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I went to Sunday School and liked the stories about Christ and the Christmas star. They were beautiful. They made you warm and happy to think about. But I didn't believe them. The Sunday School teacher talked too much in the way our grade school teacher used to when she told us about George Washington. Pleasant, pretty stories, but not true.

Frances Farmer#7

BeautyBeliefBeliefsEducationFictionStoriesTruth

About this quote

What does it mean?
The speaker appreciates the aesthetic appeal of religious stories but rejects their literal truth.
In plain terms
I liked the stories but knew they were not true.
What can you take from it?
Beauty does not guarantee factual accuracy.

Where it applies

  • religious education
  • mythology
  • childhood learning

Putting it to work

  • distinguishing fact from fable
  • teaching stories
  • evaluating traditions

Questions to consider

  • Can a story be beautiful and untrue?
  • What is the purpose of a story?

Another view

It simplifies the function of myth and allegory.

More from Frances Farmer

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