Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Other subjects
Original poster

DD has just joined Brownies and I have an issue with the promise...

239 replies

BonyM · 22/03/2006 22:10

Now, as far as I was aware, Brownies/Guides is not affiliated to any religion, however the part of the Brownie promise is "to love my god".

As humanists, dh and I do not have a god, and dd1 is aware of this (although the christian religion is more or less a "given" as far as her school is concerned). Tbh dh wasn't 100% comfortable with her joining Brownies in the first place as it was his perception that they were "religious", although I had assured them that they weren't. DD was very keen though as a lot of her friends go, and I believed that any religious input would be minimal.

We (particularly dh) are uncomfortable at the notion of her promising to "love my god". DD1 is almost 8 and doesn't really know whether to believe in a god or not (due I guess to the conflicting views she has - ours and the schools).

The question is whether to make an issue of it, risking her feeling alienated from her peers and/or embarrassed, or to just ignore it with the view that whatever she is told at this age, she will make her own mind up eventually anyway.

What would others do in this situation?

OP posts:
SleepyJess · 22/03/2006 23:07

The uniform costs a packet doesn't it??! I have ordered bare minimum.. and not bothered with Ebay as it was coming up no cheaper than the guiding website.. and spent £47!!!! Shock (And transferred that amount from DD's account to cover it.. Bad Mother!!!)

Original poster
BonyM · 22/03/2006 23:08

Ahh, sleepyjess - I was bony once, long, long ago...(when I was in girl guides actually Grin). Two children have put paid to any bony-ness...

OP posts:
SleepyJess · 22/03/2006 23:09

CD my humblest apologies :) :) I'll parp with you then!! Grin

CountessDracula · 22/03/2006 23:09

good Grin

ScummyMummy · 22/03/2006 23:09

pmsl @ love my thing. That sounds quite obscene.

SleepyJess · 22/03/2006 23:11

Or even "love my thang"? Grin We have to move with the times!!

moondog · 22/03/2006 23:11

Can't say I've ever talked about Brownies on MN either.
Poo,bombs and ironing yes.
Brownies,no.

Sparklemagic · 22/03/2006 23:11

Bonym, I wouldn't take it so seriously tbh. Let her go, Brownies is part of childhood! My family is completely unreligious, but I went along and said the words and they meant not a thing to me! As a child you just accept that this is what you say in this or that situation and it doesn't really affect your consciousness in any way! I didn't even realise that until I read this thread that Brownies was a christian led movement!!!!!!!!!!!!

Original poster
BonyM · 22/03/2006 23:12

CD - the whole point is , yes the promise has been amended to incorporate multiple religions, but that is discriminating against those with no religion.

Wouldn't a religious person be offended if the promise was to "not worship any god"? Wink

Sorry - being provocative I know, but can't resist....

OP posts:
Original poster
BonyM · 22/03/2006 23:13

Ok - ignore last post please, I'm playing devil's advocate and really will go to bed now.

Thanks all for your input.

OP posts:
moondog · 22/03/2006 23:13

Bony,I can't believe that you honestly take that line seriously!

LadySherlockofLGJ · 22/03/2006 23:14

Yawn.......................

spidermama · 22/03/2006 23:14

A little off topic perhaps but .... I took my kids to a free festival in the park last summer not realising it was run by christians. In one big tent (I know you're going to think I'm lying but I'm not) they were giving out sweets BUT in order to get the sweets the kids had to shout out 'I love you God!'. For sweets! I couldn't believe it. Even my kids understand how funny it was.

Hattie05 · 22/03/2006 23:14

How about.

i promise to do my best, to serve my mum, to do my duty to my father.

SleepyJess · 22/03/2006 23:15

PML! Did they shout it??

Hattie05 · 22/03/2006 23:16

Bony - i don't feel you should feel discriminated by it. Its your choice whether to send your child.

spidermama · 22/03/2006 23:16

Yes! They wanted the sweets. Grin
My kids didn't shout it because they were too shy, but give them a couple more minutes in there and I wouldn't have put it past them.

sharklet · 22/03/2006 23:16

Is it really truly that offensive to you are are you just trying to get people going? Becasue if something so tiny is such an issue (and they've already had to change things so as to be more PC to begin with) surely we're going to be living ina country where no-one dare say a word for fear of offending someone else in case thier view or statement conflicts with someone's cherished beliefs.

its a slippery slope. All credit to you for thinking about it and for even using it as a way of opening a discussion with DD about it - but seriously don't bugger up her childhood becasue of percieved insults to your religious (or humanist) integrity. Its pretty mean.

ScummyMummy · 22/03/2006 23:17

It is, IMO, a pretty shite organisation unless you're a pint sized female religious monarchist with a low boredom threshold who looks good in turd brown. But unless there is something better on offer I guess you and dd are stuck with it, bony.

LadySherlockofLGJ · 22/03/2006 23:17

Excellent post Sharklet.

spidermama · 22/03/2006 23:18

It appears to me it's much easier for the scouts. All they say is 'Dib, dib, dib' or something equally meaningless and non contentious. Wink

sharklet · 22/03/2006 23:18

Spidermama - there was a Happy Clapper Church in my street which we went to a sunday school for (wierd as my parents never went) all the kids in the street went - it turned out it was becasue the lady who ran it (Mrs Sperring) gave out free sweets to all the kids each week.

She was great mrs Sperring - completely bonkers thoughshe has a vision that the virgin mary was doing her drying up with the wrong tea towel.

spidermama · 22/03/2006 23:20

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Hattie05 · 22/03/2006 23:21

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

spidermama · 22/03/2006 23:22

True hattie. What if the religeon were less mainstream.

Sharklet they're all at it eh? Grin