Non-believers - are you sick of having religious faith infuencing how you live your life when you don't want it to

[seeker]

For example - your children being expected to pray at non-Church state primary schools? The views of bishops being considered important in legislation?

yes yes yes yes.
Actually don't mind bishops etc having their views heard, so long as they are given the weighting of the actual percentage of the population they represent - ie increasingly small. Didn't used to feel so strongly about it, till our DC moved to a school like this. Now furious on a daily basis.

Religion is of zero importance in my life and I don't feel much threat on a day-to-day basis to my religion-free lifestyle.

Yes. Abso bloody lutely.

Only mildly annoyed that despite all the talk about parental choice there is no such thing as a religion-free school in this country - but at least my DCs seem to be immune to the propagandising so far (as I was).

Our local school is 80% non-white, non-Christian children (urban Londonite, here), so they don't dare bother the kids with a Christian God. They celebrate all the religious festivals (seriously, it's festival ago-go round here - between Diawli, Eid, Pasech etc we don't get a moment's peace), but there is no 'Let us pray...' toss. Thankfully.

Why don't you set up your own schools under the new governant's free school policy? Would the national secular society be up for the challenge?

I think the house of lords is radical need of reform. FULL STOP! I would like to see an elected upper house.

yes, absolutely. see threads passim on education - but particularly that my boys are discriminated against and can't go to our local good state school because we're the wrong religion (ie not RC); and that our closest primary school(our local village school) is so heavy on the CofE. I'd prefer that he went to school to make friends and have fun, and get an education, than come home spouting rubbish about Jesus.

Yes definitely. DSs primary has a happy clappy Christian head teacher, and I find it disgusting that she is allowed to inflict her personal beliefs on the pupils. He comes home spouting nonsense all the time.

I am a God-botherer who is bothered about non-secular schools. I chose not to send my children to a faith school and was somewhat taken aback at the input of the local churches into the school I did choose. Don't assume it's only non-believers who disapprove.

I am yes. I find the concept of compulsory worship obscene no matter which religion it is.
I also think we should stop calling this country a democracy if we are subject to any kind of religious rule as in the house of lords.

Consulting religious leaders generally about how I should be allowed to live is offensive to me. I don't mind what clubs/groups people join or what they do on a Sunday, but being in one shouldn't give them any kind of special rights.

Actually don't mind bishops etc having their views heard, so long as they are given the weighting of the actual percentage of the population they represent - ie increasingly small.

No, I don't worry about it.

I don't believe but I recognise what churches have provided - good & bad. If they teach my child fables like the good samaritan it won't do any harm and I'm happy I can neutralise anything more fervant.

I'll teach my child about religion and why it exists and then he can make up his own mind when he's old enough.

what Kathyjelly said!

I hope my children are offered a well rounded education including learning about other cultures & religions as this allows them to make an informed decision about religion in their lives.

I am happy for any views, religious or otherwise, on things impacting our country/planet, but dread any religion having full control of state matters as I don't want my life ruled by religion.

It's not being taught ABOUT religion Iobject to. Quite happy to go along with Bible Stories and so on (so long as other faiths' stories are covered in the same way.)

What I don't want is for my children to be taught any religious fait astruth^ in school. Or for them to be expected to worship any particular God.

And anyone who thinks this doesn't happen in lots, if not most, state primary schools obviously hasn't been into very many!

People don't read the education acts! They are firmly of the opinion that a non church school is a secular school-it is merely non denominational. All schools in England have to have a daily act of worship-and it is set out exactly which proportion (the bulk) is Christian.

Exactly, seeker and pisces - I want my children to be taught about all the main religions, and about the huge cultural influence christianity has had in this country and Europe. But I don't see why they should be expected to pray or sing religious songs which, as pisces says, is officially compulsory - though I know a lot of secondary schools interpret the 'daily act of worship' fairly loosely.

I spent my secondary years standing in assembly with my mouth firmly shut while everyone was singing hymns, on principle...

I also only lasted a few months at guides because of all the prayers and so on, even though I might have enjoyed a lot of the activities and outdoor stuff.

Yes, we do christmas, but in a purely secular way - as everyone knows, christmas trees/food/presents have very little to do with the bible and a lot to do with the need most cultures have for a mid-winter celebration, whether it is christmas/diwali/hanukkah/Chinese or Japanese new year celebrations etc.

What seeker said. I don't mind DS being taught about religion, but at the moment he appears to be having religious instruction. His school has "open the book" come to assenblies every month, who completely ignore the fact that 2 of the children in his class are Hindu.

I'm living in Ireland and there are 'Educate Together' schools which are non-religious. I started ds in montessori and he started blessing his food! So I had a word with the teacher and said that it was not something that I felt comfortable with and I hadn't thought that it would be part of playschool. She said that they don't do much, just a prayer at circle time. I said what about lunch-time and she said 'Oh yes we do grace' and she said and of course God bless the moon and god bless me. That's 3 prayers in 3.5 hours!!! I'd say there aren't many convents that do that!

You can withdraw your DCs from assemblies-sadly they are not ignoring the fact that they are Hindu-they are obeying the law of the land. For example this link gives advice to muslim parents.The Head can't say 'the majority of my pupils are muslim so I am not doing Christian worship'. The Head has to go through procedures. Christian worship is compulsary in English schools-this is why you have the right to withdraw your DC. There are no secular state schools in England. I teach in church schools and non church schools and there is very little difference! The church school will take the pupils to church on special occasions and have a special relationship with the vicar. Both have assemblies, prayers and hymns.

i was furious last night - ds came home from school with a booklet called 'your book of hope' - it is soooooooooooo evangelical and almost like propaganda!

'dark is the colour of sin.............' 'clean is the colour of good.............'. I think it borders on racist. This is supposed to be a non religious school

Yes to the OP. I object to the political influence of the clergy (and, as I live in Greece, it really annoys me that the Greek Orthodox Church does not pay tax on its enormous income).

I object to so many things, now I've started thinking about it, I hardly know where to start. But it especially annoys me when I think that the patriarchal attitude so pervasive in our society is so entrenched in Christianity.

And I certainly objected to the woman of religious persuasion who told me I should suffer in childbirth to pay for Eve's sin. Fortunately she was not a member of the medical team taking care of me!

Well I look at it from the other point of view I guess, as a Christian. I don't particularly see the point of the church schools any longer. 99% of what my children know about my faith has come from home and church, not school.

I remember even when I was at a church school in the 80's doing religious studies GCSE, I was criticised on my report for relying too much on what I had learnt in church, and not being objective enough.