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

[ScienceDad]

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?

Agre totally that sciencedad has a very big superiority complex

How I laughed at his post telling me to read lots of books! He knows nothing about me yet feels he can judge what I do or don't know! What a... (put your own words here)

How intelligent you are sciencedad, I have met your kin before - boring, bigheaded, smug know it alls who think they are so much better than everyone

Let's hope your daughter lives up to your expectations eh?!

I don't see why you have to be fuming. Just tell DD that different people have different beliefs and she can make up her own mind, she doesn't have to follow her mother or her teacher and she doesn't have to decide now!

Surely there's nobody smugger than someone who insists that something uproveable is fact, just because they like the idea of it?

Who knows pixie?!

Sciencedad has revealed a lot about what he is like through his posts and it isn't pretty

On another note, whilst I do think it is important that the story of Jesus is told at Christmas and that carols and nativity plays are also important - I do agree with other posters that it is great that all faiths celebrate Christmas as a time to come together

pixie, i thought that was very odd too

i'm not sure any parents of 4 yr olds will be told at the first parents evenings that their dc are the bottom of the class. i'm sure all parents were told similarly positive phrases

the OP does seem a little gullible after all

Syria

I don't think any 'believers' here have insisted anything - I certainly haven't. I just don't appreciate being told I am a fantasist and gullible for believing in God.

The only smug one around here is the know it all OP

It's rude to insult anyone based solely on their beliefs or lack thereof.

Totally agree backward

That is what I wad saying!

Was

iPhone!

I'm not that tolerant of those who believe in Chelski.

YANBU. I don't believe that religion has a place in any school except as a subject.

The teacher should not have spoken to her in that way and I do think it should be brought to her attention that it's not acceptable to inflict her personal beliefs on a child.

My dd has a friend at school who has told her she will go to hell because she doesn't believe in god but she is 9 and just shrugs it off now.

Morticia -bloody hell - at your dd's friend. But that's what any indoctrination of your belief to your kids does - comes with the territory and it's the same for believers and non believers.

I've always wondered what non believers have arranged for their funerals - is that humanist? and is it burial or cremation?

I have many friends of many religions - I don't find that they ram home to me their views at all. Atheists are far more vocal and less tolerant in my experience.

But agree with everyone who says that religion should be for re classes only.

I'm finding the opposite at ds's school - it's a community school and each and every religious event is marked but presented in a way that tells kids almost nothing. My ds thinks that hinduism means you're going to burst into dance and song at any moment which is very odd - it's almost like he's unlearning everything he's picked up from family and friends.I wonder whether he'll gain anything from it at all.

Syria-I agree with you there.

But I have forgiven the OP for his foolishness, after his heart felt apology and we're now friends, so I shan't make any more derogatory comments.

Happy to see the usual intelligence fail on behalf of the Christians on the thread: 'Bhwaaah! You can't celebrate Christmas if you don't believe in Jeeeeeezuz!' Er, wrong. THe midwinter festival is not the exclusive property of any one brand of myth over the others.
Anyway, by your logic, you had better hurry up and choose yourself some new names for the days of the week and some of the months of the year. As they are variously named after Norse and Roman imaginary friends in which, if you are Christians, you don;t believe, so how dare you muscle in on those names, eh?

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giveitago that should actually read classmate as she is not a "friend of dd's".

As an atheist, I do agree with you that they are generally less tolerant. I have friends who have strong faith but I just cannot understand it no matter how much I try and perhaps this is what leads to the problem.

I just cannot have blind faith.

Gomez and I are planning a woodland burial when we pop our clogs.

For a big grin type grin,or o

I celebrate only the birth of Jesus (we call this, Jesus' birthday) and "Easter" which we call, The Resurrection.

So there.

Morticia - are people allowed to be buried wherever they want or do you need special permission.

I ask because if I popped my clogs tomorrow I have no plans in place. If you wanted a cremation (which I would) I guess the crematorium just gets in a person who conducts a non-religious event?

Thing is that many countries view your religion as your culture. That's why people view the English (or British I guess) as having no culture. That's probably why man people from overseas don't really get atheism. My family certainly subscribe to that view and in fact my aunt was just telling me to get ds baptised - she's not a christian but said it's better to have something. I said, 'ta - but, actually, no, we're fine right now'. But my dh's family are fuming that ds isn't baptised and one person even asked us how he could he get a passport if he isn't baptised. I didn't even answer that question.

stuffing that post is as embarrassing as the Christians'.

'top of the class' aged 4? What does this mean? Best at playing pretend shops? Best at making things out of lego? What a load of toss!!!!
Handling the fact that a range of people have a range of different opinions, and that some people hold very fervent opinions should be a good growing experience for such an intelligent child.

giveitago You could opt for a non religious or humanist woodland burial.