[Misc] Religious promotion in schools

[Lady Whistledown]

I'm surprised they still do this in schools. I remember the old dears from the Gideons coming into my (C of E) primary school in the 1980s and dishing out their little red bibles. We also had to sing Jesus-praising songs in assembly most days, attend once weekly hymn practice, Easter, Christmas and Harvest festival services, and say grace before sitting down to our cheese sandwiches and Monster Munch daily.

Clearly this failed on me entirely, as I haven't been to church- aside from for my godson's christening (and the only reason he's been christened is because his previously non-religious parents want to get him into a particular school) for decades.

I daresay Papa Lazarou Jnr was similarly uninterested in the Word being foisted upon him. I imagine the Gideons' school assembly conversion rate is up there with the Mormons' door-knocking exploits.

 

[My Name Is Gully]

It`s just a book and a free one too! Bonus!


See it as a piece of literature, classical literature at that - reading it does not make the reader religious - understand it as a piece of human heritage!

 

[Wilko]

I got an illustrated bible free at my school, was absolutely crackin for drawing cock and balls all the way through it, think I even drew a helmet and japs eye on the serpent's head. Great times.

 

[Dandyman]

The sooner we have a fully secular education system the better. If people want a religious education go to Sunday School.

 

[1066familyman]

I will - someone suggested up-thread that "official and recognised religions" should be allowed to do this. Who decides what's official, and who recognises them?

I will represent the pastafrians tomorrow!

Presumably the same people that would 'officially' decide a wholly secular education system, that you crave so much, is the way to go.

Still that's ok, because secularism leaves people "free to make up their own minds" doesn't it. And those without faith claim that religious people are pushy and self righteous.

 

[Questions]

This would be an ecumenical matter.

 

[cunning fergus]

Education should be 100% free from any religious influence or teachings.

Let the kids grow up and make their own minds up as to their personal religious beliefs or lack thereof, rather than having it pushed onto them from one direction or another at school.

So would you pull your kid from this kind of trip?

http://www.cornishguardian.co.uk/Banned-mosque-visit/story-26402398-detail/story.html

These must be happening all the time up and down the country?

 

[cunning fergus]

The sooner we have a fully secular education system the better. If people want a religious education go to Sunday School.

That sounds like the thin end of the wedge.........

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_book_burnings

As long as everyone thinks like you eh?

 

[Frutos]

So would you pull your kid from this kind of trip?

http://www.cornishguardian.co.uk/Banned-mosque-visit/story-26402398-detail/story.html

These must be happening all the time up and down the country?

I would let them make up their own mind.

 

[Lindfield by the Pond]

I was PTA for about 7 years, and we decided to give Dictionaries to school leavers as a gift. Bibles were discounted as a gift for all the good reasons above.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I would let them make up their own mind.

That's the way to go. Giving someone a book gives them the opportunity to read it, or discard it. It's not exactly promoting anything, is it?
If the children were being sat down in a classroom and made to listen to preaching, then I would think there would be a point.

 

[cunning fergus]

I would let them make up their own mind.

About what exactly would you let them make up their own mind.........Head Teacher Carolyn Huxley's agenda seems pretty fixed to me?

These kids in the article were between 8-11.........

 

[OGH's Libido]

So would you pull your kid from this kind of trip?

http://www.cornishguardian.co.uk/Banned-mosque-visit/story-26402398-detail/story.html

How embarrassing. If I had children, I'd encourage them to go. Basic knowledge about the worlds faiths goes a long way.

Funny how many people remember binning their bible while at school, I did the same thing 15 years ago. Was given one my an American missionary in India once, you wouldn't believe how hard it is to give it back with a modicum of respect to someone like that.

Someone once lent me a Koran, also on foreign shores, and I read most of it. Happily, I gave it physically more respect than the bible but that's about it.

 

[Frutos]

About what exactly would you let them make up their own mind.........Head Teacher Carolyn Huxley's agenda seems pretty fixed to me?

These kids in the article were between 8-11.........

As does yours.

 

[cunning fergus]

As does yours.

This is not about me though is it, I am not the one making sweeping statements about the necessary secularisation of schools, which you evidently support.

Surely, if you want that enforced we wills top the school trips to Mosques that are needed to ensure our children dont think all Muslims want to cut their heads off for not being muslim (if I could paraphrase the Head in the article I attached).

Your answer that you would let the kids decide is a kop out as you well know, and creates the impression that you are happy to run with the crowd happily taking the piss out the bible and its adherents, whilst holding a different view for Christianity's religous peer groups.

I may be wrong................maybe you do have equal contempt for the muslims and jews, let's see it on here though...............if you have the cajones?

 

[cunning fergus]

How embarrassing. If I had children, I'd encourage them to go. Basic knowledge about the worlds faiths goes a long way.

Funny how many people remember binning their bible while at school, I did the same thing 15 years ago. Was given one my an American missionary in India once, you wouldn't believe how hard it is to give it back with a modicum of respect to someone like that.

Someone once lent me a Koran, also on foreign shores, and I read most of it. Happily, I gave it physically more respect than the bible but that's about it.

Maybe if you had a kid and it was struck with an incurable cancer (or similar) you may be so desperate that you would reach out for something beyond your current assured logic...................maybe the bible or for you the koran.

People change, usually as they get older and experience shit in their lives.

Bully for the confident minded that they can get through their lives without any abject tragedy (or event) that means their youthful resolve remains steadfast, for those who suffer such a tragedy who are not so lucky or more emotionally fragile maybe they can get some comfort in their lives from religion, its teachings, scripture etc. you know to help them get through each day with some dignity...........

On the other hand...............**** that, let's shit on their books, piss in their mouth and chuck 'em in the oven.

 

[CherryInHove]

I don't quite understand how a child having incurable cancer would lead you to believe there was some sort of benevolent overlord making everything happen, I'd have thought it would be the exact opposite, however, whilst I fully appreciate that some individuals do benefit from the comfort of religion, I don't think that is a good enough reason to try to enrol any children into their cult through public schools.

I appreciate that religions need to try to get believers in when they are children as if people grew up their entire life knowing nothing of religion and then at age 25 or something, someone started telling them these stories, there would be no chance at all of them believing it.

 

[Gullflyinghigh]

I will - someone suggested up-thread that "official and recognised religions" should be allowed to do this. Who decides what's official, and who recognises them?

I will represent the pastafrians tomorrow!

Sadly I fear I'll be too late in offering but as/when you decided to preach the word of the FSM to the unenlightened I have a spare copy of The Gospel of The Flying Spaghetti Monster kicking around (amazingly, not joking). You can hold it to your chest while wearing the colander, really get the image correct.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I don't quite understand how a child having incurable cancer would lead you to believe there was some sort of benevolent overlord making everything happen, I'd have thought it would be the exact opposite, however, whilst I fully appreciate that some individuals do benefit from the comfort of religion, I don't think that is a good enough reason to try to enrol any children into their cult through public schools.

I appreciate that religions need to try to get believers in when they are children as if people grew up their entire life knowing nothing of religion and then at age 25 or something, someone started telling them these stories, there would be no chance at all of them believing it.

That is the exact opposite of my experience. I made a decision as a teenager to believe with non church going parents. There are hundreds in my church who would say the same.
I'm not going into my reasons but it works for me.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

There is a difference between learning about religion and being instructed in a religion. A distinction seemingly beyond Cunning Fergus