To get annoyed when dd(6) learns about Christianity?

[MooPointCowsOpinion]

She is at a non-religious, normal state primary. She is the type of kid who remembers everything she's told and parrots it back, so I hear about her entire day every day at school. Almost every day she tells me they sang this song about Jesus, learnt that story about Jesus, learnt this lesson about Christianity. Every assembly they sing a Christian song.

I am an atheist. I don't want her to learn just about Christianity, all religions are important in a 'this is what some people believe' kind of way but I feel like they're indoctrinating her into Christianity by pushing it so much. I try to counter it by teaching her other religious beliefs and telling her my beliefs, but I know the steady drip drip of information could plant a seed that could lead to what I would consider radicalisation.

I've brought it up with her teacher, she's sympathetic and has given us the option to opt-out but I'd hate for her to feel singled out and to miss important things in assemblies.

Does/did it bother you? AIBU to be annoyed?

wavybluesky I am 100% certain, because currently there is no fact to the contrary. There are hypotheses and beliefs, most of which I do not agree with, to suggest gods and such. There could be a higher power, but currently no evidence to back it up. No evidence - no gods. I am yet to see a shred of actual definitive evidence to show there is a higher power, especially in the context of religion.

There could be a higher power

There you are then, there could be, that statement alone contradicts what you said. You really can't say something as fact just because you haven't had evidence. It's like saying "there is no life on other planets because i have never had evidence of it".
You can say "i don't believe there is life on other planets, but you can't say there there is none., because you simply don't know. It's quite straightforward.

Wavy, why do you believe that god actually exists? Do you think that you just happened to be born into the 'right' religion?

I thought the whole point of having a faith- was accepting that there is no proof-just belief?

amazing what's that got to do with it. I haven't talked about any proof or evidence of God. Look back through my posts, i'm responding to Edmund who said it's fact that God doesn't exist. Im saying that is his opinion. I dont understand your point, i haven't said the things you seem to have wanted me to say for an argument, sorry.

It has everything to do about it. god and the associated stories are taught to children as if they were actual facts not a set of beliefs.

This is taught in an educational institution that is funded by public monies.
Would you be cool if your kids were taught about the yeti, loch ness monster etc as facts as well?

I don't understand what you're on about. Have you mistook me for someone else, what you preaching to ME for. All i've said is that saying God doesn't exist is an opinion not a fact. If you want to discuss the rights and wrongs of Christianity taught in schools, go and lobby parliament, but please don't preach to me.

saying God doesn't exist is an opinion not a fact

I can not see gravity but I can demonstrably prove that gravity exists

I can not see god, I cannot demonstrably prove that god exists ergo no god

I'll say it one more time then i'm going, because i refuse to engage with anyone who is so stupid as to say "God doesn't exist" as fact.

You don't believe in God, fine. I couldn't give a flying. But do not state that as fact. IT IS OPINION.
But seeing as it seems fine for you to say He doesn't exist as fact, than so shall i. GOD EXISTS, FACT.!!!!
Christianity gets taught in schools, thank God. Btw the gravity argument was nonsensical, just because we can't see gravity, but we know it's there doesn't mean there's no God because we can't see him. It's not a comparison

I'll say it one more time then i'm going, because i refuse to engage with anyone who is so stupid as to say "God doesn't exist" as fact.

You don't believe in God, fine. I couldn't give a flying. But do not state that as fact. IT IS OPINION.
But seeing as it seems fine for you to say He doesn't exist as fact, than so shall i. GOD EXISTS, FACT.!!!!
Christianity gets taught in schools, thank God. Btw the gravity argument was nonsensical, just because we can't see gravity, but we know it's there doesn't mean there's no God because we can't see him. It's not a comparison

isn't thank god blasphemous?

I am actually only here to learn what my son might learn.

You don't believe in God, fine. I couldn't give a flying. But do not state that as fact. IT IS OPINION.
But seeing as it seems fine for you to say He doesn't exist as fact, than so shall i. GOD EXISTS, FACT.!!!!

