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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

School and religion

316 replies

ThisLittleKitty · 28/11/2017 23:06

Is it normal for a school (not a faith school) to teach children about Jesus? My son came home today telling me he had been told about "baby Jesus" and how he was "born on Christmas Day" I'm a little surprised by this as didn't realise the school would be saying this kind of thing. It's a very diverse school in south east london so many religions and we are not a religious family. Aibu to think this is not right?

OP posts:
Julie8008 · 09/12/2017 18:42

You dont have to be christian to celebrate a bank holiday on the 25th of December. Santa, Rudolph, decorated trees, lights, parties, lots of food, drink, presents, mistletoe, parties, family get togethers, jumpers, adverts, TV, music, mincepies, carrots, brussel sprouts and a million other traditions have noting to do with a mythical jesus. Why are christians still trying to force people into some out dated belief just because we like to have fun into December?

LoniceraJaponica · 09/12/2017 18:58

I agree DarlesChickens I am very sceptical that schools still teach Christianity as fact rather than "this is what Christians believe"

I can never get over how much hatred and fear is displayed when it comes to religion on mumsnet. If you don't believe in a God what is there to be afraid of? He/she/it doesn't exist.

The children aren't being indoctrinated or brainwashed. If they were the churches would be full of young people, but they aren't. We are a nation of non believers, so clearly "brainwashing" these children about Christianity doesn't work.

Being taught about Christianity is important, as is being taught about other religions. The atheists can give their point of view at home so that the children will get a balanced point of view.

GaucheCaviar · 09/12/2017 19:57

Why is it important? Other places don?t teach it. Take it off the currciculum altogether and teach philosophy instead. You want your kids to learn religion, teach them on your own time.

DioneTheDiabolist · 09/12/2017 19:59

Did you bring it up at your meeting with the school OP? What did they say?

LoniceraJaponica · 09/12/2017 20:02

By other places do you mean other countries Gauche

And do you really think parents would teach their children about religion in their own time? Hmm

GaucheCaviar · 09/12/2017 20:07

Yes I mean other countries. Are peole going to teach their kids about religion? Don't know. A lot of people on this thread seem to think it frightfully important, so why not? I see no need to inflict it in everyone though.

LoniceraJaponica · 09/12/2017 20:44

OK, I'll rephrase my question. Do you think the atheists on here will teach their children about religion? I very much doubt it.

BertrandRussell · 09/12/2017 20:54

"Do you think the atheists on here will teach their children about religion? "
I do. I don't see how you can appreciate art or music or literature without having a knowledge of religion.

BertrandRussell · 09/12/2017 20:57

And for what feels like the 427th time- learning about religion is different from being taught a particular faith as fact.

GaucheCaviar · 09/12/2017 20:58

I don't see why not, as part of general knowledge, but if they don't I don't see an issue.

GaucheCaviar · 09/12/2017 21:00

You could say the same about philosophy re art and literature.

BertrandRussell · 09/12/2017 21:13

Yes you could- and ohikisoohynis in our family agenda too. But a basic understanding of Christianity is essential to be an informed member of society in the U.K. A basic understanding of Aristotle isn't.

Parker231 · 09/12/2017 21:17

My DC’s grew up knowing about religion but were also aware that DH and I don’t have any religious beliefs. DC’s told use when they were quite young that religion is like Father Christmas and the tooth fairy, a made up story.

grannytomine · 09/12/2017 21:19

I'm a Catholic and got mightly annoyed when my DD was told something factually incorrect about the Catholic church by her history teacher. The teacher insisted she was right, I had to write a letter asking her to check her facts as she was teaching something that just wasn't true. A similar thing happened to me when I was at school, an atheist teacher didn't understand the difference between the Miraculous Conception and Immaculate Conception but was convinced she did.

Teachers sometimes get stuff wrong.

Christmascardqueen · 09/12/2017 21:21

but which Christian groups believe the stories to be factual?

BeALert · 09/12/2017 21:26

OK, I'll rephrase my question. Do you think the atheists on here will teach their children about religion? I very much doubt it.

I haven't made much effort to, frankly. It might come up in conversation, much as topics like politics, history, drugs, morals, etc come up.

