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AIBU?

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Original poster

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

477 replies

PatriarchyPersonified · 15/02/2018 13:50

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.

OP posts:
JacquesHammer · 15/02/2018 15:46

@CraftyGin why can’t you distinguish between not wanting children indoctrinated and hatred?

I don’t hate people who have religious beliefs. I do NOT expect their beliefs to be forced on me whether via my DD at school or through propaganda delivered through the post

Notonthestairs · 15/02/2018 15:52

I think our local secondary teaches religious practices under the heading of philosophy- thus making it clear that there are a number of different ways of believing or not believing in whatever and the history behind them. Teaches them critical thinking in my view. I don't think it's always enough to just reference religion in history for example as you need to understand the differences in thinking to understand why they were fighting (given that religion generally comes up as a result of wars!).

Iceskatingsnake · 15/02/2018 15:53

I’m with you in that handing out bibles in schools is not ok. I’d love religion to be separate from school totally but bearing in mind it’s massive impact throughout history that’s not able to happen. Other than being a necessary part of subjects such as history, literature etc, I’d be happy for it to play no part at all in school life.

My parents had ‘everything by the book’ Judaism rammed down their throats as kids and as adults rebelled totally and brought us all up with no religious beliefs at all.

Notonthestairs · 15/02/2018 15:53

Sorry that should read "as a cause of wars" not result!

InternetHoopJumper · 15/02/2018 15:56

I am an athiest too and I feel torn about the subject.

If this assembly was anything like the 'abstinence only' assemlies that US kids get as their sex "education," then I would be against it too. It would scare or browbeat kids into religion. But if this was presented as an option, along with many other religions or no religions at all, then I would not have minded.

How did your kids decribe the assembly to you?

Afternoon · 15/02/2018 15:59

I'd like to know what the content of the assembly was, as my opinion would be different according to what was actually said. It could be that they weren't proselytising at all, or it could have been heavily evangelical.

Julie8008 · 15/02/2018 16:00

don't Scientologists have to pay to learn about Scientology themselves? Whereas the Gideon's want to give it away free

I think Christian privilege is blinding you there. Scientologists would freely give their time to get their hands on captive & vulnerable young minds, just as the Gideon's are. Both religions hope/expect money to be contributed/tithed to their respective churches when they are adults. The main difference is that Christians take for granted that non-christians are forced to contribute to them via the tax system.

TabbyMack · 15/02/2018 16:01

Valentinesfart

I sincerely hope, when you are talking about "made up nonsense" that you are not referring to the Religion of Peace...Islam. Because, you see, that would be Islamophobic Hmm

Julie8008 · 15/02/2018 16:05

Were the parents given advance warning of the assembly and consent sought for the children to attend it?

I have never been pre-warned about an assembly at my DCs school, and never once has consent been sought. So not sure how any parent would have the knowledge to take their child out of the event.

BertrandRussell · 15/02/2018 16:08

“I sincerely hope, when you are talking about "made up nonsense" that you are not referring to the Religion of Peace...Islam. Because, you see, that would be Islamophobic”

No it wouldn’t. Islam isn’t true either.

noeffingidea · 15/02/2018 16:09

Craftygin where's the hatred?
It's not hatred to want to be able to send our children to school just to be educated, not to be expected take part in other people's religious observances. Which they are perfectly free to practice of course, in their own homes, places of worship, and their own thoughts.
OP, I'd probably just withdraw my kids from assembly in this situation. Their assemblies were more or less secular, with talk about being nice to each other and that kind of thing, which is fine.

mummyretired · 15/02/2018 16:09

Isn't there anyone more inclusive than the Gideons to speak on behalf of Christianity, if schools want that? Their entrance criteria seems to be on a par with Freemasonry.

JacquesHammer · 15/02/2018 16:11

I sincerely hope, when you are talking about "made up nonsense" that you are not referring to the Religion of Peace...Islam. Because, you see, that would be Islamophobic

I feel exactly the same about all religion. It’s nonsense.

