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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Bible from school

409 replies

user7755 · 14/12/2015 17:51

DS goes to a standard secondary (not a religious school), he came home last week with a bible.

I remember we got them when we were kids but I had forgotten thought we had moved on since then

DS doesn't believe in God, his choice and nothing to do with us. But I'm just really shocked and irritated at this act, presumably an attempt to spread the word and indoctrinate kids into organised religion.

I am very, very anti organised religion right now, following a historical abuse case involving our family which has just been through the court and involved a vicar, so very aware that I'm probably oversensitive.

Is it me? AIBU?

OP posts:

FriendofBill · 14/12/2015 17:53

If you don't want it, give it away/charity shop/recycling.

No big thing.

WorraLiberty · 14/12/2015 17:53

Yes.

If he's of senior school age then he's old enough to choose to either read it or bin it.

chantico · 14/12/2015 17:55

Yes, YABU.

Schools will offer books from anyone who provides them. If you want to see more available, then you need to support those who supply them.

I think it's rather a shame that there is not greater availability of a wider range, but if no-one is doing it, it can't happen.

Though perhaps there will be MNetters who know of organisations who distribute other works?

ItchyArmpits · 14/12/2015 17:55

It's fine to be against organised religion, but I think it's good to know a bit about whatever it is that you oppose.

If you really want to put him off religion, encourage him to read it all. He'll probably give up on it well before he gets to Leviticus.

Clobbered · 14/12/2015 17:55

Probably a gift from the Gideons. Standard fare in a lot of schools. Not indoctrination, you are overreacting.

Sallyhasleftthebuilding · 14/12/2015 17:55

We had one as well - never read it. Doubt yoir DS will either, nor my DD13.
Put it un a drawer and forget it.

elliejjtiny · 14/12/2015 17:57

Is it from the gideons? They've been giving out bibles to secondary school children, hotels, hospitals etc for years. Just recycle/charity shop if your ds doesn't want it.

VestalVirgin · 14/12/2015 17:58

Don't worry. It is just a book. Useful information.

Schools who don't state that they're religious shouldn't do that, but ... a free book is a free book.

I am agnostic, and decided against Christianity because I read large parts of the Bible and there are rather misogynist bits in there. It is not very useful as indoctrination.

Knowing your Bible is always fun when you get into a debate with religious extremists.

If they get their knickers in a twist about homosexuality, or divorce, or whatever, you can quote the biblical statements on all the things THEY do wrong at them. (You will certainly find something.)

celtictoast · 14/12/2015 18:00

YABU. Just reading a book doesn't mean you automatically believe everything in it. The Bible, like it or not, is a literary classic.

wasonthelist · 14/12/2015 18:00

YANBU - It isn't appropriate and should not be sanctioned by school.

Bubbletree4 · 14/12/2015 18:02

Just charity shop it. I got given a bible at school. Aren't all schools loosely Christian, as this is the UK?

VagueIdeas · 14/12/2015 18:04

I'd be peeved, because I don't think schools should allow such lazy attempts at indoctrination.

Made me think of this tweet though

twitter.com/mitchbenn/status/675445735421304833

WorraLiberty · 14/12/2015 18:04

The bible doesn't belong to the OP

Surely it should be up to her DS whether he reads it or gets rid of it?

ItchyArmpits · 14/12/2015 18:05

I think learning about religions is really, really important. Helps us understand other people better, and fear and hate them less, imo. It also helps us understand our own traditions.

The number of kids I know who only know of Christmas as a time when they receive presents and who have absolutely no understanding whatsoever of Lent and Easter shocks me. Their understanding of other religions is not any more thorough.

Learning about religion is not the same as indoctrination.

Outfoxed · 14/12/2015 18:05

i remember being given a gideon bible when I was in school....I read it, it didn't turn me into a Christian....I still have a bible or two knocking around, and a qu'ran..and I'm a pretty intense atheist...learning about religion is good for people imo

WorraLiberty · 14/12/2015 18:08

I agree ItchyArmpits and we're lucky to live in a free country that makes learning about other religions possible.

VulcanWoman · 14/12/2015 18:08

You could send a strongly worded email, the more people that do this, the more chance of them giving it a rest.

Sallyingforth · 14/12/2015 18:10

It's just a book. It won't bite him or turn him into a religious maniac. He can read it or not as he chooses. He'll pick up far more harmful things from the internet, if he hasn't already.

Kaytee1987 · 14/12/2015 18:10

If he doesn't believe in God then it's only a book and he can either read it aa such or not read it like any other books that are handed out. As a historical book it has a lit to offer about the way people live but if he's not interested he could give it back and there's no problem.

VestalVirgin · 14/12/2015 18:12

YABU. Just reading a book doesn't mean you automatically believe everything in it. The Bible, like it or not, is a literary classic.

Yes. May not be the case for GB as much, as there was also Shakespeare, but the German language is very much influenced by biblical passages; there are many sayings in everyday speech that originate in the Bible.

You should just know about it.

I agree with Itchy, learning is not indoctrination.

Kaytee1987 · 14/12/2015 18:13

State schools have religious education still I'm assuming where you learn about Islam, Hinduism etc so why not Christianity? I've got 3 bibles and a Quoran in my house reading the Quoran hasn't made me Muslim it just means I've gained more insight into a lot of things.

redexpat · 14/12/2015 18:17

DS goes to a standard secondary (not a religious school) No such thing exists in England. All schools are required to have collective worship of a broadly Christian nature. There is no separation of Church and State. So yes YABU. But totally understandable given the court case. Very sorry to hear about what happened to your family.

Keep the book. It's a good reference book for when he has to read Shakespeare.

x2boys · 14/12/2015 18:20

i went to catholic schools my primary was a convent school so we were awash with bibles ,priests and nuns if anyone was going to be indoctrinated it should have been me only i wasnt i stopped going to church when i was a teenager.

fidel1ne · 14/12/2015 18:20

Qu'ran

Narp · 14/12/2015 18:21

I'm an atheist. To be honest, I think the very last thing that would successfully indoctrinate a teenager is a bible. Have you read the thing?

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