How do you deal with an Evangelical Kindergartener preaching to his classmates?

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   ChristinSposted 11 years ago

   How do you deal with an Evangelical Kindergartener preaching to his classmates?
   
   My son is in Kindergarten. Every day he is coming home with religious stories and I brush it off and tell him when you are old enough to decide for yourself what to believe, you can believe whatever you like. I told him the important thing is that no matter what you believe, you do your best to be a good person and to love others and respect your differences.  Now he's getting more upset by these conversations with this kid. Hell, angels, demons etc. seriously? What parent has their Kindergartner doing such things? I feel sorry for that kid, but tired of him bullying others with it.

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2. 81

   Mitch Alanposted 11 years ago

   Bullying? That word is extremely over used...if the other child is sharing what he believes and what interests him, then that's his right...does your son share what interests him? Even if its just what his favorite cartoon is...tell your son that he can either engage in the conversation or play with someone else...if the child isn't disrupting the class, in which case the teacher should handle it, then where is the harm?

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      kthix10posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Completely agree with your comment about this not being bullying.
      
      I taught Kinders for awhile and half the thing they say come from their imagination mixed in with a sprinkle of truth. You are playing telephone with 5 yr olds.

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   2. 37

      ChristinSposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      where's the harm in 5 year olds telling other 5 year olds they'll go to hell if they don't believe in God? Are you serious? Yes, it is bullying to scare other kids with nonsense.

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   3. 81

      Mitch Alanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Biblical Christianity teaches that without the saving grace of Jesus we are all sinners and will spend eternity separated from God...it also teaches that sharing the saving message of salvation is showing love, as it allows people to accept His gift.

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      ChristinSposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      some gift - teaching kindergarteners they are going to hell.  SO glad I left religion behind.  good grief.

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   5. 83

      gmwilliamsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      That child is bullying Christin's son.  That child should keep his religious opinions to himself or some other child will tell him in NO UNCERTAIN terms.The teacher should be alerted re: that child's haranguing.That behavior is totally intolerable!

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   Ericdierkerposted 11 years ago

   Having been through 5 kindergarten experiences and one on the way I can tell you there is nothing harmful here. My youngest does "believe" in Jesus because for him, Jesus is love and he loves to be loved.
   
   But his more practical belief system would be more along the lines of Spiderman and Ironman with a half a dozen others. And believe me there are hellfires and demons and monsters and bad guys all over that belief system and he and his buddies love it.
   
   Any good kindergarten teacher will tell you this advice "I will not believe half of what your child tells me about you and your spouse, if you agree not to believe half of what he tells you about school"
   
   OTOH you can be like parents upset because a kindergarten child pecks another child on the cheek --- Wow it takes all kinds.

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   1. 37

      ChristinSposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I wouldn't care if it was just his belief in God or Jesus. This kid at 5 or 6 is telling people they will go to an actual hell etc. and I think that's wrong.

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4. 72

   aguasilverposted 11 years ago

   "Now he's getting more upset by these conversations with this kid."
   
   The operative word being 'kid', not teacher of assistant, i.e. not anything to do with separation of church and state, more to do with free will choices made by the other kids parents to educate him or her in what they believe passionately (I would assume).
   
   Your option is to move kindergartens if you are dissatisfied with the moral standing of the current kids your child associates with, and if you feel your child is being corrupted or abused.
   
   When my son attended a semi private Catholic school, they asked me whether I wanted to excuse him from religious studies, I told them that I had no problem with them making their pitch, as long as they were not upset when he challenged their beliefs and misconceptions.
   
   Scripture tells us that if we teach our children Gods ways when they are young the will not depart from them when they are older... now you can see that as a warning against letting your child being told about Gods word, or sound advice, depending on whether you believe your child's observations of your lifestyle will encourage them to follow your ways or reject them for other avenues of belief and action.
   
   But what we show our children is what we can expect to affect their lives.
   
   If what your child is being exposed to is so very bad (in your opinion) then 'rescue' him or her from the place of exposure.
   
