Does anyone remove their children from the religious bits at school?

[WigWamBam]

I am Pagan (for want of a better description), and although I would like to bring dd up to have an understanding of world religions, I don't really intend to bring her up with any sort of God in our lives. When she is old enough to make up her own mind then that's fine, but she's only 4 at the moment.

I'm getting a bit concerned about the amount of overtly religious stuff that she's getting at school. It's not a faith school, just a bog standard ordinary state primary. As well as the daily prayer and so on, she's now telling me about other things that have been happening and it seems that twice a week they have visitors from local churches, and the indoctrination has started. Yesterday they were being taught about the promises that God makes to us, and at one point she was asked to make a promise to God. I have no problem with her learning about what some people believe God is and what they believe he does, but from what she tells me this is being presented as undisputed truth, and it makes me uneasy.

I've talked to her before about God and about what certain other religions believe, but from an angle that this is what some people believe, but Mummy and Daddy don't believe that. Now she's being told (by people she believes only teach things that are true) that God is categorically real, and that she has to make promises to him.

I considered taking her out of the religious aspects right from the start, but was assured that it was only a daily prayer ... which is obviously not the case. I'm now considering it again, but I'm not sure whether it would single her out as being different if she wasn't taking part.

I'm not interested in getting into a debate about religion, or whether I'm wrong to feel the way I feel; I just wondered if there's anyone out there who removes their child from the religious aspects, and what the upshot from it has been. I don't want my child taught that things we don't believe in are the truth, but then again I don't want her bullied if I take her away from it.

"church attendance continues to decrease"

WRONG - sorry to disappoint - you see the media don't tell the story very well on this one (what's new LOL). Actually church attendance is rising, in some places rather rapidly - church of England attendance is falling (in some places - our diocese had an increase last year).

lol

do you watch big brother aloha?

turn the full force of your fury on George Galloway

Excellent point Talullah of 6:11.

God,QofQ,how refreshing to hear from someone who is proud to be a Christian!
We're all so busy falling over ourselves to be multi cultural and understanding (from the safety of our largely white MC enclaves I suspect.)

Those that really do embrace multi-culturalism (like QofQ) rarely bray about it in self important fashion I find.

does anyone seriously believe that what we are taught as a child (including religious "truths") doesn't matter?
I would have thought that it is axiomatic that is does matter. Yes, if one is intelligent and thoughtful enough to "make up one's own mind" later, all well and good. But that is not to say that what you were taught at the most impressionable time in your life doesn't matter. (And it is NO co-incidence that so many people who enjoyed a strongly religious upbringing end up being confirmed atheist.) It has a profound influence on the rest of your life. It underpins the way you view the world. If it didn't, then why does the established church concentrate so much time and effort on educating children.
it might be comforting to say - oh it doesn't matter - but nothing could be further from the truth.

Ah, yes, that should get the anyeurism going nicely.
Has pph had htat baby of hers yet?

And how utterly predictable to hear some Christians unable to accept other viewpoints and opinions .

ahh you see MD - I'm as common as muck I am - so not stuck in the middle class enclaves .

PS - we have 2 practising muslim children at our CoE school - they both attend all "religious" activities, and the parents WANTED them to go to our school because of it's excellent educational standards. It was explained to them that they could remove their children from assmebly/prayers etc but they declined saying they were confident that what they were being taught at home would 'stick' with them rather than what they hear at school.

(both very educated families too - well at least I presume so - one drives a brand new Mercedes, and then other a brand new BMW - they always park outside my house so it feels good for that short time seeing a 'posh' car outside the house LOL).

Can see where you're coming from WWB (this is in answer to the title of the thread, not the thread itself which seems to have turned into a 'heated debate')

I believe in God and would call myself a non-church-attending Christian, and I have no problem with DS going to church at christmas with school etc etc.

HOWEVER the logical side of me does not agree with teaching religion at state schools (unless it's comparative religion at secondary school) beacuse I think there is enough divisiveness ad sectarianism in the world today. I think we should be emphasising our similarities, not our differences.

