A Somerset Church has banned the use of their hall for a children’s yoga class because, apparently, children pretending to be animals while nursery rhymes are played is not in keeping with their “Christian Ethos”.
I think it’s both a hilarious and brilliant decision – by having the kids romp around in a church hall they’d only become comfortable with the environment and be more accepting of the brainwashing that goes on in the premises. Hopefully the lady trying to organise the classes can find a more neutral, forward thinking venue – one that’s safer for the mental health of the children.
This kind of thing is why, not to make too strong a point, that I will do everything possible to keep my daughter Elisha some distance from any form of religion.
When Elisha is old enough to make an informed decision she can pursue religion if she feels the need, of course, but until then she sure has heck wont be getting sent to be indoctrinated at Sunday School or exposed to any other kind of church regime.
I’m all too glad that back when Crazy Uncle John was taking me to Sunday School every weekend, he was also teaching me about more scientific things, such as how to use chemistry sets, getting me books on space and fueling my interest in the latter with tales of the Apollo programme. The end result was that I learned to question everything, which in Sunday School led to me being branded a trouble maker; “What do you mean he walked on water? How? Any pictures? Well, I don’t believe you.”
By age 11 I’d made the somewhat humanist decision that Sunday School and church in general were definitely not for me – I wasn’t content to just believe in something because I was told to do so. I was also fortunate enough to have a mother who didn’t just lay down the law and force me to attend – of all the choices my mum made in bringing me up, that one there is right at the top of the list of things I love her so dearly for.
It could have turned out so differently, though. Twenty-something years on, having seen the evidence of what religion has done for people, I’m glad that 11 year old me had the foresight to take the red pill and save me from it.
