Bit confused as to why Dd's non religious school is starting a religious based kids club

[CrackerOfNuts]

Dd2 gave me a leaflet today, all excited she was. It is for a new kids club they are going to start next week, which will run for an hour after school on a Tuesday.

Leaflet says that there will be drama, games,etc and the club will be christian themed.

Now I am not religious at all and have not brought my kids up to be either, although that said, I do not mind at all if they learn about and experiance other religions. Dd2 goes to Brownies and attends church parade, but this was our choice.

I feel a bit miffed, rightly or wrongly, that the school have decided to run this club, but make it themed, why not just make it a club ?

What's the big deal? It's not compulsory..
Also what type of "religious" activities are being tought. I am a christian and would not let my kids do an after school club on Hindu or Islamic religious club, but that's a personal choice....
Thank goodness we live in the country where we have choices!!!
So please chill....

AFAIK Brownies and Cubs groups have a christian element to them, but this is not the main theme (used to be stronger but not not as apparent).

IME quite a of of brownies/cubs leaders are also devout church goers. The club you are describing, CrackerofNuts, seems to be like a brownie/cub group without the badges and uniforms. So quite a usual type of group activity. I can't see anything very sinister or objectionable to it.

It also makes me smile, Martianbishop, that weekly exposure to a Christian club should sway all the DCs-they do have minds of their own! The churches would be full to bursting if this was the case! It generally has the opposite effect IMO.
I think that it good to have experience of different religions. I have taken all 3 of my DSs to church and they have all decided it is not for them-which is fine by me.
Just telling them that all religion is ?crap? or ?Disney like fairy tales? isn?t very open minded and doesn?t leave room for any reasonable discussion.
Going back to dinosaurs-I really can?t see why learning about them should produce atheists. I was told as a child at Sunday school that the book of Genesis was the way that early people explained the creation of the World, I didn?t have a problem with that-all cultures have similar stories.

So the club is available for everyone - but as mimimymy has said she would not let her children go to a Hindu or Muslim after school club.

Personal choice. I quite agree.

But what if the -only- club in that school was a Hindu club minimmy - would you and your children not feel a little tiny bit excluded?

For me this is the issue.

Have lots of clubs so everyone can find one that suits.

Am I the only person who would not be any more willing / unwilling to send my child to a hindu or muslim 'themed' activity than christian?

I wouldn't send ds to anything that was specifically religiously practicing and focussed, but if it was a general arts / craft / social club run within a vaguely religious ethos (as the youth club I went to was, for e.g) I certainly wouldn't be so suspiciously discriminating about one lot of kindly volunteers than another.

Gagarin - if a club is welcoming to all, and run by volunteers (rather than paid for by the school or PTA) then if anyone with reasons of principle (religious or secular) who doesn't want to send their child is choosing to exclude themselves, and could, perhaps, choose to make an alternative and equal provision of their own!

(my point is made within the context of a club such as marina describes - not an evangelist activity - of any religious persuasion)

I am quite aware that many Christians believe in both God and dinosaurs. My point was that it would be dishonest of me to advertise a club based on something that is attractive to children (dinosaurs) with the intention of influencing their religious beliefs. Many Christian groups are quite benign, some aren't. This club could be run by the Jesus Army or the local vicar - I think the OP is right to want to find out. I think it is a little to advertise a religious club to children through their school without explaining to their parents what is involved.

I think finding out exactly what is involved is the best way forward, if you have any doubts.

I would do that anyway - as a theatre practitioner I am VERY fussy about the way drama is taught

Absolutely agree with you Blu - but would rather fliers were left for interested parents to pick up than advertised by the school directly to the children.

I wonder how many parents get uppity about this in real life. They are probably happy for the free childcare.

I think some parents in RL night feel a bit wary because the club is on school premises and is being advertised via the school. So it appears the school is endorsing the club. I think tbh, if I was a parent, I'd want to know exactly who was running the club (I assume the leaders may be personally known to the parents) and what sort of christian activity would be happening. Just to know more, not as any sort of criticism.

Crackerofnuts just re-read your first message and see you mention that your dd2 attends Brownies church parade - didn't realise that when I wrote my previous message

I think one reason that I would want to know more is that 'christian themed' doesn't really tell you much about the people running the group - Jehovah's witness? Rowan Williams? Anne Atkinson? The Silver Ring Thing? Alpha? Christian themed implies that they have some kind of mission - atleast with the Brownies and the Church choir you have an idea of what that will be.

I'm starting an after-school knitting club. That's it's supposed purpose. In fact, there will be Rosary beads and incense.

I get five years off purgatory for each convert. So I'm hoping to get lots of innocent little atheists in my knitting club.

Its supposed purpose. Not it's supposed purpose.

I think you're telling a yarn! [awful pun emoticon]

I did lie. Tis a crochet club. And only three years for each little convert.

Good pun, btw.

My DDs' school has a knitting club. And it's run by a member of my church. How spooky!

(can't see them knitting rosaries though)

minimymy: why wouldn't you want to send your DC to a Hindi or Muslim afterschool club? After all, it's a nice welcoming friendly fun club for DC and it just happens to have a Muslim/Hindu theme to it, and religion is ever so beneficial, what's your problem?

I think that it is quite insulting to immediately think that people who are doing something for the good of the community must have an ulterior motive. People who moan very rarely do anything constructive i.e. offer to give time and commitment to running a club themselves.

I don't think that suggesting that they inform the parents of what they are doing before promoting the club to children is insulting.

It isn't insulting to ask for information first but it is to immediately assume that there must be hidden motives (and sinister ones at that) for running a club.
Lots of organisations are Christian based. The Boy's Brigade has over half a million members and has been running successfully for over 100 years and is open to any faiths and backgrounds. The Girl's Brigade is similar.The Scout and Guide Movement is huge worldwide and a promise has to be made to do one's duty to God. I am on the interview panel for leaders for our district Scout group (having been a Beaver Leader in the past). One question that we have to ask is their stance on the promise, and duty to God, it has never been a problem because they know it will come up; but if they were unable to make it then I assume that they would have to be turned down as a leader, however good.
In the case of the OP school club firstly as for more information and secondly, if you are not happy, don't send them. It isn't part of the school day and it is voluntary.

Sounds like a great idea and I'm not 'religious'. Three of my kids go to beavers and Cubs and that is very much Christian based. What's wrong with that? Should we not have Scouts because a Jehova's Witness can't join? What a silly idea

The Scout movement is fantastic IMO, it allows DCs to have experiences that they wouldn't get elsewhere (without paying a lot of money). There is no hidden Christian Agenda although the occasional church parade will be encouraged.