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.

If you want to sing jesus songs go sing jesus songs. Like the majority of this country I'm not religious and your arguments about atheism are nonsensical. I won't have my children spending their educational time singng fairy tales for you, a poorly closeted bigot, to feel communal spirit.

I think the OP is mostly afraid of ‘others’ having influence on the culture of the UK. Bring back homogenised countries or something. Long live the nationalised religion.

If anything they probably put people off Christianity so yeah you're not wrong. But I'd rather sing about other stuff apart from religion.

No. Given many schools are multicultural now I don’t agree. I do agree with the power of singing in groups but it doesn’t have to be hymns. Unless it is a faith school of course.

"Pop songs rely on musical taste"

Do you think hymns arent subject to taste?

In my daughter's school they have been singing songs from Kpop Demon Hunters together as a class and she's loved it. Same experience.

Your "Is that written by the cousin of an Hamas leader? - asking for a friend." made me think you knew something about the reporter I didn't.

It was a reasonable question.

I do have to say that this trend towards Christofacism is increasingly concerning (obviously a feeling shared and expressed by many Church leaders).

It's hard to tell how much of it is noise or if core British values, both secular and Christian, are truly under threat. Either way, social media has a lot to answer for.

Maybe we could at least tariff this particular US import...

I'm betting DD doesn't attend Lilliput Church of England Infant School then.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ceq03r3z2eqo

I see we are still searching for the mythical 'national and local events' that require us all to be able to sing a certain collection of ancient Christian hymns......For clarity, Remembrance Sunday events are not all based in church ceremonies. .....I would hazard a guess that the number of people who attend a Remembrance Sunday church service is roughly equivalent to the number of people who attend church services (so a tiny percentage of the population), maybe a slightly higher percentage but still no where near enough people to warrant teaching hymns to all kids.....

So which ones represent the cultural Britain you talk about? Since it's so important we all sing the same ones?

Having read the whole thread (because I was actually interested to see others opinions to the original question), I've been most intrigued by the OPs often condescending responses.

Glad to have kept you entertained😀

The superiority complex is hilarious for someone with such dreadful taste in music. FWIW, I love a hymn. But I don’t agree with enforcing them as some kind of societal standard. Should we all stand in the mornings and swear allegiance to the King, too?

Ooh are you referring to my taste in music? What do you find so bad???

Carols, yes but other hymns? No. Much as I love them, you can’t get away from the fact that they’re overly religious and that just isn’t appropriate in this day and age (not to mention the fact that a lot of churches don’t even sing traditional hymns nowadays)!

I find it quite sad how society feels the need to make fun of the hymns we used to sing at school rather than accept it was our culture and what we did. I used to love learning about different religions. It’s a way of learning about people where as now Christianity is seen as something to laugh about while it’s ok to be from any other religion. I’m not a religious person however I do feel that religion gives people a degree of respect that is rapidly being lost.

What do people sing at Remembrance services? Genuine question.

Not for me. It's outdated. I wonder how many families go to church now etc. Teach it in RE and specific subject topics if hymn signings comes in to it etc. But that's it. There's no need for it in this day and age. Unless you go to a religious based school. I hated been forced to do all that cobble in front of everyone.
Some of the main reasons most people get their children christened nowadays is for the gifts/money and getting absolutely sloshed afterwards. I know not all. But from around where I'm from. Most of them haven't stepped foot in a church for years.

When does society make fun of hymns?

Nope. My kid doesn't need Jesus in his life.

I have a hard time taking someone seriously if they don’t love this children’s album.

Personally I didn't rate the Nightwish song you linked to. Overlong, self indulgent noodling to my ear. But you like it and that's your perogative. More of a Motorhead/Ramones girl myself.

I wouldn't be rude enough to criticise your taste though. Shame you didn't afford other posters the same courtesy.

I have seen multiple social media posts and memes referring to belting out Jesus bangers in assembly and all sorts.

At the service I attended this year we sang Abide With Me and I Vow to Thee My Country.

That's not making fun though is it. It's true. There are some totally belting hymns.

Bread of Heaven is a great example.