton displaying ignorance. All these geniuses overlook that JC studied the Kabbalah. That was why he spent so much time at temple, and the elders were amazed at his knowledge. Duh. whats the Kabbalah? Just the whole of Egypt's high magic that Moses took with him when he left. The core of true magic comes from the later books of Moses, adapted by Mathers, and updated by Alister Crowley. These bible study scholars have no clue what their supposed enemy is. Performing exorcisms with out knowing the demons name? Really? Hate to see what a Chucky Doll can do. Demonology, Satanism, voodoo are all different. The simplest demon could trick these guys into believing he's the Devil himself. From my observations, most Christians don't really believe in the Devil. I guess what ever voices guide them must be God talking!
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Lionheart
If people will believe in a virgin birth, a woman coming from a man’s rib, a man walking on water, a woman being turned to salt, a talking snake etc, someone will believe in this.
🦁❤️
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Howard Rees
True!
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James Grainger
Christian influencer Yasmeen Suri?? Don't know who he is, but sounds like a NUT>>> Just someone else who thinks all relegions are evil, but his of course..
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Rev. Rory
It's a "she." Just a woman that thinks she is so pretty that she needs to paste her picture all over the internet.
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tuppennyblue
This is the sort of "Christian" that gives the rest a bad name.
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Fr. Matthew Arælius
Who are these people,and how did they get out of high school? "Influencers" is the new buzz word, and frankly, it's disgusting the way they have creedence is this age. This is not what an informed, mature society producers for the next generation. Disgusting.
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CB Cuff
People such as Yasmeen Suri, those that mentally unstable, should not be allowed outdoors. Hopefully she's not a parent.
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Ealdormon Piparskeggr Robinson
I like to remember Anton Zander LaVey's observation: "Satan is the best friend the Church has, as he's helped to keep it in business all these years."
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Rev Mark D
Looks like that Barbie has an evil Moon God symbol on her throat...
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Bishop William Dusenberry, DD
As a SHP (Secular Humanist Pantheist) know (not merely believe) that God and nature are one and the same thing,
And, in my SHP religion, everything I like to do — as good; ergo, everything I don’t like, is bad.
This works very-well for me— and for everyone else whose God is also nature.
Ghosts, Satans, Devils, and supernatural kinds of mythological Gods, are products of a pre-scientific bygone era, when those raised with silly, medieval religious nonsense claimed that some God, or other, was responsible for whatever they didn’t understand,
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Richard Darwin Richards
They are all products of God!!!
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Richard Darwin Richards
This is humorous, thank you!!!
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Stephanie A Willey
Just another example of downward facing stupid.
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Robin Anne Hannon
Old McDonald's demon farm, ee yay ee yay oh! Seriously it's a doll! This is based in fear and complete nonsense! Someone needs to get educated and see a therapist!
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Robin Anne Hannon
Old McDonald's demon farm, ee yay ee yay oooh! It's a doll for heaven's sake. If you feel it's "evil" then don't buy it for your child. Unbelievable! So uneducated! I honestly did laugh at this, but it's not funny when people like this get these notions in their heads. I have to wonder if this person has a psychiatric disorder and what they might be capable of.
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Kevan B Copelin
Spirits are real, and opening your heart to the Holy Spirit is optimum choice. However, the Holy Spirit will not go where is not wanted, and cannot go where the Holy Spirit cannot get. Be careful which spirits you entertain. Evil spirits operate 24/7, 365; yoga or no yoga. Searching for a souls to take. Love the Lord your God, first and foremost, with all you have “Just Accept Christ King”, and the Holy Spirit awaits. Hate losses; Love wins, in the end!
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Reverend Kurt
Which god?? Who is Christ King? Is he related to Stephen King the novelist? In accepting this Christ king (liberal, labor democrat, republican, green ,communist , monachist or fascist ?), do you also need to accept the Easter bunny, tooth fairy, Santa clause Darth Vada? Perhaps this "holy spirit"you mention, should be replaced with regular spirit?. there are plenty of choices, whiskey, rum, gin, vodka etc etc take your pick
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Lionheart
So, Kevan, did you read all that in a book somewhere?
Spoiler Alert: If you ever read the Harry Potter books, all the stories are just as fictional as the book you are reading.
