To feel a bit [hmm] about 'Christianity Day' at school

[nameforaday]

Regular MNer, namechanging because this identifies my son's school.

He is in year 7. Now their end of year exams are over there are a lot of special projects, away days etc...One of the compulsory events is 'Christianity Day' which as far as I can work out is a whole day run by these people...groovy young evangelical Christians who are basically doing missionary outreach work in schools - their aim is to bring more young people to Jesus.

I don't think it is appropriate; it is one thing to teach children about different religions, but another to give over teaching time and premises for an evangelical group to peddle their wares for a whole day. They didn't even send home a letter saying what they day was going to be, and giving people a chance to withdraw.

Any advice on what to do? If if it was primary school I'd go and have a chat with the Head, but secondary school is so much more intimidating! I don't think it will harm my son, I just think its a bit off.

Our childrens school has events for lots of differemtvreligions. There are many many things that focus on secularismm, humanism and materialism all throughout the curriculum. Im more woriried about the paremst who wish to control their kids minds so they MUST only hear about their parenst own religion /beliefs. Its high scholl, for goodness sake, not nursery. When are you going to allow your Teenagers to hear others views?

Are you going to follow them around at university, whispering " dont talk to her, shes jewish /muslim/christian/ hindu"

I think the main thing is the differentiation between 'learning about' and 'recruiting for'

Spot on.

This EC doesn't ask for a contribution, it expects one and gets subscriptions.

EC is scary.

KristinaM It's not about tolerance, it's about recruitment - if they are saying, however obliquely, that if you don't join us you burn in hell etc, then no I would not my DC to hear that. Other religions have not been invited into the school for an entire day. Visiting places of religious worship is not the same.

Secularism is political, materialism is just another word for buying a lot of stuff/consumerism (when did that become an issue of faith/non-faith?) and humanism is the only way that compares to a faith-based approach.

I want my DC 'to hear' about all religions and non-faith approaches (atheism and humanism). I don't want any of them trying to recruit him. He can pick and makes his mind up when he's ready - something like a Beliefs Day (Religious and non-religious) would be an excellent idea and would also highlight the commonality between most religions.

Should schools really be allowing unqualified illogical people to instruct young people?

The copy under 'questions about Christianity' on the young people page is extremely garbeld. The explanation about people dying from volcanoes implies that deaths due to natural diusasters are the victims fault - yes, the man theyy cite killed protecting his car, but then saying thouisands die in India??? That is SO ignorant. Did the thousnds who died in the huge Boxing Day Tsunami, the subsistence fishermen, ekeing out a living by the sea, die as a result of thier GREED??? I cannnot believe that a proper theology-college trained vicar would peddle such dangerouys illogical nonsense - why are IGNORANT people allowed to facilitate young people in schools?

Religious tolerance, yes, the dim and ignorant members of those religions teaching in schools - no!

i keep saying this most churches do expect it, its asked for very nicely but if you dont give it you are not a very good Christian, but hey the bible says you can just give two rats so maybe all church goers should just start doing that when they cant afford the 10% . i dont get why you take such offence over it, anyway, all religion again offers healing the happy clappys are a bit more vocal about it. the Catholics have weeping statues that you can rub yourself against. the problem for the evangelicals is that relatively speaking they are new i suppose and quite over the top, not sedate and quite like the british are use to.

"because no Christian has ever abused children"
Crapola

If they say they are Christian and abuse a child they are lying.

Abusers cannot be Christian.

But having said that if they truely repent of their sin they may become a Christian but they must NEVER do it again.
The Bible is quite clear on this point ;if anyone causes a child to suffer it will be better for them never to have been born.

its illogical to believe that if a baby dies it will go to purgatory because of original sin but hey all religions are illogical on some lvl or other .

The point I was making is that my friend is willing to be rather cavalier with whoever babysits their children on the basis that they are from the church. And I know many Christians who are not remotely christian but self serving materialists.

I've got mice in my house. If I catch them and give them to the church is that as good as giving two rats?

well you would hope your friend is basing it more than just on that. are you a christian crapola?

Sorry, MissMap, thats too trite.

Child abuse has been committed by people who called themselves christians, preached christianity and then were protected from the law by christian churches. (Not just the Catholic church.).

In the context Crapola cited, I think its about the automatic assumption of trust, that anyone who calls themselves a Christian will be good. Its relevant to this thread because part of the reason this 'christianity day' exists is presumably to promote the niceness of christianity, they are trusted to come into the school.... well, how is anyone to know whether any of these people are, at that particular time, a 'real' Christian or not?

