Saturday 5 December 2009

Signs that I am a Heathen

Blame it on the Catholic convent education, but I've gone right off it all these days. I had the kids christened but if the Ball & Chain hadn't mentioned it, I probably wouldn't have bothered. They go to a non-religious school where, I'm happy to say, they celebrate a variety of religions with their peers. The school "Holiday" concert includes Hannukah and Kwaanza songs, Chinese New Year and Diwali are also recognised throughout the year.

The Queenager has been taking herself off to the local church every Sunday for almost a year, and if she wants to take things further I will fully support her, although I can't really see me tagging along every week. In short, although my mother and in-laws are probably praying for my soul, I think I do a pretty good job of keeping my thoughts to myself.

However, every once in a while I acknowledge that perhaps my kids don't know quite enough about Christianity.

As in:

"Mommy, what's a priest?" (Answer - A man who works in a church. Come on, he's only 6)

and

"Deck the hall with flowers and cauli. Fa la la la la...." (Gulp)

25 comments:

  1. Haha! 'Flowers & cauli'???! I love it, much better than the original.

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  2. I'm an on again off again Christian myself!

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  3. We have so many religion issues... I was myself a convent school girl. And now my son is in a Catholic school, but being raised an agnostic/atheist at home. Not pretty.

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  4. these are important markers of literacy, i can say, confidently wearing my english teacher hat; it takes some deft linguistic dexterity and real cultural knowledge to deck with cauliflower and have your shepherds wash their socks. for that, 10/10 and gold stars all round.

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  5. I am sure you will be just fine. God loves people with a good sense of humour. You may need a couple of millenia on starpolishing duty as atonement for your lapses. LOL

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  6. Ooooh. I love the sound of star-polishing duty.

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  7. Flowers and cauli is fantastic! And yes, a priest is indeed a man who works in a church, whats wrong with that?! ;)

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  8. So will it be the Cauli and the Ivy as well?

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  9. oh no. what would sister mackin say?
    something very scolding in latin no doubt.
    ;-)

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  10. Let's hope the cauli's all in place when Putoff the Red Nose Reindeer arrives .

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  11. LOL @ "flower and cauli" :-D

    I grew up in a Catholic country, i.e. Italy. And why I did do my stint in a Catholic youth group, I also tried other stuff I didn't stick with, and I have been pretty disenchanted about Catholicism in general for years now. So we may celebrate Christmas, and Easter, but not for religious reasons. More for the Santa and the chocolate, really.

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  12. You're doing fine! I assume you are raising your 8yo the same as the Queenager, and she's found her way (to religion) alright, when she decided she wanted it. I had religion forced upon me by grandparents who thought I should be like them, and it's left a bad taste in my mouth nearly my whole life. Better to let them find their way in their own time, I think.

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  13. Clippy - Ah Sister Mackin. Bless. Mind you - she did clip me with those bloody rosary beads once for running in the corridor!

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  14. Well she's got the predictive rhyme scheme worked out, don't think it wd look v festive though.....

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  15. Ha - I love the song!
    I'm C of E myself & don't go to church. I have been thinking about how to deal the subject with my kids so I just started telling Jack (3) that Christmas is Jesus's birthday and that Jesus was a good & kind man. Of course in the mind of a 3-year old Jesus doesn't stand a chance against Santa.

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  16. There's no way I could write a post about religion on my blog.

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  17. "Deck the hall with flowers and cauli. Fa la la la la...."

    thanks for the chuckle on a Monday morning!!!

    Gill in Canada

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  18. I think cauli is an excellent alternative to prickly holly. You can even get it in purple.

    Please can you enable name/url on your comments?

    Liz (LivingwithKids)

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  19. Liz - Bit technical on a Monday morning but I'll give it a try! Actually, by clicking on your name, people can get to your blog anyway though! Isn't that the same thing?

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  20. Great! I'm about the same, but my son is just as much a heathen and I don't have any pressure from in-laws. Thank 'God' :)

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  21. My in-laws think me beyond redemption so any spare prayers...

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  22. Our Christmas CD has it as "Deck the hall with bows of holly" (pronounced to rhyme with toes). Bows of holly would be pretty painful to tie, I think.

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