To think all schools should teach children the old traditional hymns

[Staringintothevoid616]

Just switching between channels and Songs of Praise came on. It was a run down of the most popular school hymns.complete with recorders It brought back many memories and how important communal singing is. It doesn’t matter what your religion is, everyone should know the most popular hymns as a way of uniting society.

Because society needs cohesiveness, the same norms, values, goals and reference points. Otherwise it becomes fragmented and broken

I bet you have a George Cross in your window too.

All those pesky immigrants having their own reference points, religions and traditions. 🙄

Do primary schools not have assemblies now then?
Mine are all older so I'm a bit out of touch.
My daughter left primary school 11 years ago and they were still singing hymns then.

Sure, but those values don't need to be routed in dated oppressive religion. Times change. Thankfully.

Hymns rely on musical taste and the age they werer written in too. Compare "Lord of the Dance" to "Onward Christian Soldiers" There are plenty of traditional songs which are not pop if you want children to sing in school but even those are products of their time. I say this as someone who knows loads of hymns by heart (and can do Sung Eucharist) sometimes to more than one tune but who also thinks that we should not be forcing our C of E culture on others

ha ha this!

No, in fact I’m not sure we have one in the house - I could possibly dig around and see if my DH has an old car flag from a World Cup if it would make you feel better. Are you normally so prejudiced about other people?

I don't think that England has ever had that kind of background....we have changed with every invasion.

are you?

Prejudice involves pre judging. The clue is in the word. Nobody has prejudged you.

Well, we are probably seeing the most fragmented society, so yes it does rather show the need to have a shared culture - yo bring it back on topic (which I guess MN Humanist Society have detailed as they have no valid points against the original suggestion) everyone knowing the same hymns would be a good start.

You think modern day Britain is "the most fragmented society"? Seriously? What are you measuring against?

“I guess you have a St George Flag in the window” probably counts as prejudging.

im still not quite sure what all the kerfuffle was round my username but im guessing someone thought they had some weird gotcha to mount an ad hominem attack.

But hymns are based in one single religion. why should we expect people who are not of this religion (or of any religion) to learn those hymns? Why should they sing words that they do not believe?

Less fragmented societies

Like?

Like where?

All things wise and wonderful
The Lord God made them all
He gave us eyes to see them
And lips that we might tell
How great is God Almighty
Who has made all things well

I mean ... it's a bit hymn-y, isnt it?

I assume you read stories to kids. Do you believe King Arthur pulled a. Sword from a stone? Cultures have shared songs and stories, Britains shared songs are largely hymns

of course it bloody is.

Maybe you should ask when?

Not that I made any suggestion about St George's flags, but your opposition to multiculturism seems clear to me on the basis of your posts.

Fine then. When?

Fragmented and broken ?

Do you mean like Catholics and Protestants ? Been a lot of friction there historically. Still is.

As an example. Say a Tibetan Monk moves to the UK.

Does that Monk need to "integrate" in the name of cohesiveness , social norms, goals and reference points ?

Or can he just carry on being a Tibetan Monk ? The Monk part does define who he is after all.

And that Monk would possibly be in the UK to escape the CCP assimilation program that is going on in Tibet. Be a bit of a nuisance if he escaped the CCP to freedom, then discovered his sanctuary is demanding he integrate to THEIR culture, and sing songs about baby Jesus.