Christ no....I'm an anti theist!!

Would find anything evangelical from any religion to be inappropriate at school, whatever age children they are. Be big and brave and speak to the school about it. And your local council education officer and ofsted and whoever else you think is appropriate. And get as many other parents as possible to do the same.

They are relying on your apathy to carry on using these people as a way of filling up the timetable - which in itself is a bit outrageous when there is still a reasonably big chunk of term left, not like it is a day or two.

If they want something non standard to be teaching the kids they would be much better off if they all had a day's first aid course from St Johns ambulance or the red cross etc. Or about understanding money, banks, loans etc think that the moneysaving expert website has info for doing this. And these are also things that would benefit from being repeated annually...

fuck it clarice stick it the collection box and see how it goes down and if the complain quote the parable were the old woman gives rats and they were made up about it so whats the problem.

so how can you judge what makes a "good" Christian and what doesn't, out of interest?

Thanks spook! Great advice

In Germany the tithe for members of protestand and catholic churches is collected by the state as church tax, which I think is really hefty (and they still do a collection at the end of the service on top of it)

I'd be quite annoyed if my child was forced to attend a missionary event and probably would discuss the compulsary attendance with the teacher or head.

Spook, a lot of what you're posting is just not correct. I'm all for people saying their piece in debates on religion, but please don't post stuff that is patently not true. For example:

Most churches don't expect 10%. They are thankful for whatever they receive and they certainly don't make any comment to the giver about how much "ought" to be given. In any event, if you just put money on a plate, how would they know who'd given what?

Certainly, not all churches offer "healing" I've never attended a church where this would be viewed as anything other than claptrap.

Catholics don't "rub themselves against" statues - wtf? You make it sound as though people are getting off on them fgs. Normal people just light a candle and pray...

Unbaptised babies being in limbo is not official church doctrine - it was abolished a while ago.

are you certain they will be evangelising? It may just be a presentation and making the church seem fun and up to date as oppose to a boring, old fogey place that no kid would want to attend. Why would it be so bad if your child did want to become a christian?

I go to an evangelical church but am not greatly involved. My dd attend the youth group. the people there are really nice and do no harm to anyone else. If people want to come they can but no one is forced to do anything. They run toddler groups, games nights for older children, holiday clubs.

My dd's are very well rounded and confident. They have alot of friends there and there is always something going on. As one poster said isn't it better than being blind drunk, sleeping around, taking drugs or hanging around on the streets.

I think it makes a change to hear of a 'christian day' instead of every other religion being promoted.

If my DCs' school did this I'd be highly tempted to organise a visit from some deeply sincere prostheletising [sp is beyond me, sorry] believers from the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Actually DD is working on this herself, since she's decided she believes in Ra - I'll be interested to see how that goes down in her firmly Christian/Muslim playground.

It's rather odd isn't it. Organising a trip to a church or inviting people to come and speak wouldn't bother me, but inviting an evangelical group into a school for a day of activities they organise seems strange. That's like bringing them in as 'teachers' for the day. You could go into the school and ask to see the material they'll be using - it's not accessible on their website, and there's no section for parents to find out what they'll be doing which concerns me a little. Or you could just keep schtum and find that your DS is feeling a bit peaky and misses that day.

oh and I just looked at the link. We had the 'Steppers' in our church quite recently. It is a bit like world challenge. Young people take a gap year and go and help in say South America with building projects. They raise their own funds to go. they are usually christians but there is nothing sinister about it.

My dd wants to go. I am not keen as I would rather she went straight to university but that is another thread.

zombie, no i dont mean faith healing here i mean all churches offer healing through the power of prayer, which i suppose would be technically called faith healing. that is all that evangelicals do just more overtly. if you are sick or a family member is sick i am sure you would pray for them or members of the congregation would offer to pray for them or be remembered in the service. there are "miracle" statues and such with in the catholic faith and my ironic attitude about it aside does not detract from the fact that there are some desperate people out there that do go and touch the foot of a statue that is weeping "blood". or a shroud that has the face of "mary" in it.
i cant tell you about you church experience but my experience and the 7 years of religious study have show me that 10% is the excepted amount expect by churches given by congregations. even though this is an old testament rule and actually in the new testament it says in keeping with your earnings rather than an actual number.
you are right in regards to the official doctrine being abolished in about 2005 i believe but it is still being taught by die hards today. 3 weeks ago i heard a priest tell a young mother the importance of getting her child baptised to insure it didnt end up in limbo. just because someone on high changes their mind doesnt mean years of teaching can be wiped out.