Interesting Facts

According to cognitive scientist, Guy Claxton, rubbers (erasers) are instruments of the devil and has called for them to be banned from classrooms. (Strong words, I hear you say, but his argument is that they encourage children to feel ashamed of their mistakes, and perpetuate a culture of shame about errors. "It’s a way of lying to the world, which says ‘I didn’t make a mistake. I got it right first time.’ That’s what happens when you can rub it out and replace it," he said. Now you know why you can't correct your posts in the forum!)

The Church of England has introduced new wording to the Christening service so parents and godparents no longer have to "repent sins" or"reject the devil". (The current version, used since 1998, asks parents and godparents if they “reject the devil and all rebellion against God” and if they “repent of the sins that separate us from God and neighbour”. The new text will ask them to “reject evil, and all its many forms, and all its empty promises”, with no explicit mention of the devil or sin. It reminds me of a quote by Charles Baudelaire, "The devil's finest trick is to persuade you that he does not exist." Famously paraphrased in the film The Usual Suspects "The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.") !Note - Christening = Baptism