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence

Other than the bible, what proof of god do you have, by proof I mean demonstrable, repeatable and irrefutable proof.

You need to chill out. I live in a country where there is no religion in public schools which is good for us as agnostics. But my dd1 still came home at 6 filled with tales of the wonders of God which her friend had told her all about. They are little sponges at that age doesn't mean she is going to want to attend church every weekend or start praying every night.

I was raised religious but no longer follow any religion and now I have fond memories of the hymns we used to sing. They are hardly doing a 'bad' thing.

Oh by the way my daughter's junior school had a humanist minister in to talk to them as part of RE. Bet you don't get that in a church school.

I'm a British Humanist Association school speaker (but not a celebrant or anything - only thing I'm accredited to do is speak in schools, to help schools deliver RE curriculum or similar) and the last school i spoke in was a Catholic school. I went in, told them what Humanists believe (not easy; Humanists are pretty heterogeneous), then led a discussion on Humanist perspectives on a particular ethical issue, with lots of opportunities for the students to think about how a Humanist might approach a particular ethical situation as well as plenty of opportunity for them to give their own opinions and approaches too, and to consider how they might be similar or different. Everyone was lovely, we all respected each others' rights to believe whatever we believe, and I hope I left them with a reasonable idea of how people who don't believe in a particular religion might deal with moral and ethical issues, and how people without a religion can try to live a "good life", whatever that might mean.

Christmas/Easter/whatever:

Human beings everywhere celebrate similar things - coming together of two people in a committed sexual relationship, welcoming a new human into the world, celebrating the process whereby a child becomes an adult, perhaps at a particular point in their development or at a particular age, as well as seasonal things (dependent on the local climate and seasons) - the coming-to-life of spring, when everything wakes up after a dark winter, the time of year when the crops are brought in, and usually something in the middle of winter, full of good food and lights and things, to cheer us all the fuck up a bit They're called different things and usually linked with the local religion. Here, it's traditionally (often Christian) weddings, christening, confirmation (although this is a little earlier than adulthood in C of E, and isn't such a big thing), Easter, harvest festival (sadly declining :()and Christmas. Lots of people participate in those celebrations, whatever the local name for them is and whatever the local traditions and stories around them are, even if they don't follow the particular faith tradition they're linked to in that country.

(obviously not every culture everywhere celebrate all those things, but my point is that these are human celebrations, but just religious ones)

typos:

(obviously not every culture everywhere celebrates all those things, but my point is that these are human celebrations, not just religious ones)

I dont think thats what she was saying hamiltoes

Indeed, it was not

Ahh, sorry if I jumped the gun then.. theres usually always one

This was a fascinating debate ladies.
I don't recall saying the Lord's prayer at primary school. I do recall singing a green cross code song, the ink is black (hippy dippy) song, songs for diwali, Jewish songs, oh and one of my favourite "if I had a hammer". I had great times at primary school filled with fantastic memories, my favourite was the harvest festival and the romantic love of Rama and sita.
Secondary c of e not so great. Assembly didn't bother me RE curriculum. All of it was Christianity. No world religions, hated those classes and am ashamed to say we made our 3rd year teacher's life hell. Then forcing us to take it compulsorily as GCSEs. I didn't in the end but it was their attitude that really turned me off. The problem is I started high school with an open mind and they tried to close it. It did close, just not the way they wanted.

But thanks for clarifying why RE is now compulsory as a GCSE. I'm having a battle with my son because he hates it. I try the "it's just philosophy" tag but it hasn't worked so far🙄

Buck3t RE is compulsory because students learn about religions. When I was a kid most people did Christianity and Islam for their GCSE religion topics. Some groups did Hinduism and Judaism as well.

The more I read this thread the more I find myself thinking RE is very much needed. Especially when you hear people saying they dont want their child ro learn about any religion because its indoctrination... which trying to limit what the child hears so they'll turn out as anti-religion as the poster (irony?).

As many posters show any sensible atheist has no isses with learning about religions and can respect other peoples faiths. You can be any faith or none and still respect others beliefs.

