Ok.. I like to think that I'm a very easy-going person. I'm opinionated, that may be true, but most of all I like to live according to the motto live and let live. And I cannot stand if people try to interfere in how we live our lives. And I truly hate it, if they try it via our kids. Since it's Lily's last year in kindergarten, her teacher there truly seems to be on a missionary trip on her.
These are the completely inappropriate things that have happened in the last month alone:
* She selected Lily to sing a solo during the church service they organized before the kids' lantern parade, fully knowing that we never attend any church service.
*A couple of weeks ago, Lily brought home a little coloring calendar from kindergarten, with bible quotes and "inspirationals" on every single page, with a pretty graphic illustration on the back on what sin and hell are, and that the only way to be happy is to be a Christian. Lily loves animals, and she loves to color, so there was no way we could just toss the calendar, opted to black out all the religious stuff instead.
* Telling Lily that this celebration is all about the birth of Jesus. Well, had she done her homework, she'd known that the pagan celebration is much older than Christianity, and next to none of the so-called "Christmas" traditions are Christian, but of pagan origins. Something else I'd like to put out there is that how it shall be possible to determine someone's birthday if even the year is unclear?
* Sending a porcelain baby Jesus home with Lily. This one was actually the little shove that pushed me over the edge. I'm sorry, but something like that is not welcome in our home.
We are Atheists, we are comfortable with our trust in reason, secular humanism, and science, we do not need to be "saved". We always accept people's faith, no matter what it may be. We have pagan friends, we have Christian friends, both Catholics and Protestants among them, Muslim friends, and of course friends all over the scale of Agnosticism and Atheism. It is possible to discuss religion respectful, or agree to disagree on that matter and just leave it be. But something I will never ever be able to understand is why som people just can't leave us alone. Is it because Lily has "recently turned into such a lovely girl" (quote her teacher) that she can't accept that someone can be raised without religion and be just as helpful, kind, supportive, and joyful as any other kid?
Well, as I've mentioned, it's on. I have contacted the local branch the Free-Thinker's Society in Germany, asking for support in how to handle the attack on our basic human rights of freedom of religion. I will contact other similar groups and I am prepared to take on the State of Bavaria, if necessary, to save kids in kindergarten or schools from unwelcome religious indoctrination of any kind. I will not look on any longer as our daughter is being abused as the play thing of a frustrated teacher on a mission. Enough is enough!
I am so happy you did this and totally 100% behind you on this. Please keep us posted as to their response now, too!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Janine! I'll definitely keep you posted on the response!
DeleteThat is really unfortunate that she is behaving that way, especially since you have made your feelings and beliefs known. I'm assuming in Germany they can teach religion in the schools?
ReplyDeleteFrom 1st grade, there is religious education class, but if kids aren't baptized, they can opt out and take ethics class instead. I was happy about it at first, until I recently read that a better name would be missionary class, so we'll see how that goes. In kindergarten it depends a lot on the teacher, as the curriculum is held very general on the topic. I have to add that I live in the state that I like to call Germany's Texas.. I bet other states are different. Let's see how that confrontation turns out...
DeleteGermany's Texas... I totally get that! Ha ha!
DeleteI think that's the easiest way to describe the mindset, even though the region where we live, Franconia, is proud to stress that we're NOT Bavarians (going back to the tribal eras). One example: Germany enforces marriage equality, everywhere except in Bavaria. And because they have no chance but to bow to federal law, they stress that it's not "marriage" but a "civil union" So petty!!
DeleteThanks a lot for your support, Lizzi! I'm so sick of it. I tried to be tolerant, I tried to sit it out, but enough is enough!
ReplyDelete