Daughter forced to believe in God

Pherekydes

I was under the impression that there were almost NO teenagers amongst the A&A regulars.

bajer101

GreeBo wrote: »

We are not debating what actually happened, we are debating what the teacher should have done.
You are missing the delicate fact that we are no longer discussing what happened, instead we are discussing what SHOULD have happened, so you can cut and paste your misplaced condescension wherever you want, thanks.

The option proposed above was that the teacher should have decided to start a class level discussion on whether or not God exists. Im merely pointing out that that would be exactly the scenario you have an issue, albeit from the other side.

Yes we are debating what actually happened, because you stated that my daughter tried to tell the other kids that God didn't exist, and that is not what happened. She stated that she did not believe in god and it was the teacher and other kids who insisted that God does exist that caused the problem. And just to recap - she was then told that if she voiced that opinion again, she would be sent back to her old school.

I really shouldn't have to keep repeating myself about the facts of what happened, but when people insist on ignoring what I have previously said and post statements that imply that either I or my daughter or lying, I have no option but to defend both of us.

Pwindedd

GreeBo wrote: »

The parent should have let the school know that the child themselves would be deciding on their religion, and that they didnt want the to be taught Catholicism if the child decided they didnt believe in God.
In that case the teacher would have been aware that this might come up.
For any other child that has been brought to the school as a Catholic, the teacher is right to tell them that they have to believe in God, as thats the parents wish.

Have we not, several times, established that until this time the OP was not aware of his daughters opinion. It could have been handled much better by the teacher. Something along the lines of "really child, well thats a surprise, lots of us in this class believe in him but it's ok if you don't want to" followed by a quick word with the parent "OP your daughter announced in class today that she does not believe in God, which surprised us a little, what are your feelings on the matter, do you want us to continue to instruct your child in Catholicism - by all means discuss this together and let us know how you feel"

Hindsight is a wonderful thing though, everyone knows what to do after the fact.

shruikan2553

Pherekydes wrote: »

I was under the impression that there were almost NO teenagers amongst the A&A regulars.

We're all actually just a bunch of teenagers in our parents basements going through a rebellious phase supposedly.

Gerry T

Pwindedd wrote: »

Hindsight is a wonderful thing though, everyone knows what to do after the fact.

I have an idea, lets send teachers to a place where they can learn how to teach, lets call it teacher training school, where they can learn the nitty gritty stuff, like don't threaten 7 yr olds

vibe666

GreeBo wrote: »

The option proposed above was that the teacher should have decided to start a class level discussion on whether or not God exists. Im merely pointing out that that would be exactly the scenario you have an issue, albeit from the other side.

No, it was suggested that it should have opened a discussion with the class that not everyone believes in god and that under the Irish constitution, everyone is just as entitled to hold those beliefs and have them be respected as everyone else is to theirs.

That would have been a very good lesson for everyone to learn.

GreeBo wrote: »

Sure they will hear about it, but not in the environment that they were specifically sent to to be taught things.

You have totally missed the point, its the religious belief of all the other kids.

Actually Im not religious at all, so your point scoring is totally wasted on me.

I meant "your" in the 3rd person, you have already mentioned you aren't religious. I should probably have said "their" to be totally clear.

in this particular case, the teacher has demonstrated very little to the children other than that the way to deal with a small child who has suddenly decided she doesn't believe in god is to bully them into submission and threaten them with expulsion.

Maybe I missed it somewhere, but have you responded at all regarding the constitutionally protected Irish and EU rights of the child to her (non)beliefs and that your suggestions violate those rights?

Do you believe that your opinion holds more weight than the Irish constitution and EU human rights legislation out are you just ignoring an inconvenient truth?

vibe666

Deranged96 wrote: »

Also I didn't read the 51 odd pages, so I apologise if I'm out of the loop badly enough to render my 2c void.

Would you be at all surprised if I told you that that every single thing you've said except the bit I've quoted is either incorrect or void?

Cabaal

Pherekydes wrote: »

I was under the impression that there were almost NO teenagers amongst the A&A regulars.

Gota say with the exception of one or two threads stated as coming from teenagers it's evident from most posts on this forum that there's a very big range of posters here.... And they seem to come mainly from people aged 25/30 upwards, some posts suggest 50 year old and older.

