DS came home from a school trip to a mosque today . . .

[bran]

and said "Mummy, did you know that Muslims have to wash before they pray to their false God?"

I did the softly-softly approach about people having different names for essentially the same god, and that there was no single "right" god only what was the right god for each individual person. But he was adamant that only God, Jesus' father, is God and everything else is false and wrong. So then got very stern and gave him a bollocking about all religions being equally valid and how wrong and rude it is to call something false when someone who believes in it might hear you and be upset.

I know that he didn't get this from his teachers, and he says that a particular boy was teaching everyone to say this. It is a Christian school, but they are very open and welcoming towards other religions. Do you think I should send a note to his teacher to let her know what he's been saying so that she can keep an eye on him (and the others) or just let it go? He's in yr 1 (someone is bound to ask).

Dont be ridiculous, talk about making a mountain out of a molehill. Kids say all sorts of different things, depending on who they have been speaking to. Some kids tell others that Father Christmas doesnt exist, will you write a note to the teacher then? All kids have different ideas about God/Jesus etc and there's no saying who is right and who is wrong. For all you know this other kid could be right. At Year 1 does it really matter?

I think, if I were the teacher, I'd appreciate knowing this. I'm assuming there will be classroom discussions following the visit, and it would be helpful for her to understand that this has been doing the rounds.

My point Trifle (although very waffly made) is that, as you say, there is no knowing who is wrong and who is right and therefore I can't allow my child to express the belief that an entire religion is false.

For all I know (as it happens) the entire controversy is pointless as I'm an atheist. However I do believe that other's are entitled to have their beliefs treated with respect and would be unhappy if I felt that DS was being taught to be rude about any religion (albeit by another child).

Well I'm an atheist and I couldnt possibly tell my two that all religions are equally valid as I believe all religions are equally pointless. Ds2 also had a trip to a mosque in Year 4 and absolutely hated it, a quick whizz round a mosque is not going to teach them anything other than it's a bit baffling and you get to wear a funny hat. I think it's a bit much to give your son a bollocking, particuarly if you are not religious as he's only passing on a comment that he heard. I'd let it go and just put it down to funny things kids say.

Yes, talk to the teacher, just so she's aware and can maybe push the tolerance thing a bit harder than she otherwise would have.

I take your point Trifle, athough I did only give him a bollocking when he refused to back down after an explanation and gentle pressure.

I think I'm worried that he will upset people. Imagine that we lived in a community popular with retirees, who were lovely people who doted on DS. If he came home from school saying that all old people are useless and smell and didn't want to be persuaded out of that opinion then I would give him a bollocking if that's what it took to avoid upsetting people.

I suppose the fear of upsetting people is what is making me over-react. There are so many people of so many different religions where we live. I would hate for DS to be rude to our lovely neighbours, or the staff in the development who always have time to smile and wave at the kids or ask DS how school is. So many of his little friends locally are of mixed/non-Christian backgrounds. DS's birth father could well be Muslim or possibly Hindu, DD's birth father is Muslim. I know that his lovely (Muslim) foster family, who we still see now and then, would be shocked and saddened that we would let him think such a thing. We are going to my in-laws in Malaysia for Christmas, if he said something like that in public there people would be deeply offended and would almost certainly blame us.

All religions are not equally valid...

I think the teacher would appreciate knowing. There may well be Muslim kids in the class who will suffer as a result of this attitude being spread around, but even if not, it is important that the teacher puts them straight.

I would have reacted exactly the same as you bran. i would also have a quick word with the teacher tommorow.

Why are not all religions equally valid? (or invlaid if your'e looking at it as an aetheist)

Blimey - some astoundingly non-inclusive opinions on this thread already

"All religions are not equally valid..."???

"All kids have different ideas about God/Jesus etc and there's no saying who is right and who is wrong. For all you know this other kid could be right. At Year 1 does it really matter?"

Yes, do mention to the teacher what DS said.

Jesus said, "No-one comes to the Father except through Me.

So I would say your ds has a good grasp on the truth there.

Oh puhleese.

Bran. Don't listen to all the bigoted nonsense here. You did the right thing. All the best Christians - and I am friends, in RL as well as on here, with quite a few will accept others' right to believe in what they will.

I would have a word if I were you. The school obviously want to be liberal and inclusive, hence the trip to the Mosque.

does the other boy stand outside my local supermarket on a saturday dressed as a lady by any chance? or maybe his mum?

Well said, justa - now could you reiterate that point LOUDLY for the benefit of "Christians" like brushup?

Another Christian who would not like to hear this from their dcs. As Stewie says, rude and bullying?

Im a practising muslim and i would tell my kids off if they talked about Christianity in that way.

WilfSell, I'm very a bit geeky and tend to disregard the tail-ends of data curves as a matter of course. Bigotry and zealotism of any kind invariably falls into a tail IME so I hardly ever pay attention to it.

I suspect, but really can't be arsed to investigate it, that the less secure someone is in their stated belief/sexuality/political affiliation/social status the less tolerant they are of those who are happy to life their lives a different way. It makes me a bloody annoying person to try to convince of anything as the very fact that someone is trying hard to convince me makes me think they must be wrong.

Right, I will do a short note telling his teacher what he has said and that we won't tolerate that attitude at home and he has been given a stern telling off.

Quiet word with teacher is required.
And yes, it does matter at aged Yr 1.

Much as I would not like a muslim or buddhist child refer to the christian God as false, I would not want to hear a child refer to the muslim God as false either. It is rude and intolerant.

well look on the bright side at least he came home and said it to you, it prob would not have gone down so well if he piped up and said that whilst on the mosque tour

As a Christian minister, justabout, do you really believe that other faiths are equally valid?

I would find that very hard to believe.

I am sure most faith groups would believe that their system is more valid than all the others, and that is certainly the belief of orthodox Christianity.