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).

" I would act to support anyone who wanted my support to ensure their school handled opting out of worship fairly, "

But it would be fairer not to have any worship or indoctrination inschools at all.
As has been discussed most places of community don't have any religious bias, workplaces, hospitals, creches, social clubs, choirs, sporting events, dance schools, football clubs, horticultural societies, beekeeping clubs- the list is endless of communities and groups of people without religious bias

Why are children in schools targetted so insidiously by the church?

I know the answer to that one.

"I would do something. I would act to support anyone who wanted my support to ensure their school handled opting out of worship fairly, sensitively and without stigma."

So. How do you do it? Ideas please. Because I can't think of any. And I have tried. And I have seen how lots of schools try. All fail. And what about the many ways that Christianity is woven into the fabric of many state schools, as detailed by combust? Creation Tables and so on.

All you have to do is say "OK, my children can exist in a secular environment for 6 hours" Simple. Sorted.

How? Engage with the governors, set up a parent council if there is not one. Schools are encouraged to engage with parents, this is an accountable way if doing this. Make the minutes of meetings easily available, publish them. Discuss these issues. Make other parents aware of their rights to opt their children out of collective worship and discuss with the school how this is best handled.

If school leadership is obstructive, engage with as many other parents as possible. You could do this through participating in school community events. But word spreads like wildfire anyway. Discuss the issues with them. Encourage making a stand together to challenge the school if necessary, and go through the normal complaints procedure if people agree this is what they want to do.

You sound like a white man telling a black person how to end apartheid.

I have already explained I was a school governor for SIX Years!!

You really are a bad advertisement for christianity capsium.

combust I thought all hospitals had chapels? And as I have said indoctrination is not exclusive to the religious. I do not welcome some of the none religious indoctrination present across society but I certainly live amongst it. Unless you want to isolate yourself I think you must find a way of living amongst it and not fear it.

I don't think a bit of Christian worship in schools, which you can opt your child out of, is really comparable to apartheid combust.

Why do you think, as a governor, you did not succeed in getting the school leadership to organise collective worship so opting out was done without stigma, or causing disadvantage in any other way, to the children who were opted out?

"I thought all hospitals had chapels? " - and why not? They don't indoctrinate patients though. I totally support individual freedom.

"Unless you want to isolate yourself I think you must find a way of living amongst it and not fear it."

You don't get it do you.

"Why do you think, as a governor, you did not succeed in getting the school leadership to organise collective worship so opting out was done without stigma, or causing disadvantage in any other way, to the children who were opted out?

You are so naiive.

No. I didn't ask you how to campaign.i know how to do that. I asked you specifically how you would suggest a child be removed from assembly without any attention being drawn to them and fairly and sensitively.

The school has no choice but to offer Christian worship- it is a legal requirement.

You are so naive.

Enlighten me then.

Hak how specifically? I would engage with as many other parents who would like to opt their child out of worship too and arrange it so all the children opted out together. This would force the school to handle this sensitively. If I knew my child would belong to a very small minority I would consider the best way of getting used to living amongst worship peers. It might be that you ask the head to have a world with your child and teachers, to ensure your child knew participation in prayer was optional and how your child could use the time for quiet reflection, and to ensure teachers began a prayer with you can join in if you want to by either thinking the words or saying them aloud.

The school has no choice but to offer Christian worship- it is a legal requirement.

The school have to offer it but parents do not have take it up.

"The school have to offer it but parents do not have take it up."

This is an example of you naiivety capsium.

Or you could say "You know what? My kid's faith is not going to be damaged by refraining from public prayer for 6 hours. OK - let's call it quiet reflection, then we can all join in as equals. All together- all faiths and none- just school friends. All together"

But I value collective worship Hak and my DC has benefitted from it. It would be dishonest of me not to admit this and it would go against my beliefs to fight for it's removal. This is not my fight.

If it were abolished tomorrow though, through a majority of people standing up and saying they did not want it, I would accept this with good grace.

combust parents can opt their child out of collective worship though combust. By insinuating they can't, realistically, you are not really encouraging them to do this are you? Not doing much to further your cause by being so discouraging...

"But I value collective worship Hak and my DC has benefitted from it."

And you can't see how selfish you are?

How exactly have your children benefitted from collective worship?

I share my faith as i have nearly died due to ill health and overcome many things which i feel that i couldnt have done without God. Yet as i have got older i have learnt its not about telling people to go to church its about loving others and being aware of who we are and treating people as we wish to be treated.

Hak we dealt with the selfish issue upthread.

How has my DC benefited? He is reassured by God.The beliefs have helped him deal with deaths in the family. He enjoys the worship. He will discuss these type of subjects with no prompting.

When children are small there are only so many hours in day day. A lot if these are taken up by school, then the rest are partially taken up are taken up by school directed home learning and don't forget my DC has additional needs so we had even more of this. Added to this schools are well placed to tailor worship especially for children and the (additional) needs of these children. All in all I am thankful that there was collective worship taking place in my DC's school.

^Members of the church were involved and have close links with the school. A church can just mean a group of Christian followers, it does not have to be tied to a building.