GreeBo

bajer101 wrote: »

Yes we are debating what actually happened, because you stated that my daughter tried to tell the other kids that God didn't exist, and that is not what happened. She stated that she did not believe in god and it was the teacher and other kids who insisted that God does exist that caused the problem. And just to recap - she was then told that if she voiced that opinion again, she would be sent back to her old school.

I really shouldn't have to keep repeating myself about the facts of what happened, but when people insist on ignoring what I have previously said and post statements that imply that either I or my daughter or lying, I have no option but to defend both of us.

What you should do is go re-read my post.
"They dont want their child being forced to hear that God doesnt exist any more than you would want your child to be taught creationism."

I didnt state any such thing, I said that the other parents might not way to have their kids forced to hear that God doesnt exist.
Nowhere did I say that your child was telling other kids anything.
I specifically said that parents wouldnt want their impressionable kids being exposed to a class discussion on God existing or not.
Where was the lying implied, by anyone?

Pwindedd wrote: »

Have we not, several times, established that until this time the OP was not aware of his daughters opinion. It could have been handled much better by the teacher. Something along the lines of "really child, well thats a surprise, lots of us in this class believe in him but it's ok if you don't want to" followed by a quick word with the parent "OP your daughter announced in class today that she does not believe in God, which surprised us a little, what are your feelings on the matter, do you want us to continue to instruct your child in Catholicism - by all means discuss this together and let us know how you feel"

Hindsight is a wonderful thing though, everyone knows what to do after the fact.

Yes we did establish that, however we also established that the OP, all along, was happy for his child to decide their own religious faith. What we also established is that the parent furnished said childs baptismal certificate when the school asked, and that said parent kept schtum on the facts regarding their childs religious beliefs, being that they were free to make their own choices.

Hindsight is indeed wonderful, but I still maintain that arming the school with all the info available can only help to avoid these situations.
The teacher, naturally, assumed that the OP wanted their child to be taught as a Catholic child.
A Catholic child isnt encouraged by their acting parents to deny the existence of thrir cosen deity.

GreeBo

vibe666 wrote: »

No, it was suggested that it should have opened a discussion with the class that not everyone believes in god and that under the Irish constitution, everyone is just as entitled to hold those beliefs and have them be respected as everyone else is to theirs.

That would have been a very good lesson for everyone to learn.

That would have been an excellent approach in a non denominational or multi faith school, not in a catholic school with a child that has been delivered to the school as a catholic.

I'm not going to entertain your constitutional "point", its irrelevant to this discussion.
In school the teacher is legally acting as the chlids parent, the child has been delivered to the school as a catholic, ergo they are treated as a catholic.
I fully respect the parents right to deliver the child as any religion or none to the school.

lukesmom

GreeBo wrote: »

What you should do is go re-read my post.
"They dont want their child being forced to hear that God doesnt exist any more than you would want your child to be taught creationism."

I didnt state any such thing, I said that the other parents might not way to have their kids forced to hear that God doesnt exist.
Nowhere did I say that your child was telling other kids anything.
I specifically said that parents wouldnt want their impressionable kids being exposed to a class discussion on God existing or not.
Where was the lying implied, by anyone?



Yes we did establish that, however we also established that the OP, all along, was happy for his child to decide their own religious faith. What we also established is that the parent furnished said childs baptismal certificate when the school asked, and that said parent kept schtum on the facts regarding their childs religious beliefs, being that they were free to make their own choices.

Hindsight is indeed wonderful, but I still maintain that arming the school with all the info available can only help to avoid these situations.
The teacher, naturally, assumed that the OP wanted their child to be taught as a Catholic child.
A Catholic child isnt encouraged by their acting parents to deny the existence of thrir cosen deity.

What info though? The OP didn't know his daughter didn't believe in God when she was starting school. So he couldn't have foreseen what happened.

bajer101

amkin25 wrote: »

Most of the people posting atheist stuff here are teenagers just winding people up imo,i aint religious myself but the militant atheist stuff on boards is crazy its not at all reflective of reality of people in this country,the ops story is silly too,his daughter couldn't colour in a picture of Jesus because she doesn't believe in God,totally made up story i guarantee it.

Hmm...my daughter couldn't colour in a picture of Jesus? You think this is the explanation as to why she decided that she didn't believe in God? I have sat and watched her solve the top two layers of a Rubik's cube at seven years of age. I have been made to double take as she challenged me and made me think about my preconceived opinions. I know my daughter. She decided that she did not believe in God and I know that she arrived at that conclusion through critical thinking.

