Introducing children to the Bible

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Introducing children to the Bible

28 posts & 21 voices | Started 4 months ago by vinnyeh | Latest reply from yunki

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vinnyeh - Member

Took the kids to the library last week, oldest (6) grabbed the Childrens Illustrated Bible. I put on my best fixed smile and said 'that's nice, dear'.

Fast forward to last night, and she's been struggling with a lot of the words, so I sit down to help her- at first says she wants to read about baby Jesus, but then focuses in on pictures of Moses in the bulrushes and I have to read with her through the stories of Pharaoh killing the first born males in each family, a few more killings and God visiting the various plagues on Egypt. Nice, for a 6 year old.

How should I deal with this- if she was older, I could explain it a bit better, but she still believes in Father Christmas, the Tooth Fairy and Easter Bunny, and the inherent niceness of human beings. She's had no religious instruction, other than attending the odd wedding or christening.
Part of me wants to disappear the whole book, despite being against censorship and a supporter of religious freedom, though an agnostic.

Posted 4 months ago #
TandemJeremy - Member

Treat it as a fictionalised account of historical events?

Posted 4 months ago #
molgrips - Member

Custard creme anyone? Hobnob?

Posted 4 months ago #
miketually - Member

Are all the other books she reads non-fiction?

Posted 4 months ago #
anotherdeadhero - Member

If you try to hide it, or shy her away from it, it won't end well.

Anyone in the family religious? God-parent? Could they step in, then you can carmly explain your own feelings on the matter and she can make her own mind up. Particularly as she gets older, she will become more objective.

Religious types arn't all nutters and weirdos - I know, I was brought up by some There are worse things than Sunday school.

Posted 4 months ago #
wwaswas - Member

if she can cope with the thought that strangers come in her bedroom at night and remove things from under her pillow then I don't think the Bible is much to worry about, tbh.

if she's not obviously distressed then just stick with it.

we always just said to our kids 'some people believe in God/Jesus/Buddha and they have stories that they believe too' - kids may be fairly willing to believe in all sorts fo mythical beings but they're not daft.

Posted 4 months ago #
dabble - Member

Tell your child you think its not suitable for 6 year olds and get him/her to pick a book you feel more comfortable with. Or, as above, treat it like you would any other fairytale.

Posted 4 months ago #
xcgb - Member

get her one of these?

Posted 4 months ago #
molgrips - Member

In all seriousness - just tell her that some people believe the stories, some don't. And some believe other stories instead.

Posted 4 months ago #
mudshark - Member

Do they still teach RE/Scripture at schools? I went to Sunday school as a kid and always did well in RE due to my extra education.

Posted 4 months ago #
seosamh77 - Member

skip the old testament and move on to the new testament.

Posted 4 months ago #
vinnyeh - Member

Sorry, probably didn't explain too well- I have no problem with her believing in God, or with most of the touchy feely new testament stuff, it's the nastier bits of the old testament, and reconciling that with the idea of a God that she already has.
She's only 6.

Posted 4 months ago #
woody2000 - Member

Have a ceremonial bible burning, it's the only way.

Posted 4 months ago #
wwaswas - Member

just say that most of the bad stuff in the stories was done by people and not God?

(although God drowning everyone in the world bar some bloke and his extended family always seems to go without comment as there's some cute animals on the boat with them)

Posted 4 months ago #
vinnyeh - Member

Have a ceremonial bible burning, it's the only way.

Yeah, and then she'd probably come home with Fahrenheit 451.

Posted 4 months ago #
ART - Member

Chill - she's 6 and isn't going to stay interested in it that long. Let her explore, she'll be on to something else pretty soon.

Posted 4 months ago #
samuri - Member

just say that most of the bad stuff in the stories was done by people and not God?

And that if she wants to avoid those sorts of people, keep away from places of worship.

Posted 4 months ago #
Klunk - Member

lego ftw

Posted 4 months ago #
seosamh77 - Member

vinnyeh - Member
Sorry, probably didn't explain too well- I have no problem with her believing in God, or with most of the touchy feely new testament stuff, it's the nastier bits of the old testament, and reconciling that with the idea of a God that she already has.
She's only 6.
I think you are trying too hard, teach her the nice bits, you'll just give her nightmares.

Posted 4 months ago #
D0NK - Member

Yes the acts of genocide, infanticide and all manner or capital punishment that appear in the bible always seems a dubious choice for inclusion in the kids version.

A bit nowty was the old testament god.

just say that most of the bad stuff in the stories was done by people and not God?
Nah pretty sure a lot of the bad stuff was (reportedly) done by god dunno what sort of technology they had back then but earthquakes, floods and chemical warfare seem a bit advanced

Posted 4 months ago #
brakes - Member

tell her that they're just stories that teach us about things that might have happened in the past i.e. the truth, and that she will understand it when she's older.

Posted 4 months ago #
IHN - Member

just tell her that some people believe the stories, which is fine, some don't, which is fine. And some believe other stories instead, which is fine too.

This.

Posted 4 months ago #
Klunk - Member

stone your children

Posted 4 months ago #
seanoc - Member

I had a similair issue with the Starwars; select the nicer bits first. Hold the nasty bits back.

Posted 4 months ago #
monkey_boy - Member

Let her get into it now, as above she will get bored then wait until she's 18 then put a copy of this under her pillow..

Posted 4 months ago #
brakes - Member

at least it's not The Snowman where THE SNOWMAN DIES AT THE END!!
How this story was ever published I do not know.
And how parents would dare let their precious children with their fragile minds watch it over Christmas is beyond me.

Posted 4 months ago #
rightplacerighttime - Member

It's "The Children's Illustrated Bible"

My daughter got given one when she was about 4 by happy clappy aunt and uncle.

I don't recall being asked to explain what any illustrations of sodomising and gomororising(?) were about so I assume it has already been made child friendly.

Given that my daughter had to stop watching Jason and the Argonaughts the other night because she found Talus too scarey I'm sure she would have let us know if she found the Bible worrying.

She was actually very keen on it for a while but eventually moved onto Rainbow Fairies and is currently very keen on Malory Towers books by Enid Blyton which my wife claims are full of absolutely vile characters and set a terrible example.

In short, my advice would be answer the questions as best you can and don't worry about it.

Posted 4 months ago #
yunki - Member

the acts of genocide, infanticide and all manner or capital punishment that appear in the bible always seems a dubious choice

this..

I've read in this thread some of the opinions that we should have desensitised our kids to these ferocious atrocities by the age of six but I'm of the belief that if you can hold it off as long as possible then why not..!?

Posted 4 months ago #