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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

French teacher telling DD that she only doesn't believe in God because her Mother told her.

188 replies

ScienceDad · 03/01/2011 10:06

Hello Mumsnetters, long time reader first time poster!

Am I being unreasonable in thinking that this teacher was way beyond the line in saying this? Here is some background, sorry in advance for the length, but I think it's quite interesting.

A while back, DD's cousin, who is 9, told her that she had to be good, or God, who watches them from the clouds, would punish her and send her to hell where she'd be hurt forever.

As you can imagine, this was very upsetting for a 4 year old girl, and when she asked us if there was a God in the clouds watching her, her mother and I, who are both intelligent athiests, told her not to worry about it, some people believe that there is but we don't, and worrying about it (as even religious folk should understand) is completely absurd for a 4 year old.

So fastforward a few weeks, and DD comes home from School (A very expensive, highly regarded private school, of which she is by far the top student in her class, as we were informed by her teacher at parents evening) Came home very upset after an after school French Lesson. While talking about Christmas DD was told that Christmas was about loving God, which, as you know how tactful a 4 year old can be, resulted in DD saying God wasn't real. Her French teacher in turn told her God was real, and she only doesn't believe in God because her Mother (My DW) said so.

I was fuming, to be honest, not only because it's the complete opposite of reality (not to make this a religeon debate, but surely the French teacher only took that stance because SHE had been told it as a child) but surely any mature adult would not correct a child on such a matter with no tact at all, especially when she is supposedly teaching in an expensive, non faith based school.

Sorry again for length, but AIBU?

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ScienceDad · 03/01/2011 11:53

MsKlo Then the God you beleive in isn't described by the Christian Literature. I appreciate that your personal God isn't as hateful, but it still doesn't mean those who don't should have to put up with the BS that comes along with it.
Read some books, learn some facts, discover how wonderful life is without any of the fairytales. Trust me you'll appreciate things much more if you do.

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OpenToLawSuits · 03/01/2011 11:53

I think your being slightly pompous and are looking for a fight on religion.

Back to the post, if you don't like what she's being taught then ask her teacher, if you still don't like it, school her somewhere else or stop being so precious. Your dc will come into contact with several beliefs, she won't need you barking at her as she contemplates that Mohammed/Jesus lived once upon a time.

ScienceDad · 03/01/2011 11:54

I agree, we're way off topic here, but I don't think I should school her eleswhere when the issue lies with the teacher. For now it's time to sit and observe the situation without any rash decisions or absolutes...

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OpenToLawSuits · 03/01/2011 11:54

Stop being so condenscending, who's to say that MSKLO hasn't read any books or looked into it?

And for the record, God hates the activity of homosexuals, not homosexuals themselves, but as you've read all the books, I guess you know this.

Vallhala · 03/01/2011 11:55

I told you that you shouldn't have mentioned that DD's school is independent.

ScienceDad · 03/01/2011 11:55

LisaD1 Thankfully at our school there's a private religious school just around the corner, so this instituion doesnt feel as much a need to cater to it all.

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RailwayChild · 03/01/2011 11:56

I'm surprised you can see the sun where your head is Sciencedad

MsKLo · 03/01/2011 11:57

Raccoon

How strange you cannot see that it is not your belief I have a problem with but your insults to people who believe - if you really think it is fine to insult people by calling them gullible and fantasists i shall leave you to it

And there sciencedad goes again with his intelligent musings

You two would bore me in real life

OldAndUngraceful · 03/01/2011 11:57

It is inappropriate to talk to a child like that even in a religion education class within a faith school in whatever country you choose

ScienceDad · 03/01/2011 11:57

OpenToLawSuits You're right, I HAVE read all the books :)
Thank goodness he still loves them until they act on what's in their heart. Maybe if they plead hard enough he'll forgiv..oh no wait, it's a Mortal Sin. Too bad, Homos.

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Quattrocento · 03/01/2011 11:58

I have a solution

Remove the child from the school post haste. Also I'm afraid you need to remove your DD from the pernicious and baleful influence of her cousin. Any intelligent atheist could work out that this deplorable family influence is undermining your DD's happiness and security. If this means axing the grandparents etc then so be it ...

OpenToLawSuits · 03/01/2011 11:58

Actually it isn't. The only unforgivable sin is to renounce the holy spirit. Perhaps you should've read more books...?

Merrylegs · 03/01/2011 11:59
TheLittleRaccoon · 03/01/2011 11:59

That's what makes me chuckle about most believers. I'm happy to be corrected, but I was always under the impression that the Bible was pretty clear about God's stance on homosexuality. However, most believers now realise that that sort of attitude isn't acceptable. So they decide that they're not going to believe that bit.

Surely you can't just decide that because you don't like the idea of a "fire and brimstone" God, you'll reinvent him in your imagination and believe in the nicer one instead?

ScienceDad · 03/01/2011 11:59

"If you could argue with religeous people, there would be no religeous people"

  • House, A fictional Character with literally more supporting evidence of being born than Jesus.
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LisaD1 · 03/01/2011 12:00

ScienceDad - your are bang out of order with your last post and I hope your DD gets a great education, one where she realises her dad is an arsehole.

My brother is gay and a far better man than you could dream of being.

PositiveAttitude · 03/01/2011 12:00

RailwayChild Brilliant comment!! Grin

ScienceDad · 03/01/2011 12:00

OpenToLawSuits Actually it is. Maybe you should stop conforming to an interpretation forcefully made softer because it's leaders know for a fact that the modern world would reject it.

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OpenToLawSuits · 03/01/2011 12:01

Pity you can't spell "religious" with all your intelligence.

And don't blame it on touch typing.

LoopyLoopsOfSparklyFairyLights · 03/01/2011 12:01

OpenToLawSuits - I'm assuming you don't actually know what an atheist is, as if you did you would know that an atheist cannot also be a pagan.

MsKlo - "Who do you think you are to judge us and call us fantasists? Who made you right? I don't go around insulting people who don't believe in God as everyone is entitled to believe in what they like - but to class people who do believe in the way you have shows a very small-minded ignorant person"

So, people who believe in the tooth fairy, dragons, gnomes, elves, Santa, are also not gullible? You would feel no disdain for them? To an atheist, belief in God is the same as belief in Santa. An atheist has to see you as gullible, as you believe in (according to them) an imaginary being.

Merrylegs · 03/01/2011 12:02

Its.

As you were....

ScienceDad · 03/01/2011 12:02

LisaD1, if you beleive in any form of Christian Literature, it is your God who thinks that Gay men are less than equal, not I.

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OpenToLawSuits · 03/01/2011 12:03

Yes thank you, that was my point. He claims to be an atheist, but celebrates Christmas which would either make him a Christian or a Pagan (the only two religions to celebrate on this date).

As he is an atheist, I presumed that he didn't as a Christian...when he said he did celebrate Christmas I assumed it was as a Pagan. Being as it's one or the other....and he obviously isn't a hypocrite Hmm

Quattrocento · 03/01/2011 12:03

It's not the touch typing causing all the spelling mistakes, doncha know

It's the touch typing at 60 words per minute.

It's a joke thread. Who is it? It's UQD, isn't it?

ScienceDad · 03/01/2011 12:03

Dear OpenToLawSuits. I'm sorry about my spelling. Very sorry.

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