Chimichangas

Pwindedd wrote: »

Ok I'll bite - isn't that the crux of the issue, we are coming this from the standpoint of our convictions. Some people are religious and enjoy religion and it's benefits. Pro-religion. Others are not religious and don't enjoy religion and feel it doesn't benefit them. Anti-religion. (I could take umbrage to use of the word anti, but as this isn't the thread for it I'll roll with it...Alti-religion anyone?)

Why do you feel Anti religion is more of an agenda in this particular discussion than the Catholic position of majority rules, please don't rock the boat?

....The only counter arguments to this suggestion seem to be that - no-one wants this and sure it's the way we've always done things. We're only talking about alternatives and our experiences in this area. 2.5 hours a week on a foreign language and your child could be fluent by the time they attend secondary education. They offered French classes as an extra curricular class at my daughters primary school. after school lessons for the princely sum of €150 - and the poor wee thing with not even communion money to buy them.

Some well made points that I could probably agree with some.

It doesnt get much more anti religion than comparing those who believe in, are part of a religion as being mindless zombies because they have a different point of view to the majority of posters in this forum.
I dont know that I agree with what you say is the catholic position, but its a very specific point to be making too.
And why did you pick catholic? Do you infer that the anti-religion bias here means anti catholic?

Nor am I the one saying there is only one counter argument either.

Though that is a good point that these religious schools were there before the state, in bringing education, and religion, to the masses, in line with the wishes of the congregation. Not saying its right. there should be more choice, but i dont think all schools should be forced to change and drop religion because of a shortage of non-denominational schools and a loud anti religious (or anti catholic is it?) element says they should change.

But its enlightening to find out more about atheism, agnosticism from what is posted here. Its nearly different to the bible bashers trying to force their beliefs on you.
Though I should try and find out which one is the most anti catholic, in case I decide to join...


But I do love the idea of more time devoted to foreign languages! Absolutely!

Cabaal

GreeBo wrote: »

In school the teacher is legally acting as the chlids parent,

Errrr, what?
Legally the only parent is the actual parent or assigned guardian.

Teachers are in no way comparable to a parent when it comes to decision making process or looking after children, teachers will tell you this themselves.

If you think teachers can legally act as the child's parent while the child is in school then by all means please post the relevant legislation that states this.

GreeBo

lukesmom wrote: »

What info though? The OP didn't know his daughter didn't believe in God when she was starting school. So he couldn't have foreseen what happened.

The info that, as a parent, Im allowing my child to make their own decision regarding their religious upbringing.

I wouldnt say its normal for a 7 year old to be given that responsibility, so that wouldnt be the teachers default assumption.

vibe666

amkin25 wrote: »

I do know i am right so i'll take that bet where do you want to meet,can the Mods arrange these bets?

No need to meet, you can donate the €10,000 directly to temple street.

I assume the bet is about the OP rather than the average age of A&A posters, but I'm sure there was a thread a while back where an admin had mentioned that membership details placed the average age of most boardsies as late twenties to early thirties, but I'm sure a mod could get access to that information for a €10k charity donation if it was going to make the difference?

As for the truth of what the OP has described, I know it to be true because I have known him personally for several years and I was the one who suggested to him that he put the thread up here after it happened as he was unsure of where he stood or how to proceed after it happened.

bajer101

Deranged96 wrote: »

She was only told keep her opinion to herself, not that she had to believe in God.
And you did send her into a catholic school, so......

You should indeed talk to the principal and opt her out of religious time, but really you should hsve had to foresight to bring this up when you enrolled her- you obviously have strong views and knew the ethos of the school

What are you going to do at communion and confirmation time?

Also I didn't read the 51 odd pages, so I apologise if I'm out of the loop badly enough to render my 2c void.

She was not told to keep her opinion to herself. She was told that if she insisted in saying that she did not believe in God she would be sent back to her old school. She was told that she had to believe in God. This resulted in the other kids picking on her and telling her that there is a God.

It has since been sorted. She stood up for herself and I backed her and met with the Principal.

And she will never keep her opinion to herself.

lukesmom

GreeBo wrote: »

The info that, as a parent, Im allowing my child to make their own decision regarding their religious upbringing.

I wouldnt say its normal for a 7 year old to be given that responsibility, so that wouldnt be the teachers default assumption.

Maybe he didn't envisage that happening so he didn't talk to the school.

