Petition to End Compulsory Worship in UK Schools

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- chris
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Petition to End Compulsory Worship in UK Schools
OP - August 30, 2011, 11:56 AM

Young children should not be forced to worship anything or anyone, real or imaginary. At present they are...in state schools! Sign this petition to demand that compulsory "broadly-Christian" collective worship be replaced with inclusive school assemblies. Please share amongst your friends on facebook, google+, other forums you frequent, etc.

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/2086
- Saffire
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Re: Petition to End Compulsory Worship in UK Schools
Reply #1 - August 30, 2011, 10:30 PM

Or rather, why not teach them about religion, they're going to be faced with it sooner or later, why not sooner. Let them see this blind faith and interject with true facts. Let them pray, and let them learn. Maybe this is the best way for them to choose. If you eliminate god from their childhood perhaps this is as bad as forcing him/her into it (childhood I mean!)

From my experience the most intelligent non believers are those who were once believers. Maybe the thing that makes us seem more intelligent is that we use true reasoning, facts and logic as opposed to what is convenient or forced onto us.

The religious are scared of atheism, we say it's because they know their beliefs are flawed. Why are we afraid? Why not LET the children pray, discuss it with them, ask them how they feel, ask them if they like it, talk to them, explain how people get things they want, teach them about actions and consequences affecting life and not prayer, teach them the fallacies. Gradually increase the level of teaching to suit their age- don't you think this is more appropriate than slamming a thick metal bolted door in front of religion?

I'm not saying this as fact, this is me actually saying what do you think. I have no firm thought on this yet so would enjoy listening to some responses
- billy
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Re: Petition to End Compulsory Worship in UK Schools
Reply #2 - August 30, 2011, 11:13 PM

Saffire makes some thought provoking points.

I still instinctively side against the idea of compulsory worship in schools.

Its the compulsory part that sticks out as wrong.

And its not so much the benign Anglican kind of worship that is the problem per se - its the insidious space it affords the blood and fire worship that isn't so benign, and the priveliging of religion in that regard, that children are to be streamed in that way in the first contact with the world outside the home they have.

"we can smell traitors and country haters"

Quote from: arX on May 01, 2011, 03:33 AM
God is Love.
Love is Blind. Stevie Wonder is blind. Therefore, Stevie Wonder is God.
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Re: Petition to End Compulsory Worship in UK Schools
Reply #3 - August 30, 2011, 11:17 PM

I'm definitely against compulsory prayer; that's just wrong.

I am one for comparative religion classes though.

Have you heard the good news? There is no God!
- chris
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Re: Petition to End Compulsory Worship in UK Schools
Reply #4 - August 31, 2011, 09:00 AM

^+1. It is important that children learn about the historical context of their society and, therefore, about the ideologies, practices and interactions of the vying political ideologies of, for example, the 20th century. Absolutely, they should be taught who Stalin was, where his ideology came from and where it went, but that does not mean they should spend any time singing soviet anthems whilst marching up and down in front of pictures of the Dear Father. Similarly, there is a massive difference between learning about religions in a comparative social, spiritual, historical context and requiring that children bow their heads and mumble in adulation.
- BerberElla
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Re: Petition to End Compulsory Worship in UK Schools
Reply #5 - August 31, 2011, 09:08 AM

Quote from: Saffire on August 30, 2011, 10:30 PM
Or rather, why not teach them about religion, they're going to be faced with it sooner or later, why not sooner. Let them see this blind faith and interject with true facts. Let them pray, and let them learn. Maybe this is the best way for them to choose. If you eliminate god from their childhood perhaps this is as bad as forcing him/her into it (childhood I mean!)

From my experience the most intelligent non believers are those who were once believers. Maybe the thing that makes us seem more intelligent is that we use true reasoning, facts and logic as opposed to what is convenient or forced onto us.

The religious are scared of atheism, we say it's because they know their beliefs are flawed. Why are we afraid? Why not LET the children pray, discuss it with them, ask them how they feel, ask them if they like it, talk to them, explain how people get things they want, teach them about actions and consequences affecting life and not prayer, teach them the fallacies. Gradually increase the level of teaching to suit their age- don't you think this is more appropriate than slamming a thick metal bolted door in front of religion?

