Parents who force their children into religion?

shelley_crow

margaretclare wrote: »

I note many contributors are slagging off Christianity, as if this was the only religion causing problems.?

I don't know about the other posters but my experience is of Christianity. My experiences were negative and that is what I have contributed. I'm afraid that I don't know enough about the operations of other religions to possibly comment in that regard.

CustardAndPickles

andygb wrote: »

As you did not attend the schools which I went to, then you are not qualified to describe my words/experiences as "rubbish", and by doing so you have identified yourself as arrogant and possibly ignorant.
I started school in 1963 and left school in 1975. During that time I went to three Roman Catholic infant/primary schools and two Roman Catholic secondary schools in different parts of the UK (my father changed jobs a few times).
As Person One has pointed out, in every classroom in every school there were large crucifixes on the wall. We had compulsory mass once a week as well as prayers and hymn singing at assembly in the morning, and also a reading from the bible every day. The first lesson of the day in infant/primary school was always religious studies/education, which involved us learning the Catechism and various prayers - the creed for instance. We were presented the bible as if it was history. We were taught by nuns at the infant/primary schools in addition to other teachers, and the nuns were by far the most miserable ones with the worst tempers.
Once a week we had to do a whole rosary as a class - that nearly sent me to sleep - what the heck is the point of that?:eek:
At the secondary schools there was one improvement - the penguins (sorry - nuns:o) had gone, but we now had four lessons (two single and one double period) of religious knowledge a week, where there was a slight admission that perhaps the Old Testament wasn't really factual at all - no s??t Sherlock:rotfl:
There was however still assembly - loads of prayers and singing, and a compulsory mass once a week.
There were also regular religious retreats which you were encouraged to go away on, but fortunately my parents were skinflints so I didn't have to endure that.
We were taught absolutely nothing about other religions, and I cannot remember any children of other faiths at any of the schools I attended.

It's nice that I can't describe your experiences / comments as rubbish, but you are happy to slate people who have religious beliefs :rotfl: I personally find over-excited athiests like yourself one of the more ignorant type of people. But that's my opinion - so I'm sure you won't call it rubbish, right?

You went to school a VERY long time ago. Ever considered that things are different? Or are you just stuck in your thoughts and beliefs like the people you criticise so much?

sallypalma

CustardAndPickles wrote: »

It's nice that I can't describe your experiences / comments as rubbish, but you are happy to slate people who have religious beliefs :rotfl: I personally find over-excited athiests like yourself one of the more ignorant type of people. But that's my opinion - so I'm sure you won't call it rubbish, right?

You went to school a VERY long time ago. Ever considered that things are different? Or are you just stuck in your thoughts and beliefs like the people you criticise so much?

Actually Atheists far from being ignorant have a higher IQ than any of the Theist groups, they commit the fewest crimes (Christian are the highest offenders given the ratio in the population versus their numbers in the prison population) and are the group least likely to lie about themselves on dating sites (sorry, that award goes to Christian again !), so it seems that you may be the ignorant one.

I have two grown children (25 & 21), so they were not in school that long ago and had to fight tooth and nail for them not to say prayers in Assembly or participate in RE classes, they both went to the same school and it was NOT a faith school. I was told that the law was that they HAD to attend RE classes and the only pupils that were excused were children whose parents were not Christian (my son had a Muslim friend who was excused, as was a child of Jehovah's Witness parents) but it seems that as an Atheist my beliefs were going to be ignored. It was only when I threatened the school with legal action on the grounds of religious discrimination that they relented and let my son have extra maths and English lessons which were much more useful.

I have no problem with anyone believing in anything from fairies to the Holy Father, I just think it is a choice each of us should be free to make and at 16 a child is old enough to make that choice.

AlisonHarrison

VestanPance wrote: »

Nothing better than made up zenophobic stories to try and deverte attention from questioning all religion, not just Christianity.

Agreed. And still people continue to believe the malice served up by the Daily Mail etc.

lostinrates

sallypalma wrote: »

Actually Atheists far from being ignorant have a higher IQ than any of the Theist groups, they commit the fewest crimes (Christian are the highest offenders given the ratio in the population versus their numbers in the prison population) and are the group least likely to lie about themselves on dating sites (sorry, that award goes to Christian again !), so it seems that you may be the ignorant one.
.

As a matter of interest, how does one determine the people describing themselves as Christian aren't lying when they say that bit?:D

andygb

CustardAndPickles wrote: »

It's nice that I can't describe your experiences / comments as rubbish, but you are happy to slate people who have religious beliefs :rotfl: I personally find over-excited athiests like yourself one of the more ignorant type of people. But that's my opinion - so I'm sure you won't call it rubbish, right?

Please read post #22 and tell me if I have "slated" the religious person who I have referred to?
Why do you find me "over excited"?
If you want to see/hear "over excited" people, then I suggest that you listen to some of the evangelical types, or the hate filled Islamic preachers, there are none more ignorant than they and their followers.

securityguy

sallypalma wrote: »

Actually Atheists far from being ignorant have a higher IQ than any of the Theist groups...
I have two grown children (25 & 21), so they were not in school that long ago and had to fight tooth and nail for them not to say prayers in Assembly or participate in RE classes

You'd have thought that all that intellectual superiority would make it easy to quote S.71(1) of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, or, if your children are a little older, S.389(1) of the Education Act 1996 or, before that, S.25(4) of the Education Act 1944. All of them say pretty much the same thing, and all of them would have spared you your teeth and your nails.

andygb

lostinrates wrote: »

As a matter of interest, how does one determine the people describing themselves as Christian aren't lying when they say that bit?:D

It does make me laugh, when you hear some people speak about immigration and "foeigners", and they happen to mention that "this is a Christian country", when most of them have never been to church, never pray, and the only things which they worship are alcohol and the telly:D

geoffky

coolcait wrote: »

And if an atheist parent is also "telling young children something over and over again" why would that not also be "brainwashing"?

Over the years, I have read many articles by atheists which - explicitly or implicitly - suggest that those who have a religious faith are intellectually 'lacking' in some way.

To my mind, that sort of behaviour could well be 'bullying' and/or 'threatening'.

'Indoctrination' is not the exclusive domain of those who have a religious belief. It is a tool which can also be used by those who eschew religion.

Because atheism is not mentioned in our house..My daughters just know they have not been baptized and i told them they can be if they so wish....
We do not preach or brainwash in our house as we believe a human capable of finding out for themselves if they so wish..

Hermia

andygb wrote: »

It does make me laugh, when you hear some people speak about immigration and "foeigners", and they happen to mention that "this is a Christian country", when most of them have never been to church, never pray, and the only things which they worship are alcohol and the telly:D

I'm an atheist and it amazes me how many Christians will start having a go at me and then look utterly confused when I counter their arguments. I will usually mentions parts of the Bible or recent developments within Christian theology (I do find it an interesting topic). Eventually they will admit that they have never actually read the Bible, don't go to Church and don't read any Christian books/magazines/websites. I'm never quite sure whether they actually really know what they are believing in! I actually find I have far more interesting and respectful debates with devout Christians who do know what they are talking about.

Re: the schools argument. I was recently stunned to discover that a mainstream CofE school near me is now teaching young earth creationism and uses some very dodgy teaching materials. I was astonished because it seems such a mainstream school.