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.)

Just read the things about Hitler- ( lordy lordy this thread's covering ground) and sorry I haven't been following the whole talk board in detail- but Hitler and the nazi's were involved in a pseudo spiritual science/ religion called theosophy- it draws some things from christianity but thought humans had the ability to communicate with the spirit world too- hence the occult bit.

The tainting of sex education with superstition in schools is disastrously bad practice (think of the moronic SIlver Ring movement and the even more distasteful Promise to Daddy or whatever it's called).

charlene - that does sound pretty off, I'm not suprised you're cross about it!

However - you might want to suspend judgement on the school (not the TA) until you've checked the RE curriculum. I'm trying to remember what DD did when, it was probably mostly xtian stuff in reception but by the end of yr 3 she had also done topics on islam and hinduism (Ganesh is a big hit with little kids!). DDs school follows the national curriculum so I assume this is standard. They also do Greeks and Romans in yr 3 so plenty of old myths and discarded gods along the way.[Usborne Greek Myths for young children is nice, if you're looking for book recommendations]. I think they get to do Buddhism this year, yr4.

Coming home with a bible at that age is a bit odd... I can't imagine many yr1 kids being either willing or able to read it! I remember as a good sunday-school going kid thinking I ought to read it and starting at the beginning of Matthew... all those begats!

I just said aloud that I agreed with madamez on a sex-related issue. Blimey.

I'm sure this has moved on massively, but as the thread is nearly full (so I know that I wont be getting embroiled in the discussion for days on end) - I agree entirely with the OP

Apologies if someone's already said this - under the 1944 Education Act, all state schools have to have an act of collective worship.

The 1988 Education Reform Act added that collective worship should be "wholly, or mainly, of a broadly Christian character".

So, schools don't have a choice about that aspect of it.

You can ask for your child to opt out, and from my own schooldays I remember this happening.

I meant a daily act of collective worship - in other words an assembly.

Yes ... that law is overdue for change but even within it there is a lot of scope for more balance than is all to often the case.

Seeker has posted link to humanist website on ideas for more inclusive assemblies.

Note that as you say, this act applies to state schools. Having opted out of state education primarily because in my area there is a vast overrepresentation of 'faith' schools, its pretty annoying to find that DDs private school seems unable to break away from addiction to hymn singing!

An adddiction to hymn-singing?

wonders what the best treament for that is

Aversion therapy? Forcing you to read the Methodist recorder and the endless arguments in the letters section about hymnbooks and the 'right' tune for "When I survey"?

my hubby is a primary teacher we are appalled that in some schools he has taught in they are not allowed to call christmas christmas it is to be called winter wonderland

Sue! are you wearing your Christmas name?

pmsl at winter wonderland.
that is priceless.

As a matter of interest, when this thread is full are you going to start a new one?

Harpsi, yes, I am I tried it out the other night and haven't been into 'my mumsnet' to change it back again. I'm not sure, it's a bit pedestrian, don't you think?

PW, You mean a 'Random discussion about religion' thread?

it is pedestrian
with a zimmer
how about SueChristWasBorninStableLikeLiterallyTodayIt'sNotAMetaphorOrAnythingGoddit?

Well it's certainly hit a nerve of some sort. And people seem actually to be discussing things rather than shouting and being passive-aggressive.

that's because sue started it.
she is a clever reasonable sort of Christian with a sense of humour.
we should out a preservation order on her.

you know what? It really irritates me when people who aren't religious start bringing the ols 'hitler was a christian' argument into things. I'm not even sure he really was (I thought it was vegetarian not christian) but anyway - what does it have to do with anything. Are we trying to prove Christianity is bad?

I am and always have been an Atheist. I had no religious indoctrination for the whole of my childhood because my parents just didn't teach me that there was a God or jesus or anything. The first knowledge of religion I had was the Local catholic children (We lived in Ireland) telling me I would burn in the fiery pits of hell because I didn't go to church. I don't blame them, it;s all the knew, but I do feel sorry for them because that was the way they were influenced and taught.

When I got to secondary school I had to attent religious education, some of it I found interesting, but I ws always amazed at how many of my fellow schoolmates just accepted it all as the truth, as if they were in a History lesson.

When I have kids there will be no mention of Gods and Jesus and Creation myths in my house, simply because it's not an influence in my life and therefore would not ever come up in conversation. Once they start to socialise with other kids I am sure that they will have some questions and I will try to explain to them that other people believe different things but that their Mum doesn't believe what they do. Hopefully they will grow up able to work things out for themselves. If they have faith then they have fait. Whatever they end up with I just hope they are good people and that they tolerate other people's beliefs.

My whole family have Hymn Addiction Syndrome so I know it when I see it .

Can't be cured. The methadone-substitute equivalent is subverting the words but thats too risky for school children, except in the case of some carols (while shepherds washed their socks etc).

Yeah, Beanie... my DH picks the most inflammatory bits out of Dawkins etc and insists that all theistic religions are Evil. Hitler was a christian and the pope at that time was in cahoots (well, the latter bit might have some truth in it). Blah de blah. Drives me up the wall. The extension to his argument seems to be that all Christians share culpability and ... we finally get to the truth ... my mother is therefore personally responsible for most of the genocide of the last century. [there isn't an emoticon to fit. Apart from this strange quirk he's a lovely guy and normally quite rational!]

I have a Darwin fish on my car

I'm not trying to rile anyone, just making a statement like Christians who have the fish on their cars do

I always think Ichthus fishes on cars are counterproductive, because I've yet to meet a Christian who was a good witness when they were driving.

I saw a darwin fish the other day in a Tesco carpark, on teeny little metro. I thought we could squash in with the Volvo and say it was survival of the fittest.

Actually, there is a complete religious loon online called Darwin Fish. You could google. Nutter.

wonders if this will be the last post on the thread

I do wish people would stop putting fish on their cars. So often they seem to be bad/slow drivers and it gives DH perfect excuse for 'Bloody Christian' remarks. Arghh.

yes - I guess I am scared my kids will be brainwashed.

I have a friend who refuses to buy into the 'santa clause' myth and has never taught her children that a big man in a beard wearing red gets them presents. I can see her logic. If she's not prepared to lie about God why lie about Santa clause.

I will always teach my children that there are people out there who believe different things, but I would never put my child into religious education until they are old enough to make up their own minds.

RE is taught as if it is the truth. Kids respect their teachers, and if they are being told something as the truth then they sometimes don't question it.