Too much religion in Reception?

[Trifle]

I am not religious and don't particularly believe in anything. To discuss Jesus/God or any such subject matter was not something I ever envisaged having to do age age 4. However, since Ds1 started Reception in September he is increasingly coming home with questions about Jesus. I think this stems from him having a particularly religious teacher who told Ds1 at Christmas that he had to say thank you to God. I'm not sure exactly what he was supposed to be thanking him for or what his understanding of God is. Since then he has talked about going to Heaven when you die, that Jesus was nailed to a cross and bled to death and who/what/why did this happen. As it is just a regular state school I cant see the point in them having any religious instruction and would far rather they concentrate on reading and writing. Exactly how much are schools obliged to tell them about religion at age 4 and are they going overboard. The father of one child in his class is a Vicar so came in one day to give a great talk about Jesus which will obviously be biased due to his own beliefs. It surely has to be confusing to a young mind to be seemingly bombarded with so much information. I've managed to brush most things off and dismiss it all as a fairy story but am getting annoyed that I am put in an awkward position by the school who are drip feeding him bits and pieces which he then wants me to explain.
Is he getting more than his fair share?

[hercules]

I hate assemblies where kids from different religious backgrounds are forced to join with the local vicar in prayer. It makes me feel sick. My schooldoes keep these to only a handful of times a year though.

[Gwenick]

but hercules are they 'forced' to join in - or do their parents give them the option of staying silent????

[crunchie]

My personal issue with all of this is that as a parent, unless you are in a city, there is rarely any choice for a primary school. We are in a village, and unless I wanted to pay for education I have to send my children to the school in the village which is affiliated to the Church. Therefore I am 'forced' to allow my child to get Christian teaching which I would 'prefer' they didn't have. However since dh is Christian I am not too worried if they understand christianity as well as judiasm.

It is all political. Imagine a government who tried to change things, the Daily Mail would have a field day

[Gwenick]

well we're Christians and next week DS1 will be going to play have have tea at one of our neighbours houses..........she's Ba'hai (sp) and quite frankly I'm not at all worried if he hears about her beliefs when he's there. I'd rather he has a broader understanding of people's beliefs and will be better equiped when he's older to decide for himself what to believe - if he only gets a 'small' picture of what different religions believe how is that going to help him make an 'informed' decision.

Why is it only religion that people jump up and down about - how many of you (hand on heart) have NEVER had to explain to your children/child that something they heard/learnt at school (or wherever) isn't nessecarily so??? My DS1 is only 4yrs old and already I've had him 'believe' things because he's heard it and it's my job as a parent to tell him what 'we' believe.

[aloha]

I totally agree with you Trifle. I have no problem with my children being taught ABOUT religion, but a big problem with them being taught that myths are truths. And I don't want to be a in position where I am forced to contradict my children's teachers - I don't think that's a good thing at all. Also, you see, I don't agree that religion teaches good morals - quite the contrary! I think much of religion is profoundly immoral, wrong and even wicked. I know others won't agree with me but that's my belief and it's why I don't want my children indoctrinated with religion.

[Gwenick]

but alhoa - many of the 'basics' of common law (both here and abroad) and also what we 'believe' to be good moral standards are in the 10 commandments (which are used in both the Koran and the Bible - perhaps other religious writings too but I'm not sure so won't comment.

Don't steal, don't kill, don't commit adultery, don't lie............

[Snugs]

crunchie - politics and religion on the same thread, could get nasty

Gwenick - I don't object to my sons hearing about other religions, I object to him getting an overload of one particular religion.

And it's not the only thing I jump up and down about personally, just happens to be the topic of conversation on this thread.

[Tinker]

So people didn't live by any form of moral/ethical code at all pre Moses? Don't think so really. Hate the monopoly religion seems to have on morals, as though it's never occurred to anyone else that it just makes life easier if you're nice to people. With no agenda about punishment if you're not.

[Gwenick]

but like it or not this is still classed as a "Christian" country (and despite what the media tells you the numbers of people going to church is growing, not declining - although in the CofE it's declining other nondenominational churches are rapidly growing) - go and live in a 'Muslim' one and they'll hear more about Islam, I'm sure in Israel they're hear more about Judaism, in most Indian schools I should imagine they'd hear more about Hinduism.....

