OK. I'll come clean and admit it's a toddler group that is run in a church, headed up by the vicar's wife and staffed by volunteers from the church community. It is a completely fantastic toddler group. It's wildly popular, very friendly, lovely, lovely volunteers who make cups of tea and hand out biscuits and chat to all the mums. Really, IMO you couldn't ask for anything more from a toddler group. However, today they sang a couple of religious songs in amongst twinkle twinkle and started telling stories about Jesus. This is a new development and looks like a clear change of policy.
Up until today this toddler group was not obviously a "christian group" with no mention of Jesus or God, although families attending the group were invited along to child services and there was always information about the many and various activities the church organizes. I'm pretty convinced that the vast majority of families who go to the group are not attached to the church - they are just a random cross section of the people in our city. They go because it's a great group.
Now obviously, it is a church group, run by Christians and they are perfectly entitled to run it in whatever way they want. The running of the group has recently been taken over by someone new. She is extremely nice and seems very welcoming.
But as a non-believer, I felt very uncomfortable when the singing and stories are happening. I think this is partly because I just think the whole thing is nonsense (sorry to those who do believe, but I just do), partly because I see it as "indoctrinating" (I know this is only because I don't believe - if I agreed with the views I wouldn't see it in this way) and also because it makes me feel that if I don't believe then maybe I shouldn't be attending. I think that as the kids are so young, realistically they won't understand the stories or songs, so the fact that they are now happening is basically a way of signalling to the parents that this is now a religious group. Obviously, I can choose not to attend and this is something I may end up doing. All of which makes me sad because it has been such a fantastic, inclusive, toddler group in the past. I've been going to it for the past 7 years and it's been pretty great for all of that time.
Do you think it is worth mentioning to the (lovely) woman who runs the group the effect of introducing the religious element to the group? (I'd obviously leave out the bit about thinking Jesus is nonsense!) I wonder if she's even aware that by including religious songs / stories it can make it seem actively unwelcoming to those of other / or no faiths. Of course, this may be the effect that they are trying to achieve, which is obviously OK, (if sad for me!)
AIBU?
AIBU to feel disappointed that religious songs and stories are being introduced to this toddler group?
neolara · 05/10/2011 18:40
It's a church group, in a church, run by Christians - what do you expect? 
YABU
as a humanist I have to say - stop worrying - it's singing and stories to toddlers - not waterboarding and forcing you to eat The Bible
If you are a non-believer, why are you attending a church group? 
YABU - you are willing enough to avail of the very friendly atmosphere, helpful volunteers, fantastic group held in a church, ran by the vicars wife but you are disappointed that they might sing a few hymns and tell some stories
As you said in your OP if you don't like it don't go.
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In my considered, devoutly atheist opinion, it's hand for kids to learn stuff like carols and the basics of Christianity. It underpins about 99.5% of our culture. Obviously, if/when DC start worrying about going to hell and having angels watching over them, etc, you'll have to tell 'em they're just stories that everybody knows. My parents pulled this off just fine AND managed to keep us believing in Santa Claus and the tooth fairy 
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