Nativity play casts kids as slaves - not happy

[Flowersintheg5rden]

Some of the kids in my children’s school have been cast as slaves in the forthcoming nativity play.

Bearing in mind all the awful reports of modern slavery in the media, am I being unreasonable to feel appalled by this bad choice of play for young minds?

Oh dear me- do you really think ‘servants’ ie staff are ‘ modern day slaves’??
I’m sure my friend who has various ‘ staff’ will be tickled pink when I tell her she’s a modern day slave owner!!
I know a ‘ modern day slave’ aka a butler who charges his employers either a six figure salary or £250ph. I wouldn’t be worried if a child of mine was a ‘ servant’ like this!!
Anyway, nobody calls them servants these days, it’s staff ffs.

Since when did the Nativity have slaves.
Why do schools do this? It's a story and not open to different interpretations.

Given the Bible is quite dogmatic about slavery (for example, they have to have the Sabbath off - both male and female slaves) surely it's part of Christianity ?

Servants = modern slavery , is this a wind up ????

So you’re one of those parents who flies off the handle about total bollocks without checking your facts .

God I love being a teacher sometimes.

Regardless of the confusion (and weird conflation of servants/slaves), I don't see what all the awful reports of modern slavery have got to do with whether it's included or not. Slavery is awful whenever it was. Unless they're presenting it as a barrel of laughs, then there's no need to exclude or wash over it, surely? Joseph is a slave in the Tecnicolor Dreamcoat show if memory serves, because there were slaves back then and it's clearly a shit thing. It's hardly condoning slavery and if it prompts the conversation, leading to you explaining about modern slavery, then all the better for their understanding of the world (and how to change it one day!).

Well now you are just looking for things be annoyed about. Until about 100 years ago being a servant was a job. It still is I suppose but the term fell out of fashion. It’s not the same as slavery.

So it's not slaves but servants.
Either way,it's a role. And probably more appropriate than pretending a child is a camel.
Your outrage was misplaced to begin with,even more so now.

"AIBU to pissed off that some random relative of DH's has pitched up and given birth to the son of God in my spare room?"

I love you glasgowworrier (and your eyeliner )

I used to put a few extra children in as servants to the three wise men to make sure everyone had a role. It could be something like this, if not it's probably making a deliberate point about slavery which will be discussed at school. I think you are making a fuss over nothing.

so basically you want to gloss over atrocities and rewrite history?

servants = modern slavery??

OP you really need to educate yourself.

I really cant see the issue here.

Servants are a million miles away from slaves and modern slavery!

I played a servant at school in I can assure you it did me no lasting harm.

I used to put a few extra children in as servants to the three wise men to make sure everyone had a role

The bible doesn’t say how many wise men, angels or shepherds there were. Very handy for casting!

Is Herod featured in the play? You might need to add that to your 'bits of this Nativity that aren't cosy' complaint.

It's a story and not open to different interpretations. @RomanyRoots I really don’t know where to start with explaining to you how this actually works.

This thread has made me look up the nativity scene from Life of Brian.

“That doesn’t sound very wise to me...”
m.youtube.com/watch?v=AeWI5RcgOLs

GlasgowWorrier
You win

It’s especially useful in introducing Christianity to children who may have missed out on it at home.

@babdoc, I'd be happy to introduce your children to the rituals of Yule, or something like how to ward their windows against negative intrusion. It sounds like they might be missing out on learning witchcraft at home.

It’s especially useful in introducing Christianity to children who may have missed out on it at home.

Missed out?

There were many slaves in many lands at that time. What is the problem with depicting that?
Herod was a tyrant who ordered mass murder. He usually gets a mention. I dont see how that's any worse.

' It’s especially useful in introducing Christianity to children who may have missed out on it at home.'

Yeah, wonderful, I go to lengths to shield my child from religion and schools helpfully introduce it to him. Fab

Ds took part in a nativity last year with adult actors. His favourite bit was slaughter of the innocents. He thought being chased by Roman Soldiers (on horseback) and then killed was very exciting. (all in all he died 8times over productions over the summer)

My ds was a slave in a play once....he turned down being a narrator to be a slave.

Costume was easy.... Brown pillowcase with holes cut for arms and head...probably the easiest we've had for a play.

I’m less annoyed but I still don’t think kids should be servants either. It’s still linked to modern slavery, in my opinion.

Nah, you're trying too hard now