[Gwenick]

so Tinker - you just 'expect' your children to 'know' to be good - without having to punish them if they're naughty??? Of course not! Well certainly my children had to be 'taught'.....

[motherinferior]

I agree with Aloha.

Although I'm probably overly vehement, because my 'nominally Christian' school made me literally terrified, for several years, of burning in hell. Tends to put you off religion in schools, that

[Caligula]

I don't believe that in a culture which has been formally Christian for nearly 2000 years, it is possible not to get an overload of that particular religion, however secular society may be becoming now.

Christianity has been so much part of the fabric of Western Society for so long, that to expect it to line up alongside other religions which have not been a familiar part of our cultural life for 2000 years is just unrealistic. Unless you deliberately choose a school which has a specific policy on the matter (like a Jewish school for example).

I get very peeved that atheism isn't taught in schools and presented as the most probable truth (because I know it is! ), but I accept that it's not going to happen any time soon. We haven't even got to the stage where the BBC can have an Atheist commentator on Thought for the Day.

[Gwenick]

it seems to be that some (not meaning anyone in particular I promise talking 'in general) are almost 'scared' that their children will learn too much about an religion, and even worse might actually grow up to believe it!!!

Reminds me a bit of when I was growing up and you were expected to support the same political party as your parents - if you dared to want to support anyone else it was simply out of the question. So because my parents were LAbour I grew up a labour supporter (only recently changed to Lib Dem - still 'can't' support the Tory's). If my parents hadn't be SO adamant that I SHOULDN'T support the Tories I 'may' have voted for them in the last 2 elections...........

It's a bit like some of the extremsist Islamic famlies the media loves to portray where the children are thrown out of the family if they date anyone outside of their religion

[pabla]

Sorry, I haven't read all the posts on this but it is very common for kids to be very taken with religious stuff at this age, especially if it is their first time really coming into conatct with it and they soon grow out of it. I remember my dd coming home one day, all excited, saying, "Mummy, did you know Jesus is the light of the world?" There was also a bit of an obsession with crosses after her first Easter at school. I think you have to just view it as any other subject on the curriculum and maybe find out a bit about it in order to answer any questions. I always try to explain to my dd that some people believe such and such but other people believe other things. They will cover other faiths as well as Christianity.

[Snugs]

The fact that this is classed as a "Christian country" shouldn't be relevant surely. Religion should be a matter of choice, not something you are taught.

I wish they would stop RE in schools completely, but if it must be taught then it should be balanced.

[Snugs]

Must type quicker - have 3 posts to read that have appeared in the meantime!

[hercules]

I understand that atheism is to be taught actually in the near future.

[Caligula]

Woohoo!

Wonder how they'll teach it?

[motherinferior]

No, I just don't want my children taught that something is 'the truth' when it is, as far as I'm concerned, one out of several belief systems; and I don't want them terrified that if they don't believe 'the truth' something really really bad will happen to them.

And yes, I do want them to have a moral framework which is quite separate from a religious one.

[hercules]

"They" will teach it the same way they teach about other beliefs. Not to indoctrinate but to educate.

[crunchie]

aloha I know how you feel about contradticting teachers, I wasn't happy to start with. But I have to say my children rapidly understood that people are different, even though we live in a very white, british neighbourhood. They have always asked questions about different races even before school and it is something that is my particular 'thing'. Therefore they accepted they were Jewsish and most people were Christian and that school is mainly Christian.

However I also teach them that the morals (10 commandments etc) of ALL religions are the same, it is simply traditional and rituals that are different. We mix it all up and have a Christmas tree and a Menorah (Chanukkah Candlestick) and we will do Peasach (or Seder) but not much Easter (I am very unsure on how to do this one - I might leave it to DH!)

[bundle]

but how then do they approach eg father christmas?

[hercules]

Why does teaching about religion mean the same thing as indoctrinating? I have never caused a child to take up a particular faith. When my child learns french I dont expect them to become french...

[Caligula]

But MI, I doubt if they go in for terrifying them anymore. Hellfire has gone completely out of fashion, at least among people who teach RE at school.

[CrazyandConfused]

Have'nt read this whole thread,my view is:
All children should take part in RE trying to stop sectarianism, and religious observance should be taught at home. Unless said childrens religion means having to do something during the day eg. praying. Then I believe they should be given private space to do that.
Can you tell I was brought up with religion rammed down my throaght(sp?)