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 ?

Ffs, where did I mention either not doing it or pandering to the bnp? I just said it needed to be done carefully so it couldn't be used to fuel racial tension.
four ok then I won't. Please don't tell me you work in a capacity involving either logic or moral standards?

So collective christian worship in school has to stay because otherwise the BNP will blame immigrants. Right.

You keep changing my words, and therefore my meaning. Why is that?

bertrand who said that? Not me as you full well know.
jassy it's called mirroring, I moved onto it when I'd ran out of desire to keep explaining myself to you

How dishonest, from someone who feels qualified to comment on the morals of others.

However, if you can't see the difference between your actions and your daughter's, perhaps your problems run slightly deeper.

I've tried to quote people accurately - and tried to apologise where I got it wrong. Care to try it, in the interests of, er, mirroring?

Ok. I officially have no idea what you're talking about, then. But if you're equating stopping christian worship with banning Christianity from schools, then please don't. Thank you.

I have no idea what either of you are talking about or what your point is

I haven't been able to contribute for ages - I haven't been able to follow what anyone is talking about! ( A good thing probably )

No dorrit I have no idea how it feels for you all, I couldn't begin to guess what inspires someone to quiz me on my dds religious exposure, to argue with what I haven't said, to tell someone their beliefs are wrong, to quote out of context, to make ridiculous assumptions, to make what they feel are witty comments about what's not actually been said, to draw mad conclusions from what has, to be unable to follow logic etc. in short I've no idea how it feels to get so frothy about a few minutes prayers you object to everything said, or indeed not said, by someone who juat has a differing opinion on whether compulsory worship is an issue.
However there's absolutely no point in explaining myself, as it's become increasingly obvious I could post I was campaigning to ban it and you'd be looking for something to object to. Trying to have any reasonable form of discussion with you is like me playing chess with a pigeon.

I disagree. That's not just my opinion, perhaps you'd like to re-read some of your own posts in reply to mine and find the proof yourself.

Yeah right. I'm not the one who fails to grasp banning compulsory worship could have a racial backlash directed at the wrong group if not marketed very clearly as being instigated by another group to avoid it. Or that drew 'bnp pandering' from me trying again to play chess with a pigeon to explain that it needs to be promoted in a way that prevents it being seen as overly pc or something that could be twisted by the likes of the mail or bnp.
However I'm wasting my time trying to reason with you, and I'll leave you with an actual example of 'I'm alright jack' to replace those earlier incorrect attempts at labelling my attitude such.
Come September, I won't be the one frothing about compulsory worship will I?
owned as they say in church schools

Not ranting. I definitely sniggered as I wrote the last sentences.
How about 'this thread needs to go to dignitas before a compulsory Christian burial'

As long as they don't bang on about it at my kid's school - I don't care

Thank you ALL for your contributions to my thread, it's been epic, and extremely enlightening, and best of all has really helped me to come to terms with my situation.

Right, let's all go for celebratory pint ! ( could have a chat about vaccinations and disabled parking spots )

Can only find the wine to join you!
Will expect to see all the usual crowd when another thread starts in September when someone is horrified to find their child hymn singing when they chose a 'secular' school.
Maybe, since early morning, more appropriate to have .

lurked- you are the only one frothing on this thread. Manic even. Not pleasant to watch.

recall good luck with the governors etc
four have a word with yourself. And then maybe a few Hail Marys as atonement.

I've not read all of this but I can understand where the OP is coming from. My husband comes from a Buddhist family and the angles, heaven and hell thing don't sit with me well.

He no long subscribes to any religion.

I like to think that I bring my kids up to respect all religions without committing to one at such an early age.

They go to church parade at Beavers as it is part of belonging to that group, and have come home with some strange ideas. One, when granddad (Buddhist side) died they wanted to know how he could be an angel with Jesus and also pass onto something better as he had been a good man.

They had already decided that his Karma was to become a star to watch over them.

It's a tough one.

Yes we do celebrate chocolate egg day and xmas (presents and roast dinner).

Maybe I'm doing it wrong? It works for us.

You are ranting lurked.

four I'm definitely just amused, not ranting. But your accusation just goes to show how much influence Christian culture has that you're abiding to 'do unto others' in the hope I'll return the favour and acknowledge how riled you are.

I can see the amusing aspect of it.

I once saw a very drunk man having a loud abusive argument with a litter bin in a city centre street.

Reminds me of you lurked.

Thats nice for you dear.