GreeBo

Cabaal wrote: »

Errrr, what?
Legally the only parent is the actual parent or assigned guardian.

Teachers are in no way comparable to a parent when it comes to decision making process or looking after children, teachers will tell you this themselves.

If you think teachers can legally act as the child's parent while the child is in school then by all means please post the relevant legislation that states this.

Google "in loco parentis" and come back to me.

Mark Tapley

Mary63 wrote: »

I have teenagers living in my house and they are the ones causing me mental health difficulties,not the other way around.
Now can we have the research that shows that telling children to consider others beliefs before speaking out results in mental health difficulties.
Its the encouraging of children to express every tedious little thought at length,and convoluted explanations of why they should do as they are told is what is causing huge discipline problems in the classroom and leading to teachers ending up on anti depression medication and long term sick leave.
I know a family of athiest children and they are obnoxious know alls,their parents think the sun shines out of their rear ends but unfortuneatly no one else especially their poor teachers agree.They take over every conversation bragging about their speech and drama exams etc,etc and they whine non stop.I really want to tell them to get lost but I know their parents would think i was disrespecting them.

You sound like you're from the school of children should be seen and not heard.

secman

bajer101 wrote: »

Hmm...my daughter couldn't colour in a picture of Jesus? You think this is the explanation as to why she decided that she didn't believe in God? I have sat and watched her solve the top two layers of a Rubik's cube at seven years of age. I have been made to double take as she challenged me and made me think about my preconceived opinions. I know my daughter. She decided that she did not believe in God and I know that she arrived at that conclusion through critical
thinking.

Listen to yourself.... through critical thinking...she is 7 years old....... what are her thoughts on Santa ? Seriously !

bajer101

amkin25 wrote: »

Am not really being sarcastic i'm just pointing out this story is not true,as i said i am not religious myself but i am not as militant as most people here,if he sent her to Catholic school anyway what does he expect to get.

So you are calling me and my daughter liars? Why? Why is this "story not true"?

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that when I answer every question you pose and reply with logical and reasonable responses you will not be able to respond in kind, but will instead disappear. Let's start off with your assertion that this story is not true. Why?

Mark Tapley

amkin25 wrote: »

Most of the people posting atheist stuff here are teenagers just winding people up imo,i aint religious myself but the militant atheist stuff on boards is crazy its not at all reflective of reality of people in this country,the ops story is silly too,his daughter couldn't colour in a picture of Jesus because she doesn't believe in God,totally made up story i guarantee it.

Why would the OP make this up . This thread is hard work. The OP doesn't sound like a militant atheist at all.
I find as I get older , I am fifty now ,the less tolerance I have for pussy footing around theists and their demands for respect.
Why should people have to jump through hoops to get their child a non religious education.

amkin25

bajer101 wrote: »

So you are calling me and my daughter liars? Why? Why is this "story not true"?

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that when I answer every question you pose and reply with logical and reasonable responses you will not be able to respond in kind, but will instead disappear. Let's start off with your assertion that this story is not true. Why?

Questions? so you are gonna prove yourself to be telling the truth here on boards,obviously you must know you can't prove yourself to be telling the truth don't you?

Look we both know the truth so why bother getting yourself worked up,we can pretend we all believe that story if you want.

lukesmom

amkin25 wrote: »

Questions? so you are gonna prove yourself to be telling the truth here on boards,obviously you must know you can't prove yourself to be telling the truth don't you?

Look you we both know the truth so why bother getting yourself worked up,we can pretend we all believe that story if you want.

Your sounding like you personally know the OP???

bajer101

Turtwig wrote: »

At the time the parent was happy for the child to be taught religion and the parent was under the impression his daughter believed in God. She turned heel all by herself, it seems.

There's no "it seems", about it - or any volte face. She didn't have a staunch belief in anything. During our last casual conversation she said that she believed in God and Heaven. During this chat I told her, as I always have, that she can believe whatever she wants, but that it is a very complicated subject and that she can decide about all this later. I also told her - as I always do, that she can change her mind.

Gerry T

lukesmom wrote: »

Your sounding like you personally know the OP???

sounds more like a wind up merchant. Sort of misses the whole threat idea. Someone posts something and we all debate the pro's and con's. I don't think its supposed to be a guessing game or truth or lie.
Anyway the story to date sounds totally plausible and I'm glad it came to a satisfactory ending

amkin25

Mark Tapley wrote: »

Why would the OP make this up . This thread is hard work. The OP doesn't sound like a militant atheist at all.
I find as I get older , I am fifty now ,the less tolerance I have for pussy footing around theists and their demands for respect.
Why should people have to jump through hoops to get their child a non religious education.

