Forgive Me if I Smack You in the Mouth!

[Cinjin]

A couple years ago my, then, 8 year old grandson told me his new step-dad want to start taking him to church. He thought I might be upset if he went. I told him that if he was curious he should go, and we had another talk about religion and superstition. He attended 2 Sundays and decided it was a lot of hogwash. Kids will be exposed to all sort of things we would rather they were not. It is important that you make sure they understand your beliefs and the reasoning behind them, ultimately they will have to come to their own conclusions.

And at 8 years old, I would probably do the same thing and let my child begin to decide for himself. But he's only 2 and I would like give him the time to just enjoy being a child without all the heavy topics and agendas that every religious do-gooder has for him.

[corndog36]

And at 8 years old, I would probably do the same thing and let my child begin to decide for himself. But he's only 2 and I would like give him the time to just enjoy being a child without all the heavy topics and agendas that every religious do-gooder has for him.

I understand what you are saying, my grandson's paternal grandmother is a bible thumper who rambles on about God and Christ ad-nauseum. His mother is somewhere between deist and agnostic, we never saw the grandmother's evangelizing as a problem, and it hasn't been. I would be concerned about the effect of conflict between the adults in his life. You can't hide it from them no matter how hard you try. My advice would be to let it go for now. If the subject comes up be honest with him, and when he wants answers he will turn to the person who he believes will be honest with him, and not try to cram an ideology down his throat.

I hope that I don't come off sounding preachy. I'm never quite sure how to respond to questions like this. I like to think that the insights I've gained from my experiences can be of some help to others. On the other hand I don't believe that I am so wise as to be telling anyone else how to raise their kids, live their lives or manage their relationships. Although I fear that it sometimes sounds as though that is what I am trying to do.

[Faith No More]

I wonder what's going to happen when my son gets old enough that other people start preaching at him. Fortunately my parents are christians of the absolute most passive kind. In fact I'm 31 and I had no idea what my parent's religious beliefs actually were so color me shocked when I decided to ask them and they said christian. My mother in-law knows I hate religion because whenever we go to visit her mother, who is die hard old school catholic, they've tried to make get me to go for appearances sake. They went as far as to pay me 20 bucks one time but now they just tell my wife's grandma that I'm not feeling well and need to sleep in. The only one left is my father in-law who I believe thinks I'm a christian because I have professed some knowledge in the bible without saying it's not what I believe. He's not overtly religious but is still one of those people that thinks atheists are all ammoral.

I respect him very much and he is the best father in-law anyone could ask for but I would have no problem saying to his face not to talk to my kid about religion. My wife really doesn't want me to let him know because she has a huge family that are all catholic and everyone knows everything about everyone. If that line was crossed though where someone tried to preach to my son, I would have no problem telling them never to discuss their own beliefs in front of my kid. There's a fine line between standing up for your rights and being a total dick so it would be a touchy situation but I wouldn't avoid it to stop conflict.

Christians need to respect other parent's rights no matter who the child is, even if it's their grandchild. I would NEVER try to convince someone else's kid to believe what I believe and they damn well better not do it to mine. If you don't stand up to them now it could open the flood gates and then they will think it's open season on your kid's "salvation."

[Cinjin]

If you don't stand up to them now it could open the flood gates and then they will think it's open season on your kid's "salvation."

Well, I've already told them not to indoctrinate my son and they "slipped" and did it anyway. The question I'm currently posing to myself now is how hard do I drop the hammer on two people I usually have dinner with every two or three weeks. Its just not as cut and dried as you might think ...... or maybe it is ... I'm figuring it out as I go. Thanx for your thoughts though.

[Dotard]

Go with Kich's suggestion. It's a calm, factual and easy for a child to understand.

Then go to the perp and lay it on the line.

---

And it should be cut and dried. It's your childs mental welfare you're talking about.

[JohnDG]

I don't believe it's right to raise your kid with any belifes, religious or athiest. Perhaps you should raise him without them and when he's of reasonable age tell him your belifes, then let him make his own decision. Freedom of thought should be given to everyone, raise him to make up his own mind, raise him to be independent, make sure he knows the ins and outs of everything.

[KichigaiNeko]

I don't believe it's right to raise your kid with any belifes, religious or athiest. Perhaps you should raise him without them and when he's of reasonable age tell him your belifes,

Ummm that is at the heart of atheism

then let him make his own decision. Freedom of thought should be given to everyone, raise him to make up his own mind, raise him to be independent, make sure he knows the ins and outs of everything.

Which is what "the best case senario of atheism is all about...your point JD???

[tackattack]

2 Is far too young to be forming opinions and fully rational thoughts about religion. I think it's perfectly rational and cumpulsory to protect your child from any influences you deem as hazardous. Shielding them from outside influences they will see as adults though, might backfire in the long run. For now completely shield them, but if your child was 10 and said the same thing how would you react? You can't help but influence (read as force) your ideologies onto young children, because they experience what you do in a large part. My children enjoy Church and believe in God and JEsus, because I bring them with me when I go. If however they have questions about it, or feel like God doesn't exist I'm also fine with that. My kids are a little older than yours though. In general I've found that not making too big a deal out of anything at the younger ages (whatever to focus) us usally the better path to take in the long run.

[KichigaiNeko]

@ the 'Mighty Tack' you really did sound as though you were "pissed off"
Luv the avatar

[tackattack]

flattery gets you no where my dear with Mr. Serious off to camping for me.