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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To object to a religious song at a baby class?

602 replies

SecondTimer2019 · 06/11/2019 11:22

I take my baby (6mo) to a baby sensory class and this week the theme was 'rainbows'. At the end one of the songs played was 'Who put the colours in the rainbow?', which I remember from my childhood.

It asks who created all the amazing things in the world and ends by saying things like 'It can't be chance' and 'God made all of these'.

I'm not religious and think this environment should be secular. Obviously my baby can't understand the lyrics yet but I still feel it is inappropriate.

I'm thinking of contacting the organisers to let them know my feelings.

AIBU?

OP posts:
BertrandRussell · 10/11/2019 14:50

“Do you believe that they should sing songs that won't offend anyone's sensibilities?“
Yes. Don’t you?

themueslicamel · 10/11/2019 15:33

YANBU OP, this nonsense starts early, nip it in the bud.

CravingCheese · 10/11/2019 15:56

Yes. Don’t you?

No. That seems rather silly to me...
And learning how to deal with being a little offended is a fairly important skill imo.

woodhill · 10/11/2019 15:59

Bertrand do you think it is fair enough in a church run toddler group though?

Not the one in the discussion which is secular

JacquesHammer · 10/11/2019 16:37

do you think it is fair enough in a church run toddler group though?

I wouldn’t have thought anyone would have an issue with that. Because most likely people who aren’t interested in having religion thrust upon them would choose not to attend a church run group.

BertrandRussell · 10/11/2019 17:10

“ Bertrand do you think it is fair enough in a church run toddler group though?”

Yes of course. As I think I’ve already said, several times!

BertrandRussell · 10/11/2019 17:13

@CravingCheese- so whose sensibilities do you think it’s OK to upset?

CravingCheese · 10/11/2019 17:31

@BertrandRussell

I don't have a list. Seeing as it isn't about the 'who'.
We should all expect to encounter a certain amount of 'offensiveness' if we choose to be part of a liberal and diverse society.

And what is your list of songs that won't offend anybody?

BertrandRussell · 10/11/2019 17:36

It’s not a matter of “offending” anyway. It’s just a matter of not expecting to have to even nominally accept the reality of a creator God at a non faith based baby group.
I can’t actually think of any songs currently sung at baby/toddler groups that would offend anyone.

CravingCheese · 10/11/2019 18:00

I can’t actually think of any songs currently sung at baby/toddler groups that would offend anyone seems extremely unlikely to me but fair enough.

And anyhow, nobody asked the OP to 'accept the reality of a creator'. It's simply a concept. And it was mentioned once...

I personally really wouldn't have it in me to be upset about it. And even if I did, I'd refer myself back to my previous argument about diverse and liberal societies.

Alicatz66 · 10/11/2019 18:00

All this talk has made me think of when my kids were at infant school .... best song ever IMO is the "Cauliflowers fluffy" Harvest festival song ! ... I'm totally off track here but it just popped into my head

rainbowvalley17 · 10/11/2019 18:05

I wonder if they’ll gradually phase out all those wonderful Christmas carols. Away in a Manger guaranteed to make me cry at all my children’s nativities. The children loved singing them too. (wonder how many of those kids got damaged because of them) Hmm Now when I go to my dgcs “nativities” they have all these odd songs that bear no connection to Christmas. Such a shame and so so sad.

Lexplorer · 10/11/2019 18:07

You could always take them to church

JacquesHammer · 10/11/2019 18:09

The children loved singing them too

And they’ll love singing the other ones just as much.

BertrandRussell · 10/11/2019 18:11

I can’t actually think of any songs currently sung at baby/toddler groups that would offend anyone seems extremely unlikely to me but fair enough.“

Why do you find that unlikely?

BertrandRussell · 10/11/2019 18:12

And why would they phase out Christmas carols?

BertrandRussell · 10/11/2019 18:14

IIRC, I don’t think Cauliflower’s Fluffy mentions God at all- might put some kids off cauliflower cheese though....

TheVanguardSix · 10/11/2019 18:14

Honestly, I'm getting old. Too many 'could start a fight in an empty room' parents out there.
Let me break it down to you, OP. You want to get all offended over rainbows and the mere mention of God? Be my guest.
But when your tween is listening to Wiggle, Wiggle, Wiggle with his/her friends on Spotify, you'll turn a blind eye. Don't argue back. Your child will listen to such songs. You will probably let it slide and ignore.
Pick your battles. And save the fight for when they're older and you best believe you'll have a reason to veto offensive songs.
There is an entire truly offensive world out there on TikTok and Youtube waiting for your 6-month-old. Enjoy your baby while his/her halo is still pristine, is all I'm saying. It gets real in a few years. Believe me. Save your strength and battles for later.

TurOlive · 10/11/2019 18:23

Now when I go to my dgcs “nativities” they have all these odd songs that bear no connection to Christmas. Such a shame and so so sad.

Let me guess. They're now all depressed and anxious because they never got to sing away in a manger?

LordProfFekkoThePenguinPhD · 10/11/2019 18:32

I don’t ever remember having nativity plays at my school. I feel hard done by!

CravingCheese · 10/11/2019 18:36

Why do you find that unlikely?

Because people are offended by pretty much anything. Whether that's a red Starbucks cup, 'assigning' a gender, not doing so etc.
Anyhow. That's not the point.

The OP wasn't expected to accept the 'reality of a creator'. A single word was mentioned. Once. It's not inherently offensive, doesn't demean anybody and really can't be classified as profanity. And yet you find it objectionable. For some reason...

BertrandRussell · 10/11/2019 18:37

Just forced my 18 year old to sing Cauliflower’s Fluffy- no God mentions.
I would have recorded him, but he was way ahead of me and took my phone away “I don’t want you putting me on Mumsnet”

8BumbleBee8 · 10/11/2019 18:43

The song says "God".
So what religion is God?
I'm trying to figure out what religion this song has to do with. It didn't mention any God's names or religions. It just says God and God has nothing to do with religion.

BertrandRussell · 10/11/2019 18:52

“ And yet you find it objectionable. For some reason...”
OK- I’ll try to explain myself.
I think that if people want their children to have a faith it’s for them to introduce it at home. Telling small children in the guise of a funny song that “it surely can’t be chance” and “God made them” is laying the foundation for a lot of similar stuff they get at school. Obviously it’s not going to convert them. But I don’t want Christianity to be the norm that I have to question. I don’t want (well, I do, but I know I can’t have it!) atheism to be the norm either. I want children to have a secular upbringing out of the home. People of faith will teach their children about their views of creation at home - atheists will teach theirs. It’s not for non faith outside organisations to come down on one side or the other.

BertrandRussell · 10/11/2019 18:53

8BumbleBee8

It’s a well known Christian children’s song.