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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To judge parents who do not even tell their children Easter is a religious festival

793 replies

Tuliptana · 02/04/2026 15:59

I'm shocked that 12 out of 20 children in my childs class had no religious knowledge of the meaning of Good Friday or Easter Sunday for Christians.
All aged 9yrs old.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
EwwPeople · 02/04/2026 21:33

Daffodildahlia · 02/04/2026 21:03

There has been abuse recorded in UK at some boarding schools, within the Scout Movement, in the Armed Forces and even the NHS.

That doesn't mean that these organisations are evil or corrupt, just that sadly some people aren't honourable.

And actually yes , some of these institutions have proven issues with systemic racism, or sexism and as such, as an institution they are racist or sexist.

Hankunamatata · 02/04/2026 21:35

Iv seen what religion has done in NI. No thank you. Im raising my kids with no religious beliefs

Alicorn1707 · 02/04/2026 21:44

DifferentLandscape · 02/04/2026 16:49

I believe you mean secular, non-secular would mean religious

🙈 ofc, thanks @DifferentLandscape 😊

Tigerbalmshark · 02/04/2026 21:53

rainbowsandraspberrygin · 02/04/2026 17:12

No. If you see my recent post you’ll notice I read it wrong.

I have to say, I didn’t read it that way at all either. Even on re-reading it I cannot really see how you get that from it.

Earthisntflat · 02/04/2026 22:11

This reply has been deleted

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CypressGrove · 02/04/2026 22:21

EwwPeople · 02/04/2026 19:08

It helps with understanding and familiarity. Why things (like festivals, customs, etc) happen, how they happen , why do they matter.

It helps immensely with creating connexions and finding similarities rather than divisions. So many people have no idea that Muslims view Jesus and most other significant figures in the Bible as prophets and hold them in high regard. That fasting is common among other religions. So many kids don’t realise that the Jewish God is the Christian God in the Old Testament. That Hindus have their own version of the Trinity. And so on. That so much of it is intertwined and interlinked and very similar. Similar tenets , similar creation stories, similar beliefs , similar principles etc.

My kids are friends with kids of all different cultures and faiths so they understand different religious rituals like fasting and know whose got the strict religious parent, who can't hang out when due to different requirements etc. They have no need to know that that the "Jewish God is the Christian God in the Old Testament. That Hindus have their own version of the Trinity." Etc.
Unless of course it becomes an area of interest to them - but not knowing it certainly doesn't interfere in forming connections!
I'd completely forgotten to even introduce the concept of God before eldest DS started school and it didn't stop him from forming close friendships with a group of Christian girls (who seemed to spend a disproportionate time arguing about which one was married to jesus).

scalt · 02/04/2026 22:28

Given the amount of not only mocking but derision of Christians and Christianity on this thread, which is one of the things about which MN is sometimes absurdly polarised (AIBU about MIL indoctrinating my DC with a toy Noah’s Ark?), why are there never any threads critical of other faiths, purely in the interest of balance? If such threads were started, were they zapped by Mumsnet before their feet even touched the ground? I can think of lots of threads with a similar question to the OP, about other faiths, which would probably be zapped instantly: I dare not even quote them. Is there something about Christianity that makes it fair game for criticism, and trial by Mumsnet? Genuine question.

EwwPeople · 02/04/2026 22:33

scalt · 02/04/2026 22:28

Given the amount of not only mocking but derision of Christians and Christianity on this thread, which is one of the things about which MN is sometimes absurdly polarised (AIBU about MIL indoctrinating my DC with a toy Noah’s Ark?), why are there never any threads critical of other faiths, purely in the interest of balance? If such threads were started, were they zapped by Mumsnet before their feet even touched the ground? I can think of lots of threads with a similar question to the OP, about other faiths, which would probably be zapped instantly: I dare not even quote them. Is there something about Christianity that makes it fair game for criticism, and trial by Mumsnet? Genuine question.

Well depending on how you’re insulting Christianity, you could also be insulting the other Abrahamic religions in one go. Whether people belonging to those religions are are around to see them and whether they do get offended I don’t know.

Ultravox · 02/04/2026 22:40

I am an atheist and I think religion should be taught at school as a subject. It shouldn’t be expected that children should know about any religious practices nor should they be celebrated in school. I think it would be beneficial for it to be taught like philosophy.

