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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be disgusted about schools 1 minute silence

212 replies

PugnRoll · 25/05/2017 17:40

Extremely sensitive I know at this time....11am today the UK had a minutes silence in respect of the victims of Mondays attack, my dcs school included which I totally 100% support...what I don't support though was the schools stance on including the terrorist in their moment of silence, to pray & forgive him as it's" what God would have done" Hmm AIBU to be bloody disgusted, dcs know what he did was an evil & an abhorrent act something that wouldnt ever be forgiven.

AIBU to Think what the fuck were the teachers thinking?

OP posts:
Puzzledandpissedoff · 25/05/2017 18:19

This kind of thing is precisely why I'm firmly against ALL religious influence in schools, no matter what the religion happens to be. Ironically perhaps, I'm a (bad) Christian myself, but that doesn't mean I want to see our children at risk of indoctrination by the misguided

IMO a minute's silence out of sheer respect would have been fine; religious instruction - followed, as here, by a theological discussion way above most childrens' heads - definitely isn't

Original poster
PugnRoll · 25/05/2017 18:19

Can I just say that I understand catholic values about forgiveness, it was just the observation of him during the 1 minute silence..it could have been done at a different time with a simple prayer.

OP posts:
BandeauSally · 25/05/2017 18:20

that time should have been spent praying for the innocent victims

Why can't it be spent thinking of all of them?

Question OP: do you think your children feel better having forgiven the murderer or will they feel better being angry with him?

topcat2014 · 25/05/2017 18:21

I am quite happy to hate the bomber for the rest of time, with absolutely no qualms. It won't take up that much energy.

This is probably why it is best that I don't attempt to be religious.

ErrolTheDragon · 25/05/2017 18:21

Telling a group of people who did not know either the perpetrator or the victims to 'forgive' him is pretty much devoid of meaning. By all means tell them to try to avoid hatred, and in particular not directing any anger you feel at other people who were not actually complicit, but 'forgive' in this context is trite.

It's a sort of arrogance on the part of the Christian church to presume that forgiveness can be done by anyone other than those who have been wronged.

Whiskwarrior · 25/05/2017 18:22

But then the children would want to know why he got a separate prayer.

If it's about forgiveness, and the school are following their religious doctrine, then yes, he should be included.

Oblomov17 · 25/05/2017 18:23

Top cat, hate is quite destructive and damaging. Irrespective of any religious beliefs.

becotide · 25/05/2017 18:23

It's a catholic school. You send them there, I'm assuming you knew about catholicism?

AwaywiththePixies27 · 25/05/2017 18:23

YNBU but that's what happens when you send your DC to a faith based school.

DCs school has a Rev that comes in regularly and I know they observed the 1minute silence too but I don't think they were told to forgive him.

BandeauSally · 25/05/2017 18:24

I am quite happy to hate the bomber

Happy and hate don't go in the same sentence. You aren't happy if you are busy hating.

Pansiesandredrosesandmarigolds · 25/05/2017 18:24

If you're catholic you believe that anyone, anyone at all can be forgiven if they repent. Hitler, Myra Hindley, Pol Pot - they might all be saved.

Between the stirrup and the ground/was something lost and something found as the old lines go.

derxa · 25/05/2017 18:25

The act that this bomber Abedi committed was unquestionably evil...but perhaps he can be considered to be a victim too. I agree.
I read that he had a manual detonator and someone else had a remote control detonator (this may be speculation). His family had terror links.
He was brainwashed. This is not to detract from the deep pain and horror he caused.

Missingthepoint · 25/05/2017 18:25

A similar approach was taken by the Amish after the 10 little girls were shot at a school. The Amish community forgave the gunman and directed money towards the gunman's family. Forgiveness is a christian value. School were perhaps a bit misguided in the timing.

Pansiesandredrosesandmarigolds · 25/05/2017 18:26

Am not religious because I don't have faith, but this sort of thing is exactly what I like about religion. It can, sometimes, make us better people.

pheebo · 25/05/2017 18:27

It's fucking ridiculous that's what it is. Forgiveness should be considered for those who seek it - that barbaric mother fucker blew up innocent kids at a pop concert and seemingly thinks he's getting some virgins when he gets to heaven or whatever it is they fucking think. Even if his family begged for his forgiveness they should be told to fuck right off he's been to countries linked with Isis training recently and if our country wasn't so fucking soft he'd have had to stay there. British passport or not if you go to join terrorist organisations you should lose your passport when you leave plane 😡😚

WhooooAmI24601 · 25/05/2017 18:29

Including the perpetrator in their minute's silence doesn't lessen the fact that those lovely DCs stood and held a minutes silence for the lives lost. It doesn't devalue or invalidate their prayers and goodwill. If you're happy to send your DCs to a Catholic school you have to accept that they're going to be taught lessons like this.

pheebo · 25/05/2017 18:29

That last emoji wasn't meant to be there 🙄

eviethehamster · 25/05/2017 18:29

Teach love, not hate OP.

YABVVVVU

LadyLoveYourWhat · 25/05/2017 18:29

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.

GinSwigmore · 25/05/2017 18:29

Did you join this forum purely to start this thread OP or have you name changed and if so, why?

Destinysdaughter · 25/05/2017 18:33

I am not religious at all but this article about Coventry, which was decimated during WWII, and the message of forgiveness in rebuilding the cathedral really resonates with me. I hope you find it worth reading...

www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=501

ErrolTheDragon · 25/05/2017 18:37

A similar approach was taken by the Amish after the 10 little girls were shot at a school. The Amish community forgave the gunman and directed money towards the gunman's family.

It's entirely different. In that case, it was a wrong against them. It was theirs to forgive or not.

And 'Peace and reconciliation' processes are a very fine thing, if both sides truly wish to participate. Again, a very different thing.

StarHeartDiamond · 25/05/2017 18:37

Bandeau- question- should the children be thinking of the murderer at all at that time, not hate, not forgiveness, but focussing on the victims?

BrexitSucks · 25/05/2017 18:37

yabvu.
One of the sad bits about Manchester attacks is that the guy was a stooge. The intelligence services know he wasn't bright enough to build the device & the people who can build such a device are too valuable to be disposable. I'm not Christian, but people who can forgive seem to be at greater peace for it. It's very admirable.

Willyoujustbequiet · 25/05/2017 18:38

yanbu

totally insensitive