Religion

Nay

(12,051 posts)

39. This. We are an atheist family and raised our son that way -- we generally attended

Fri Apr 20, 2018, 01:10 PM

Apr 2018

a UU church, which is not generally wholly Christian -- but we told him about other religions.

Your daughter is 7. She wants to fit in with her friend. Her family sees your daughter as a mark, and is trying to slide her into their church without your permission or knowledge. This is shitty behaviour on their part.

For your daughter, since she has been recruited by that family (don't kid yourself, this was done on purpose, she's 7 yrs old, ffs), you MUST intervene. The easiest way to cut those people off at the pass is to start taking your daughter to religious services yourself EVERY Sunday at a different church every time. Include UU churches where they don't preach hell and damnation. Unity churches are another mild non-hell church. When that family realizes that YOU are aware of their shenanigans and won't be participating in your daughter's recruitment, I bet the girls' 'friendship' cools off really fast.

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"I want to raise my daughter without religion. She wants to go to church. What should I do?" [View all] trotsky Apr 2018 OP

I vote let her do as she pleases.. raising a child who is confident in their OWN choices is more samnsara Apr 2018 #1

To me it sounds like this isn't something the child necessarily *wants* to do. trotsky Apr 2018 #5

A 7 year old needs guidance. Mariana Apr 2018 #9

I was not religious but I allowed my children to attend church & youth groups dameatball Apr 2018 #2

We find our own path. Eyeball_Kid Apr 2018 #3

Let her go to church and decide for herself. The Velveteen Ocelot Apr 2018 #4

Do you think she wants to go because she is curious Cuthbert Allgood Apr 2018 #12

Maybe the kid should be taken to a variety of church services and other religious ceremonies The Velveteen Ocelot Apr 2018 #13

That I have no problem with (though, I agree she might be a little young). Cuthbert Allgood Apr 2018 #15

Exactly.. LakeArenal Apr 2018 #25

As an atheist myself I have encouraged my 26 year old daughter to go to church. elocs Apr 2018 #6

I personally took both my children to church on multiple occasions. trotsky Apr 2018 #7

That's the key. YOU took them. Mariana Apr 2018 #10

This has been an interesting experiment in religious privilege so far. trotsky Apr 2018 #11

How different would the responses be Mariana Apr 2018 #14

I agree w/ you, this is a form of child abuse, but if she insists, go w/ her and be there for her... SWBTATTReg Apr 2018 #8

Absolutely. trotsky Apr 2018 #18

There's lots of other reasons not to allow this in schools Major Nikon Apr 2018 #27

The problem is you have people who teach their own children to aggressively proselytize Major Nikon Apr 2018 #26

Maybe Mom should start really teaching the kid Mariana Apr 2018 #16

I read this book to my kids. trotsky Apr 2018 #19

The best thing to teach your children is the knowledge and skill to think for themselves Major Nikon Apr 2018 #23

Not all churches are the same jes06c Apr 2018 #17

When I was a child we lived in Europe and my Dad dragged the whole family procon Apr 2018 #20

Imagine how it would be received if Muslim mosques were proselytizing in public schools Major Nikon Apr 2018 #21

As usual, it depends. MineralMan Apr 2018 #22

Allow her to go. guillaumeb Apr 2018 #24

Go with her. Listen to the sermons. Give her your interpretation. LuvLoogie Apr 2018 #28

Take her to a different church every Sunday/Saturday TheDebbieDee Apr 2018 #29

This. We are an atheist family and raised our son that way -- we generally attended Nay Apr 2018 #39

let her go to church. My kids were turned off of religion by going to church and demigoddess Apr 2018 #30

My answer... Mike Nelson Apr 2018 #31

This is the right answer. trotsky Apr 2018 #36

Thank you... Mike Nelson Apr 2018 #42

LOL trotsky Apr 2018 #43

Dude! Show a Little Hubris, Won't You? MineralMan Apr 2018 #44

Try a UU congregation - Unitarian Universalist. 3catwoman3 Apr 2018 #32

Let her find her own way with or without religion. Lil Missy Apr 2018 #33

She's 7, and is being recruited by a fundie family. Mom should take charge of this. nt Nay Apr 2018 #40

I raised our four without religion. Thirties Child Apr 2018 #34

Let her go and don't make a big deal about it ebbie15644 Apr 2018 #35

Let her go to perhaps a fire-and-brimstone church where she will be told... trotsky Apr 2018 #37

What could possibly go wrong? Major Nikon Apr 2018 #38

schools are heavily infested with christian terrorists and bullies. threatening kids with msongs Apr 2018 #41