I'm not saying this as fact, this is me actually saying what do you think. I have no firm thought on this yet so would enjoy listening to some responses

+1

I disagree with compulsory worship, but religious education I believe is a must. It should be compulsory for all children of all faiths to learn about the faith of others. To learn the ins and outs, the history, arguements for and against. To be taught to think for themselves on the subject of religion. This is what our schools lack right now.

You do religious education, but can be excused if your faith does not permit it. You learn about what they believe but are never challenged to argue against these beliefs, and that helps no one.

My son has had to say grace before a meal for 3 years now, because the only school he can attend has compulsory worship involved and we have no other choice.

My son is an atheist though. He just says grace because its part of the rules.

Religion doesn't care if all it has are parrots in its service, just as long as the parrots keep saying polly.

Inhale the good shit, exhale the bullshit.
- billy
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Re: Petition to End Compulsory Worship in UK Schools
Reply #6 - August 31, 2011, 10:41 AM

Quote
I disagree with compulsory worship, but religious education I believe is a must. It should be compulsory for all children of all faiths to learn about the faith of others. To learn the ins and outs, the history, arguements for and against. To be taught to think for themselves on the subject of religion. This is what our schools lack right now.

I see this point, especially because RE could teach children who have been indoctrinated in a 'one true faith' way about other religions.

The thing is though, religious studies at school doesn't challenge or contextualise what religions say - they just teach at face value the truth claims made by religions.

Now, if there was to be a component in religious studies on the history of secularism, and teaching the counterpoints to religion like atheism and agnosticism, that would be something else.

However RE classes tend to be very 'multicultural diversity', concerned with not offending belief, and peddling the myths of religion in order to have an agenda of 'harmony', that kind of thing. And thats the problem with it all as far as I can see.

"we can smell traitors and country haters"

Quote from: arX on May 01, 2011, 03:33 AM
God is Love.
Love is Blind. Stevie Wonder is blind. Therefore, Stevie Wonder is God.
- Maya
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Re: Petition to End Compulsory Worship in UK Schools
Reply #7 - August 31, 2011, 03:28 PM

Quote from: BerberElla on August 31, 2011, 09:08 AM

I disagree with compulsory worship, but religious education I believe is a must. It should be compulsory for all children of all faiths to learn about the faith of others. To learn the ins and outs, the history, arguements for and against. To be taught to think for themselves on the subject of religion. This is what our schools lack right now.

You do religious education, but can be excused if your faith does not permit it. You learn about what they believe but are never challenged to argue against these beliefs, and that helps no one.

My son has had to say grace before a meal for 3 years now, because the only school he can attend has compulsory worship involved and we have no other choice.

My son is an atheist though. He just says grace because its part of the rules.

Religion doesn't care if all it has are parrots in its service, just as long as the parrots keep saying polly.

Well when I was at school I wasn't excused because my faith didn't permit it, I was eventually banned from the classes and made to sit on a chair outside the classroom for the duration of the lesson - until I still distracted everyone by pulling faces through the classroom door at everyone, then I was made to sit outside the headmistress' room instead.

I can't remember now all the things I did to disrupt those classes but one I do remember clearly just before the ban: The class were being told about the parting of the Red Sea shit so I took it upon myself to take charge of the class, got everybody to push all the desks to each side of the classroom leaving an "aisle" to the door through which I marched (and everyone followed) out of the classroom, out of the building into the playground.

"The greatest general is not the one who can take the most cities or spill the most blood. The greatest general is the one who can take Heaven and Earth without waging the battle." ~ Sun Tzu
- Hallakuf
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Re: Petition to End Compulsory Worship in UK Schools
Reply #8 - August 31, 2011, 04:55 PM

IMO, any religious thing, from worship to lessons about religion, should not be part of school curriculum. Religion is something between parents and kids, and schools are for teaching.

Religion is organized superstition
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