View Single Post
Carole's Daycare 07:20 AM 01-25-2010
Regarding immunizations, MN law requires immunizations, or that the parent sign an objection based on faith to immunizations. I will only ever have one family of non-immunized conscientious objectors, and not when I have infants who can't be immunized, to prevent the spread of infectious disease.
For the lady with the employment issue: I'm not certain of the details of the law in your state, however, if the daycare is in a church or part of a church, or listed when they applied for their license as a Christian Daycare they are legally allowed preferential hiring to Christians, as understanding and holding those beliefs would be necessary to do the job. Would a Catholic School hire a Buddhist Monk for Catechism classes? You are entitled to your religious beliefs, or lack thereof, it is America, after all. That daycare is also entitled as a Christian Daycare, to teach its basic beliefs as part of their program. Was there no hint in the name or environment that they had Christian principles? Perhaps a Noah's Ark Poster, poem on the wall or artwork hanging up, that could have indicated the type of place it was? Personally I know it can be a challenge as a Christian in any workplace around non-Christians and maintaining my faith and principles without being attacked as a fruitcake. At least within professed Christian establishments they are free to express their faith. If you are uncomfortable, the job is not a good fit and you should pursue a job in a secular business or school district run facility with a distinct separation, where your lack of faith is more of an asset. I personally run a home daycare that is state licensed, therefore cannot discriminate regarding clients or employees for any reason, including religion. Nonetheless, it is my own home and I raised my children here, so I make it clear during interviews and in my policies that as such my son prays before meals, and we have both secular and non secular books and displays surrounding religious holidays, etc. I encourage the families to discuss with me their comfort level, and personal beliefs so we can be respectful to them, as I expect them to be respectful to me. I have had Hindus, Buddhists and Jews here, and we have all managed to get along, and hopefully children learning to coexist peacefully in this environment helps them on a larger scale in adult life. I believe my profession is my calling, and I do it as a service to God, and my faith gives me strength and compasssion and love to do my job. My father was an atheist, and I have known many. In my experience many (not all) of them had negative experiences with professed Christians, or severe hardships in their life that made it difficult to believe. I have had both in my life, and understand the mindset, (and heartset) that make it difficult to interact peacefully with believers. Unfortunately non-believers use the human weaknesses that everyone has, Christians included, as a weapon against faith and the faithful. Having sin or weakness does not make a Christian a hypocrite, it makes them a sinner, human, as we all are. Hopefully all who have participated in this discussion will try to examine their motives and speech. Regardless of the integrity of a Christian's intentions, their actions and speech will always be scrutinized through the looking glass of the non- believer and be found wanting. While our faith requires us to be "fishers of men" and profess and try to spread our faith, make sure we do it in love, not with the fear and defensiveness that allows our speech to amplify negative emotions. Likewise non-believers who wish their freedom and fear the "judgement" that they feel comes with religion, should at least respect the right to our beliefs and speech on our beliefs, the same as all other faiths and athiests alike, share in our society. At least being willing to learn and understand about other cultures and belief systems allows for a more peaceful coexistence.
Reply