so number one son was told at school yesterday as they started their RE class. God created man and woman he was told. Number one son was puzzled and during discussions he raised his hand as told the teacher that man wasn't the first thing on earth....Dinosaurs were. It seems he is more of a 'Darwinian' than a biblical boy and his teacher was impressed with his understanding of evolution.
difficult subject in this day and age, RE..good luck explaining it ;D
Had to go up to school to speak to the teacher when my son was in year 3 (age 7). They had been to the local Evangelical church where they were given a talk.
Son came home and asked me what I had done wrong. I didn't understand what he meant until he explained that the talk went along the lines of - If someone does something wrong, God punishes them and gives them a disease. Having just got through cancer at the time I was fuming. The teacher didn't even know what I was on about when I spoke to her, just shows that they'll let anyone speak to your impressionable kids without knowledge of what they are telling them!!!
Jo.
good grief, who told him that, ignorant ***
My personal view is that the best RE teachers are the ones with no personal affiliation, then they can teach them all without bias (as long as they aren't out and out anti). I also do not believe in the need for worship on a daily basis - or for that matter grace at lunch. I do not think it is a school's job to teach belief, that is a family's job if that is what they believe. I do agree that schools should teach RE but it should be about religions and what they believe in, not what the kids should believe in. Schools should take and entirely neutral point of view on religion. In view of that, I do not believe in faith schools of any religion - they are merely divisive. EJ's case would be OK if the teacher had started with - Creationists believe... and the Evangelical one would have been OK if the teacher had spoken to the class beforehand and warned the children that it was a personal view about religion they were about to hear and that the children were free to make their own mind's up. :)
I don't think that it's ok to tell kids that God gives you disease, whatever religion you are.
Disease is born from scientific mishaps and not from any celestial being, that is proven.
EJ, I think your son is wise beyond his years, he'll be very good at Science ;D
Jo.
Being a preacher myself, I'm seriously embarrassed by the idiocies that some preachers come up with! I'm also an RE teacher, and I don't think there should be any room for nonsense like that in the classroom. Kids should be given the freedom to make up their own minds, and they shouldn't be exposed to that sort of dogmatist until they're old enough to be critical.
Quote from: Robert_BrenchleyKids should be given the freedom to make up their own minds, and they shouldn't be exposed to that sort of dogmatist until they're old enough to be critical.
Well said that man! (and I'll admit I'm a bit surprised hearing that come from a preacher)
I firmly believe that children should not be told which religion they are but should be free to choose as they grow and learn. I've a feeling that this may be a sticky subject when our litlle one is born as Mrs Nelson's family is rather christian but I do not want our children christened unless they choose to be.
;D Of course, I wasn't planning for this to become a heated debate on the yays and nays of religion. Hub and I are not at all religious, but do appreciate that as part of the sprogs education, they must know the bible stories. They were looking more at the pictures in the bible as is so often the case, the artwork in bibles is beautiful. I am proud that he has a practical view of how we came about and doesn't just agree when someone says 'this is what happened and that is all you need to know'. Daughter on the other hand knows all about dinosaurs, but also believes in God - she doesn't like the thought of her Grandad having died and not gone to heaven. I'm afraid number one son figures that grandads bones might one day turn up like the dinsaurs have.... ;D
I'm not looking forward to my RE class tomorrow afternoon, one of our brightest and best went home and committed suicide last Thursday...
:'(
Quote from: saddad on March 07, 2007, 18:44:35
I'm not looking forward to my RE class tomorrow afternoon, one of our brightest and best went home and committed suicide last Thursday...
:'(
good grief, saddad, that's so hard to take, hope you can get through it :( :)
Quote from: saddad on March 07, 2007, 18:44:35
I'm not looking forward to my RE class tomorrow afternoon, one of our brightest and best went home and committed suicide last Thursday...
:'(
I will say a prayer for you and will will be thinking of you . Be strong .
Rohaise x