   BTW my son has been a missionary in NYC ministering for the last five years, to kids who probably never had any real guidance from other kids or even their families about right and wrong. He never became a Catholic because he witnessed my relationship with Christ and could tell the difference.
   
   Kids learn from example.

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   1. 37

      ChristinSposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I don't care that this boy believes in God or whatever he chooses to believe. I have a hard time believing parents teach their children it's acceptable to tell people they will go to hell if they don't believe in God.

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      Mitch Alanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      If you knew, or believed, that you had information that would be eternally beneficial to someone...that you believed would determine their eternity...that would guarantee them a place in heaven...IF you truly believed that would you keep it to yourse

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      ChristinSposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Yes Mitch, If I still believed in the bogeyman I'd keep it to myself and in my home and church where it belongs, not in school. We have separation of church and state primarily due to people like you who have no boundaries or respect for others.

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      Mitch Alanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Wow, really? If you had information that you believed had eternal consequences, you'd keep it to yourself and not share it in the hope of helping others? And that is the lesson you want to teach your child?

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   5. 37

      ChristinSposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Yes I teach my child to think logically and not believe in the need to fearmonger others and allow them to live and believe whatever they choose. It's not your place to tell others what to think if they don't ask.

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   6. 81

      Mitch Alanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      If I tell you to take a pill or you will die & I completely believe it to be true & you think you're not even sick, is that fear mongering? Or is it concern for you? Again, IF you thought you had life saving info, you would keep it all to you

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5. 37

   ChristinSposted 11 years ago

   For clarification - this is not just a kid talking about believing in God or Jesus - most of the kids are religious in this area and they do that and I don't have a problem with it.  My problem is with the evangelism of if you don't believe like me you are going to hell or the devil is going to get you kind of BS.  If kids at this age are telling other kids that - I'm sorry, but it is a form of badgering maybe is a better word than bullying. 
   
   I know kids and everyone else for that matter are entitled to believe whatever they want, but it is not OK for kids to tell other kids of an impressionable age they will go to hell etc.  These people all have churches and homes where they can talk about the boogeyman all they want.  What good comes of teaching a 6 year old they will go to hell and then allowing that child to spread that nonsense in a public school? I'm sorry, but I find that unacceptable and I'm sure as hell not pulling my kid out of a class because of it.  I think the kid saying this stuff should be told not to talk about it at school, but if the teachers say something than they'll be accused of discrimination etc. 
   
   School should be a place for learning - not being fearmongered by people with over the top ridiculous beliefs about a devil with a pitchfork waiting to take souls to hell etc.
   
   Also, this is only Kindergarten now and I get that.  What happens as this kid grows if he keeps this up? I think it's ok to want what is and is not appropriate to talk about at school to be discussed. Scaring people that "God" doesn't love them or they will go to hell if they do this or that... This is a kindergartener who has to live with that kind of fear - I feel sorry for the child and angry at the parents who push this on him and then apparently think it's ok for him to do it to others.  I think I'll talk to the other parents.
   
   My son is very young and quite sensitive emotionally at this stage and he is inclined to be troubled by these scary things and I find that sad.

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      Ericdierkerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Well what does your child thinks happens when super heroes blow up evil demonic villains who are trying to take over the world?

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   2. 37

      ChristinSposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      he gets that's fiction Eric, but this kid says but NO God is real and you go to hell if you don't believe. Should my son be subjected to that? really? I know it's not an easy answer, it's a fine line with freedom of choice, but wow...

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      Mitch Alanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Then tell him you don't believe in hell and that he has nothing to worry about...and hope you are right...

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   4. 46

      Ericdierkerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      It is valid for one child to espouse their understanding. If that really bothers your child there are mightier issues at play. If he is that weak then he should change venues. But let us be real. It truly is a reflection of both their parents.

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   5. 37

      ChristinSposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      A five year old being sensitive doesn't make him "weak" Eric. He's 5.  Five year olds scare easily at times, particularly when others insist monsters are real. My son is a bright boy who will grow up without delusions and he's parented just fine.

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   6. 46

      Ericdierkerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Just think ChristinS within five years the two boys teacher will tell the other boy he is wrong and that there is no evidence of hell and that God did not create the world. How cool will that be?

