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?

So do I Cod.

As a fanatical atheist!

I don't find christianity offensive personally, but I think any religious or other beliefs is personal. All faiths should be taught our children, but not that one faith is superios to others imo. Christians often mix being a decent person with values and morals as the same as being a christian. I remember being taught about bullying alongside christianity at schoool in primary. Why?

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Children learn lots of things in school. I am resigned to the fact that at some point my DS will be told that Christianity is the only way. I'd rather this did not happen but I am not going to obsess about it - rather it will be a good talking point and a way to lead into discussion about other belief systems. More than anything else I want him to tolerate other religions and see that each person has a right to their own beliefs and their own relationship with a higher power. Do as you will and harm none.

Well, I think it is the way you teach it rather than teaching it. Going back to Trifles first post I don't think that is a good way to teach christianity at all. Sounds more like preaching to me....

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Half of these arguments seem to be pointing to "I think that TEACHING in schools should stop!" because they are based on shit teachers.

Politics is also personal but it shapes everything we do. Religion is exactly the same, and in fact blurring with politics in ways that we would never have imagined 10 years ago. People with no education about these matters are not going to be able to speak knowledgably about the world around them, or even understand what is happening. Ignorance is our enemy - not education!

So would I cod - and I'm a Pagan.

Quite right MP.

I wouldn't mind my kids being taught about worshipping stones - it's no different from any other worship.

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What about seeing what religions are represented in a school and teaching those for a start? That would be one way, overwhelmingly in many schools this would be Christianity but it would also include a sizeable minority of other religions. I am not bothered what religions are taught I just don't like the religious intolerance of telling impressionable children that there is only one right way.

For me, it's all a load of nonsense anyway, so the fact that a particular way of worship has become embedded in a culture or society, doesn't make it any more valid than nonsense which hasn't become embedded in a society.

Of course religion is as important to be taught as politics Cod, but in a neutral way! All major religions should be taught in school: Hinduism, judaism, islam, buddhism and Christianity (incl. catholicism, protestanism etc). It's also important to teach children than some people don't believe in a God. You don't have to link your values and beliefs to a religion/God.

I have to say that I find some of this offensive. The use of the word 'brainwashing' for example is very emotive. It's also interesting that no-one has commented about dd's future head saying that he 'doesn't have time for Christians'. Given that at my guess about 30% of his pupils are regular church-goers, is that right? How about if he had a high number of Muslim pupils and said that about Islam?

I'm a Christian. Not all Christians think the same, so there are bound to be things that my dds will hear that I will have to explain I believe to be wrong. But there are also a lot of secular orthodoxies that I don't believe in either and that I would be horrified if my dds did. It's a part of life, having to explain and clarify things to children.

Children have an innate spirituality and it needs nurturing, not necassarily in a Christian way.

Sleepyjess - glad you like the Mimi Doe books. And I like your posts on this thread.

Would love to comment further, but on re-reading aloha's posts have discovered I don't exist (or at least, if I do, she doesn't believe in me)

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LOL Snugs.

Ionesmum, I can comment on that. I think it's terribly disrespectful to say that you don't have time for christians. I think all children's faith should be equally respected and also the children who have none religions. It must be possible for a school to teach religion in a "objective" way? Afterall, schools teach politics, but I assume not taught to vote for Labour rather than Tories? (although would be great if they were he he....)

Ionesmum, I agree the headmaster's comment about not "having time for Christians" is a disgraceful one. I doubt if people didn't comment on it because they think it's OK, just that they're busy commenting on all the other things that come up - there's only so much you can post...

Gerrof FAIRYMum, you don't exist either

Sorry...in all seriousness - ionesmum, I agree that his attitude was disgusting. Even as a non-Christian I would have found it offensive.

I am definitely not scared of my dd being taught about religions.

I totally disagree that a teacher should be entitled to teach their faith as fact to their pupils, in the same way that a teacher who uses drugs, smokes and drinks on a weekend wouldn't teach their pupils its a great way to unwind.
Professionalism is required within the classroom under all matters.

I would not like to see RE taken out of the curriculum, i would simply like it to be taught on equal grounds of all faiths.

I will answer all my child's questions about all religions as honestly as i am able to. I will teach her about other peoples beliefs and cultures and let her know that i don't believe and this is each and every persons choice, and when she is older, she can make her own decision.

Yes we do celebrate Christmas and birthday's in this household. But Christmas is celebrated as a family day of fun and present giving - no more. Of course when dd is old enough to understand i will explain to her what Christmas means to christians, but it is not for that reason we celebrate it.

I don't think there needs to be religion involved in order for a child to understand why they are living. And i think the whole heaven/hell is pretty frightening stuff for a child to be told about.

My dd will grow up having her own opinions and independance about life, without fear that her behaviour is going against her belief's because there won't be any! She will have freedom.

"I would not like to see RE taken out of the curriculum, i would simply like it to be taught on equal grounds of all faiths."

But where do you stop? I know the CofE school my Ds will start in September has an excellent reputation for covering lots of different relgions, but I also know that there's at least on child who's parents practice Ba'hai - something I'm sure they don't cover in their teaching as it's still a relatively 'minor' religion. Somehow a line has to be drawn about WHICH religions are taught and in what proportions.

If we lived in a 'mainly' Hindu country no doubt most of our children would have a large proportion of their RE lessons based on Hinduism, if it was an Islamic country - on Islam etc etc

And just out of interest just found this very intersting 'statistics' graphs on the BBC religions page.

Religion Number of adherents
Christian 37,338,486
Muslim 1,546,626
Hindu 552,421
Sikh 329,358
Jewish 259,927
Buddhist 144,453
Other religions 150,720
No religion 7,709,267

Compiled by Census 2001 - Ethnicity and religion in England and Wales. There were three Census questions in 2001 on the topic of ethnicity and religion - country of birth, ethnic group and religion. The religion question was voluntary and was answered by 52,041,916 people. 7.7% (4,011,000) people chose not to answer it.

At the time the Census was carried out, there was an internet campaign that encouraged people to answer the religion question 'Jedi Knight'. The number of people who stated Jedi was 390,000 (0.7 per cent of the population).

I'm so glad that some of you also find this man's comments offensive.

Fran, I find my faith very freeing, and I hope that my dds will too. It frees me (or should, if I follow it as best I can) from materialism, selfishness, bitterness and spite. Through it I love more. To explore my relationship with God is for me something exhilarating, liberating and meaningful. It stops me from doing nothing except the things that would cause pain to me or to others. I have problems with some of the things that the church does (for example the offensive line that the conservatives are taking on homosexuality ATM) and this is something I will explain to my dds when they get older. So yes, some churches can be restricting. God isn't.

Proud to say that i am one of those 0.7% who became jedi childish but enjoyable.

I don't see your point on commenting on my statement there. FACT i do not want to see RE taken out of the curriculum, and i would like to see EVERY religion covered within it.

I accept that ionesmum, just wanted to share my personal views on my not having a belief, as from browsing the messages some people seem to imply that by having no faith means your child will not have certain life skills.

but Fran it would simply be IMPOSSBILE To cover every religion !! There are too many!

Fran, I do think it's important to have a spiritual life even if you don't have a faith. My humanist friend still nurtures her soul through long country walks, playing the flute and getting involved in environmental campaigning.