25 March 2010

Child forced to sing about a god on a donkey

Dear

I was discussing religious assembly with my son last week when he mentioned that he sang along but made up his own words because his lack of any belief in a god meant he felt uncomfortable singing songs of praise. I suggested that he just chose not to sing.

It would seem that he took me up on this and exercised what I thought would be his right not to join in an act of worship. He informs me that Miss ******* then told him to sing or she would make him sing solo in front of the entire assembly.

I think it is important for children to come together for assembly, despite the constraints placed on it by the requirement to provide a daily act of Christian worship and I would not wish ***** to be withdrawn from such an act. It doesn’t hurt to stand through a hymn or two or to sit through a prayer but I don’t feel that it is right for my son to be forced to take part in an act of worship under threat of humiliation.

I would expect the same concessions for ***** as are given to children of different faiths, who I doubt would be ‘encouraged’ to join in in such a direct way.

I have no wish to make an issue out of this. It was ***** who asked that I follow it up on his behalf and I am sure he would welcome the opportunity to discuss it further.

Yours etc.

7 comments:

Vance said...

We were arguing about a blog my pastor wrote about homosexuality. You never responded to my last comment.
I called you an idiot. Thats not to say youre not intelligent. I was just frustrated that you didnt take my point of view. Dont you just hate it when you absolutely know that youre right, yet people want to keep arguing about it and insisting that theyre right?
I wont be convinced that I'm wrong, and it seems that you dont want to argue about it. If you know for sure that you are 100% correct, then perhaps its best.

Philip G said...

What last comment? I only tend to respond to people who have a point to make.

Vance said...

I apologize for wasting your time with unintelligent banter then.

Philip G said...

You have just done it again.

Vance said...

That's not very nice. Not everyone can be so brilliant as you Mr. Gilbert.

Philip G said...

I wish I was brilliant. Can't really complain too much but have been brought down a peg or two lately.

I know I am right about there being no gods and it frustrates me no end that people think they have a personal relationship with the creator of the universe and everything in it. How arrogant is that?

Vance said...

I apologize for trying to force my beliefs on you.
I was only trying to be right.
Nothing I said was out of love
(I measure love by how much time a person wants to spend with me, and the person who wants to spend the most time with me loves me the most)