Diesel

Not a massive fan of Christianity or any religion really, but have no big issue with the kids being taught about the bible in school. It must surely teach some moral values and the stories themselves are brilliant!

However on Friday my 5yr old daughter came home wearing a 'Thank God for Food' hat and my younger lad a 'Thank God for fun' hat. Now as far as I am concerned it is their mum who provides the food and me the fun!!!! Nothing airy fairey and unsubstantiated living in the sky has contributed practically here!

The kids can make their own minds up about religion and deity and the importance of worship when they are old enough, as I did, but I am unimpressed by this seeming brainwashing of minors. The hats reminded me of Islamic fundamentalists practising flagellation wearing religious bandanas! Religious extremism of any sort has no place in our semi!!

I kind of want to say 'back off' a bit to the school, but I guess I'll get an 'either or' type ultimatum which is another extreme.

Anyone been here or have any experience? Can you just ask for a 'little bit'!?

Cheers

D

SwissTony

iTrader: (19)

You can request for you children to be exempt from certain "religious" activities in the school if you so wish, though you run the risk of them being felt left out I guess.

I too would feel the same way if a certain religion or celebration was rammed down their throat..good luck though

Suresh

My boy's school is a tad on the religious side, but so was mine and that never did me any harm.

If he starts using the G-word on me, for the sake of balance I'll be forced to tell him my views about the sky fairy, which will get me in no end of trouble I expect when he repeats it in class

Jamz3k

In primary school for me religious teaching was very limited but my parents decided for me to go to a Integrated school as they have always been against the troubles in Northern Ireland religion wise. I personally wish i hadn't as it has left me with a very bitter taste in my mouth as I have grown older and found my own religious views and traditions was tossed aside in order to learn more of "the other side" as my school without a shadow of doubt catered for one side greater than the other.

I do not believe that Religion belongs in school. I do believe children should be taught from the bible though as it is full of great stories about right and wrong but that would be as far as I would go.

Diesel

Nat there is not a lot to object to if they ram Buddhism down their throat - 'be cool, forget fast cars, Swiss watches and big tellys whilst treating all living things with respect' is hardly contentious!!! But my nose is still a bit out of joint about this brainwashing.

Guess I will have to have a chat with the (really nice) head about it, just to keep things in check a bit?

D

daddyscoob

Religon the reason for most of the wars and terror attacks worldwide.... steer well clear.

Mus

iTrader: (2)

in london you have schools for cathloics,jews,and then theres schools for everyone else. im neither any of the above religons but i enjoyed learning about them in R.E.

Mus

iTrader: (2)

i dont agree with that.. as we all now for every action there is a reaction.
not that i agree with it. but hey thats just the way the world is.

Diesel

Similar approach to me mate.

In my view the whole NI thing was zero to do with religion and all to do with territorial assertions due to the inflicted partition aberration. The religion thing was just a convenient label for the different views on who should rightfully own/rule the land. After all both sides were Christian but had different views on sovereignty of the land. Religion was/is a complete distraction here? Hope that isn't a 'can of worms' view mate?

Now my babies' home-made God hats are a different and much more serious matter!!!

D

Diesel

Tribalism, issues of assertion, dominance, imperialism and general alpha male presidents (of low intellect/travel/perception) are probably more guilty of conflict than a sip of red and some bread mate with my local vicar

D

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

I was brought up as a Catholic. First Holy Communion, Confirmation the lot. Midnight Mass was always great (well.... the Carol singing was, as long as you weren't next to my Mum who made up for lack of singing ability with volume )

I went to a Catholic Primary and Secondary School, we had morning prayers EVERY morning, no meat on Friday, compulsory RE throughout my Education.

All it served to was give me one point of view. I realised this and moved on. I have strong religious views which aren't written in ANY version of the Bible, but I am not a God botherer nor will I ever be. I was brought up as a Catholic but am not one now.

The point of all this is:

The school will teach one thing, you as a parent will teach another. The two aren't mutually exclusive, merely complementary.

I went through a VERY religious upbringing and came out (fairly) normal.

Jamz3k

I'm very much in agreement with you. Religion is just a justification in Northern Ireland to act out. I am a Protestant, but only because my parents were Protestant, I no more agree with the teachings of protestant church than i do of the catholic church. So do have a problem with Catholics? No! Do i have a problem with Republicans? well thats a completely different messy thread

salsa-king

if schools went back to the basic 'teaching' of Christianity in class, with an Assembly each morning, sing a hymn or two. Teach right from wrong, live life more following the ten commandments with are often the laws of the land, we would be in a lot better position with the 'youth' of today, giving respect and time to others and ALSO themselves.

Is this where education in schools these days has gone wrong by dropping the 'christian' slant to schooling?




I went to school that had a mix of religions for various cultures, but the ethic of the shool was based on Christianity, anyone who attended the school (a fee paying school) knew how the school would be ran and acepted it, there was non of this my kid opts out of this that and the other because of this that and the other. Everyone got on and mixed.


BUT coming home from school with a THANK GOD hat, I'd expect that when your kids come back from Sunday School... on a sunday!

Diesel

Very interesting views Kieran. I too love a good hymn sing after a pint myself Gathered a crowd of 50 in the Berlin Beerfest once

You have confused me with the exclusive/complimentary thing though. Must be VERY confusing for a child surely!!! Who do they believe (not that I have had that discussion yet as mine are very young - but it is probably coming - and I will have to say 'daddy doesn't believe a single word of it, but take in the morals, kindness and enjoy the stories'...