🦁❤️
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Joy
Wow. I think my eyes rolled all the way around inside my head like Linda Blair's head went around in the Exorcist. What a bunch of baloney. To state the obvious, you don't have to be Hindu to do Yoga, and it definitely is not woven so tightly as to posses the practitioner of said Yoga. They are completely separate. I am so sick and tired of these effing Christians who want to force all their crap on the rest of us. Don't like Yoga? Then don't F^(king do Yoga. Don't like Peanut Butter? Don't eat it! But don't you dare try to take it from the rest of us.
Ealdormon you are so correct! You gave me a little laugh there. Thank you.
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John Albert Daniel
The man is nuts.,religion drives some people crazy
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JaZe
It is shocking that such mentality still exists in this country! Makes a mockery of America and it saddens me deeply.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
The expected ignorance of religiously delusional individuals so etimes turns into sheer stupidity.
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Troels Qvist
I belive Yasmeen to be a girls name
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Geoffrey C. Olive
There’s no cure for stupidity. On the other hand, there’s no such thing as bad publicity. Great tactic to increase Barbie the Demon sales!🤪
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Robin Anne Hannon
This is not religion it is fear, superstition, and probably some sort of mental illness at play.
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Howard Rees
It is amazing how people with such limited knowledge gain total control over the uninformed.
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Malarie L Piercy
If God can't protect you from a barbie doll, then what's the point in believing?
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Malarie L Piercy
If God can't protect you from a Barbie, then what's the point? God never wanted us to be afraid of anything, so I am very tired of all these people spreading fear over things they refuse to understand. Is God more powerful than demons or not?
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Ronaldo
I sometimes wonder if Christians would be in better physical shape if Jesus had taught His followers the benefits of stretching, exercise, and diet. Many more Christians in America are overweight than Hindus in India. Obesity has only become a problem for them starting around 2005, according to some studies, while it has been a problem in America for over 40 years.
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Martin L Stigleman
Yasmeen Suri was an immigrant who was severely bullied as a child until she convinced herself of the delusion she was calling up spirits to be her friends. as she grew up, she got more and more into demonology and witchcraft...until one day a friend showed her a passage in the Bible that said her way of life was wrong, and that was her whole epiphany that turned her to God. TRANSLATED: She is a mentally disturbed woman with a past steeped in abuse and drugs. Her life is a mass of delusions and she is proven to be easily brainwashed by beliefs and religion. Her new religion has taught her hatred of those who follow other paths and her drug and abuse induced past has allowed her to channel her delusions to find "demons" everywhere.
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Barry Lewis
This is why we need better access to psychiatric services
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Deborah A. Buch
As a Yoga Teacher, I have only seen positive effects from my students : children and Adults. The word Namaste means I honor the God in you. Yoga Honors all religions. There are even Yoga classes with bible verses. Unfortunately being out of touch with your own spirituality does not give anyone the right to target someone else’s.
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Rev. Rory
Thank you.
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Minister Valerie Robbins
Exactly! So tired of all the conspiracy developers and their followers. I refuse to believe any God wants their people to live under a rock, shaking and scared. Religion causes more fear than anyone else ever has. That is why I do not believe in religion. It is ALL man's doing.
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Deborah A. Buch
As a Yoga Teacher, I have only seen positive effects from my students : children and Adults. The word Namaste means I honor the God in you. Yoga Honors all religions. There are even Yoga classes with bible verses. Unfortunately being out of touch with your own spirituality does not give anyone the right to target someone else’s.
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Minister Deidre
Ok, lifelong Christian here. I took yoga in high school and several times since. The poses can most definitely be separated from the Hindu religion, there are just words in Hindu that are spoken. I think there is some prejudice/xenophobia mixed in, along with complete ignorance of what the Hindu religion entails and what Yoga is. It's just so ridiculous, and I wonder how people manage to even exist in this world while chosing to remain so incredibly loud and wrong.
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Peter T Hooper
“What do you think – are we all taking a major spiritual risk every time we roll out the yoga mat? Does ‘yoga Barbie’ really risk possessing children?”
Why would you even open this up as a legitimate question?
The barbie-as-demon point of view comes out of US protestant sects that regard the original form of Christianity as a cult — around from the start.
