General Chat

What do you think? We have it forced on us and I don't like it. Today we had our special chaplain and had to say prayers. The thing is there is only a minority of people who are actually religious, like my friend for example, so I don't think that's fair. At our school there are some Jehovah's and they are a bit weird. I'm surprised they don't object because they don't attend RME lessons because it is 'against their religion'.

......some Jehovah's and they are a bit weird * in what way??

I'm totally against religion being taught in schools. Faith should not be thrust upon children like that, it should be 'taught' in the home and church.

Ban it. Why is forced to be part of the curriculum? I don't want to learn, you don't want to teach me. Religion should stay in places of worship where we can go it, not have it forced upon us.

sorry didn't mean to offend...I meant weird as in different from me in what they believe.

I am not particularily religious now, but loved RE. As for Jehovas, known some very normal ones, as in all walks of life a mixed bunch. But how I admire them having the guts to try to pass on their words, and risk abuse etc, because they believe strongly enough to risk knocking a door. I don't necessarily believe what they do, but as for all religions, would never judge them.

You did offend- just wonderer what you meant by 'wierd'. we have a unsual religious group near where i live, and a rich religious community at that - they 'pool' money and buy up all the property, and wear little headscarves over their long hair

The only family of Jehovah's witnesses I've even known livd across the road from my family when I was growing up. weird is a very good description of them.

I did RE in school. I was taught about other Religions and beliefs as well as my own even though at the time it was a C of E school. I do attend Church but I am also tolerent and understanding of others. I would never preach to others each to their own. I am C of E but my hubby is Catholic we have no problems with either his or my family even though both are religious. My Uncle is a Church Warden and his wife the Church organist. Rebecca

The law states that there has to be a collective worship in schools, which is commonly known as 'assembly'. This generally involves a message about being good etc, a prayer - or thinking time - and a song which may or may not be a hymn. This isn't the same as RE. At our school the Jehovah's Witness children do not stay in assembly for the singing, but they do attend RE lessons. RE covers many faiths - Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh. nell

I guess it depends on what sort of school you attend. My secondary school was council run, we has assembaly every Monday (always had a moral story, hymn and prayer) and had 2 hours of Religious studies (RS / RE) every week. Your parents could have you withdrawn from RS and you could stand out of assembally but few did ( 2 Yehovah's Witnesses, a Jew and a Catholic from what I can remember) The daft thing was most of the girls did RS by choice even if they did not go to assembaly, the Jewish girl was excellent at RS - she even ended up doing the subject most of the time as she remembered what nobody else could. Until the scholls realise that most children are not religious or the majority have different beleifes then they will continue to practice religion in the way they have for years.

A muslim say, would find it offensive to be preached Christianity at a school which isn't religious. I think it would be the same if you are secular. I didn't mind being taught RE but it was a waste of time. Our whole class failed lol :-)

In reply to the Witnesses being weird, I am Cof E and must say knowing a few Witnesses I have found more weirdo's in my faith than theirs. I have never found them to be arrogant and certainly not 'too pushy' unlike other religions. Rupert.

Who picks what religions that are forced down our throats in these compulsory lessons? I thought there was a fair few hundred, each with their own potential to be true. Yet I only remember being taught about 4/5 I think.

I think RE should be taught in schools in as much as pupils are taught about different faiths but that is as far as it goes, I think that other that what I have already said, religion has no places in schools, schools are for learning, not religion and the best place to be taught religion is in the home. Having said that, I think that religion is the reason for war and it is the most devisive thing in this world today and if President Bush wasnt one of those godawful middle american religious nuts, then he would be trying to ban it throughout the world, as it is he is just tryiong to ban religions that he doesnt agree with Just my humble opinion of course

Daniel, I agree... I really do hate compulsory lessons but I think I needed PE lol :-)

It's strange how our perseptions of people and groups depend upon our experiences and upbringing. The first Yehovah's witnesses I met were 2 children about 6 and 8, who had been sent out to 'spread the word' when I was about 10/11, I was horrified as was my mother that someone could allow there children to roam the streets in this way and the children were dressed strangely to me - more like mini adults. I was 14 when we had a Yehovah's Witness join my class and she was a stuck up, spoilt brat that resented being in school but her younger sister was the nicest girl i've ever met - they didn't stay in school long as the eldest kept moaning at home. Then 3 years ago I met a lady that had become a Yahovah's Witness as a child (her choice) she was lovely, not at all pushy. Although she did not celerbrate christmas, she gave our class cards as we celerbrated and I made sure she got a card of me that was just seasonal greetings as I did not want to leave her out, and she said she appreciated the sentiment. I think that I've met some wonderful people of alsorts of religous backgrounds so don't judge them, however I do hate it when people try to preach to you in the street and save you from eternal what ever - If I'm going to beleive I don't need someone shouting at me in the street and shoving paper into my hands. If we ban religion from schools how long would it be until we were like france? No religious things at all, necklaces, headscarfs, turbans, Nothing related to religion at all.

I'm not to keen on secular humanism being forced down kids throats... As for religion being the main cause of war, people often forget what Stalin managed to get up to...

hi all being from a country torn apart by religion (northern ireland) i agree it should be banned!!!

Anyone with half a mind, who has really studied the scriptures, will conclude that they largely mythology. The teaching of religion should, by law, be witheld from minors and introduced to them only when their brains and minds are fully formed and they can reach their own conclusions. Any child under 9 years old having a doctrine installed in their consciousness will have it all their lives unless, by a great effort, they intellectually reject it. Hands up all those who believe the world and all it contains was made in 6 days. Let us not dwell on Adam and Eve. len