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   7. 37

      ChristinSposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Eric so untrue. Scientific theory has evidence to support it's claims and teachers don't talk about heaven and hell to 10 year olds either. Put your kids in religious schools if you want them to believe such nonsense. Separation of church and state!

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6. 71

   getitriteposted 11 years ago

   That's the nature of a compulsive delusion.  It recognizes NO boundaries.  And everyone infected with the disease of Evangelical delusion will not see the OBVIOUS harm that this causes. It is frightening for a young child to hear such ultra violent nonsense coming from the lips of another child, but then the child is further traumatized after learning that there are adults who believe and corroborate this same childish insanity.  This cannot be compared to Spiderman.
   With Spiderman, there aren't thousands of churches encouraging and promoting this as REAL, but with God--yes.  Evangelicals actually correctly teach their children that Spiderman....and even that Santa Claus are not real, they just can't shake away the childish belief in God and Jesus.  This is why religiously indoctrinating children with the psychosis of the adult is very frightening.  Instead of claiming religious rights, people should just simply grow up.

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   1. 37

      ChristinSposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Absolutely right! I cannot fathom how anyone thinks teaching a small child to fear going to hell is acceptable. I'm all for tolerance, but not when beliefs of others cause harm to my children!

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      gmwilliamsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      THANK YOU, Getitrite, religious indoctrination is toxic to all concerned, especially to children.  I find this to be the most insidious form of child abuse.

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      d.williamposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      any sensible and logical person will concur with your conclusions as well.

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7. 81

   junksellerposted 11 years ago

   Have your kid hand the other kid a pamphlet on the pleasures of homosexual anal intercourse and have them take that home to their parents and see how they like it. If "it's what I believe" makes anything okay than anything is okay, right?
   
   Perhaps then they might agree that some topics don't really belong in a kindergarten classroom (I doubt it though).

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      ChristinSposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I had a chuckle at this, but somehow with Kindergarteners it doesn't seem appropriate to fight fire with fire

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   bethperryposted 11 years ago

   My youngest had a very similar problem in kindergarten. The evangelical child in question we couldn't blame, though, as apparently he got his horror stories from his parents. So we ended up advising our son to tell the other kid he simply had his own religion and didn't appreciate the preaching. This didn't work - the little evangelical only decided our son (and some other children) were on the path to hell for sure. So next we asked the teacher to intervene. She asked the other child to come to her about "the rapture", "hell", "devils" and such if he wanted to talk about them. This seemed to work; the little evangelical had the audience he was seeking and left my son and the children of other faiths alone. I don't know if this will work for you, but I wish you and your son the best of luck!

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   1. 37

      ChristinSposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you. I do feel sorry for these children who grow up like this. I'm not sure the teachers realize how over the top it is. I don't want to create problems for anyone, but I think if it continues it's time to talk to teacher for sure. Thank you

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   d.williamposted 11 years ago

   No child should be subjected to religious preachings in the school setting, or any other public setting, for that matter.  You would best serve the public interest by speaking to the teacher, and voicing your concerns.  If that does not work then speak to the parents. If the teacher condones that offensive behavior, then speak to the principal.
   Those who preach religion to anyone not requesting such information have no more rights than those who preach that hatred, and judgmentalism,are integral parts of religion. 
   Religion should be a private affair, and kept to one's self.  Sharing unsolicited religious beliefs is as offensive as someone trying to share their physical intimacies with those who have no interest in hearing them.

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   1. 37

      ChristinSposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I completely agree. Things like this are precisely why there is separation of church and state and that is as it should be. I believe it is time to bring it to the teachers attention. I also agree about boundaries and offensiveness.

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      Ericdierkerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      You two really do not have to do that.  In the blink of an eye some teacher will tell everyone that there is no proof of God so God does not exist. It is just part of the curriculum.

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      ChristinSposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      God is NOT part of the curriculum Eric. No one teaches kids to believe or not believe in religion.  Schools do teach science aren't you glad? Otherwise you wouldn't have medicine, technology, and other modern wonders.

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