Children and the Death of God

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Children and the Death of God
OP - October 01, 2014, 05:34 PM

So I've started teaching Religious Studies and I teach Year 7's (10-11 yrs) through to 11's (15-16 yrs). In year 7 I teach 5 Year 7 classes and there are introductory topics that we look at each term. In the first term we look at key concepts. A big concept in RS is God. In the second lesson I asked the students to describe God and I can honestly say out of the 125+ students I teach only 5-6 had a vague notion of God. The students classed as Muslim/Sikh offered very obscure descriptions of God as if he were a passing stranger. The next lesson was 'why do some people believe in God?' and when I posed this question there was silence save for a few enterprising students that came up with some reasons such as 'someone could've created everything'. I then asked the students to imagine themselves as believers and answer the 'Big Questions':

1) Does God exist?
2) Who created the universe?
3) What is the purpose of life?
4 Is there life after death?

I was pushed to get any answers out of them so had to get them to discuss with each other and feedback. After some prompting I got the answers one would expect such as providing comfort, answering questions, the intuitive notion of a Creator and how society needs some source of authority. I thought to myself either these students are somewhat dim, nervous or perhaps don't care much for RS. Perhaps I'm an uninspiring teacher.

The next lesson I posed the question 'Why do some people not believe in God'? and almost everyone's hand went up. The answers ranged from God is a myth, there is little to no direct evidence of God's existence, religion is boring or outdated and most frequently 'because science explains everything' with students citing the Big Bang and evolution as prime examples. I showed them clips of Hitchens and Dawkins talking about God and the mess that religion has created and the students began to repeat their arguments. When I asked them to answer the 'Big Questions' from an atheistic perspective it was phenomenal. One Year 7 spoke of subatomic particles and separate universes!

However, the students were unable to answer one question 'what is the purpose of life?' I posited perhaps we are responsible for our own actions and that we endeavour to create our own meaning/purpose based upon our interactions with friends and family as well as having careers or hobbies. They smiled and agreed.

What does this say about the future of our children?

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Reply #1 - October 01, 2014, 05:54 PM

Something better than what we've had until now, I hope. Thanks for sharing this!

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Reply #2 - October 01, 2014, 06:17 PM

That they're a lot smarter than I was at that age.

You're a good teacher by the way, my RE lessons were so dull. It was basically rote learning the textbook facts about the worlds religions, there was no room for discussion - I can remember once disagreeing with the teacher on the fact that there was more schisms in Islam than Sunni/Shia but I was told that's irrelevant because that's not what the textbook said

"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God." - Epicurus
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Reply #3 - October 01, 2014, 07:50 PM

Secularism is increasing with each generation.
I never would have guessed you to be a RE teacher, you seem like an awesome teacher that would teach religions objectively, my school was so rabidly politically correct, we never discussed the negative sides to religion, therefore the topic of God existing or not was never covered.

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Reply #4 - October 01, 2014, 10:30 PM

Quote from: Jedi on October 01, 2014, 05:34 PM

..............What does this say about the future of our children?............

well., It says future of these children are bright and they are lucky to have an atheist rascal as their teacher when they are in at an impressionable age..

Do not let silence become your legacy.. Question everything
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Reply #5 - October 02, 2014, 12:17 AM

Quote from: Jedi on October 01, 2014, 05:34 PM
So I've started teaching Religious Studies and I teach Year 7's (10-11 yrs) through to 11's (15-16 yrs). In year 7 I teach 5 Year 7 classes and there are introductory topics that we look at each term. In the first term we look at key concepts. A big concept in RS is God. In the second lesson I asked the students to describe God and I can honestly say out of the 125+ students I teach only 5-6 had a vague notion of God. The students classed as Muslim/Sikh offered very obscure descriptions of God as if he were a passing stranger. The next lesson was 'why do some people believe in God?' and when I posed this question there was silence save for a few enterprising students that came up with some reasons such as 'someone could've created everything'. I then asked the students to imagine themselves as believers and answer the 'Big Questions':

1) Does God exist?
2) Who created the universe?
3) What is the purpose of life?
4 Is there life after death?

I was pushed to get any answers out of them so had to get them to discuss with each other and feedback. After some prompting I got the answers one would expect such as providing comfort, answering questions, the intuitive notion of a Creator and how society needs some source of authority. I thought to myself either these students are somewhat dim, nervous or perhaps don't care much for RS. Perhaps I'm an uninspiring teacher.

The next lesson I posed the question 'Why do some people not believe in God'? and almost everyone's hand went up. The answers ranged from God is a myth, there is little to no direct evidence of God's existence, religion is boring or outdated and most frequently 'because science explains everything' with students citing the Big Bang and evolution as prime examples. I showed them clips of Hitchens and Dawkins talking about God and the mess that religion has created and the students began to repeat their arguments. When I asked them to answer the 'Big Questions' from an atheistic perspective it was phenomenal. One Year 7 spoke of subatomic particles and separate universes!

However, the students were unable to answer one question 'what is the purpose of life?' I posited perhaps we are responsible for our own actions and that we endeavour to create our own meaning/purpose based upon our interactions with friends and family as well as having careers or hobbies. They smiled and agreed.

What does this say about the future of our children?

That's hopeful!