"And how utterly predictable to hear some Christians unable to accept other viewpoints and opinions"

I take it that's a joke?? Read the threads on here (on all matters) are you telling me it's only the Christians who fail to accept other viewpoints and opinions? Are there not some atheists, pagan, agnostics, gnostics (don't know if she still posts though) and possible even muslims who also stick to their believes and defend them??

And vice versa Gomez.

The 'uptight uncool Christian' line is sooooo predictable.

"beacuse I think there is enough divisiveness ad sectarianism in the world today. I think we should be emphasising our similarities, not our differences."

There I must disagree. If it's taught as most would "like" it to be taught: A believes this, B believes that, and C believes the other then I believe, strongly, that it can only help to BUILD relationships between the different religious communities in this country. You can't try and tolerate/accept others way of doing things/beliefs if you don't understand them.

'emphasising our similarities'????

Bollocks to that.

So we all become latte slurping BB ogling hamburger munching mobile phone twiddling dullards swirling in a tepid swoosh of multi culturalism???

Not for me thanks

but what you are talking about there, QoQ is religious education and no-one here is objecting to that.
what WWB is talking about is religious observance, being taught that one religion is true
there is a world of difference between the two

right just to prove what a "perfect" Christian I am, I'm off downstairs to drink some Alcohol , have a Cigarette" and watch some TV - after all us Christians are such boring people, tied down to boring lifestyles by our religion......

Guess that's why our vicar (in her 50's) tried sand surfing?? (go karts type things that you sit in and get pulled along with a huge kite on the beach) when on Holiday in Jersey recently.

I still wonder if a 4yr old is really coming out with exactly how it's been told at school. DS1's class are doing "fairy tales" this term, and came home telling me about the Three Little Pigs like it was gospel truth!

QofQ-you might find the earlier parts of the thread quite interesting!
Why is it that plenty of people support the rights of non-believers but Christians get slated? In effect we are all asking for the same thing-we accept the need for our children to understand all faiths represented in our society but want religious upbringing left to our own discretion.
This is getting muddled up with issues regarding provision of CofE/nonCofE schools, extra funding for faith schools and numerous other issues.
In actual fact I am unable to access a faith-based education for my dds as we are not CofE but Baptist so I have opted for a secular school which suits them very well. However I do not wish them to celebrate other faiths rites-understand what others believe yes, take part in worship of other religious figures no.

No HRH it is not a joke and I should add not directed at you or your actions in respect of your son.

I should have the courage of my convictions and say that I have found Moondag uterly rude and obnoxious all day on this thread - and it would appear unable or unwilling to acknowledge the difference between relgious education and relgious observance, and my right as an indivdual to not be a Christian.

I will walk away before I find myself requiring hospital treatment for stroke inducing blood pressure - and anyway I want to watch BB2 and Stephen Fry discovering his ancestory.

KateF - I've since read the whole thread.

Having been a baptist for a time in my life, I can't see how a CoE church would clash that badly with the Baptist beliefs? Not hugely different (adult baptism v child baptism probably the biggest 'stickler). But I guess that's a whole new thread LOL.

I'm sorry but when you use the word "predictable" and "Christians" there it's directed at ANY Christian reading this thread - if you wanted to be specific - then you should (and could) have been.

Moondog I now fully understand why you read The Telegraph.

Rights shmights Gomez.

Such trite 21st century speak.

You're pretty obnoxious too,but I don't take it personally.

right - don't post too many while I'm being terrible "boring" because I'm a Christian

Yes QofQ - separate issue and not actually the reason for choosing the school I have, more to do with dd1's temperament. However, I was trying to say that it's not only non-believers who find their choice limited as has been implied. We take the best we can find and make it work for our children as we both seem to be managing to do

aha - see where you're coming from now.

I turned my nose up (not literally LOL) at one nursery I looked at for DS1 as I felt they placed too much emphasis on "celebrating" religious festivals (from all religions).