Of course fear-based fundamentalism would regard any set of practices that come out of another tradition — however specifically altered in intention and practice by its migration to our culture — with suspicion bordering on the paranoid.
Demon-fearing has a long tradition, going all the way back to the first Christians. Its important to note that many of these contemporary sects focus as much or more upon Satan, demons and hell as they do the ostensible founder of their faith, Jesus.
This is not “just another point of view,” it’s patent and dangerous nonsense.
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Richard Lee Cornell
It only proves that many Christian are really wacko in disguise. I remember that Harry Potter books taught children in the Black Arts. Guess not many Christians were turn into rocks, toss down a deep cold water well and there they sit.
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Christal L Merkey
Namaste! Namaste, namaste, Namaste. There, I said it and I don't feel possessed.
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Julie Ann Singleton
That's her OWN guilty mind- there is nothing wrong or sinister about that doll. my Mother used to say " The guilty mind always speaks the loudest."
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Gary Leu
Christian influencer Yasmeen Suri sure knows how to keep her name in the news! More cash and influence for her! That anyone would care about this is stunning.
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Fr. Matthew Arælius
Christian influencer Yasmeen Suri seems to be on the "American Religious Freedom Train". It is a vehicle used by Orthodox Christians of the Southern and Southwestern States (mainly) to ultimately control the masses by way of fear, castigation, oppression, emotional and mental slavery, bribery, shame, and-in some cases- assault. As a student of many religions, alive and desd today, I can say with relative confidence that Hinduism is the oldest organized religion in history. Every dogmatic system grew out of it: Jainism, Zoroastrinianism, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and , of course, Christianity. Every other religion borrowed from Hinduism for it's core structuring of it's own dogma, whether to mimic in some way, or to pull to an opposite pole of thought from it. While I hold religion and spirituality in sincere esteem, religious echelon I do not. And influencers are not clergy, know nothing compared to the clergy, and should not speak publicly or privately as if they were. 'Babes in the woods' seems the closest analogy I can find when speaking about influencers. Noted there are exceptions, of course. Medical, legal, technical, clerical experts, etc. speaking about their particular fields should be heard at all times. But Yasmeen Suri is just being emotionally alarmist for the sake of views, to earn money (ya know, the root of all evil) and should not be given consideration in this, or any, theatre of public discourse. Venting an opinion in this forum is useful as everyone here has some knowledge of that about which they speak. Feeding the "competing predator theory" of politics and religion is wasteful, illusionary, deceitful, and childish. Let Yasmin Suri be childish - alone.
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Michael Tracey
Oh dear god. Really?
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Nicholas J Page
Possession in the UK Means you own something. Do any experts have evidence Satan existed. No they do not so stop worrying about this and that Until proven by an expert that something is good or bad for you
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arawngraalrd
If anyone has a few million to spare, I'd like to build a school of Witchcraft and Wizard based on Gospel.
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Amber Fry
There are already plenty. They are called Churches.
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Alexander Pope
Bored people..grow up we have much larger problems in our world today.
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Reverend Kurt
Seriously though people you have been conned into believing that this Barbie doll issue is a religious issue. think about this:- Who benefits???
Is Yasmeen Suri, a real person or an invention of a marketing company?? If she turns out to be real, who is paying her and what shares does she it have?
Yasmeen Suri, has successfully created a worldwide demand for an obscure toy. Cleaver advertising getting religions to spread the word. Now kids( Adult kids included) everywhere will want the doll to see if it is true that the doll is possessed by the devil.
Those who can still relate to logic, explain to me how say a production run of say 1 million toys can all harbour the devil? Or are there 1 million devils??
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Troels Qvist
Surely more than a million devils 👿😈
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Amber Fry
It isn't the doll itself that's the issue. It's that they claim because it is promoting yoga, and yoga to them is a practice that invites in demons, that it's theme should not be something supported by children's dolls. It's about over reaching with their own beliefs and forcing it on others... again. Why can't they just not get it if they don't want it? Why can't they just live by their rules and leave everyone else alone?
