Atheist and the nativity

indebtinsussex

in response to the op question, I spoke to one of my friends whos child goes to a state school and it seems to be the norm, I suppose that realistically its quite difficult to teach about Christmas without at least touching on the subject. #

i'm a practising catholic and i've found ome peoples views on here very very offensive, to imply that i'm some type of village idiot because of my own personal belief, is unfair and unjust, and to me makes you come across an arrogant a*se esp with the comment from some one that you're all wrong (are you jumping up and down stamping your feet at this point because people dont agree with you?). Actually are you my sil because that the attitude she has as well

Religion or atheism or whatever else there is out there is a personal choice in the end, I find that it helps me personally, and I feel that I am a better person because of having religion in my life , but I fully appreciate that its not for everyone. One of my closest friends is atheist and he keeps his views quiet, I keep my views quiet, and we're perfectly happy

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Getting back to the original point, as long as the child is told 'yes, that's what some people believe, it's a lovely story' and you smile and applaud them for not picking their nose and remembering to look at the plastic baby and not wave to Nanny when they saw her sitting there, they will be fine. They won't 'catch' religion from a bit of make believe play and singing, anymore than they will become Evil Robotic Samurai Warriors through watching Power Rangers.

Plans_all_plans

claire16c wrote: »

I would never just believe something because someone told me it was true. I find it weird people just believe in a religion or a god without questioning it.

Of course religious people question their Faith and their beliefs!!

To me, true Faith comes once it has been put to the test, thought about in depth and one still arrives at the conclusion that God exists.

I think everyone with Faith has been through a period of reflection in their lives, or a period of doubt. I know I certainly have.

onlyroz

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

anymore than they will become Evil Robotic Samurai Warriors through watching Power Rangers.

Well I don't know about that...

Person_one

eezer wrote: »

As a practising atheist, I have no belief in any higher life form but don't have the slightest problem in my kids learning about any religion and forming their own opinions. I do however believe that ultimately a knowledge of something like Higgs-boson which is possibly about to be discovered will be of far more use to them in their developing understanding of life than something, which in my opinion, is simply designed to suppress rather than enlighten.

There's no such thing as a practicing atheist.

pinksleepybear

indebtinsussex wrote: »

in response to the op question, I spoke to one of my friends whos child goes to a state school and it seems to be the norm, I suppose that realistically its quite difficult to teach about Christmas without at least touching on the subject. #

i'm a practising catholic and i've found ome peoples views on here very very offensive, to imply that i'm some type of village idiot because of my own personal belief, is unfair and unjust, and to me makes you come across an arrogant a*se esp with the comment from some one that you're all wrong (are you jumping up and down stamping your feet at this point because people dont agree with you?). Actually are you my sil because that the attitude she has as well

Religion or atheism or whatever else there is out there is a personal choice in the end, I find that it helps me personally, and I feel that I am a better person because of having religion in my life , but I fully appreciate that its not for everyone. One of my closest friends is atheist and he keeps his views quiet, I keep my views quiet, and we're perfectly happy

Arrogant a*ses, I think you've put together two or three different people to form your straw man. No one said that you're a village idiot, but if exaggerating someone else's argument makes you feel like more of a victim (dare I say martyr?), then go right ahead.

Person_one

balletshoes wrote: »

I'm interested - in your daily life, how does religion massively influence or control you and what you do/don't do? I'm not having a go, I'm not religious and have a husband who is a fairweather member of another mainstream religion (not Christianity). I maybe just don't think about it, but I don't see religion controlling my choices or influences?

From the unelected bishops in parliament down to the fact that the shops shut early on a Sunday.

From the fact that even though I went to a non church sponsored state school I was taught Christian myth as though it were fact to the constant moaning cries from Sun and DM readers of 'This is supposed to be a Christian country' whenever it looks like some tolerance towards other culture might be being shown.

From the fact that my LGBT friends face ongoing discrimination in the name of Christianity to the fact that parts of my extended family are still massively divided due to differences in denomination.

There are many more, its just that we're all so used to it we don't see it anymore.

BugglyB

indebtinsussex wrote: »

in response to the op question, I spoke to one of my friends whos child goes to a state school and it seems to be the norm, I suppose that realistically its quite difficult to teach about Christmas without at least touching on the subject. #

i'm a practising catholic and i've found ome peoples views on here very very offensive, to imply that i'm some type of village idiot because of my own personal belief, is unfair and unjust, and to me makes you come across an arrogant a*se esp with the comment from some one that you're all wrong (are you jumping up and down stamping your feet at this point because people dont agree with you?). Actually are you my sil because that the attitude she has as well

Religion or atheism or whatever else there is out there is a personal choice in the end, I find that it helps me personally, and I feel that I am a better person because of having religion in my life , but I fully appreciate that its not for everyone. One of my closest friends is atheist and he keeps his views quiet, I keep my views quiet, and we're perfectly happy

I think that was the whole point of the thread - why will people not keep their stories quiet instead of forcing the rest of our children to act them out whilst dressed in tea towels once a year?

indebtinsussex

pinksleepybear wrote: »

Arrogant a*res, I think you've put together two or three different people to form your straw man. No one said that you're a village idiot, but if exaggerating someone else's argument makes you feel like more of a victim (dare I say martyr?), then go right ahead.

sorry I wasnt too sure how I could do the various quotes and put them into the same response if that makes sense, so it was a generalisation of what some people said. but in the end someone did say that believed people who follow a religion to have a lower intelligence.

nope doesnt make me feel like a martyr, and by tomorrow after running after 40 children at my sons party, I will probably have forgotten this thread, but I dont go abusing atheists in this thread so why do people feel they have the rights to abuse christians etc? Why cant we all get along in the spirit of goodwill and agree to disagree on this point etc etc etc!!!

indebtinsussex

BugglyB wrote: »

I think that was the whole point of the thread - why will people not keep their stories quiet instead of forcing the rest of our children to act them out whilst dressed in tea towels once a year?

my friends state school are doing a christmas concert with various xmassy songs and no nativity play, and thats what they do every year, but they do touch on the subject during lessons.

In all honestly though, is it possible to explain all of christmas without at least touching on the nativity story. All the op said was that it was discussed, not that they were doing the nativity play, unless they did and I missed that bit, in which I apologise.

And for the record I agree that if you go to a state school there shouldnt be a religious aspect to it