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.

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

Agreed. I’m an equal-opportunities “religion is nonsense” type

I was thinking more of www.langleyhousetrust.org/about-us/

cleansheet.org.uk/faqs/

www.sjp.org.uk/night-shelter.html

And so many more that look after vulnerable homeless people.

I’m not a believer myself, and I’m aware that religion has bad sides, but you do seem determined to see only the bad side.

A boring assembly and a free bible isn’t actually going to damage a child, and I think it’s dramatic to suggest otherwise.

Enough if us kicked up a stink at our school and it was stopped op.

The Gideon Society cannot just rock up at a school. They extend the offer, and then it is entirely and solely up to the school to decide whether to invite them in.

Your difficulty is with the ethos of the school, not those they choose to invite in.

I think it's perfectly healthy to provide a wide range exposure to faith and belief systems.

So do I. So my question/point is still: This would be fine if there were also assemblies where people gave out the Qu'ran/Torah/Hindu tracts etc. I wonder if that is happening?

As for the Muslim conversations I have to wonder how permanent they are, probably no more that those I met years ago who were Christians in prison when it suited them. Back when I worked in that field there used to be plastic rosary beads given out and they became quite a fashion thing.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/duke-marlborough-prison-islam-conversion-jail-aristocrat-ramadan-jamie-spencer-churchill-a7879571.html

www.amazon.co.uk/Prison-issue-Rosary-Beads-White/dp/B003056MYU?tag=mumsnetforum-21

VikingVolva

I kind of agree with you but I think I have an issue with the school for inviting them and an issue with the Gideon's in general for their proselytising.

Craftygin perhaps you could point the hatred out, instead of speaking cryptically.

I think op's issue is with the school rather than gideons?

MichaelBendfaster probably not each and every belief system out there, but neither should they. In essence the question should be is it reflective of the common beliefs in the local area? Running around like a blue-arsed fly trying to find representatives of Zoroastrianism, Jainism or Baha'i is probably going to just be a fall of diminishing returns. Especially if there aren't a lot of adherants in the locality.

The law requires a daily act of collective Christian worship.

CritEqual

Or we could just be secular and not include any religions (or humanists/atheists) to be involved in the school outside of the RE syllabus?

That's not really too much to ask for.

I am kind of wondering what people feel is so dangerous about the teachings of Christ, which was basically to love your fellow man whatever their religion or race.

In essence the question should be is it reflective of the common beliefs in the local area?

Why? Comparative religion studies should include all of them. Or should we say that if you live in e.g. Chichester your geography classes should only consist of learning about chalk downs because that's reflective of the local area?

You don't need to actually line up a representative of Zoroastrianism, Jainism or Baha'i; you could just teach about them. Although who knows, maybe there are people from minority faiths who would be delighted to come into schools, or do a Skype session or something if they don't live on the doorstep.

“I am kind of wondering what people feel is so dangerous about the teachings of Christ, which was basically to love your fellow man whatever their religion or race”

You’re not wondering that at all, you know. Or only if you haven’t read the thread.

@5plusMeAndHim actually Jesus message is vastly different to what the church really likes to tell you

But the book isn't all about Jesus (unless you're a Christian, then it is) it's also got many other tales - some not very nice such as God drowning everything bar 2 special ones of each species and a handful of better humans to begin over again as he/they fucked up

Personally unless you believe it literally I think we have always had pretty grim tales to teach morality by (fairytales?) however lots of people object on the basis that the god character isn't very nice

Also Jesus imo wasn't exactly a harmless "everyone all just get along now" type of guy but an activist, I don't really think he was about equality either - he did say supposedly (if you believe it's his words in the bible) that he spoke in parables to hide what he wanted to say from those who weren't worthy of his teachings! Some of what is attributed to him I think is rather lovely though and inspiring

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'm referring to all religions. And it's not phobic at all. Don't be so ridiculous. The majority of devout followers of the world's major religions thnk I'm going to burn in hell for my beliefs are quite happy to continue going to their place of worship.

Are they phobic?

You could say the same thing about sex education, geography, history, english, science, anything really. Your children are being taught in school

Teaching my children facts and how to spell is not the same as non sense sky fairies.

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

Oh I see you were trying to make a point badly.

No, Islamaphobia is nothing to do with not believing in Allah. HTH

I am kind of wondering what people feel is so dangerous about the teachings of Christ, which was basically to love your fellow man whatever their religion or race.

It's not dangerous, it's not real. It annoys me that teachers are using a position of power to teach children something that is not necessary as part of their education and clearly made up bollocks.

If you had an assembly to tell a group of twelve year olds that "Lo the time has come and Santa really is fucking real" I'd be equally pissed off.

Basically if the only way you can convince a person of something is by catching them when they are young and impressionable, dying or in prison... you're selling snake oil

@MichaelBendfaster Why? because the object of the excercise isn't to give them a higher education level overview of comparitive religion. It's to make them aware of the beliefs and practices of their fellow citizens. Now obvs it's worth having a go at representing a minority faith if their is a child at the school from one of those faiths. It's just a little common sense.

Given that around 3/4 of the population have a faith of some kind or another I don't think it's the end of the world that is reflected within out school system.

But I tell you what I'll go along with that 100% if we can include political bias as something best left outside of schools when it comes to forms of belief and faith.

Well 1/3 of the population don't belive in God so why don't they start teaching atheism?