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Jimmy Wayne whinery
Is it against God for gays and lesbians to marry
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Amber Fry
Whether it is or not should be between God and the couple that marry, not the church and not the laws. People should be free to decide for themselves. Let them decide if it's worth the risk and to take on whatever might come of it.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Jimmy, that's a new one on me. I've never heard of gays and lesbians marrying eachother, but whatever floats your boat.
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Rev_Shaun
You do have to be worried about humanity when people like Yasmeen Suri walk among us.
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Shirley Jean Davis
Barbie is just a doll. I don't understand what all the fuss is about. Meditation is good and helps calm one's nervous system by grounding you. This lady obviously has some type of mental illness where she sees danger everywhere. She should be pitied.
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Amber Fry
It isn't the doll itself. It's that it promotes yoga, which some believe is a practice that invites demons in. It's ridiculous but they believe it. I just wish they would live their lives by their own beliefs and respect others enough to let others do the same. If they don't like it, don't get the doll.
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John Elvis Hamilton
Whether or not this doll will cause demon possession or suicide might be a stretch, but I would never buy a yoga doll with red glowing eyes and a moon neckless for my kids or grandkids anymore than I would buy them a Ouija board. I think Yasmeen has a point to consider.
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Nicholas Brandon Miller
I want a gay ponytail Batman figure and I won't shut up until I have one!!
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Rev. Rory
Anyone that does not like Yoga Barbie has the right to not purchase it. Making a law that says you cannot say 'namaste is Orwellian.
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Rev. Rory
I'm sure they don't sell this Barbie in Alabama, where it is illegal to say "namaste" in a public school. Sigh.
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Ministress C. Lynn
Blessings Blessed Namaste It's unusual for me to comment ...everyone is able to have an opinion~ does this person Suri , have children? I do not , by choice.However growing up in the 60's & 70's kids toys were WAY more "harmful" than Barbie. With that being said , it's exhausting on how people choose to waste time and are closed minded ~going to meditate & pray for Barbie ( she's not demonic , but has been through a lot of bullying over the decades) ☮️❤️☯️☸️🔯👋Ministress Conni
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David Bartlett
In 1972 my middle school gym teacher attempted to teach us yoga. We had several hyperactive students and I think that was before they were drugging such kids but I'm not sure. Anyways he wanted to calm them down and so he started to teach us a little about meditation and yoga. Very progressive for the period though in keeping with the developing culture of the times. So when my Mom asked as Mom's are want to do "so what did you do in school today?" I of course, innocently told her what we did in Gym class. We belonged to what could arguably be called a cult, a sort of branch of Roman Catholicism. Think Baltimore Catechism on steroids. So the proverbial excrement hit the fan. Mom took action. She marched down to the principals office the next day with me in tow. I was 12. This was a rural town and we lived three miles from the school. I was very late but Mom was going to deliver my excuse in person. She spent the next three hours screaming herself horse at that poor principal (dare I say saintly principal) calling him a Satan worshiping demon spawn and other such things and repeated over and over her demands that he fire the gym teacher, take all the students in the gym class to church then resign and other ludicrous and unreasonable things. Lunch came and went before things settled and I ended up missing all but seventh period that day. The day after that my homeroom teacher said I was excused from Gym class until further notice. A few weeks later I was finally let back into gym class and discovered neither of the gym teachers worked there any more. They were also the primary coaches for all the boys sports teams. Prior to that we won division state champion ships in basket ball the previous 27 years in a row, almost as many track and field championships and over a dozen state baseball championships which ain't bad for a small rural middle school. Both gym teachers had been employed there since WWII. It wasn't until the 1990's before we won any more state championships of any kind in fact we never made it to any finals either. for the next several years we were dead last in almost everything. Needless to I was hated by almost everyone. I was also banned from playing on any team at all. They wouldn't let me try out for any sport even at "open tryouts."
Ignorance is NOT bliss.
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Diana Prince
This is both the funniest and dumbest thing I read today.
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Diana Prince
I remember when Christians were smart. This influencer is a dumb as a rock.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
You took the laughter right out of my mouth!
I wouldn't mind having Barbie in me, or vice versa. I saw a recent photo of her, and she's still a 🦊! She'd have me howling at the moon like a 🐺. Call it possession, if you will.
I don't think this one belongs to the far right, far left or anywhere in the middle. This one deserves it's own category of nuts.