Suppose its the wrong thread most people here being fairly militant,not religious here 3 kids none baptized myself,but at the end of the day its all knowledge why force atheism because if they have no knowledge of religion then you are forcing atheism since they won't know how it works, i had religion here as a kid but i don't anymore.

bajer101

amkin25 wrote: »

I do know i am right so i'll take that bet where do you want to meet,can the Mods arrange these bets?

Ok, so this is a made up story? I demand a cut of this bet. @Amkin, what proof do you need that this is not a made up story? Because I know you will try to back out of it this at every possible opportunity. Do I not have a daughter who announced in class that she didn't believe in God? Is that the made up part? Or does Vibe666 have to prove that the teacher said that if my daughter said it again that she would be sent back to her old school? What are you saying didn't happen?

vibe666

amkin25 wrote: »

Look we both know the truth so why bother getting yourself worked up,we can pretend we all believe that story if you want.

Evidently you don't know the truth and you seem to have missed it the first time I posted it, so I'll repeat myself once again as I have gotten very used to doing in this thread.

vibe666 wrote: »

No need to meet, you can donate the €10,000 directly to temple street.

I assume the bet is about the OP rather than the average age of A&A posters, but I'm sure there was a thread a while back where an admin had mentioned that membership details placed the average age of most boardsies as late twenties to early thirties, but I'm sure a mod could get access to that information for a €10k charity donation if it was going to make the difference?

As for the truth of what the OP has described, I know it to be true because I have known him personally for several years and I was the one who suggested to him that he put the thread up here after it happened as he was unsure of where he stood or how to proceed after it happened.

So when exactly can we expect that you will be lodging your donation with temple street, because they need every penny they can get these days.

Mark Tapley

amkin25 wrote: »

Suppose its the wrong thread most people here being fairly militant,not religious here 3 kids none baptized myself,but at the end of the day its all knowledge why force atheism because if they have no knowledge of religion then you are forcing atheism since they won't know how it works, i had religion here as a kid but i don't anymore.

This is a discussion forum where people can express their views in the knowledge that we have all chosen to be here. I don't force atheism on anyone. It is when other peoples beliefs have a negative effect on my life that I lose my patience.

amkin25

vibe666 wrote: »

Evidently you don't know the truth and you seem to have missed it the first time I posted it, so I'll repeat myself once again as I have gotten very used to doing in this thread.



So when exactly can we expect that you will be lodging your donation with temple street, because they need every penny they can get these days.

So because you know each other on boards that makes it true does it,cmon the more you guys protest the less believable you look,cmon there is 3 of us now who know the truth.

amkin25

Mark Tapley wrote: »

This is a discussion forum where people can express their views in the knowledge that we have all chosen to be here. I don't force atheism on anyone. It is when other peoples beliefs have a negative effect on my life that I lose my patience.

Yeah but that argument can clearly be made about the ops daughter whos beliefs/views could be seen to be having negative effect on a whole class,so who is more important one person or classful, and the teacher made a decision in this hypothetical situation.

vibe666

amkin25 wrote: »

So because you know each other on boards that makes it true does it,cmon the more you guys protest the less believable you look,cmon there is 3 of us now who know the truth.

No, there are lots of is who know the truth and then there's you, who doesn't.

It's going to be very easy for me to verify 100% that the story is true, as it has been told, so would you like to take your chances and still agree to lock yourself into the bet and if you are wrong to abide by a majority moderator decision and pay up, or would you prefer to save yourself €10k and admit you are wrong?

Pwindedd

amkin25 wrote: »

Suppose its the wrong thread most people here being fairly militant,not religious here 3 kids none baptized myself,but at the end of the day its all knowledge why force atheism because if they have no knowledge of religion then you are forcing atheism since they won't know how it works, i had religion here as a kid but i don't anymore.

So you had a religious education but are now not religious. Can I ask if you don't believe or just don't bother with religion.

Also no one here has been militant, nor forced atheism on anyone. I think you've picked that up wrong.

Mark Tapley

amkin25 wrote: »

Yeah but that argument can clearly be made about the ops daughter whos beliefs/views could be seen to be having negative effect on a whole class,so who is more important one person or classful, and the teacher made a decision in this hypothetical situation.

