Do you feel it is important to share your views on faith or atheism?

[gingerdodger]

This is a genuine question, I am not asking to promote a faith vs atheism debate as we have plenty of those.

My question is whether people feel that it is part of their faith to share those beliefs with others? How far do you take this and how do you approach it? Similarly for those who are atheist, do you feel it is important to share your opinions and in what ways do you do this?

I know some faith groups see this as absaloutely fundamental to their faith whilst others are more relaxed. I also see that those who do not believe in God(s) also often wish to share their opinions widely. It interests me to think about what this achieves in terms of sharing opinions, understanding of each other etc.

From my point of view I strive to be open about my faith, I like to listen to other's perspectives as this makes me think (providing they are listening, I tend to bow out when it starts to feel adversarial and not inquisitorial). I don't feel compelled to actively knock on doors (metaphorically or otherwise) to share my faith but rather subscribe to the view that I hope my approach to life and openness about faith allows me to discuss my faith openly and honestly. I do believe actions speak louder than words and the best form of 'preaching' is to live Christian values of love (not saying I am good at this).

There are C of E schools in our LA that are non selective on the basis of parent's faith and/or church attendance.

Christian worship is not compulsory in schools there is the option for parents to opt their children out of it.

I give up. The smug "I'm all right Jack- you can always make your child the odd one out" line of Christians just infuriates me. So carry on enjoying your privilege. Don't even think about the people you are trampling underfoot because only Christians actually matter. Pah.

Hak what because I do not agree with you? Because I have my own opinion. My DC has had to be the odd one out on many occasions due to issues concerning SEN. There were only so many battles I could fight. Only was offered part time schooling for practically a whole school year. Missed out on whole subject areas. Forgive me if I don't actually think being able to opt out of collective worship is not that bad, comparatively, inclusion wise. It's relative isn't it?

Capsicum, I will fight shoulder to shoulder with you for your child with SEN to have everything he needs. And of course his needs trump and debate about Christian worship. But, forgive me, that's not what this thread is about. And using it to shut down debate about Christian privilege is a little.....low.

Just trying to give some context Hak and to point out I'm not entirely privileged, I'm alright Jack person. My DC has had no choice at times but to be the odd one out, worse than for the time it says to say prayers / sing hymns. So it is from this context I speak, we are partly a product of our experiences after all.

I've really not got much experience of what it is like to entirely be able to have my DC completely fit in....

L

I would have words with the school if opting out of worship meant your children were missing out on other things.

In my day (and still now going by posts on here) the alternative to actually worshipping the headteacher's god and acknowledging that his god is the one god was not to join in the assembly at all.

This meant that you had to ask friends what announcements you missed. If you earned any kind of award for achievement you couldn't be there to get it and so on.

Generally it meant sitting outside the headteachers office or in an empty classroom exactly the same as if you had earned detention.

It amounts to: "You don't have to get on your knees to MY god but you will be punished if you refuse"

People pretend not to realise this because it suits them. Morally equivalent to treading on someone who has fallen over in the January sales because getting your bargain is all that matters.

Back that is not what should be happening now. Corporal punishment also used to be legal in State schools. A lot has changed. As I have said I would support another parent in getting the school to handle opting out of worship sensitively.

Not all schools do Collective Worship at the same time as Assembly.

The school that my DSs attend is very religion light. I am in Scotland though and we have different rules re religious worship. There is no mention of religion in assemblies at my DSs' school. It seems that any mention of religion is largely at the discretion of the class teacher and that it may be just a couple of times a term. I'll ask the DSs in the morning if anyone misses the lessons.

In general, my impression is that there is less religious influence in our local primary schools unless you choose one of the faith schools (Catholic only - there are about 8 non-denominational primary schools to every faith one). This seems to suit most parents and there doesn't seem to be the same level of upset about religion in schools that I read about in England on here.

odd one out on many occasions

Really caps, what does this have to do with it. Yes there are times when we and our children feel excluded, or are excluded and barred from certain situations through no fault of our own. But religion shouldn't be one of those times in a state funded school. There is no sound justification. Think of it like this. Imagine over night satanism became the default religion of the school. You'd still be 'well it's not nice for my dc to be singled out but, ah well'. You keep saying how nice it is for you but you're not actually justifying it other than citing your dc's SEN which is a deliberately emotive red herring on your part.

This is what secularism is. I like this from the BHA:

We are committed to secularism – the principle that, in a plural, open society where people follow many different religious and non-religious ways of life, the communal institutions that we share (and together pay for) should provide a neutral public space where we can all meet on equal terms. State secularism, where state institutions are separate from religious institutions and the state is neutral on matters of religion or belief, guarantees the maximum freedom for all, including religious believers. In such a state, no one should be privileged nor disadvantaged on grounds of their religious or non-religious beliefs.

I am a Christian but only really discuss it if it comes up or I'm asked.

I don't believe in mandated Christian assemblies etc at tax-funded schools.

No I don't share my views- and I hate it when others do unasked. Just get on with it quietly- I wish everyone followed that!
I would if anyone asked, but I would rather they didn't as they all have their own agenda.
What you do speaks far more than what you say.

I thought I had already "opted out" when sending my children to a non denominational school. Why should I have to opt out again while religious indoctrination and worship happens? I don't want to stigmatise my child.

It is sad that people don't understand the term non denominational. It means Christian but not affiliated to a particular branch.there are no secular schools in England. Community schools can be more religious than faith schools- it depends in the Head and their interpretation of the law on collective worship.

You have not oped out of anything at a non denominational school!

Yes I was naiive- I am however disgusted that my children cannot have a state education free of religious indoctrination. I send my children to school to be taught facts not fairy stories.

Too true Delphiniumsblue. Really collective worship should be opt in. If it's interesting and enjoyable then non-religious children will attend, which surely for the evangelisers would be much better than most children attending because they have to and switching off.

I was raised Catholic and went to a Catholic school (run by nuns) but years of going to church every week mainly left me with the ability/inclination to doze/day dream through boring speeches, which hasn't always been an advantage

head just explaining the context from which I speak. For me opting my child out of something unsuitable does not seem like a such big deal as I am well experienced in having to do this or getting school to allow for some differentiation according to needs. As I have said I believe this can and should be done sensitively, so a child does not miss out or is made to feel bad. I would be very supportive of this as I also believe schools should be flexible.

However I cannot in all honestly go all out and say I believe collective worship should be abolished in schools as I believe it has value if the school community want it.

Head teachers should point it out. It is all in the education acts- but you can't assume that people have read them! It is laid out very clearly.
While I don't think collective worship has a place in school I can't see why people are so keen on censorship- your child may think differently from you. People seem to have an obsession that having made up their mind their child must think the same! Odd when the majority of us don't blindly follow what our mothers want us to think! Neither do we get influenced by collective worship in schools. My children think differently from me- so what? Why does it matter? They are free thinkers.

I think it will be abolished in schools - it is being talked about - but it will take time.

I don't think religion should disappear. It is a massive historical 'event' (for want of a better word), part of the the thread of our country and our world. Children need to be able to understand it and interact with it.

I can see why people are attracted to it - the social, community side especially.

For me it has never ever been an option. I have never believed. I expect people to understand that and not try and preach at me, of course with friends it comes up in conversation but that is different to preaching!

Sorry - disappear in schools I meant. Obviously not entirely!