Question about faith in schools

The guy at uni had the same opinion about Dinosaurs, that they were there to test your faith and were part of a larger conspiracy. I sort of envy people with that level of unequivocal faith, but I wouldn't trade a walk on part in a war for a lead role in a cage.

oh, I love the idea of a prankster god who is essentially lying to people to try to catch them out.

I attended public schools in Massachusetts and, although the Lord's prayer and a Bible reading was still done in those days, science was strictly science. I think we learned early on that the Bible readings or Sunday School classes were not to be taken literally. To me the Bible was a piece of literature.

oh, I love the idea of a prankster god who is essentially lying to people to try to catch them out.

Yes!

alljustsquirrels, did you go to a US public (state) school or a private one?

I went to public school- it was a rural/agricultural area so it was the only option.


I dont think my experience was normal for the US, but I dont think it is that uncommon either. The fact that it happens at all is scary.
I had another experience in that same school with an english literature teacher. The assignment was to write a biographical/historic paper and I choose Pol Pot. (I think she wanted the 'Anne Frank' type of story...) She gave me an F on the paper not because of my writing- but because she said Pol Pot didnt exist. She said I made him up and I didnt do the assignment because I was supposed to base it on something real- not fictional. I tried to tell her it was real and she kept arguing. She said I was lying. Finally I told her that Cambodia would disagree with her and she tried to give me detention for 'being disruptive' and not accepting my F. I took the paper to my AP history teacher and he was so angry he took it to the prinicipals. The lit teacher was wrong and was reprimanded lightly- and then decided to start giving 'participtaion points' that affected our grades and wouldnt give me any- and tried to make me fail the class. I told my history teacher and they ended up switching me to an AP english class and I got an A+...

I had a few really great teachers- like the AP History teacher- and a few really bad teachers. I wish the former was more numerous than the latter, but when you drop pay for important social careers you either get the people that teach because they love it- or the people who cant do anything better and dont care about thier impact and start teaching thier own opinions rather than fact.

I had another experience in that same school with an english literature teacher. The assignment was to write a biographical/historic paper and I choose Pol Pot. (I think she wanted the 'Anne Frank' type of story...) She gave me an F on the paper not because of my writing- but because she said Pol Pot didnt exist. She said I made him up and I didnt do the assignment because I was supposed to base it on something real- not fictional.

Scary!  You'd think she'd look it up first before telling you that you had made it up.  Glad you got transferred to the AP class!

It seems to me like the fundamentalist Christian point of view is not as prevalent or vocal in the UK as it is in the USA, so the teaching of religion and science in the UK doesn't seem to be an either/or situation like it sometimes is in the US.

I've met plenty of religious people in the UK, but I haven't yet met anyone in the UK who believes in a literal interpretation of the Bible when it comes to scientific matters.  Religious faith for them seems to provide a moral framework and spiritual comfort, but does not serve as a foundation for the rest of their understanding of the world.

It may not be as prevalent but it sure exists. My (former) BIL is a born again Christian who, despite his own brother (my ex) being a geologist, still does not believe in evolution or how old the earth is. He and his wife also forbade the children to read anything like Harry Potter and did not allow them to believe in Santa Claus or participate in Halloween activities.

I just hope the born-again contingent don't gain as much as a foot-hold in the UK as they have here.

Very well put... I remember growing up in Iowa and there was a church directly across the street from the high school. The church would hold 'prayer circles' at lunch and then send a bunch of thier students into the cafeteria to 'save' as many kids as they could by convincing them into coming outside to pray. I felt extremely pressured. One girl- who happened to be the pastors daughter- reported me to the school counselors for being 'suicidal' because she found out I was an athiest and thought it was because I didnt believe in god anymore and had no reason to live- I must want to die. Those were her exact words- I know because one of the counselors called the police who picked me up less than two blocks from my house as I was walking home from school. Even though I explained what was going on, and my father fought it- they made me eat lunch every day in the counselors office for almost 3 months after that.  Not to mention hpw scared I was being put into the back of a police car against my will -I was terrified and was trying to make it around the corner so I could point to my house to prove I was already home and to talk to my dad. They drove me back to the school and called my dad.