I'm disinclined to debate with you while you keep up this charade about the OPs credibility.

vibe666

Mark Tapley wrote: »

I'm disinclined to debate with you while you keep up this charade about the OPs credibility.

I have a sneaking feeling that he is going to get very quiet very quickly.

bajer101

secman wrote: »

Listen to yourself.... through critical thinking...she is 7 years old....... what are her thoughts on Santa ? Seriously !

She does believe in Santa. I indoctrinated her with that belief and didn't tell her that it was up to her to make her own mind up. If I had given her the option of critical thinking about Santa she'd laugh at the concept. Just goes to show the power of indoctrination. Human children have evolved to believe whatever adults tell them. Don't eat those berries. Don't swim in that river. The genes that didn't obey, died.

So yeah, I did get her to believe in Santa and the Easter Bunny and the tooth fairy. I'm not 100% sure that it was ok to do that, but it is relatively harmless compared to the indoctrination of Religion.

amkin25

vibe666 wrote: »

I have a sneaking feeling that he is going to get very quiet very quickly.

Why would i get quiet though i honestly haven't all night for this i have to be up early,but good luck with it man,sorry for any offence taken was only jarring you guys but i honestly don't believe it,i am a sceptic by nature and this story about 7 year olds making up their mind about God and Atheism,too much for my little brain and i don't buy it personally,unless someone is brainwashing the kid.

amkin25

Mark Tapley wrote: »

I'm disinclined to debate with you while you keep up this charade about the OPs credibility.

I am not debating with you either coz i gotta hit the sack,but lets be honest your
"It is when other peoples beliefs have a negative effect on my life that I lose my patience"
line applied 100% to the ops daughter you had no comeback so you resorted to pettiness,anyway goodnight take it easy.

vibe666

amkin25 wrote: »

Why would i get quiet though i honestly haven't all night for this i have to be up early,but good luck with it man,sorry for any offence taken was only jarring you guys but i honestly don't believe it,i am a sceptic by nature and this story about 7 year olds making up their mind about God and Atheism,too much for my little brain and i don't buy it personally,unless someone is brainwashing the kid.

The entire thing is documented as and when it happened on Facebook where our discussion began, neatly arranged with time and date stamps to confirm that it was all prior to this thread and being discussed with family and friends as to how best to proceed.

If it came to it and bajer101 agreed, it would be easy enough for him and I to add a mod from here as a fb friend and they could verify that everything posted here by the OP is 100% true, unless of course you think he would lie about it to his friends and family?

Now where is your ten grand?

Mark Tapley

amkin25 wrote: »

I am not debating with you either coz i gotta hit the sack,but lets be honest your
"It is when other peoples beliefs have a negative effect on my life that I lose my patience"
line applied 100% to the ops daughter you had no comeback so you resorted to pettiness,anyway goodnight take it easy.

You have called people liars for no good reason that I can see other than to be antagonistic.
As others have said children do not live in a catholic bubble and will hear different views. It was an opportunity for the teacher to explain that different people believe or don't believe different things.
I think you mistook my annoyance at your pointless contribution as pettiness.

fehenry

as a former teacher, I suggest that you contact the chairperson of the school's management board and request that your child be excused from religious instruction classes. You could contact this person directly or you could go to see the principal and ask him/her to bring the matter to the attention of the manager.
This is standard procedure in schools throughout the country and, given the influx of non-nationals in recent years, it happens very often so your school principal should be already aware that this is standard procedure. That may be fine in a legal context but in practice there still may be problems.
Given the cutbacks in funding the school may not have the-resources to provide suitable supervision for your child or for others in the same situation. So it could be a case of her being forced to sit in the principal's office or out in the corridor for the duration of the religious instruction class. Be prepared for bullying also as kids of her age will pick on anyone else who is "different" to them in any way. You've already said that the others seem to gang up on her and this is likely to continue if she leaves the room whenever it's time for "religion class."
I'm afraid there are no easy alternatives
What's fine in theory may be something else in practice..