CinnamonBuns67 · 02/04/2026 22:58

Judge? No. I'd assume kids get told that story in school, that's how I got told. Same with Christmas. We are a non religious household (as was the home I grew up in) so easter has nothing to do with religion for us, we have a few chocolate eggs and eat a Sunday dinner.

ApriloNeil2026 · 02/04/2026 23:02

so when can we make harry potter into a religion ?

Dontlletmedownbruce · 02/04/2026 23:04

@CatCaretaker the source of my 'facts' as you call them is the last census, compiled by the CSO (Central Statistics Office)

EwwPeople · 02/04/2026 23:04

Ultravox · 02/04/2026 22:40

I am an atheist and I think religion should be taught at school as a subject. It shouldn’t be expected that children should know about any religious practices nor should they be celebrated in school. I think it would be beneficial for it to be taught like philosophy.

Have you ever tried to have a philosophical discussion with a 6 yo?

EwwPeople · 02/04/2026 23:04

ApriloNeil2026 · 02/04/2026 23:02

so when can we make harry potter into a religion ?

Now that might change my opinion on organised religion.Grin

ApriloNeil2026 · 02/04/2026 23:05

EwwPeople · 02/04/2026 23:04

Now that might change my opinion on organised religion.Grin

me too

Needmorelego · 02/04/2026 23:11

ApriloNeil2026 · 02/04/2026 23:02

so when can we make harry potter into a religion ?

Whenever you want really.
Jedi is considered a religion by those who follow it.
Scientology's origins are from some sci-fi novels aren't they?
If enough people want to follow a concept as a life choice....then that's a religion. Isn't it?

maysayyea · 02/04/2026 23:14

ApriloNeil2026 · 02/04/2026 23:02

so when can we make harry potter into a religion ?

Well we can’t! One side will say Harry was the chosen one, other side will say it was really Neville, some will say snape was the true hero and some Will worship Voldemort. It’s a disaster waiting to happen

ApriloNeil2026 · 02/04/2026 23:16

maysayyea · 02/04/2026 23:14

Well we can’t! One side will say Harry was the chosen one, other side will say it was really Neville, some will say snape was the true hero and some Will worship Voldemort. It’s a disaster waiting to happen

and hows that different than Christianity and the crusades ? because its not like they sat round a camp singing come by ar etc

maysayyea · 02/04/2026 23:21

ApriloNeil2026 · 02/04/2026 23:16

and hows that different than Christianity and the crusades ? because its not like they sat round a camp singing come by ar etc

Exactly my point. Same text different ideas

TiredShadows · 02/04/2026 23:21

You can judge if you want; however, you can't tell just because a 9 year old can't recall the meaning of those holidays that they've never been told.

I know of quite a few things I told my kids regularly when they were small that when asked at 9-10 they wouldn't have automatically recalled without at least some prompting - including things we did regularly at home.

How adults view and value the world doesn't mean their children do in the same way. It's great to talk about things, that doesn't mean our kids will value it the same way - that' why there are so many of us who don't share a worldview with our parents.

This is despicable. Lots of terrible things have been done in the name of religions. Don't generalise from the depraved actions of a minority to the vast majority of normal people who have the same religion. Pretty sure there's a word for that?

Those acts weren't just done in the name of the religion - they're done with the institutional power of that religion. Those who do those acts are protected by the power of that religion within the cultural setting they are in.

When we take the religion out of it to save the feelings of the 'vast majority', we silence the victims. When we play 'no true scotsman' and pretend the perpetrators aren't really of that faith, but are only in name only, we erase why they were able to be perpetrators in the first place. And it placates the very people who should be challenging that minority rather than what happens so often - look away, blaming the victims, pretending it's another denomination's problem.

And your evidence for that is ??

That Religious Trauma Syndrome is known to impact those from mainstream religious groups, religious abuse can happen to people in any religion or faith. the documentation on apocalyptic anxiety, including rapture anxiety, can be seen in people in mainstream faiths, and that mainstream faiths - including the CoE - have written and discussed the perpetuation of spiritual abuse within their own ranks and even come out with training for staff, acknowledging it's a on-going issue to be aware and mindful of watching for in other staff.

There has been abuse recorded in UK at some boarding schools, within the Scout Movement, in the Armed Forces and even the NHS. That doesn't mean that these organisations are evil or corrupt, just that sadly some people aren't honourable.

