Compulsive Worship or discrimination for my children at school...

[recall]

My three children attend a Primary school, it is not a CofE School, or any other type of faith school. They have an assembly once a week and "Open the Book" come and act out plays taken from the Bible. At the end, ask the children to prey. My daughter who is 8 said recently that "God does exist" "God is all around us" I asked her who had told her this, and she said it was the Christians in Assembly. She said she bowed her head when everyone preyed because she did not want to upset anyone.

I have spoken to the Headmaster regarding this, and he said they have to have 15 minutes of Christian worship a week.

I feel this is so wrong, that Christians are proselytising to children as young as four at school where I as their parent am legally bound to ensure that they attend. They are being taught individual's personal beliefs as if it is fact. I see this as a violation of their human rights - its is compulsory worship, they are too young to decide whether this is desirable. I am told that I am able to excuse them from these assemblies, but this is segregation and discrimination. It is heart breaking that children are being segregated from each other due to religion in school, a place of education. Christians are free to proselytise anywhere else, why must they do it in schools? This is dividing the community unnecessarily.

So this is my choice as far as I can see it....either I allow the compulsive worship, or my children are excused/excluded.

Does anyone have any advice on how I can come to terms with this ?

So pleased that you like my approbation.

It means so much that I simply haven't the words to express my reaction.

No idea what's going on at these schools that so many children are getting the message christianity is the only/ superior religion. 7years of it and dd still thinks paganism is the one she'd pick if she believed.
This thread started cos op thought by withdrawing her dd she'd be isolated. Which begs the question why she'd be isolated if so many people feel the same? It hardly takes much to find a few like minded parents and all withdraw together if yours is not a unique view in that school?

I also dont like the asumption that everyone who is against state schools promoting Christianity is a militant atheist. Or have some issue with the Church.

Personally I came from atheist parents but spent a lot of time experimenting with Christianity. I met some wonderful people, mainly through methodist churches. And have very little negative to say about those people or that time in my life. It just came down to the fact that there were fundimental teachings in the Bible that I just did not believe or agree with. I explored other religions as I do maintain a faith in a higher piwer. I am now satisfied in myself that I believe in God/creator but I dont subscribe to a particular religion.

I put my choices down to the fact that I had parents who allowed me the freedom to explore. I was supported in choosing to go to church and I was supported when I chose not to. I want my child to feel that support what ever she chooses and I want her not to be pushed by the school.

I dont want science or history to be taught as fact alongside Christianity being taught as fact. I want her to know the difference between truth and belief.

I think that the one useful thing on this thread is that after mentioning the secular society recall is going to join. ( whether she likes my subsequent posts as much is debatable! However that one was useful- and she was aware of it).

No idea what's going on at these schools that so many children are getting the message christianity is the only/ superior religion. 7years of it and dd still thinks paganism is the one she'd pick if she believed.

Well, schools are required to present it as primary above other religions in acts of collective worship. Which perptuates the idea that Christianity is the default in this country.

If schools aren't obeying the law, why have the law? What's the benefit of collective Christian worship?

C of E is the state religion.

C of E is the state religion..

Yes, I think we're all aware of that. That fact is not unproblematic in an increasingly diverse and non-Christian society.

Does that mean the state should proselytise, though? Should it present the established church as the individual default? How does that align with work to aid integration and avoid radicalisation and extremism?

No one's really answered - what's the benefit to children of collective Christian worship?

And that is a fact in itself which is unbelievable! The percentage of people in this country who are actively engaged with the CofE is entirely insufficient to be representitive of the Country as a whole

C of E is the state religion.

Nominally.

Nominally.

Unfortunately afforded special privilege, including in lawmaking, schools and elsewhere.

But of course, it's only the established church of England, yet afforded a privileged position in the legislature of the whole of the UK.

But what they did learn, was to respect those who do have faith.

I'm sorry to hear that. I hope that doesn't happen to my kids. I want them to have tolerance of faith, and an individual's right to believe whatever they choose, but not respect for faith or those who believe.

Faith is a belief in something without evidence or, worse still, in complete opposition to the evidence. That it not something that should be respected.

"But what they did learn, was to respect those who do have faith."

Why, any more than they should respect anyone else?

But what they did learn, was to respect those who do have faith.

Well, only one faith. It was implied that the others were inferior.

Where are the Christian children being taught to respect those of other faiths or none? Why do the Christian children get the privilege of other children being taught to respect them and their faith?

Some Christian children might find the idea of atheism very exciting if they were given the opportunity...............

This is from the CofE's own website and is on a list of reasons why they are keen to "engage" children and young people:

Work towards every child and young person having a life-enhancing encounter with the Christian faith and the person of Jesus Christ

And recently the NSS referenced a document outlining a drive by the CofE to increase the number of free schools it is opening to address the falling numbers of worshippers, the object being that it's easier to recruit children than adults, especially if you do it through their school. I can't find that document but will keep trying.

Rhonda, is this the one? (Link to CofE document in NSS article).

Yes it is, jassy - thank you

I managed to find the 39-page document the NSS refers to and started to read but it just got too depressing after the introduction.

Having also just found an old article in the Catholic Herald where Michael Gove advised Catholic schools to become academies in order to avoid "meddling" by secularists, I decided I needed to read something more uplifting on the first day of the school summer holidays!

That's right, and children make up their own minds, regardless of school or parents. Which is why Saudi Arabia is full or atheists, Israel is full of Buddhists, Nepal is Christian etc. Because each generation is not brainwashed by the previous one.

The next generation are influenced and often brainwashed by the next. However that's the parents and not the schools doing mild worship. Otherwise how do you account for all the athiests in this generation who were undoubtedly exposed to far more Christian teachings at school?

Again, no idea what's happening if children in non denominational schools are getting indoctrinated when athiests at actual church schools with all the Christian teaching/ worship that entails aren't having that issue

Lurked, the problem to all of this is that there is no benefit to any of it, regardless of whether you regard it as 'mild' or not, and it encourages the idea that Christianity is the default.

Otherwise, why would non-religious schools be saying it?

Unless there is benefit. No one has answered that question, so I'm assuming there's not. Unless it's the benefit to Christian children.