Hello there

[thesummerqueen]

The biggest help is letting them know there are others who are like you, and that Jesus isn't the only way, which is how they sucker kids into it. I was raised Jewish in Northern VA, which, when I was younger than 10, was still very much a Southern area, and was told constantly below that age that not celebrating Christmas was "un-American." Mom had us going to Sunday school at two different synagogues to make sure we had our own kool-aid to drink.

I personally think giving your kids options for extra-curricular activities that have nothing to do whatsoever with religion so that they absolutely know there are people who think like Mommy and Daddy is the best proof against it, besides teaching them basic skepticism and how to think for themselves. Of course, I don't have kids, but I was one and between the science summer camps and the science and history-based books and magazines my parents fed me full to bursting with, religion didn't stand a chance except as proof against the cries of "HEATHEN!!" Once I found out there were other people like me in my early twenties, I dropped the charade. The group I mentioned to you in PM is excellent for that. Most of us really think that a lot of people who loosely identify as one religion or another generally only do so because they fear being branded a bad person otherwise.

---

Also, yes, that is a beautiful area. We pass through it on our way to Linville Falls sometimes. Lots of abandoned buildings and old churches I'd love to shoot some day.