to think that some non-religious parents over-react just a teensy-weensy bit when their children are exposed to religion in the most benign form?

[SueBarooeeooeeooooo]

s'ok if I am. But threads complaining about this sort of thing are a regular MN feature, and I can't help thinking that some parents seem tremendously precious about it. We're Christians and it often comes up that not everyone believes the way we do, and I talk to my children about it and they wander off and scribble on the lounge walls again.

I've seen people complaining about Christian mums and tots groups, simple 'thankyou' prayers and christian charities. I am 100% ok with you bringing your children up atheist, theist, or chocolate-worshipping. Honestly, if I whipped myself up into a panic over every mention of different beliefs or none that my children encounter, I'd never get anything done.

(Please note, this is not a church schools whinge, I'm against selection on religious grounds.)

Suebarooo
I admire your distaste for organized worship for kids. Obviously.
May not be appropriate but may I ask why you home ed? Please feel free to tell me that this is not the right forum for this question.

yes I think monogamy is pretty close to compulsory for heterosexuals, in that it is enforced very rigorously by social norms and anyone stepping outside is treated with huge disapproval. of course serial monogamy is "permitted" by our society, and that brings its own problems.
there you go, a messedup society we live in.
Sue, ruty, justabout you should form the Extremely Reasonable Christians Club

onebatmother, a few reasons. We prefer a more flexible approach to learning for them, we'd like to be able to have a bit more editorial control over their education, and and we're crazy people who shelter our children from the harsh realities of life.

seeker? Seeeeeeker! Shall I start another thread? A call to arms under Education?
Shall I? Shall I?
(this was always my problem. Need a brighter, prettier leader for all my **stirring)

Good grief yes, Justa. And you're going to be a woman vicar, and they don't allow those at my church

suebaroo, q. editorial control with respect to this thread?

justa nooo re reasonable christian group! but you might never achieve anything bcs too busy rubbing backs and reassuring.

In some instances, yep. Like I said earlier, I appreciate it's not a sensible option for everyone. (Or a sensible primary reason, I might add)

I'm all for a bit of fire and brimstone in school assemblies..it's all so warm and cuddly these days.

Ppl are so inured from religion in their lives that it comes as an affront or at least a surprise when they encounter it. Yet schools have an obligation to offer a daily act of worship, to teach RE, our literature is imbued with religious reference and many of our laws and customs originate through the church. I think it does our children a disservice if it isn't part of their education.

I'm not saying that they have to believe in any faith but at least to have the information to make an informed decision for themselves, probably as we did. It's also just good general knowledge - I was staggered last year that I had to explain to SIXTH formers who Delilah was and the detail behind the creation story.

sue re women priests - tell me you are joking. Or this one-day love affair betw. Athy and Christy is off! off! off!

defo think they should learn about all religions in school. but shoudl not be presented with any particular one as fact, rather than as a belief system.

i'm a bit druk now tho to b e ghonest.

onebatmother..um.. no, not joking, they don't have women vicars at my church. They don't have vicars at all as it happens. If it makes you feel any better, I do know plenty as friends...

"i'm a bit druk now tho to b e ghonest."

this makes me WANT to be drunk, olala. Badly.

Blimey, onebatmother, I didn't know a plurality of elders could ruin someones evening..

So sue just to be absolutely clear: the reason you don't have women vicars is because you don't have ANY vicars?

is it because you have priests?

?? sue re plurality? (we're out of synch with our posts btw)

No, we don't have priests, we're Baptists.

I've noticed that some posts don't appear (to me) till a fair while after they've been posted. MN stirring things up?!

The leadership of our independent church is a 'plurality of elders', meaning we not led by one person, but sort of a committee. It's not a set-up like the CofE at all.

MN is being a bit of a sod to me after the changes, tbh.

My dd currently sings in the CofE church choir. Her Grandmother is a Catholic. Her father is an atheist with superstitious leanings. She herself worships Isis.

but sue Just To Be Absolutely Clear.
Elders can be female?