To think buying a Bible is not the same as forcing religion on a child?

[Popcornn]

For context: I am not religious, however I have always been of the mindset that religion is a personal thing and that it should be up to an individual to decide what they believe.

DD recently started going to a CofE school. She has been learning about Jesus and the Nativity and has always been a very curious child. She has lots of questions Christianity that I didn't feel qualified to answer because I didn't learn these things due to a very anti-religious family. So when I saw a children's Bible in a bookshop the other day I decided to buy it. My intention being to read through it alone first and then if questions came up again we could look at it together and discuss it. My DP didn't like this because although he agrees that it should be DDs choice, he feels like it's forcing it on her and that these questions could've easily been answered at school.

I want DD to continue to be curious and to feel comfortable asking these questions at home. I'll always do what I can to help her learn about the things that she's interested in, even if it's not necessarily what I believe. But DP thinks I've crossed a line. AIBU?

@Littlepaws18 they are pagan festivals taken over by Christian’s

I'm another atheist but the Bible is such a huge reference point for art, literature and music and obviously also informs so much of our history.

Just like a knowledge of Greek and Roman myths is useful to be able to understand what came after it, so is a knowledge of the main Bible stories.

Reading the Bible is the best way to ensure you don't become a Christian

That's a good point actually. Maybe a book about different religions might be a better starting point, with the option to look into it further if she still felt curious. Her interest has been piqued by the discussions at school about Jesus so it seemed logical to go down that route but as that's all she's being taught it could be unintentionally biased.

We have several religious texts in the house on the book shelves. Learning about a broad spectrum of religions is vital in understanding the difference in what may motivate a person to make decisions we wouldn't necessarily understand.

I was given a Quran years ago by a patient's family and I've collected several others over the years. It has nothing to do with forcing religion.

But people don’t believe Greek and Roman myths. They’re myths. People believe the Bible myths. The children’s Bible won’t give her a nuanced understanding of biblical references it will tell her these myths as fact.

What questions does she have? Specific ones about the Bible myths or whether god is real?

The stories in the Bible are fine, as an atheist I'm happy to present them in the same way I refer to other fairytales.
However a children's Bible will massively edit out the nasty bits of the Bible, particularly the old testament so I don't think it is a good tool to answering any of her questions. Tbh I'd be relying on Google and the phrase 'some people believe' quite heavily.

I must admit I'd be disappointed if my children bought into Christianity, as I know they like to sugar coat it nowadays, but ultimately it is misogynistic and homophobic at its core, sets strict hierarchies that are incompatible with tolerance and today's society.

Given the school you’ve sent her to your DH is being ridiculous.
a book of made up stories won’t indoctrinate her, but people in authority such as teachers, will.

I agree with this. So many of references in the UK go back to the Bible: hiding light under a bushel, separating the sheep from the goats. Why is the charity Samaritans so called? Understanding why the Babel Fish is so called in hitchhikers guide to the galaxy.
Learning about different religions can only be a good thing.

Just tell her it’s not true. Some people believe the stories are word for work true, some people think some of the things in the bible are true but not others, and MANY, MANY people think it’s just stories. She’s probably too young to hear about the people who think the bible, Christianity and most religions are actually dangerous with their conservative, restrictive and biased beliefs.

I would have thought its more about recognising and learning that some people do believe that and these are some of the reference points you may hear about when people talk about their belief

And for people talking about the Torah and the Quran, well the Torah is essentially the old testament and the fables and storeis in the Quran are very similar and use similar prophet references to the bible because they are all from the Abrahamic tradition

There are other story books about belief systems as someone has pointed out the Greek and Roman myths are helpful and useful (many of those getting incorporated into the later bible stories too)

There is a fascinating Persian folklore 'story', (might be a poem) which is fantastic, also a similar Welsh 'history' as well as the Sagas

All are written of the time and set out why these characters did this or that and what it meant for that culture and belief system at the time. They are all great stories

My child got given a Bible when she started at a C of E school. It's just a book of stories. If your husband really had a problem, why did he allow her to go to that school? He's being ridiculous.

YANBU - giving it to a child who may have questions and talking about it is not 'forcing religion'. Forcing would be insisting they read it, telling them it's all true and that they're going to hell if they don't believe it.

I think a lot of people confuse any discussion or presentation of religion as being 'foisting it on people' with actual one-sided, coercive approaches.

Yep - I did an English degree and not knowing much about the Bible was a distinct disadvantage.

These stories have informed our culture

In the UK though, Christianity is more important, it is the 'established' church and the underlying culture (even if these days only a minority believe.)

Plus of course the Old Testament is a holy book in Judaism and both (?) sections are important in Islam too.

Yes add in other texts / information too that will also be useful. I found my DD's RS GCSE very interesting.

If she goes to a CoE school then this really isn't going to enforce beliefs onto her any more than her current education is.
Children's bibles tend to focus on the universally known parables anyway, that are very much embedded in our culture. Good Samaritan, prodigal son etc.
Your DH could have stool his ground when you chose her school. He clearly didn't, so he really can't justify it now.
And I'm a staunch Atheist.

Could your DH not look at it as you giving your DC an opportunity to learn about the beliefs/traditions of a particular religion? Would it make him feel better if she were given books about other religions too? Learning about the existence and history of religion is not indoctrination...

The old testament god is essentially a psychopath who would have his children removed if he were a parent

I think it's ok, as long as you make it clear to her that they are made up stories, not to be taken literally.

There can be no harm in this. It isn’t “forcing” your child to believe anything.

On the contrary, it’s important that children can make their own minds up about their beliefs.

Even if you take the theology out of it and all of the stuff that was added later, the central message boils down to “Love people, help people, don’t judge people”.

If it makes you more comfortable, it may be a good idea to supplement it by some age appropriate books about religions of the world so that your daughter grows up open minded and informed.

You're buying a child who goes to a Christian school a Bible... if your DH has an issue with teaching her religion, how on earth is the Bible the problem?! 🤣

I'm a practicing Christian, and I have copies of the Quran on my shelf. I also have loads of Hindu and Buddhist texts. Some of these were given to me as gifts, and it never occurred to me to feel a religion was being pushed on me. They just knew I value religious and cultural literacy.

Its a book. It's a great read whatever you do or don't believe in.

"Even if you take the theology out of it and all of the stuff that was added later, the central message boils down to “Love people, help people, don’t judge people”.

Yes there's a lot of loving smiting, stoning and banishment.
No judgement at all either.

Honestly, you should actually read the thing. This level of denial is embarrassing.

It’s actually an important book to read from a literary perspective. I’ve taught English at high school level and a lot of children don’t understand the biblical references in literature.

There is no such central message.

That has been added later as a revisionist perspective

The whole purpose of such texts is to develop rules/expectations of society who will do as authority dictates and woe betide you if you dont