Mark Tapley

fehenry wrote: »

As a former teacher, I suggest that you contact the chairperson of the school's management board and request that your child be excused from religious instruction classes. You could contact this person directly or you could go to see the principal and ask him/her to bring the matter to the attention of the manager.
This is standard procedure in schools throughout the country and, given the influx of non-nationals in recent years, it happens very often so your school principal should be already aware that this is standard procedure. That may be fine in a legal context but in practice there still may be problems.
Given the cutbacks in funding the school may not have the-resources to provide suitable supervision for your child or for others in the same situation. So it could be a case of her being forced to sit in the principal's office or out in the corridor for the duration of the religious instruction class. Be prepared for bullying also as kids of her age will pick on anyone else who is "different" to them in any way. You've already said that the others seem to gang up on her and this is likely to continue if she leaves the room whenever it's time for "religion class."
I'm afraid there are no easy alternatives
What's fine in theory may be something else in practice..

OP resolved the issue with the school already.

ardle1

bajer101 wrote: »

I'm just voicing my opinion and am no more pushing an agenda than you are with your opinion.

My daughter is fine since this has been resolved (by the school agreeing that she doesn't have to be taught religion). I can't see how this event will have any negative effect on any of the parties involved. If I stood back and looked at the situation from a completely neutral standpoint, I'd say that it has been positive for everyone.

With all due respect...
What is positive about your/or any child being collected from school each and every time all her wee friends are doddling off down the street to church or retreat!?
You did say she would need to be collected from school if class was going to mass.

ardle1

ardle1 wrote: »

How in Gods name does someone have to be forced to believe in God?
Surely in this day and age and the obviousness that we certainly are 'from/created' by a greater being(God), nobody should be forced to believe!?

So what did the young lady believe? eh that we actually where created from a grain of dust, big bang theory etc etc... ha ha ha don't make me laugh!

Brian Shanahan wrote: »

By people like you, with a bit more power, who are willing to force their ideology on others.



What evidence do you have for this fantastic claim, that it is obvious a god was involved, pray?



Well, when a mammy and a daddy love each other very much (or think they do because their hormones are acting up), they mostly go away into a private room (though some people like to use the back of a car) and get naked. They start touching each other in their private places in order to get extra excited. Eventually the man puts his penis into the woman's vagina (sometimes with a sheath of rubber called a condom or french letter covering the penis) and after a while semen spews out from the excitement. If it is done at the right time of the month, the semen will fertilise a ripe egg released by the woman's ovum and implant itself in the wall of the womb. Over the next nine months or so (if the woman decides not to go to England for an abortion, or there are no major complications), the fertilised egg feeds off the woman's body (in a symbiotic process) becoming a zygote, then an embryo then a foetus and finally is born in a quite complicated and often painful (due to humans evolving to be bipedal a woman's hips are no longer quite the right shape for giving birth) process called labour.

The more you know...

No sh!t Sherlock, who's the clever boy?
Anyway yee who knows it all...
So your saying, all that came from 'dust'!? and it's not part of a greater plan by God,...
So why have scientists not created(in a lab)something similar to the creation of life/being, or at least give us a small example of the moment life began on Earth.. HUH WELL?!
Anyway I know there's a God... I can feel it in my perfectly sculpted(by the man himself) bones

Turtwig

Mod: This thread ain't about the existence of God. There's a quidzillion other threads that can discuss that - and biscuits. It all invariably leads back to biscuits.

Please don't be surprised if posts discussing that matter are moved, edited or deleted.

ardle1

Turtwig wrote: »

Mod: This thread ain't about the existence of God. There's a quidzillion other threads that can discuss that - and biscuits. It all invariably leads back to biscuits.

Please don't be surprised if posts discussing that matter are moved, edited or deleted.

Understood.
But I do think it's fair to find out/understand why the OP is putting his wee girl through all this, and all because he doesn't want one/any of his kids to believe in God.
He has said he is an atheist.

vibe666

ardle1 wrote: »

Understood.
But I do think it's fair to find out/understand why the OP is putting his wee girl through all this, and all because he doesn't want one/any of his kids to believe in God.
He has said he is an atheist.

He's said a lot of other things as well, all of which have already addressed everything you seem to think you know about the situation.

Other than him being an atheist, everything you've said in your last posts is pretty much entirely incorrect. You are arguing points that do not exist because you haven't understood or have ignored what has actually happened and why.

Brian Shanahan

amkin25 wrote: »

I do know i am right so i'll take that bet where do you want to meet,can the Mods arrange these bets?

You cannot know that you are right. You don't know the child, the op, the school or the teacher, so therefore you don't have sufficient information to disbeleve the op's verdion of events.