Would you baptise your child - school

Sp00n said:
Yea I know it's not me, but it is essentially the entrance in to Christianity so I wouldn't feel right doing it, then dismissing the values of the church, what's the point in doing it at all?



Yes perhaps, it is a shame if that is true, I went to an excellent public school.
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Your child will grow up with his parents as atheists/agnostics and have a school influence of god, jesus and all.

You're offering your child a balanced view, which I think is a respectable thing to do...as long as you don't stop them from making their own choice when it comes to it.
 
Tricky one, are your principles with regards to religious beliefs more important than your principles regarding your child's education and giving them the best start you can?

The real problem at the moment is that the state school system is crap, and has been massively damaged in comparative rankings over the term of the previous government due to a desire to equalise outcomes, which has only resulted in the overall quality going down. Religious schools managed to escape some of this damage because they were permitted to keep some of their selection rules, likewise grammar schools, in the few areas that still had them, managed to escape much of this damage.

There are other options to look at if your answer to the question at the start leans towards religious beliefs, and they are to look at scholarships to private schools or at home schooling, or even (although this is a longer term proposal) look at getting involved in a free school project.
 
I actually don't know what I'd do in your place, my options being...

1. I'm not religious so it would be hypocritical of me to get involved in a ceremony I have no belief in.
2. I'm not religious so the ceremony means nothing - might as well.

I guess my biggest concern would be how or what the child was taught in such a school, but then both my brother and I went briefly to CofE schools and remain unburdened by religion.

Obligatory :p smiley in case that last cheeky comment was taken entirely at face value.
 
Jay.D said:
You're offering your child a balanced view, which I think is a respectable thing to do...as long as you don't stop them from making their own choice when it comes to it.
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I don't think forcing your child in to a catholic school is very balanced, personally.
 
I'm surprised they are asking that your child be baptised...

My kids both got to a Church of England school, and neither are baptised.

I'd also guess the many muslim, hindu, jewish, mormon, and other kids that attend aren't either...
 
Morba said:
For the child maybe, but at home it would be different as the family are not following that style of life.
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I'd like to think when me and the missus choose to have kids we will instil values in them such as honesty, integrity, respect....I dont see those values as all that different to those that are taught with religion.

I really don't see the problem....so my kid comes home and talks about god, When they're apt enough to have a discussion about it I will of course air my opinions while allowing them to have theirs and encourage them to make up their own mind.
 
You'd just be joining the ranks of most of the other parents at the school. It's one of the ways that religion clings on in this country.

These schools are wrong - they force religion on kids, and they are a neat way to select kids so that poor kids are doomed to repeat the cycle.

But you're only one parent and can't change it. Best thing you can do for your kid is lie, just like many (or even most) of the parents at the school, and vote as hard as you can to get rid of "faith" schools.
 
Sp00n said:
I don't think forcing your child in to a catholic school is very balanced, personally.
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It's church of england, christianity.

I have no experience of Catholicism, but do of a church of england school.

As a parent you're either going to 'force' them into a C of E school or a non-C of E school......you make the decision for your kids either way.

What I dont get here is that people seem to think that by offering their child a place at the school they're somehow committing them to a life of christianity.
That isn't the case...
 
Jay.D said:
I'd like to think when me and the missus choose to have kids we will instil values in them such as honesty, integrity, respect....I dont see those values as all that different to those that are taught with religion.

I really don't see the problem....so my kid comes home and talks about god, When they're apt enough to have a discussion about it I will of course air my opinions while allowing them to have theirs and encourage them to make up their own mind.
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This is how it is in my house, I am trying to teach my boy how to be a good person and have good values with no religious undertones. He comes home talking about god (and other religious people from various religions) and I struggle to not tell him how I feel. It will be kept in for now though, just like Santa not being real :p
 
The Halk said:
You'd just be joining the ranks of most of the other parents at the school. It's one of the ways that religion clings on in this country.

These schools are wrong - they force religion on kids, and they are a neat way to select kids so that poor kids are doomed to repeat the cycle.

But you're only one parent and can't change it. Best thing you can do for your kid is lie, just like many (or even most) of the parents at the school, and vote as hard as you can to get rid of "faith" schools.
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Why is there a need to lie? You're enrolling your kid, not yourself.
 
The difference I see with you teaching your kid to be a good kid... and them being taught at school to be a good kid... At school they do it by saying there's an omnipotent being watching him all the time, and he should be good so he can get to heaven. It's possibly a convenient lie to then switch around at age 10 or so (when they say Dad "This god stuff isn't real is it?") and let them know that society, the police, the law, their peers their conscience are what will look down on them if they don't live their life properly, and "god" is just a white lie that children are told to keep them good.
 
Jay.D said:
It's church of england, christianity.

I have no experience of Catholicism, but do of a church of england school.

As a parent you're either going to 'force' them into a C of E school or a non-C of E school......you make the decision for your kids either way.

What I dont get here is that people seem to think that by offering their child a place at the school they're somehow committing them to a life of christianity.
That isn't the case...
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Sorry, Christianity, haha I switched over the 2 posts.

Putting a child in a non-religious school allows them to make their own choice, by the time they are ready to chose their secondary school, they should be able to decide for themselves, or at least have a more educated opinion.

Is religious education taught in a C of E school? (I was taught about most of the "large" religions in school), if they still get the exposure to all religions then I don't see the harm, if they only teach Christianity then you are giving the child a pretty narrow minded view of the world, obviously you are still not taking away their choice.

I would still feel hypocritical doing it though.
 
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Jay.D said:
Why is there a need to lie? You're enrolling your kid, not yourself.
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He'd have to at least mislead to get the baptism done. I wouldn't expect? I'm not an expert on the CoE of course! I know up here when people do it for papist schools they have to convince the chapel that they're going to raise the kid as a Roman Catholic.
 
PaulStat said:
It would be hypocritical to baptise our son
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You are not offering a blood sacrifice here, get over it.
Jay.D said:
I'd like to think when me and the missus choose to have kids we will instil values in them such as honesty, integrity, respect....I dont see those values as all that different to those that are taught with religion.
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+1

honestly, you'd think this was brainwashing the way you are all running around wetting yourselves with indignation :rolleyes:

everybody had some kind of religious influence at school, is anyone a Christian now because of it?

no, they aren't, so shut up :p
there are worse things in life than singing a few songs and learning a few values
 
Sp00n said:
Sorry, Christianity, haha I switched over the 2 posts.

Putting a child in a non-religious school allows them to make their own choice, by the time they are ready to chose their secondary school, they should be able to decide for themselves, or at least have a more educated opinion.

Is religious education taught in a C of E school? (I was taught about most of the "large" religions in school), if they still get the exposure to all religions then I don't see the harm, if they only teach Christianity then you are giving the child a pretty narrow minded view of the world, obviously you are still not taking away their choice.

I would still feel hypocritical doing it though.
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What if the education was significantly better overall though?

Which provides the better life opportunities, a poor education or a bit of (easily ignorable) religious indoctrination?
 
Well if the school requires your child to be baptised and you yourself are having issues with this then why are you even considering it?
Surely the school will be slightly biased in their teaching methods to have such a requirement.
Do you want your child to go to a school like that?
Is there really no other school that does not have this requirement? I find it hard it hard to believe!
 
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