Jesus wasn't ACTUALLY born on 25th December 2008 years ago, was he???!

[Alambil]

RE issue at school.

It's a C of E school and I was asked this in RE today, so I said

"well, no - we aren't sure exactly what day he was born on, but the festival of lights was at the time, so the Christians use this to remember the birth of Jesus because they believe Jesus is the light of the world."

It transpires that one MUST tell the children that Jesus was born on Christmas day. As in 25th December. Because word of mouth from the time of his birth confirms this

Is it me, or is that a tad ..... false?!

better asking Rowan Atkinson imo

I am ALWAYS confusing Robbie Williams/Rowan Atkinson/Rowan Williams

not in my HEAD, but in conversation - e.g. "I just love Rowan Williams in Blackadder"

ANYWAY here is an article about the Head Bishop's quotes on the matter:

"For good measure, he added, Jesus was probably not born in December at all. ?Christmas was when it was because it fitted well with the winter festival.?"

No, she's not. They're all exceptionally precious about the messages sent to the children.

Irony, anyone?!

I don't think any amount of proof will help - I'll just have to ride it.

It's only for one mroe day then the whole placement is over anyway, so not too bothered.

I just hope the mentor didn't tell the staffroom tbh. I think she did though

Well, make sure you go in confident that YOU know the facts, and be smiley and nice

they sound v annoying

Archbish interview here is fun and informative

Thanks, MP.

I know that I know that I'm right. It's just annoying that I suspect them of gossiping in the staff room about a trainee (wouldn't be the first time I've witnessed gossiping..... uber Christian, eh!)

I think the thing the teacher seems to be forgetting is that, if these children go to church, the clergy and the Sunday School leaders are going to flatly deny what she has said. The 25th December in the year 1 (0?) is simply not mainstream Christian teaching, and churches are not going to tell these children it is, no matter how much one teacher in one school has decided that it is necessary to teach it as a fact.

Far better for children, specially once they get to 9/10, to understand which things Christians think are important and non-negotiable, and which ones are just tradition.

Tinkerbellesmum - re "You can find the exact time if you have a star map programme"

What exactly would we look for? A bright star that suddenly appeared out of nowhere - i.e. a supernova?

It doesn't really sound like a star, from the way Bible talks about it, though:
Matthew 2:9
"When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was."

It sounds like a UFO more than a star, really.

" you smell and you have a 'tache " PMSL

i beleive you to be a bearded lady

Yes, it was indeed a marvellous exchange...

a pleasant digression away from all the argy bargy

You are right to be annoyed about the insistence of 25th dec being christ's birthday.

As for this 'did jesus even exist thing' I rarely bother to argue that since it proves nothing if a carpenter lived at that time anyway. So I'm perfectly willing to concede that the man might have existed.

However the 'proof' that people always refer to doesn't seem to exist. It seems there is only one vague reference in an ancient book about something else. The rest is church records written generations later which of course proves nothing.

I was taught in school that Roman birth records existed, but it turns out that was total fiction.

Going back to the orginal thread: I cant belive that the other teacher made you go back and say Jesus was born on 25th dec. It is a well knowen fact that records dont go back and there for we could never know, I thing the answer you gave first was best and ture.
No matter what school it is (c of e or not) I thought that the point of RE was to teach children what the history, facts and belives of a number of different religions so that they can follow there own path and respect the path of others.
Do they not teach children of tradtional belives that pre date christianity, such as paganism, and there for Yule. Your orginal answer would have covered that, but to just say it was his birthday writes of a whole lump of religious history.
Children aint silly and should not be lied to.

there were only 10 months at the time of JC's birth so even if it was december, it wouldn't really be december

i think it's pretty clear a man by his name, a spiritual leader did live and die and cause a huge rucus in the jewish community around AD 0.

More than that no-one can know for sure.