That doesn’t make it “phobic” because I don’t persecute people because of their beliefs. I just prefer that they treat me with equal respect and don’t push their beliefs on me.

CraftyGin · 15/02/2018 16:12

You seriously don’t see the hatred? Let the scales fall from your eyes!

Wilson2 · 15/02/2018 16:13

You could say the same thing about sex education, geography, history, english, science, anything really. Your children are being taught in school -whatever they are being taught, and it's okay to protect them from that but I don't think these things are dangerous or harmful to children, if anything it is good because it opens up your children to learning about others beliefs. Just stay confident in the fact that your children will face situations like this throughout their lives but just because they are being offered one way of living, doesn't mean they have to take it. Your children are exposed to so much on a daily basis that you may not even be aware of - advertising is everywhere! And every day they will be filtering through the information that is presented to them and deciding what they think about it.

Aridane · 15/02/2018 16:13

I think you may be in danger of so shoving atheism down your kids throats they may turn to the church.

That's what I was thinking, Joey

Bekabeech · 15/02/2018 16:13

I don't know who and what you think the Gideons are? Did you never experience a Gideon's assembly? Its mainly about how they give out the Bibles to Prisoners, the armed forces, School children, and put them in Hotel rooms and Hospitals. The most proselytising aspect is suggesting gently that pupils might want to read it sometime and it might help in times of trouble.
They get at the most 10 minutes to talk, and usually pupils can decide whether or not to take one.
My DCs school also has other religious groups, and other groups such as the armed forces or first aid to talk to them.

Personally I object far more to the Armed Forces one.

ReanimatedSGB · 15/02/2018 16:16

All religion is bullshit. Its purpose has always been social control - groups of people decided they could obtain power over others if they had a special magic invisible friend who would help or harm those others according to how enthusiastically they obeyed the ones who set themselves up as spokespeople for Magic Buttfuck the Fairy.
The majority of myth systems these days are the ones that have some Magic Bullshit at their core which puts reproduction under the control of men, not women, as well.

So I don't mind DC being taught about mythology - it's quite useful for understanding history/anthropology/politics/culture. I do mind them being encouraged or pressured to take the bullshit seriously.

JacquesHammer · 15/02/2018 16:17

You seriously don’t see the hatred?

Please do share.

Do you think it’s acceptable that a local group of churches address unsolicited propaganda to me at home?

JaneyEJones · 15/02/2018 16:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

NotdeadyetBOING · 15/02/2018 16:20

Wondering why I've never heard of these Gideon people... misses point entirely

derxa · 15/02/2018 16:22

Didn't this debate get done the other day? Yes and it was just as nasty as this one.

TabbyMack · 15/02/2018 16:25

Jacqueshammer

That poster, happy to call Christianity "made up nonsense", has decided that threads saying much the same about Islam are "Islamophobic".

It's the most repulsive piece of hypocrisy imaginable & one that should be called out whenever it's spotted.

I agree with you...I am not "phobic" about any religion. I also don't decide to avoid criticising a particular one based on the colour of the adherents skin. That would be racist.

TabbyMack · 15/02/2018 16:28

I am always a bit stunned that Christians, followers of an ideology that expressly says I shall rot in Hell for eternity, find criticism of that belief "nasty" & "hateful".

CritEqual · 15/02/2018 16:29

I think it's perfectly healthy to provide a wide range exposure to faith and belief systems. Given that there is data that shows that having faith improves overall mental health and church attendance correlates with a lesser likliehood for suicide. I think it's a good thing, and I struggle to see why it wouldn't be.

A bigger issue I have is the rampant left wing bias in publicly funded schools. Which ultimately requires just as much "faith" as that practiced by religous folk, but never honestly so.

Note I don't have a horse in the race of pushing any one faith above the others. I am a pluralist, I'm just an advocate for having faith in general.