To want the Gideons to get the #### out of my child's school

[PatriarchyPersonified]

As I have made clear on threads on here in the past, I am an atheist (I'm actually a strong anti-theist) and I believe in the secularisation of society. (i.e religion can be there for people who want it but it should be irrelevant to anybodies day to day life unless they want to make it relevant.)

I believe that children should be taught about religions in school, as part of a comprehensive RE syllabus, and particularly about Christianity, as I believe from a cultural and historical perspective, it is impossible to fully understand the history and culture of the UK without reference to the bible. I would feel the same way about the Qu'ran if I lived in an Arab country btw.

What I am not happy about is that my oldest DC (12) has just had the bloody Gideon Society hosting an assembly in their school and dishing out Bibles! School is not the place for this. There is a reason why religious groups always target schools and prisons, its where the easy targets are.

"Kids at my Dgd school will quite happily tell a teacher to "go fuck himself""
Really? And nothing happens to them if they do that?

The system is too easy to play. I know someone who attended church to get her child a place, then stopped.

It’s very common. I have a friend who’s a vicar, she says they don’t really discourage it because it gives them a good regular turnover of families which is good for the congregation, and some of them might ‘stick’ along the way.

She agrees, though, that the system gives a leg up to kids who already had a leg up - ie those who have parents who are engaged enough in their children’s education and organised enough to attend church regularly for two years before school admissions.

Yes Bertrand, nothing of any consequence happens, the same up and down the country. You sound like it's something you wouldn't be aware of.

I suppose that if we can’t get rid of faith schools, the obvious solution is for people who apply to faith schools to be barred from applying to any other type of school.

Of course, people of faith will say that they’d be perfectly happy with that- secure in the knowledge that they will never be asked to!

YABU and very shouty with it. You have ideas. The world doesn’t always fall in with your ideas. Get over it.

I don't believe in the idea of a "royal family", but it's something i have to put up with. Guess what, we don't get to call the shots. We all have things we do or don't believe in.

I don't believe in the idea of a "royal family", but it's something i have to put up with

Which would be an accurate analogy if members of the royal family were attending schools trying to convert pupils. Or state funded schools had a “royal family” selection clause.

Otherwise it doesn’t really work does it

It works perfectly as an anology, in that it's something that we don't want. In other words, we don't usually get what we want no matter how much we complain.

I don't believe in the idea of a "royal family", but it's something i have to put up with.

I’d suggest, with respect, that your lack of belief in the royal family and my lack of belief in any gods are in no way analogous. Talking about ‘belief’ in conversations about religion is a bit tricky.

However, thinking there shouldn’t be a royal family is a policy position analogous to thinking there should be no state funding for religious instruction (rather than education). Reasonable, explicable and one that many people share.

Guess what, we don't get to call the shots.

Guess what! Ultimately, we do. So we can campaign, protest, donate, vote to get change if it matters enough to us, and enough people agree with us.

I get that changes to the status quo, and discussing privileges that some people have that disadvantage others, can be uncomfortable to those benefiting from the status quo and who may have been ignorant of the negative impact on others.

It’s what happens next that matters. Are they willing to give up some of their privileges to ensure a fairer go for everyone? Or do they fight to retain the privilege, knowing it’s damaging to others?

In other words, we don't usually get what we want no matter how much we complain

And yet I see regularly friends posting the schools their children are at not doing OCC because of the beliefs behind the charity.

Is it really that much of a leap that if enough parents complain that people representing the Gideons will no longer be allowed to proletyse in school time?

Small steps but as a PP said, there will come a - very welcome - time when Christianity isn’t the majority religion

Which religion would you like to be the "major religion" jaques?

I meant *majority

I know it’s rude to answer for others, but I think no religion being in an absolute majority is preferable for long-term harmony. The more we have to listen to each other, and ensure there is a secular basis for those conversations to take place, the better outcome we are likely to get in a multicultural nation.

Which one Jaques?

Ah yes because they don't get royal weddings, jubilees etc rammed down their throats at school do they? Even extra BH I seem to recall. While of course this isn't relevant to the 'christian privilege' narrative that is now being discussed, it is very relevant to the ops 'the gideon people are trying to convert my dc' outrage.

I agree (though not with the OTT ‘outrage’ characterisation, sigh.)

I’m not dead keen on inherited wealth and privilege and a hereditary class and leadership system being portrayed as brilliant in an uncritical, unquestioning way in schools.

@borderline11

None. I think no religion holding a majority would be preferable. A secular basis with tolerance for all religions would be ideal

@Janey no-one from the royal family has knocked on my door and tried to convert me. They haven’t denied my child a place at school because I “don’t believe in the royal family”.

Yes Jacques ironically I don't think we went to the right church for the local Anglican selective school at the time

The royal family do get funded by taxes we have no choice in though don't they?

And appear on all our currency...

And if you want an answer with urgency that your repeated posts suggest @borderline11 spelling my name correctly might ensure I got the notification.

I know it’s rude to answer for others, but I think no religion being in an absolute majority is preferable for long-term harmony. The more we have to listen to each other, and ensure there is a secular basis for those conversations to take place, the better outcome we are likely to get in a multicultural nation. Has that worked in France?

jaques the queen is head of the church of England, she must stand for everything you hate. But apart from that, exactly how often are people knocking on your door trying to convert you. Is it a weekly thing?

There was no urgency jacques, I was merely waiting while you thought of an answer., but you haven't needed any notification up to now. I'm sure others have misspelt your name before, don't be so sensitive, it's not a big deal.