It's the daily act of worship. The quid pro quo for going to a state school. Don't like it? Pay to go private or home school. Or talk to your child. Which might be easier and cheaper. If you also went to a state school in U.K., you had it. Chances are it will make as much of an impression on your child. Cancel Christmas if you feel that strongly.

I have had similar worries to op. This is how it went:

My DD goes to a community primary.
We are atheist/humanist at home. DH is intolerant of religion. I am not a fan and don't believe in God, but I won't insult a believer for their faith. They can live on their cloud and I will live on mine, so to speak.
My daughter, probably because of our influence, doesn't believe in God, or what the bible says, or indeed any religious script. She does have an interest in paganism, so spirits rooted in nature, and we let her get on with that (she has the Green Man on her wall, stone fairies around her room, and a wand blessed by a white witch. You get the idea).
My DD has been taught about different religions since year 1 whilst doing the Christmas play each year. She once had an RE teacher visit who insisted the children treat the bible as truth, like a handbook. She said she told this teacher that it was a storybook that made no sense in plot (she is also a budding writer) which shocked the teacher. I was called in, and I had to explain that DD wasn't being insulting but that she just regards the Bible as a story and not much else.
Once her good friend who wears a headscarf was being bullied and said headscarf was pulled off her head. DD got right in there, pushed the bully over, and retrieved the headscarf. The teachers pulled her to the deputy head's office and he asked what went on. "Kay was being bullied and her headscarf was taken and she is my friend so I had to get it back because it's her religion and culture," she replied. She was let off, and the bully got detention. So she knows that modesty is asked for from some believers.
She has Catholic, Muslim and Hindu friends. She likes going to her Muslim friend's house for tea because the food is "epic". Her Malay friend likes coming to us because she gets to eat Toad in the Hole or Shepherd's Pie. She get Malaysian food at home all the time.

The law still says that schools should have assemblies that are essentially Christian in nature but I know that if our school did that, most of the kids would fidget and giggle, so they are now more along ethical or philosophical lines.

My point is, really, is to chill out. I was a flag waving, fist punching, militant atheist at one point and thought sending my daughter to a community primary would keep her away from those Christian zealots. In fact, she has had a well rounded Religious education and her cultural experiences have been fantastic.

Finally, we don't celebrate Easter, at all, really. But DD is up for saying hello to the Goddess of Rebirth, Eostre. We are going to have Eostre eggs and plant some stuff in her honour. We can go along with that.

It is NOT compulsory (by law) to do RE for GCSE. Some schools may make it compulsory.
It IS compulsory to be taught RE in the state sector and to have daily collective worship. This does not occur in all independent schools.

I am very firmly atheist. And have no issue with my children being taught about all religions, so they can learn the critical thinking skills to recognise that they can't all be right about their god being the one true god.

They will learn about different religions later but the assembly will always be Christian in a UK state school. You can withdraw her from assembly if you want to though.

My three all went to a state church school and so came home with all kinds of stuff but they also learnt about other religions - they went to a gudwara and a synagogue but not a mosque even though there are none for miles around. Now we're all different - one is a humanist, one is agnostic and one is an atheist; that's fine as they have an appreciation of different religions that they gained at school.

It's really up to your daughter to make her own mind up. You can't force atheism on her. I grew up singing hymns but I'm and atheist. My children sing hymns in school and sing in carol concerts, I have no problem with that. If they want to come home and talk about Jesus and God that is also fine but I will give them the "other people think..." version about the beginning of the earth. No point getting your knickers in a twist about it!

Yanbu! DS is 5 and thinks everything the teacher tells them must be true. He comes home and talks about easter etc. and it is definatley taught to them as this is what happened rather than some people believe.. we are very much atheists and I struggle with what to tell him as I cant say yes God did this and that when that isnt what we believe but I also dont want to contradict them. I find myself saying "oh thats nice, that must be what the teacher believes in, some people believe in other things". But when he comes out with did you know god made you etc. I have to bite my tongue!