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Original poster

What DS did at Sunday school - he's 3

53 replies

deliakate · 20/08/2012 11:23

A pretty picture with some silver foil for a mirror and some decoration stuck around. A printed piece of text stuck on at the bottom reads:

When I look in the mirror I can see what I am like.
God is like a mirror, he tells us what we are like.
God tells us that none of us is good enough to be his friend.
Luke 18:9-14

AIBU to feel a bit upset about this? I feel like it won't be good for his self-esteem, his view of God.... anything. Is there any value in teaching children this young about their sinful nature?

Quite apart from the fact that the text is not Luke 18:9-14 (which is the parable of the pharisee and the tax collector) - it is not a bible quotation at all, so why should they write the reference as though it was?

AIBU to go in to the church during the week and find out what is going on??

OP posts:
valiumredhead · 20/08/2012 11:24

What religion are you?

Original poster
deliakate · 20/08/2012 11:26

Sorry, CofE.

OP posts:
NellyJob · 20/08/2012 11:28

why are you sending your child to be brainwashed by a mind control cult anyway?

WorraLiberty · 20/08/2012 11:28

I was raised as a Catholic and to be honest, religion was all about piling guilt on people.

Thankfully most of us switched off to it.

DesperatelySeekingSedatives · 20/08/2012 11:29

Confused What a strange thing to have little children do in sunday school. When I went we sang happy songs and did art based on whatever the "story" was that week.

valiumredhead · 20/08/2012 11:29

I actually think for C of E that is bang out of order - had you said Catholic then I wouldn't have been surprised what with 'original sin' etc.

DesperatelySeekingSedatives · 20/08/2012 11:29

I was raised CofE too btw.

valiumredhead · 20/08/2012 11:31

C of E seems to skip over all the original sin and guilt and focus on happy nice things Grin

JumpingThroughMoreHoops · 20/08/2012 11:32

CofE - what sort? If you are sending him somewhere Evangelical, or Baptist, the firey pits of hell will open up

Can't be doing with radicals.

Send him somewhere more fluffy!

MediumOrchid · 20/08/2012 11:34

This is very strange - I help run a Sunday School group and wouldn't give out anything like this. They seem to have missed a key point of thier message - it should continue with something like: 'None of us are good enough for God on our own, we all sin, which is why Jesus came and died for our sins to make us right with God'. But this is a bit too advanced for a 3 year old anyway!

Original poster
deliakate · 20/08/2012 11:35

The music is quite happy, but the words are quite miserable, eg.

We all like sheep have gone astray
Baa baa doo baa baa
Each of us has turned to his own way
Baa baa doo baa baa
But the Lord has laid on Him
The iniquity of us all - sing!
Baa baa doo baa baa

Its Anglican evangelical. I think its a bit much for me actually.

OP posts:
MediumOrchid · 20/08/2012 11:37

And you're right, it doesn't seem to link to the Bible passage at all! A very poorly designed Sunday School lesson, I would go and have a word with the vicar.

Bue · 20/08/2012 11:38

That is completely bizarre for a CofE Sunday School. I've never heard of anything like it! Usually it's 'God loves you, God loves me' etc. I'd have a word with whoever is in charge.

JumpingThroughMoreHoops · 20/08/2012 11:39

I went to an Evangelist Sunday school once and once only. Apparently God would strike us all down with a knife if we were naughty.

Bue · 20/08/2012 11:39

Oh, the Evangelical bit might explain it. Find a new church?

Icelollycraving · 20/08/2012 11:40

That seems a bit extreme for a 3 year old. Last time we went & my niece went into Sunday school they made bunting for the jubilee. They also were given twirly ribbons to swish & dance with,whilst we sang hymns. Very sweet cofe church.
I would contact them to say the text was incorrect & not really suitable.

Nyx · 20/08/2012 11:41

I would go and speak to the Sunday School person/people and ask what they are thinking, telling children of 3 that nobody is good enough to be God's friend Angry

Ithinkitsjustme · 20/08/2012 11:41

I'd have a word with the vicar or whoever is in charge - you might well find that he is as shocked as you. Sounds totally bizarre to me - certainly without any qualification to the statement

Original poster
deliakate · 20/08/2012 11:42

Its an enormous church and very set in its ways so I think its not going to change. There is another church nearby that we might have a look at. A real shame, as we have made 100s of really nice friends through current one, but that can't be a reason to compromise on what we believe.

OP posts:
Annunziata · 20/08/2012 11:43

That's very strange! I'm Catholic but I have never heard of an exercise like that.

JumpingThroughMoreHoops · 20/08/2012 11:44

Evangelists are very hell, fire, and damnation.
As are Baptists.

ColouringIn · 20/08/2012 11:45

Horrible, I help with our Children's Litugy and this is totally wrong. We teach that God IS a friend and absolutely able to be a friend. In your DS's age group all they do is colour and giggle and have a little cha about Jesus being kind.

hanahsaunt · 20/08/2012 11:54

Deliakate - the Sunday School teacher has missed the point but maybe don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Speak to the teacher, the person in charge of Sunday School and your pastor - raise your concerns - they are completely valid but people do make mistakes, run out of time, be not very good at covering summer Sunday School. Hopefully it won't be the defining moment of the spiritual journey of any of the children there but work your way through it and if it seems like that is the defining characterisitic of the whole church then start looking around. Could be a great opportunity for a conversation with your lo.

valiumredhead · 20/08/2012 11:57

What jumping said - it's not your run of the mill C of E.

PomBearWithAnOFRS · 20/08/2012 12:00

I went to a Baptist Sunday school and they most certainly didn't do the "fire and brimstone" or anything like that. It was all about God's love for us, and how he would always be there for us, and help and support us our whole lives if we just asked Him to.
Your experience sounds like you've found a church with a completely different ethos Confused and I can see why you wouldn't want your child to have these "lessons" - I'd be looking for a different congregation to join!