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Original poster

"Design your own god" homework

213 replies

AChickenCalledKorma · 06/11/2017 18:35

DD2 is in year 8 and has been asked to design a god/goddess for RS homework. We are an active Christian family and she doesn't want to do it because the Bible says she shouldn't.

I'm interested whether other Christian, Jewish or Muslim parents (or any other faith that has a problem with idols) have had a similar issue arise and how you handled it. Part of me thinks she should just treat the homework as an interesting art project. It's not as if the teacher is asking them to worship what they invent (hopefully!!!). But the other part of me thinks that she has a point and it's good that she's made the connection between what she reads in the Bible and what she's being asked to do.

Allegedly, her older friend refused to do a similar homework and got a detention for it.

OP posts:
Genevieva · 06/11/2017 20:50

PS As you will know, Christianity has had fierce ideological battles between iconoclasts and iconodules. If you follow a branch of Christianity that is against the use of images in any religious context, then I think it is fine to object, but if you are comfortable with illustrated bibles, stained glass windows and paintings above altarpieces, then you will be more than familiar with the idea that art can have a valid role in teaching religion, in praising God and even as a meditative focus in worship without becoming an idol.

babba2014 · 06/11/2017 20:53

I remember doing this in secondary school and writing the qualities of the God I believed in and then just wrote the word god or something.

CheerfulMuddler · 06/11/2017 20:57

I think I'd talk to her about some of the imagery used about God in the Bible - God is light, God is a shepherd, God is a mother hen, God is a father etc. And get her to think about what imagery she might use to describe her relationship with her God - not saying God is that, but when I pray to my God, I think of Him as like that ...
And then put in a little note explaining why she hasn't done exactly as requested.
I think as long as she shows willing and hands in something that shows she's tried to engage with the homework in a way that's compatible with her own beliefs, she should be fine. It's if she doesn't hand in anything that they'll have an issue.

Anasnake · 06/11/2017 21:03

If they are going to be looking at Hinduism then this is probably to show the fact that everyone's version will be different. You cannot show all aspects of God in one picture. Each God in Hinduism represents a part of the one god (like pieces of a jigsaw).

Original poster
AChickenCalledKorma · 06/11/2017 21:44

Thanks everyone. I think she will like the idea of using some of the imagery that she's used to (shepherd, light etc) and we can have a good conversation about the difference between creating false idols and creating imagery that helps us understand God. As some of you have pointed out, we don't have a problem with illustrated Bibles, stained glass etc, so I think that will reassure her that she can find her own way of doing the homework without doing anything wrong.

OP posts:
Julie8008 · 06/11/2017 23:43

Is there an underlying reason why she is afraid to draw a picture of a fictional god/superhero? Is she afraid she is going to burn in hell? That's what I would be worried about, what is she actually afraid of? Seems a bit young to be so fundamentalist.

Original poster
AChickenCalledKorma · 07/11/2017 07:39

No, she's not afraid at all and we are very far from fundamentalist. She just doesn't think it's right.

OP posts:
HandbagKrabby · 07/11/2017 07:51

It’s a piece of hw for Y8 RE, it’s a 5 min job writing down some keywords. It really needs putting into perspective.

headinhands · 07/11/2017 12:19

and it's good that she's made the connection between what she reads in the Bible and what she's being asked to do.

Yeah but she knows it wouldn’t be right to stone a witch so she is able to reason what doesn’t need to be taken literally.**

Original poster
AChickenCalledKorma · 07/11/2017 12:40

Lol - you are quite right. Maybe I should also point out that her school uniform is made of mixed fibres ....

OP posts:
speakout · 07/11/2017 17:39

She just doesn't think it's right

She has been made to think that way.

I think it sounds a good piece of homework.

MaisyPops · 07/11/2017 17:43

I agree speakout.
A child doesn't just happen to develop views that creating ant image of God is wrong.

Thr OP has said that they aren't a denomination tjat opposes all visual representations so childreb's picture bibles are fine etc.

The idea that the child is fine with some but not others is theologically inconsistent as well as not a valid objection for the homework.

If theu were against any representation of their God then a tweak of the title to 'A God that someone might worship' would allow the objectives to be met without creating an conflict.

BertrandRussell · 07/11/2017 17:56

Can she articulate why she is unhappy with this homep

BertrandRussell · 07/11/2017 17:57

....homework, obviously.

Julie8008 · 07/11/2017 17:58

But haven't most religions disowned the old testament? God apologized for what he did and Jesus came along and gave a new way of thinking.

The 3 or 4 different versions of the ten commandments are part of the old testament and as such are not meant to be taken literally, they are just stories written by humans. Its only the new testament you take literally as gods current thinking.

becotide · 07/11/2017 17:58

The teacher is trying to encourage flexibility of thought, but perhaps it's too late Sad

Original poster
AChickenCalledKorma · 07/11/2017 18:12

It's really fascinating to see what conclusions people are jumping to about our family dynamics and approach to faith. No one has "made" her come up with this issue, nor is she in fear for her soul. Really. She's not. And no one is forcing her to believe anything - she's far too opinionated for that.

However, she has a Bible, which she chooses to read, and has read the bit about not creating your own gods. It's not exactly an obscure bit.

Anyway, there have been some very thoughtful points made, which I think will help her think it through and probably do a very nice version of the homework, even if it's slightly different from what her teacher had in mind.

OP posts:
speakout · 07/11/2017 18:19

But OP how would your DD even come up with the idea of designing a god is wrong?

That's something she has been told.

Original poster
AChickenCalledKorma · 07/11/2017 18:26

Of course it's something she's been told - it's mainstream teaching of three major world religions. And as well as attending church, she also reads her own Bible and has been studying RS for eight years of schooling. It would be a bit weird if she had missed it.

OP posts:
speakout · 07/11/2017 18:28

Exactly- she hasn't come up with this idea herself- it has come about because of her indoctrination.

TaylorTinker · 07/11/2017 18:29

Not necessarily. I was from a family of total non believers but had managed to read the 10 commandments and got very sniffy at one point in adolescence about depictions of God.

Mrscog · 07/11/2017 18:33

Surely no Christian God worth their salt would get pissed off about that?!

It sounds like you've got some good ideas OP.

Original poster
AChickenCalledKorma · 07/11/2017 18:35

I'm going to bow out now because I really wasn't looking for a debate about indoctrination and I'm quite comfortable with the way my children are being brought up. Thanks for an interesting range of views.

OP posts:
RavingRoo · 07/11/2017 18:36

The Bible tells you to do many things that are incompatible with modern life. If she’s not capable of thinking for herself, and understanding which bits to pick and choose, then she isn’t much of a christian and is no different to the children duped into joining Isis. Critical thinking and applying religious principles to real life is an essential part of any religion . I say this from a Hindu background where we have always been encouraged to apply what we learn to real life.

Julie8008 · 07/11/2017 18:36

So maybe the DD should be taught not to take the OT literally, she is obviously taking it the wrong way. When I was young we were only given bibles with the new testament in it for exactly this reason.

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