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Reply #6 - October 02, 2014, 02:23 AM

For Year 7 kids that's pretty damned good. Wouldn't have happened when I was at school.

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Reply #7 - October 02, 2014, 08:43 AM

Os, I keep forgetting...
Were you at school before or after the steam engine was invented?

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Reply #8 - October 02, 2014, 09:10 AM

Newcomen or Watt?

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Reply #9 - October 02, 2014, 09:33 AM

Watt

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Reply #10 - October 02, 2014, 09:54 AM

Quote from: Qtian on October 02, 2014, 09:33 AM
Watt

common Qtian ., If I were you I would have picked Newcomen., By picking James Watt you are making that Australian outback younger than what he is..........

Do not let silence become your legacy.. Question everything
I renounced my faith to become a kafir,
the beloved betrayed me and turned in to a Muslim
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Reply #11 - October 02, 2014, 10:44 AM

Quote from: Qtian on October 02, 2014, 09:33 AM
Watt

Before, of course.

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Reply #12 - October 02, 2014, 06:11 PM

My mind runs, I can never catch it even if I get a head start.
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Reply #13 - October 02, 2014, 06:12 PM

Quote from: Qtian on October 02, 2014, 08:43 AM
Os, I keep forgetting...
Were you at school before or after the steam engine was invented?

Thanks guys. I really enjoy teaching the students. They're really rbight but cautious. Today I taught about the 'History of Religion' and I had them all imagine that they were living in the Stone Age (they were grunting and hunting) and had to write what they felt, saw and thought about the world around them from a ultra-primitive perspective. I then went through various simulations of an earthquake, lightening strike, thunderstorm, flood and a loved one dying. I asked them to answer the question of what happened, how it happened and why it happened from their caveperson worlview. They came up with, after some prompting, '...it had to be a special being that was shaking the world or proding it because he/she was unhappy with the way we were behaving. We also invented the afterlife so that we could join our loved ones.' There is one girl who is a committed Christian and three Muslims in the class who were very open to these ideas. I'm surprised that no parents have phoned or emailed to complain thus far. Tht's not to say that religious people can't/aren't tolerant. I'm just trying to demonstrate some of the diversity in the class.

Next lesson I'm going to teach how 'religion' itself evolved from tribal societies to a fully fledged elite endorsed king-God system and how this culminated into the Judeo-Christian-Islamic faith. Any ideas of how to do this and make it fun at the same time?

No free mixing of the sexes is permitted on these forums or via PM or the various chat groups that are operating.

Women must write modestly and all men must lower their case.

http://www.ummah.com/forum/showthread.php?425649-Have-some-Hayaa-%28modesty-shame%29-people!
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Reply #14 - October 02, 2014, 06:58 PM

You seem to be a great and awesome teacher, really! Keep up the good work, I'm sure you are making a great difference for your pupils

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Reply #15 - October 02, 2014, 07:41 PM

Quote from: Jedi on October 01, 2014, 05:34 PM

What does this say about the future of our children?

Bright.
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Reply #16 - October 02, 2014, 10:59 PM

I left school in 1976 and I went to a Roman Catholic school. Even then, religious education lessons basically consisted of the teacher doing just about anything she could to try and hold the attention of the class rather than actually impart any religious knowledge.

During the youngest stepdaughter's final year (she's now 24), her class apparently reduced their teacher to tears by mocking her belief. She was at a secular school.
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Reply #17 - October 02, 2014, 11:20 PM

I feel both amused by that and sympathetic for the teacher at the same time.

`But I don't want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked.
`Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat: `we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.'
`How do you know I'm mad?' said Alice.
`You must be,' said the Cat, `or you wouldn't have come here.'
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Reply #18 - May 02, 2015, 03:14 AM

Quote from: Jedi on October 02, 2014, 06:12 PM
Next lesson I'm going to teach how 'religion' itself evolved from tribal societies to a fully fledged elite endorsed king-God system and how this culminated into the Judeo-Christian-Islamic faith. Any ideas of how to do this and make it fun at the same time?

How'd it go?

`But I don't want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked.
`Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat: `we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.'
`How do you know I'm mad?' said Alice.
`You must be,' said the Cat, `or you wouldn't have come here.'
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Reply #19 - May 02, 2015, 09:52 AM

Quote from: Jedi on October 02, 2014, 06:12 PM
Thanks guys. I really enjoy teaching the students. They're really rbight but cautious. Today I taught about the 'History of Religion' and I had them all imagine that they were living in the Stone Age (they were grunting and hunting) and had to write what they felt, saw and thought about the world around them from a ultra-primitive perspective. I then went through various simulations of an earthquake, lightening strike, thunderstorm, flood and a loved one dying. I asked them to answer the question of what happened, how it happened and why it happened from their caveperson worlview. They came up with, after some prompting, '...it had to be a special being that was shaking the world or proding it because he/she was unhappy with the way we were behaving. We also invented the afterlife so that we could join our loved ones.' There is one girl who is a committed Christian and three Muslims in the class who were very open to these ideas. I'm surprised that no parents have phoned or emailed to complain thus far. Tht's not to say that religious people can't/aren't tolerant. I'm just trying to demonstrate some of the diversity in the class.

Have any of the parents complained yet?

Edit: actually on second thoughts that's probably asking too much personal information - so best ignore the question.

Which side are you on?
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