How do you maintain an enthusiastic demeanor about your child's school play, when inwardly you HATE that it is nativity?

[nevergoogledragonbutter]

Ok, so i'm not religious. I'm personally somewhere halfway between atheism and humanism depending on whether i can see a difference between the two, a moment that comes and goes.

But, I have come to accept that we live in a country that teaches a 'broadly christian' approach after being initially a bit wtf to find that him going to a non-faith school actually doesn't mean we can avoid the subject.

I don't feel that taking him out of assembly would make any difference other than to make him feel different about something he's too young to understand.

But, it irritates me highly that he is taught bible stories at a non-faith school and it irritates me even more that he will be expected to re-enact the nativity story and spend the next 6 weeks learning his songs and lines.

And while i would dearly love to see my 5 year old sing and dance or say some lines, the experience is marred by the play being religious. i have to somehow look past the religious aspect.

I don't want my own beliefs to ruin what could be a very enjoyable thing for him to do with his friends.

Is it possible to keep my feelings hidden? Is that the appropriate way to deal with it?
Why can't they do something else that would be entertaining for everyone?

Firstly, I don't see the huge problem if your child ends up believing in God/being a Christian. It's hardly akin to being a heroin addict, is it? Just because you don't believe in God, there is no reason why they shuold not.

Secondly, I am sure most of us had Christianity shoved down our throats at primary school (nativity, assembly, praying etc) and, I would reckon, only a small proportion grew up as believers.

I think the nativity and all the religious paraphernalia that goes on at primary school is part of our cultural heritage, part of being a kid. At some point your child will choose their own faith and it is likely NOT to be as a result of being a donkey in reception.

i said " at least you get to say no"
he is approaching it as robert de niro

Perhaps, Interrupting, they should do the massacre of the innocents part to liven it up?

You lookin at me, wise man?

R

O

F

L

he wants to be like "lisa" who doesnt have to do it.
ladies he wants to become a PLymouth brethren.

Christopher Walkden could play Herod

oh yes.
can we have some wonderpets in it?

And Handy Manny to fix the stable door

I think its a real pity that people have such low opinions of christianity.... it seems to be a mockery. People seem to think they can say whatever they like about it but would never dream of saying similar comments about other religions.

its a story for goodness sake.... it doesnt need to be taken so seriously and would it really be such a terrible thing if your ds became a christian?

I would be really sad for my kids if they didnt get to take part in the nativity.... when I was a kid it had nothing to do with god... but more to do with tradition and a dream od being mary.... except i never was.... katy clark got the part and i was a sodding snow flake.

i think you need to chill out a bit.

p.s i havent read the whole thread so sorry if im repeating stuff.... slightly hormonal too so sorry if i sound like a cow.

Anyone (still) here not chilled?

I don't know enough about other religions to make jokes about them, unfortunately in my day RE was bible stories and nowt else. I really wish we'd done comparitive religion for that reason alone

didn't detect any mooing... in this thread cows, donkeys and sheep all allowed!

Good lord are you lot all still here?

I'll be back after my tea.

I would be deeply disappointed if DS took up believing in any gods. THough I am half-expecting it when he hits his teens as it will be a good way of winding Mummy up. I just find it basically incomprehensible that otherwise intelligent people are prepared to believe in these invisible, all-knowing, all-powerful creatures despite no evidence for their existence and despite the vast amount of evidence that the primary purpose of all religions is to uphold the privileges of the insider group against everyone else.

I agree
anwyay
maybe can persuade ds to be kray brother
demand money off Joseph for his protection

I am disappointed that mine don't believe in God SGB- but it is unimportant-I really can't see why people should imagine that their DC will think the same as them!! Why on earth should they?
They are the same people, it doesn't alter our relationship. I gave them the opportunity and they rejected it, they are perfectly free to do so and I respect their views.
I take back my comment earlier, I didn't realise the DCs that I was commenting on were 9yrs and 11yrs. They are old enough to make up their own mind. At 4/5/6 yrs they can't possibly be anything, because they are what ever the parent wants them to be.
I shake my head in disbelief that because you bring someone into the world they will have your views-it doesn't work like that-a very good thing in my view. My mother is free to think what she likes-she is not free to make me think the same!

I'm not Christian, and am so 'meh' about the whole thing that I can't be bothered to define my belief system any further than that.

However, we've been lent a couple of fancy-dress costumes that fit DS, and I've a Splendid Idea for a cod-Nativity photoshoot with his cousins for a Christmas Saturnalia card. WIBU to do it?!

Just realised where I'm posting and that mean cod as in adjective not fishyness...

Well DS School are certainly going to be doing some sort of version of something called Whoopsadaisy Angel at the end of term. I have done a leetle preliminary google on this and get the impression that while it's not quite cutting-edge Ricky Gervaise style comedy, it's a nice fluffy fairytale about the nativity and as such I have no problem with it. I certainly find it less appalling a prospect than if they were to do a version of High School Musical (which I absolutely loathe for its musical illiteracy, never mind its simpering twatty heteromonogamous tweeness).

Metatron - how totally patronising about little school hiccups - do you pop in and have a word if they are teaching spelling in a way you don't like? it's a Christian country and if it's a state school that's what you get - other wise homeschool

I also find it incomprehensible Goldbangers that otherwise intelligent people think they can possibly know the universe so well as to dismiss God

I find it incomprehensible that people say 'there is no God because Mummy say so' and the DC is expected to take it without question, and without different views and experiences-all because 'mummy knows best'.(or vice versa).

"I think it is a crying shame that even if you don't believe in God you can't appreciate the significance of a story where a baby is born into homelessness, a baby that will grow up to preach unconditional love and forgiveness beyond everything"

Good post

and solid

" ...I just find it basically incomprehensible that otherwise intelligent people are prepared to believe in these invisible, all-knowing, all-powerful creatures despite no evidence for their existence and despite the vast amount of evidence that the primary purpose of all religions is to uphold the privileges of the insider group against everyone else"

one word

faith

I think the 'Vicar of Dibley' puts it best, when she is defending the right of the nativity to be called 'The Greatest Story Ever Told'.

"Can I just remind you all a little bit about the story we?re actually telling here. Two thousand years ago, a baby is born in a stable. The poorest of the poor. And yet during his lifetime, He says things that are so astonishing that millions of people are still living their lives by them today. He said, ?love thy neighbour?. He told us to turn the other cheek, whatever people might do to us. But most astonishingly, I believe that this tiny little baby Boy, actually was the Son of God. And when He was younger than I am today, He was brutally crucified, for simply for telling people to love each other. And the men who killed Him thought ?that?s it, He?s dead, He?s gone?. And yet, here we are. Two thousand years later. In a village, in the middle of England, doing a play about His Birth. Now, I think that?s a pretty great story."