As I said, the major world religions get covered in high school as part of history class.

They all seem to be coping with modern life without having taken part in nativities or having been taught about Christianity in any great depth.

Ta1kinPeace · 09/12/2017 21:34

DH and I are both atheist
yes, we have always expected our children to listen to and read around the news and understand about religions
the sunni / shia split is one I'm still getting to grips with - esp around the minority sects
but you cannot understand terrorism / conflict without understanding religion

the way Modi has twisted hinduism is going to bite him in a few years

Ta1kinPeace · 09/12/2017 21:36

A similar thing happened to me when I was at school, an atheist teacher didn't understand the difference between the Miraculous Conception and Immaculate Conception but was convinced she did.
Like that matters
when people are raping and bombing and murdering each other in the name of sects

Christmascardqueen · 09/12/2017 21:42

so what sects believe the stories to be true? in this case the story of Jesus being born on Christmas day?

Huppopapa · 09/12/2017 21:45

If you don't believe in a God what is there to be afraid of? He/she/it doesn't exist.

One does not fear gods but what people do in their names. Have you read The Handmaid's Tale ? Have you seen what ISIS gets up to? Do you not know about the religious segregation and subjugation of women in the name of religion all around the World? Have you heard of the Rohingas and reflected on the cause of their treatment? Have you no knowledge of the role of religion in denying equality to gay people, in supporting slavery, in the suppression even of workers' rights (for instance in the alliance of the church and Fascism in the Spanish Civil War)? Do you know why the Saudis are bombing the Houtis in Yemen? Have you seen what the Evangelical Right in the USA are trying to achieve? Are you familiar with the thoughts of Rees Mogg? Do you know of the millions of female and male genital mutilations that are carried out every month in the name of religion? Do you know of the street children of Central and South America in such profusion because of Catholic doctrine on birth-control? I could go on.

Look @LoniceraJaponica, I don't fear any religion nor anyone touting one. Bring. It. On. But no-one is going to get near my children with a system of superstitious belief that causes untold misery for billions of people without having to explain themselves very, very thoroughly indeed including explaining why the above should be ignored.

It is not fear. It is treating all people fairly and it is giving my children the dignity of knowing that religions neither deserve nor should be accorded special treatment.

chiaseeddisapointmentagain · 09/12/2017 21:47
Biscuit
Parker231 · 09/12/2017 21:48

It’s hard for anyone not to be aware of religion - you only have to switch on the news and see the disasters taking place around the world in the name of religion. I struggle to understand how anyone can believe anything positive about religion.

Christmascardqueen · 09/12/2017 22:01

but ta1kin are those really really religious conflicts or are they political ones spun to appear religious? so many youth the world over are unemployed and underemployed which leads to instability. I believe they hide under the guise of it being religious so they don't have to be accountable.

Huppopapa · 09/12/2017 22:14

Have you considered @Christmascardqueen that you may be making a false distinction: that religion is precisely the same as a political structure for the control of others? All religions set out to tell other people how they should or can live. I don't know of a single fundamental religious text that tells its adherents to leave others alone but to respect them anyway.

Even if you reject that, I fail to understand what is good about a belief system that is so susceptible to manipulation that it can cause people to do bad things in its name. Moreover, those people sincerely believe that their religion is the right one and their interpretation of it is the right one. That is exactly the same position that the current Pope or the most liberal, hippy CofE vicar believes. I have absolutely no way, and you have absolutely no way, of saying which of them is correct.

In fact, they are all wrong. This is man-made. It is about power. We are now capable of freeing ourselves from its malignity.

Ta1kinPeace · 09/12/2017 22:14

Christmas
are those really really religious conflicts or are they political ones spun to appear religious?
Sorry, what ?

Have you read up on the Sunni Shia split in Islam - between Saudi and Iran
and their proxies

and do you think that Jewish fundamentalists illegally occupying land in the Golan Heights and the West Bank adds to world peace

and the BJP killing Sikh beef farmers is a good thing

and the Buddhist thugs in Myanmar denying that the Rohingya have lived in the country for 300 years

please explain those conflicts without religion

and then I ask you about the Irish Border .....