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Meet Traute Klein,
AKA biogardener.

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Articles on Nonconformity

Conformists are not born but raised and so are nonconformists.
Conformity and nonconformity can be instilled in children. European parents and teachers raise nonconformist, and North American attitudes have not been able to change the attitudes which were developed in my early years.

Hallowe'en or the Reformation
Nonformity creates reformers, e.g. Luther and Galileo.

Are You a Nonconformist?
Nonconformity may come at a high cost. Nonconformists have been maligned throughout history.

The Tyranny of Conformity
The illegal destruction of my garden which did not conform to the appearance of the gardens of the neighborhood.

Being good is not good enough.
My first inspector inspired me to be become a nonconformist teacher.

To Hug or not to Hug, That Is the Question.
The minister of my church considers himself authorized to label me as child abuser, because I hug little children in the presence of their parents.

At the Right Hand of the Father

by Traute Klein, AKA biogardener

Some theologians act as though everyone needs to bow to their superior knowledge, and unfortunately, some people do give them the unreserved respect which they crave. I am happy to say that I seem to have a knack for upsetting them rather than bowing to them.

My Hallowe'en Tradition

To me, Hallowe'en is the Festival of Nonconformity. It has been my tradition since 1998 to treat the topic from different angles at this time of year. In 1998, I looked at the way nonconformists are represented or misrepresented in history. The 1999 article shows how nonconformity creates reformers. In 2000, I showed how early childhood education determines whether a person grows up to be a conformist or nonconformist. All three articles are linked below.

This year, I shall look at nonconformity as it applies to church situations. All articles are based on my personal experiences and observations. I believe that an understanding of this topic will help people to find acceptance of each person's individuality, especially our own.

My Background

I was brought up by a mother who dared to challenge Hitler's youth leaders and got away with it. I was afraid for her safety, but I admired her. In school, after World War II, our teachers impressed on us the need to question authority, obeying our conscience in all matters. They illustrated from recent history how conformity opens the doors to tyranny. I took these teachings to heart and have applied them to all aspects of life.

Teenage Questions

I was in my early teens, taking the Baptist equivalent of confirmation classes, when the minister told us that the Apocrypha were not accepted as part of the Bible, because they contradicted other parts of the Bible. I requested that he give us an example. The poor man got flustered. He had no answer for me but promised to provide one the following week.

When a week went by and no explanation was forthcoming, I asked for it. Mr. Klein got angry. He complained to my mother about my rebellion. My mother, however, did not support him. She would have liked an answer to the question herself.

I applied to the church situation what I had learned at home and in school, and I found out that the minister of that church adhered to a different standard.

The Teenage Heretic

When we came to Canada, I found the great variety of churches and styles of worship refreshing and enjoyed fellowship in various denominations. My mother and younger siblings also joined my church adventures, but they had a bit of trouble with the English language, so many times, I explored by myself. When it came to joining a church, however, I decided to stay with my family and in the German language tradition. So I applied for membership at the Baptist church, not knowing that, in the eyes of that particular Baptist minister, I had committed the unforgivable sin. One of the churches which I had attended was Pentecostal, and that was "verboten" to members of his church. He encouraged me to renounce Pentecostal teachings, but I had found nothing which contradicted the Bible, so I could not oblige.

I was labeled a heretic and was refused membership.

Mind you, that minister is long since dead, and the Baptist people still think of me as one of them. As a matter of fact, many of them are now members of that same Pentecostal church, if for no other reason than to participate in the extensive music ministry on radio and TV.

Academic Church Authority

I wrote my thesis on "The Evolution of Number Symbolism," a topic which had interested me all my life, and I had researched it thoroughly. I had traced the origin of the symbolism back to the beginning of written language, showing from the Hebrew text of the Old Testament how the symbolic meaning of number words is derived from the literal meaning. One of my examiners was Old Testament professor at a Winnipeg Mennonite college who later became president of that college. Within hours of reading my thesis he telephoned to tell me that he would not be passing it, because "there is no such thing as number symbolism in the Bible."

The thesis would still have passed as long as the other examiners would have signed the endorsement. My faculty advisor, however, decided that he would respect the church authority, even though he was not a particularly religious person. He advised me simply to remove the references to the Bible, and everything would be fine.

Well, I was not about to do that. I realized that my deductions were original, but I also knew that my research was sound. Maybe I was the first researcher who was interested in mathematics as well as literature. I had no intention of changing a single word. My attitude caused so much stir at the University of Manitoba, that even the Dean of Graduate Studies and several Department heads decided to read the thesis to see what the furor was all about. Under pressure, my faculty advisor changed his mind, and the Old Testament theologian was replaced by a Jewish rabbi who is a world authority on numerology in Biblical writings. So I got all this free publicity, and in the end, the thesis passed with flying colors.

A refusal to pass a thesis is rare except for incompetent writing and research. To fail it on account of originality of thinking is unthought-of, as far as I know. Only a theologian would consider such a reason.

And the Old Testament professor? To this day, he avoids me like the plague, even though we rub shoulders at cultural events.

At the Right Hand of the Father?

What is it about some theologians that they expect people to accept their word as law?

Let me suggest that the attitude is a cover for a deep feeling of insecurity. Most theologians, thank God, do not have this problem, and I get along with them just fine. They appreciate having a parishioner who can be counted on to liven up a theological discussion. They are the born teachers who would rather facilitate learning than to preach at people.

Am I bothered by the theologians whom I upset? Not in the least. I am proud to be singled out as the person who makes people think, who perturbs pretentious teachers and theologians and upsets the apple cart.