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Original poster

Is it offensive to throw away a Bible?

58 replies

Picturesinthefirelight · 15/05/2014 22:19

As this is what dd did at school & it caused uproar with another child. Dd didn't get into trouble as such but the whole incident really upset her. She had to be taken out of the class to calm down.

Dd didn't mean any offense, to her it was just a book she didn't want or need as she's read it already (along with Richard Dawkins The God Delusion) so she got rid of it.

OP posts:
Original poster
Picturesinthefirelight · 15/05/2014 22:45

I guess it was handled ok- dd had to be taken out to calm down. They want her assessed for asd.

But I can't help feeling the school are at fault a bit. Dds previous school was very multicultural where they had to be careful how religion was treated & respect all beliefs.

This school is very different.

OP posts:
BertieBotts · 15/05/2014 22:46

Exactly, I mean it's not like bibles are hard to find if you want to look at one is it? Library? RE classroom? Big church every 10-20 streets, with a handy person who is happy to talk about the book for hours and usually some kind of youth club directly aimed at teenagers, who don't feel the need to go into schools and just quietly "generously" give everyone a present which will probably end up in landfill.

Original poster
Picturesinthefirelight · 15/05/2014 22:48

She's read the Quoran(sp) as well which I hadn't been aware of.

RE is one of her favourite subjects.

OP posts:
HavantGuard · 15/05/2014 22:48

Utter balls. I'm a flaming atheist and my family still talk to me!

It sounds like the ex friend was looking to have a go at her, particularly as they had already stopped being friends yet she's trotting out that line and, as you've said, she liked to discuss belief with previous friends so it's likely she mentioned her atheism before.

expatinscotland · 15/05/2014 22:48

Throwing away a book is so wasteful! She should have recycled it.

ravenAK · 15/05/2014 22:48

Fair play to her.

If she had the opportunity to decline it (when the Gideons come into the school where I teach they don't do any foisting - most of our kids take one to be polite) then I'd say it was silly of her not to just refuse it, thereby reducing the quantity of wasted paper in the world...but given she didn't, I think swnbu to dispose of it.

Original poster
Picturesinthefirelight · 15/05/2014 22:51

At her previous school when they were practising for a school assemble the girl reading the prayer asked her why she wasn't putting her hands together & closing her eyes.

Dd explained in front of the whole class that she couldn't do that as she didn't feel able to actively pray or pretend to pray but would sit quietly whilst everyone else prayed.

Was quite proud of her for that.

Yes- it's a well known fact that she is an atheist.

OP posts:
HavantGuard · 15/05/2014 22:53

If it's a Catholic school the girl should have her arse kicked by the pastoral care team for that comment along the lines of tax collector in a tree, prostitutes, are you better than Jesus, judge not lest ye be judged, stop being a shit and hiding behind religion to do it.

Annunziata · 15/05/2014 22:54

There is putting it quietly in the bin and there is making a scene.

sonlypuppyfat · 15/05/2014 22:55

So it's easier to throw it than say no thank you Hmm

Original poster
Picturesinthefirelight · 15/05/2014 22:55

It's not a faith school - dd wouldn't contemplate applying to a faith school even though there's a fabulous ex private catholic grammar near to us.

OP posts:
HavantGuard · 15/05/2014 22:57

The girl was off school, it was set aside for her, she didn't feel able to say no, she put it in the bin unaware she was being watched.

lougle · 15/05/2014 23:00

"So it's easier to throw it than say no thank you"

Actually I can see how it would be for the OP's DD. She knows they've actually saved it for her so she can't be rude but she doesn't want it. She takes it, then when she's out of sight she disposes of it because it has no relevance for her. Unfortunately, someone saw and the situation changed.

Original poster
Picturesinthefirelight · 15/05/2014 23:00

I need to help dd be aware of how her actions might seem to others.