And people complain about, openly mock, and discuss their complete lack of respect for boarding schools, the Scouts, the modern military, and even the NHS, along with every other institution and what they stand for. That's not calling them corrupt or evil, it's just not having respect for them often from their own experiences with them. The veterans I know are the loudest and the most unsubtle in their protests against the military and government policies.

Every institution leans to corruption without vigilance and challenge. That's how power accumulation tends to work. Those who've left can be part of that vigilance and challenge, institutions should learn from those who choose to leave and lost respect for them - but instead, certain institutions train people to see those who leave as apostates who are damaged and that the problem with the institution is just a few bad unhonourable apples, ignoring that a few bad apples absolutely can spoil and rot away the entire bunch and damage the entire purpose of an institution in trying to protect themselves from challenge.

Jesus was quite happy to challenge, mock, and openly be disrespectful of religion, and that's treated as a wonderful act against corrupt faith leaders and twisting of the faith by those in power. He literally overturns tables and chases people with a whip of cords for what was a standard practice - most people couldn't travel with their sacrifices so bought them in the courtyard of the Temple before taking them into the Temple - because he viewed that practice as corrupt. His words against them have meant that many people - including Christians - don't know what a Pharisee or Sadducee was or who they became, something that was once a major religious-political division in Judaism for centuries has been reduced culturally to synonymous with corrupt religious people because of the Christian texts and how they've been used. Christian apostates being open about not having time for the faith and mocking it as a fairy tale is a pretty mild challenge in comparison. If Christian apostates are damaged and in need of healing for that, what would that mean about Jesus? If we're meant to do a Jesus would do, what would that mean for how Christians should be acting towards the corruption and abuse in their institutions?

Is there something about Christianity that makes it fair game for criticism, and trial by Mumsnet?

That something is Christianity having been and in still regards still does have significant institutional power where many Mumsnetters live, even if it's not as much as in centuries past. Most people are criticising their own experience of Christianity. More people in the UK and Ireland will have direct experiences of Christianity, even if it's only within schools, compared to other faiths because of that remaining institutional influence.

I have criticised Islam, Judaism, neopaganism and related faiths, based on my own experiences within those communities on Mumsnet. I wouldn't do it with Hinduism, Sikhism, or dozens of other faith groups where my only experience is surface level knowing people of those faiths. It's that simple. Even within Christianity, I'd struggle with many specifics in smaller denominations that have broken away from many mainstream Christian concepts, like Quakers - even having been to Meeting Houses and events, reading their literature, I don't have the type of experiences to get into criticism. A few concerns, but too vague to really be able to discuss meaningfully.

ApriloNeil2026 · 02/04/2026 23:29

maysayyea · 02/04/2026 23:21

Exactly my point. Same text different ideas

well it may be better than previous religions so maybe give it a try

YankSplaining · 02/04/2026 23:46

YANBU. “Christians believe that Jesus rose from the dead, and Easter is when they celebrate that” is extremely basic knowledge of a world religion, on par with “Jews believe God gave Moses ten commandments ” and “Muslims believe that Mohammed was the prophet of Allah.”

FlowersInTheWindows · 02/04/2026 23:51

In my home we call it breaking the cycle

brunettemic · 03/04/2026 00:07

Tuliptana · 02/04/2026 16:04

If a child at 9yrs old does not know the meaning of Good Friday or why we celebrate on Easter Sumday, as Christians, it's a very sad state of affairs.

Well they’re clearly not a Christian then are they. I mean it’s not like your reason for it is anymore real than the Easter bunny is it.

CypressGrove · 03/04/2026 00:10

YankSplaining · 02/04/2026 23:46

YANBU. “Christians believe that Jesus rose from the dead, and Easter is when they celebrate that” is extremely basic knowledge of a world religion, on par with “Jews believe God gave Moses ten commandments ” and “Muslims believe that Mohammed was the prophet of Allah.”

And Mormons believe “Joseph Smith received the same priesthood authority that Jesus Christ had given to His Apostles." And Scientologists believe "that a person is a thetan, an immortal spiritual being that resides in a physical body and has had innumerable past lives". And Buddhists believe in karma, reincarnation, and impermanence. And Seventh-day Adventists believe in the imminent literal, visible Second Coming of Jesus. And the indigenous people of my area believe Bunjil the eagle created the landscape, laws, animals, and people before ascending to the sky, where he remains as a protective star.

The list is endless and all pretty irrelevant to day to day life unless you happen to be part of that religion.

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