D

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

It's actually quite easy and something I say to the religious evangelists when I dare speak to them:

"You don't need a God to be nice to people"

I think Terry Pratchett summarises it perfectly with his expression: Lies to Children

Education is a matter of 'lies to children'. You simply cannot tell the whole truth to a child as you need the foundation of information, so you simplify it: You 'lie'.

EVERY parent lies to their Children, it's an accepted practice... the job is to balance the lies and feed in the truth as needed.

As for Religion... well I'd simply say that there are MANY ways of understanding everything and there being a 'God' is one of them. Then explain another. The problem is that 'God' is such a great simple way to explain all the complexity that it's equally easy to 'explain' : "It just DOES okay???"

Don't under-estimate your kids, if they ask a question: answer it.

Mus

iTrader: (2)

i think basic religous teachings would be good in school. i dont realy celebrate christmas cause im muslim but i know why christmas is there, i know to wish a merry christmas to the ones that celebrate it.

cossie-nutter

iTrader: (45)

I don't believe in any religion and won't let my daughter do RE at school and after 3 meetings at the school and told them she is NOT doing it she now joins in on another class i find more useful for her! Ok shes 14 and it was a couple of years ago now but i feel by not doing RE and infact doing these other classes shes learns more and will help her in life! I will be the same with my 2 other boys when they are older!

Perhaps i am harsh and perhaps a bad father but i want the best for my kids and RE is not 1 of them things i think they should do and there time is best spent else where!

I also believe religion was used as a scare tactic many years ago abit like wizard and witches and to get people eating out of there palms so to speak! (I know what i mean even if i can't explain it very well!)

Underworld

In other words., means they're calling you God??

Turbohot

Great perspective! Fair play

phil_wrx

iTrader: (2)

my kids go to a church school and sings hymns every morning and do assemblys and all that... now im not religious at all and think it is pure ****e but my kids come home going on about god and im just gonna let them make there own decisions with regards to god and religion. i dont think its fair of me to force my beliefs on my kids

scrappydoo

wasnt our country and all its laws based on Christianity and its values, same for america and many other places?

salsa-king

I bet your kids really love you on the 25th of December when they don't get any Christmas prezzies or Christms cards.

spoil sport


Or do you just take the bits you want to out of religion?

cossie-nutter

iTrader: (45)

We do Christmas "the Santa" bit and the kids always get shed loads! Christmas just seems to be a way of life and we go along with it. Gotta love the party's and presents and time off work! lol

Diesel

May bee??? Guess I now need a 'big-me-up' hat too

Some other great input here as I definitely don't want them to be the kid in the corridor during assembly...

D

OllyK

The USA is based on secular principles, it's part of their constitution that there is separation between church and state.

Geezer

Why do the schools need to teach morals with religious background? Behaving 'morally' has little to do with religion. Schools could do all of what you advocate without having to refer to any religion, as could parents.

You could argue that Christian values are as bad as the rape, murder, incest and vengeance of the old testament, as Jesus saye he is not here to re-write the old testament, but to enforce it (essentially).

Today's problems are not due to lack of religion, even highly religious people can't behave, as the weekends events at the Holy Sepulchre show........


Geezer

Julz1983

I'm glad I spotted this thread, but hope I don't offend anyone religious in anyway.

My daughter's school was a county school up until going back in September, it is a First school, so from ages 3-9 years. When it was a County run school there was no hyms, prayers or anything to do with religion in any shape or form, since going back in September and it being a C of E school the headteacher has went religion mad!
Family assembly is every Friday, she starts by saying to all the children 'Lord be with you' and the kids have to say back to her 'And with you' then she says about 3 prayers and then theres about 2 hyms, the walls in the hall are covered in little quote things, all of which are religious, there are crosses all over the school now, at the end of assembly they all have to sing the school song, which was made up, and is all to do with religion, I can't remember all of it but words include 'God bless our teachers and helpers' etc etc.

I asked my daughter, who is 5, if she like assembly, answer I got was 'no'.
My husband is Agnostic, I was christened C of E but I've never followed it, I don't go to church etc etc.
We haven't christened our daughter as I feel it should be her choice, but now at school it seems to be pushed at them with all this religion, they even have collective worship everyday for 10 minutes, which until last week I had no idea about, it's where someone from the church comes in and talks to all of the kids, I'm not keen on that coz no doubt it is pushing religion at them even more.
Everyone follows different views, I have no problem with people who are of different religions as that is their choice, but someone who doesn't follow religion also has opinions and that is their choice.
If some believe in a god in some shape or form then fair do's, if you don't believe then fair do's to that aswell, there's no law saying you have to believe in a god. I will believe it when I see it.
As for celebrating Christmas etc then yes we do that, I learnt the bible stories and learnt about different religions but did not have it pushed in my face to end up believing one faith over another.

Let kids be kids and make their own choices as they grow up, especially the young ones, ie- in first school, after all they are influenced a hell of a lot as it is without feeling pressured into believeing something they don't even fully understand yet.

Martin2005

That's apretty narrow-minded thing to do IMO. What harm can it do anyone to learn about other religions? Why would you not want your daughter to understand the different faiths, if you dont have a basic grasp of them, how can you understand people who do have a faith?

Geezer

Young minds are very impressionable. that is why the church likes to get them early, as did the ***** and the Soviets.

You're absolutely right about learning about other faiths, but it seems that the biblical story is taught as truth in many schools, and children will believe it. Christianity should be treated the same as any other faith.

Whether or not you believe it is irrelevant, children are not in a position to make that distinction, and should only be taught stuff that is fact.

They can then make up their minds when older and are in posessop pf all the relevant facts, and if they choose to bleive it then, then that is their choice.

Geezer