As I said she sees things in a very black & white way. A book she has no use for is thrown away. She doesn't believe in what she calls mythical deities so its paper & ink not a Holy object.

She thought she was doing the right thing not making a fuss & just taking it when given to dispose if later , but can't see how that offends the other girl.

OP posts:
TrinityRhino · 15/05/2014 23:02

I didnt think this crap still went on. I remember this at school. I waited till I got home to throw it away. More because it was a book not because it was a bible.

HavantGuard · 15/05/2014 23:03

I'm sure your DD, as she has an interest in it, could tell the girl exactly why she's wrong. Unfortunately as it's obviously a poor excuse she'll have to settle the fact that people often hide behind religion to excuse or justify things that gave nothing to do with religion.

The special needs boards will be full of posters who can give useful advice on getting your DD supported in school and helping her deal with difficult friendship issues. I can only hope that a really big bible falls on the girl's head and knocks some sense into her.

FleurDeHeadLys · 15/05/2014 23:07

I think it depends on the action. She might have thought no one was watching her and flung it disdainfully into the bin, which is disrespectful and I can understand why the other girl (remember they are both very young and probably in that Teen Girl Stage!) was upset.

She could also have slipped it quietly in and the other girl was looking for a fight.

None of us were there; we don't know.

deepinthewoods · 16/05/2014 07:19

I think it's offensive to be peddling religion in schools. Your DD sounds a clever girl.

sunshinemmum · 18/05/2014 07:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Misfitless · 18/05/2014 23:48

It will or course offend Christians, but it won't offend atheists, so it completely depends on your own personal beliefs.

Anyway, Christians aren't supposed to judgeeasier said than done, though, so whilst they can be offended, they shouldn't kick off or make someone feel uncomfortable or judged for throwing away a Bible.

Not sure if that's right!

thegreenheartofmanyroundabouts · 19/05/2014 08:27

Surely this is about manners. As someone who is now in her sixth decade I was taught that it was bad manners to refuse a gift that was given with good intent. What you do with it when you get home is another matter. It is about valuing another person and their feelings. It means doing boring things like eating something that someone else prepared even if you don't like it unless you have a food intolerance of allergy. Old fashioned I know.

Children are not born with good manners and some children are going to find it harder to do than others. The OPs daughter seems to have got half way there as she accepted the gift but needed the wisdom to wait till she got home to dispose of it. So well done her and another life lesson in the many that are going to come her way as she grows and matures.

deepinthewoods · 19/05/2014 08:33

THis is more than manners though- this is about an organistion pushing religion, it is an evangeligal act, it is not just a gift, it is someone trying to push their world view.
That's offensive.

If the gift had been a random object- a tablecloth, a calculator, a box of chocolates then I would agree it would be rude to throw it in the bin.

A gift that tries to proselytize is not a gift at all, it is a wolf in sheeps clothing and I would chuck it in the bin too- where it belongs.

deepinthewoods · 19/05/2014 08:38

And what does "being in your sixth decade" have to do with anything? Are you suggesting that younger people don't have manners?

nicename · 19/05/2014 08:55

I never throw books out - I just can't. I sell, give away to they go to charity.

I have a section at home with various holy books/books about holy books - as works of literature (and from a historical pov) they are quite fascinating. I may not agree with them but there are some passages that have 'univerasl truths' in them. You won't 'catch religion' by posessing and reading them.

I would not be happy for a child to throw any (holy) book away. A thoughtful passing it on would be a better thing.

Its also worth remembering the case (Pakistan?) where a girl was (falsely) arrested for burning pages of the Koran. What about when the Taliban dynamited 1700 year old Buddhist statues in Afghanistan? People (some) take religion very very seriously and (some) take deep offence at distruction/desecration of tokens/images etc of them. I would suggest the school has a look at that, and free choice and why we have freedom to follow whatever religion (or none) we want in this country, and why respect - both ways - needs to be shown.

Her 'friend' is a blinkered twit though.

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