Or is teaching 6 Yr old about crucixation out of order?

[Whostoblame]

I might be over reacting but after multiple nights on the trot sleeping no more than 45-60 mins at a time I'm at the end of my tether. 6 year old goes to a non dom school and we are agnostic/atheist at home. School have been teaching them about Jesus and Easter etc including how Jesus was crucified. I now have a sobbing child every night who can't get the pictures out if her mind (and I'm not surprised!!)and subsequently cant sleep from about midnight, crying. Aibu to complain to school that 6 is way too young to be taught this?!

What exactly is scaring her? The rising from the dead but? Or the hammering of nails through hands and feet?

Lol, there's nothing joyful and merry about that tune 🤣

the Crown of thorns used to get me. Its sad the idea of him having to carry the cross uphill while being whipped.
oh gosh it's sad. I was like your little girl, empathy is a gift, I would praise her for being so kind and caring. She sounds like a lovely little thing.
Do not tell her it was a standard punishment. poor souls. Humans are spectacularly evil.

Humans are spectacularly evil.

This is what religion taught me. It also made me reject it.

I now see the indoctrination I received as a child (we had Doctrine lessons, so actual indoctrination) as a deliberate normalisation of cruelty, and the othering of those who thought differently, to the extent that they were worthy of eternal damnation. There’s really nothing good about it at all.

@CatchYouOnTheFlippetyFlop The thing with a lot of hymns/Christian art etc is that line is not the end of the hymn.

So yes that bit might be grim but the last verse apparently is 'Were you there when God raised him from the tomb?'

Also of course, the crucifixion isn't just the story of a bloke being crucified. It's when we all were offered salvation.

I get what you mean though, like when people talk about His Precious Blood and stuff.

There's an age appropriate way to teach about torture and execution?

How would you go about that exactly?

Also if something is only. 'fact' to certain people it's not a fact, it's a belief with no evidence. Teaching it as fact is nonsense

It's when a certain group of people with a certain set of beliefs think we were offered what they consider salvation

I do not consider myself even Christian, but I went to a catholic school. I was taught about the crucifixion in my first year of school so aged about four and we went over it every year. Nobody was ever traumatised that I can recall, I definitely wasn’t. At that age, I don’t think I had any idea what a horrible thing it was.

That's a relief!

Oh gosh.... But it IS true. Jesus was a real person and many of the events in the New Testament are confirmed by secular historical documents. Of course each parent must judge for themselves how best to explain the events of Holy Week and Easter, but please at least try to be historically accurate!

And Happy Easter everyone! (And Eid Mubarak, when the time comes :-) )

Most spirituals I have heard are very mournful, born from the horror of slavery, but have a note of hope. Some are joyful, though eg Micheal Row the Boat Ashore, and Down by the Riverside.

And to you and all others here, too, my dear.

I struggle to see how you could teach the story of Easter to anyone and miss out the way where the main character got nailed to a cross.

But I speak as someone who was raised Catholic and lapsed and was taught the story well before school age. We all knew about it by the OP's daughter's age in school and I don't remember any hysterics.

Unfortunately the "torture and execution" parts are facts. People are still being crucified for their faith today. Christians are still persecuted in some parts of the world. However, I agree that too much graphic detail about ANY subject of this type eg Holocaust, Holodomor, Year Zero is inappropriate.

The belief part comes with the resurrection and ascension - these can't be proven and must be taken on faith.

You believe it or you don't. That's what faith is - trust.

It doesn't deny facts any facts (because there is no proof either that it didn't happen) - but accepts that there are no facts to support it and trusts in God.

Your child has never seen a church or a historical building with a crucifix statue? Or even a crucifix necklace?! YAB a bit precious.

You are correct, there is nothing good about what you were taught and the way you were taught it.

I'm so sorry you went through that.

Most of the greatest scholars and historians - many of them atheists - agree that this event happened. It's not just something that was made up.

They will agree that there was some bloke who went around performing miracles and was crucified by those in power. Now whether you believe that this man was the Son of God (and whether you believe in God at all) is another matter.

Suspect you already knew that though!

It’s a horrible thing to teach a child. I grew up in a Christian household and learnt about the crucifixion at a young age. You are also taught that Jesus died for your sins. The message is that you killed Jesus. Christianity is cruel and fucked up! You are burdened with guilt at a young age and it messes you up.

Not if it's done properly! Nobody should be 'frightened' into being a Christian. That's not what it's about.

Being a Christian should be a joy and a pleasure to talk about. It's not all about fear and condemnation.

Unfortunately some 'branches of the church' can't move on from 'You're going to burn in hell if you don't repent'. Or from the notion that being gay is a sin and women should be stuck in the kitchen. Some of the large churches (and some smaller ones) need to have a long look at what they teach, because;

All of the above is wrong IMO. Jesus was (and is) about LOVE. Jesus was (and is) about building communities. Jesus was (and is) about HOPE. Jesus was (and is) about looking after one another.

Can you point me to the secular documents that confirm the existence of Jesus? Or even a similar figure? It was my understanding that the Romans, who kept extensive records, have records of some biblical figures, such as John the Baptist, but not Jesus.

@Sortyourlifeout thats what Christian’s always say. My family are lovely, the church I grew up in was loving and kind. It’s not the people who are the problem it’s the message of Christianity and the source material (the Bible)! If there’s a problem with Christianity people always like to say “you were taught it wrong” or “those people weren’t real Christians”. It’s totally patronising and undermines peoples experiences. I am not stupid, I studied theology and went to a main stream church for 30 years. When I had children the scales fell from my eyes and I realised how fucked up the message is. At some point I had to teach my child Jesus died for their sins. It’s telling people they are sick and then saying you have the medicine.

I don’t have a problem with people being religious. However don’t pretend that the main message isn’t sin and Jesus dying for your sins. You can explain it in any way you like but John 3:16 says Jesus died for my sins. Why? I didn’t ask him to do that and won’t take on the guilt! I don’t believe in heaven and hell and don’t need religion to help me love my neighbour and treat people well.

Start with Josephus. And then you’ll find other sources and documents. Very interesting. I minored in Latin so took Roman history classes. Majored in Greek so can read Paul’s letters. It is all very fascinating. You can find all the information you’re seeking very easily, it is common knowledge.

Omg I remember that hymn too! Lol at the time it seemed normal but you’re right it’s really creepy to think about a bunch of kids singing that 😳