Cripes!    

I just hope the born-again contingent don't gain as much as a foot-hold in the UK as they have here.

I don't think you need to worry about that!

I'm 100% christian and would love for my children to learn more about our faith in school. These countries in discussion are Christain based roots and that's why they are in the schools. I'm actually surprised because I always feel that the Christians get the short end of the stick. My oldest took RE and learned about lots of different faiths and about those that didn't believe.

I also don't like that some Christians take faith to extremes. Our jobs as Christians are to reflect God so that all would know who you represent. Our job is to bring more in to be saved and not make them run away. If I have an opportunity to talk about God, I will, but I would never pressure anyone nor would I make them feel they have to be a Christian. That is up to each individual person and only that person can decide.

It is harder to believe in something you can't see, but God is who got me through a very dark time when my baby was born sleeping.

I respect each and every person's choice but honestly secretly wished everyone did believe. I hope that's ok to say that.   

I respect each and every person's choice but honestly secretly wished everyone did believe. I hope that's ok to say that.   

It's OK to say that.  You sound like a very caring and sweet person so please don't take this comment as being harsh:  many people *do* believe in God, just not the Christian God.  And they do take offense when they are told that they need to be "saved".  Not that you personally would be that pushy (but many others are pushy!).  There are many religions which are far older than Christianity and that should be respected.

I respect each and every person's choice but honestly secretly wished everyone did believe. I hope that's ok to say that.   

depends.  Would you be OK with someone telling you they secretly wished you would lose your faith?

(I don't hope that, by the way.  Believe in what makes you happy to believe.)

lamuella, in all honesty, yes, I would be ok with that. Mostly because I know it won't happen just as what I wished for secretly wouldn't happen in reverse, hence the reason for it being a secret in my heart and a respect to anybody as I don't ever want to be the person to push them away.

I work at a CofE Academy, so of course, there are Christian posters and other things on the walls, but the atmosphere there never seems overly religious to me, as I come from a very religious family (but I am definitely NOT religious) so this place seems pretty mild by comparison. Our chaplain even tells semi-dirty jokes in our office - she is a complete crackerjack not at all what I would have expected. 

My daughter is 5 years old and attends a CoE school. She played Angel Gabriel (Gabrielle?) in the Christmas play, but the songs all of the children sung weren't overly religious. In fact, they were darn funny and entertaining.

I'm a longtime Atheist who originates from the Bible Belt, so my radar to such matters is fairly sensitive.

My daughter has brought home Christian colouring material home during Christmas, which usually consists of black and white manger scenes for her to scribble on. And here and there she brings home other cultural material and little activities such as for Diwali, where there's an activity sheet included teaching her how to make her own paper lanterns for the "Festival of Lights".

For the time being, I'm working on teaching my child about the world around her and being respectful to others who are different. My husband and daughter watch "Jesus Christ Superstar" (too disco-y for me!) from time to time so she has a decent understanding about the story of Jesus. Whenever we travel and there's a large church near, my child always asks to go inside so she can admire the stained glass and the pretty statues. And she knows she has to be quiet and respectful while inside.

So for the time being we're coasting along. We also read about the Vikings, ancient Egyptians and ancient Greeks. I treat the story of Jesus in a similar fashion to the story of Icarus or Thor.

I can't claim to have all the answers. But hopefully I can direct my child in a way to make her inquisitive enough to eventually find her own path in life. And I really hope if the school(s) she attends in the future get too churchy, the level of understanding we have created at home will override the "God is the answer" information.

Although my daughter got a fair amount of Christian background at her (state) school and at Brownies/Guides, her favourite bedtime book was about the myth of Osiris and Isis!