Bible from school

[user7755]

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?

You cannot have degrees of atheism. You are an atheist or you are not.

You can have degrees of agnosticism- you can be almost sure there is, or is not a god.

But atheism, like theism, is absolute.

Dinosaurs came before Man, what have Dinosaurs got to do with anything in the bible?

You should ask a Creationist that question

The fact that someone is an atheist doesn't mean they are any more intelligent than a believer. They might think they are, but that's just their egotistical belief.

Absolutely. Just like the fact that someone is a theist does not mean they are any more moral than an atheist. They might think they are, but that's just their egotistical belief.

The principle goes all ways.

"Myotherusername, you sound hugely overinvested in proving this country is not a Christian one, yet almost 60% of Britons identify as Christian. It is irrelevant - and quite frankly non of your business - quite how devoted they are to their faith. The last census proved we are still a nation largely made up of Christians yet you and others are hopping mad about it."

Factually incorrect. I can provide background for why if required- there we have been many other more neutrally worded surveys since the census which indicate that the percentage of the population actively identifying as Christian is nearer 48%.

However, even if you take the census' 58%, they hardly counts as "a country largely made up of Christians" . There are slightly more women than men in the UK population- we would hardly say that the country is "largely made up of women......

Mittens, I looked at your video. It was a comparison between 2 individuals.

Anyway there is loads of evidence in the form of easily googlable facts regarding excellent scientists who believe in god, so it is factually incorrect to say that science and religious belief are incompatible.

I've just listened to Prime Minsiter Question Time, BBC 2. In response to a MP's request for the Government to send a message of support to oppressed Christians world wide David Cameron affirmed that the tolerance and freedoms we enjoy in this country is due to the fact that we are predominantly a Christian country and our laws are based upon such. Because of that people of all faith and creed feel safe. If you don't believe me catch it on iplayer. It was towards the end of the slot and I didn't get the MP's name.

I'm not getting into this any further; this is a Christian country where the majority have no problem with bibles in schools and all the rest of the privileges bestowed to the faith.

It is the tiny minority who hate this privilege that look churlish.

I don't have a problem with people coming and sharing their faiths in school; it's only information sharing after all. If it is open and transparent, no problem.

My ds (year 9) had a "stress management" course in school not so long ago. A man came in, gave them advice etc for several weeks. DS said he was good fun, built up a good rapport with the boys etc. At the end they were given his business card and told they could contact him any time and visit his centre, which sounded a bit off to me. When I checked out the website he belongs to an evangelical organization whose mission is to outreach to teenagers specifically to spread "The Word". This really annoyed me as I felt that the stress management is actually a smoke screen for missionary work.

Anyway there is loads of evidence in the form of easily googlable facts

So link some.

"I'm not getting into this any further; this is a Christian country where the majority have no problem with bibles in schools and all the rest of the privileges bestowed to the faith."

Do you have evidence for any of those claims? Because if not, you've just done the equivalent of sticking your fingers in your ears, scrunching your eyes shut, and muttering 'lalalalalalala' as loudly as you dare.

As distinct from, y'know, thinking.

I don't understand why the OP should be "shocked and irritated" at ds bringing a bible home. Isn't it what a Christian school would do. It's not as if he's being forced to read it. They have them in hotel bedrooms too, they are there, you don't have to read them, but rather than get so het up.....donate to a charity shop?

"... yet almost 60% of Britons identify as Christian."

In addition to BertrandRussell's points, this is only one part of the stat - the 2011 census showed respondents identifying as Christian as 59.3%, sure, but that was compared with 71.7% in the 2001 census - a drop over over 12% of the UK population in 10 years.

Rather than looking at the stat in isolation, we should consider the trend. Unfortunately, it seems the question was asked in 1981 and 1991 so I'm having trouble finding a comparative figure.

Isn't it what a Christian school would do

The OP's son attends a non-faith, state secondary.

Do you feel evangelism is appropriate in schools?

Mittens wiki lists nobel laureates, their discipline and religious affilliation if any. Have a look. The list is proof that science and religious belief are not incompatible. I can't link on this device, but it's not difficult information to find.

DioneTheDiabolist
Mittens wiki lists nobel laureates, their discipline and religious affilliation if any. Have a look. The list is proof that science and religious belief are not incompatible. I can't link on this device, but it's not difficult information to find.

I've just checked:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nobel_laureates
No mention whatsoever of religious affiliation.

You keep making assertions yet providing no solid support for those assertions. I feel like I'm doing your job for you here. If you're going to make an assertion, back it up, otherwise I'm just going to reply along the lines of, "oh no it isn't!"

Mittens if you google "lists of religious Nobel laureates" it will provide you with the Wiki page.

I can't link on this device, but it's not difficult information to find.

What device do you have, we may be able to help you link.

www.bing.com/search?pc=AMAZ&form=AMAZWB&q=lists+of+religious+Nobel+laureates

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_Nobel_laureates

Thank you Howto.

DioneTheDiabolist

OK, some nobel prize winners are listed as "having a religion". What point are you making with this?

It makes almost zero comment about the devoutness of these scientists beliefs (although one is stated as "He wrote on the topic of science and religion in his article "My Faith".[65]" although a couple of others: "Raised a Protestant,[82] but he considered himself agnostic[83]" and "Raised Roman Catholic, then become an agnostic".

As stated in census discussions, many people may identify as their familial religion, even if they do not practice and have no belief in that religion.

Sure, any religious scientist can research in any area and develop the field, however they are likely to be obvious as a poor scientist if their religion informs their science (as per my earlier video); I'm sure the discovery of vitamin K was not influenced by biblical teachings, not in any way conflicting with religious beliefs.

We can note from that article that some scientists are brought up within a religion and then become atheist or agnostic; I wonder how many scientists begin atheist or agnostic and then 'see the light'?

IS THIS STILL GOING? Some people believe, others don't. Neither will concede that they are wrong. Agree to disagree and thank God or the sun that we live in a country where we can all express our beliefs freely even though you might get your head bitten off on mumsnet