I just hate getting into religion but it’s everywhere. I’m tolerant. However, it irks me when I witness my child being taught to say grace during lunch at her day care. The “thank you” poem was rather sweet and I find nothing wrong with teaching children gratitude. However, why does gratitude always need God attached at the end? And “Amen”? Why can’t it just be thank you to the earth, or thank you to the farmers who grow the food and thank you to the cafeteria lady who makes it? Why is someone indoctrinating my child with God concepts when that is way above her needs right now?
I can create a stink about it but why? It isn’t worth the trouble because on the surface my 3 y/o is learning gratitude. What’s troubling is that surface thinking is merely icing on a deep, rich cake. Those who stay on the surface never really understand the layer of flavors.
I just think that my three year old is too young to learn about God concepts when she’s still trying to get the shit in the toilet concept down. This is where indoctrination begins, day care. How very difficult it is being an atheist in America.
Tatiana, though I am myself religious, I don’t care for religious indoctrination in non-religious contexts.
However —
Was this without warning, or is the preschool overtly religious? My kids all went to a preschool associated with a church (not ours, but in our neighborhood). We knew going in that they’d get some religious stuff that was not entirely in our control.
I’m sympathetic if you learned partway into a year of preschool that this apparently secular institution was instructing your kid on religion. Honestly, though I’m a less sympathetic if the pace is billed or reasonably disclosed as doing so.
Depending on where one lives, it can be difficult to find affordable day care of quality that isn’t affiliated with a church, just as in certain cities, for people of certain means, it’s a choice between Catholic school and public schools that aren’t schools at all.
No question about that, Patrick. But I don’t think any particular day-care center has an obligation to be non-religious just to provide that option to the community.
I can sympathize. There are few options in our town for decsent childcare that is not religious in affiliation. And I am one who feels VERY strongly about my child being exposed to multiple faiths and informing her that while some people (many family members included) believe in God, not everyone does (though I’ve managed to avoid telling her that includes me as well. We’ll see how soon I have to tackle that one.)
Her dad, however, felt it important that given that starting point, we should say a grace of sorts. He left it to me to write it, which I did. And as you said, it’s a matter of gratitude and thanking “the plants and animals that feed us.” She is the one who enforces it at this point.
It’s a slippery slope, especially at this age when they take everything literally. What if this sets up a world view for her that involves God? What happens when she learns that mom and dad don’t believe in a conscious god? Does that make mom and dad bad? Does that mean her school is wrong? And if they’re wrong on that one, what else are they wrong on? I’m putting it to my girl that rules are rules, but some people think differently about different topics.
As always, I hear strong echoes from your direction ins pite of the distance.
No, Ken this was without warning, unless I missed a religious cue in the student’s handbook. But you know, I’m simply in a very faith-based town where the mindset accepts God and his ways so automatically, I’m left to wonder if there’s even a thought to secular philosophy. The opposite spin to this is equal in frustration as Christians feeling desire to not have their children exposed to the theory of evolution. Ultimately, being that religion is so deeply embedded in the community and generally, American minds, I have to follow the wisdom I’ve thrown out over time in this blog. Basically that is ALL children need a comprehensive view and education about faith and its counterpart, reason. I’m not so much annoyed at the school doing this – introducing God to kids, as much as I’m frustrated that the kids are too young to have exposure. Faith and spirituality are quite frankly to me private matters which ought to be respected enough to be or not be introduced in the home first. For the religious minded, this only works in their favor but for me, it does not. Again, as the atheist, I have to bow down reasonably but I’m sure if I made a stink about this, I’d ultimately not be tolerated. My numbers are just too small at this time to have respect from the majority and so, perfect example of atheist intolerance.
***Crystal, I’m with you on the questions you posed. Were God concepts introduced in a school setting when kids were older, well, ok. I’m flexible there. But again, at this stage it is indoctrination because these young children have no idea what it means to challenge or question – unless they’re asked to clean up or not hit and scream.
From my position, I just need to be careful at how deeply such views are embedded without my knowledge. Eventually I want her to question but I want her to question from a spring board that rests on open-mindedness. That’s the “indoctrination” I feel is healthiest. I don’t fear my kids being religious in spirituality. I fear my kids being controlled via organized religion. Huge difference in my perception.
If there was no indication, than I agree that it’s objectionable. It’s not a school’s job to teach my kids matters of faith unless I sign up for that.