Innocent minds are being destroyed

As much as I hate to admit it my wife is a Christian. And so are her children. That's bad enough. I guess that's what happens when 83% of Americans identify as such. It wasn't my choice. It was just statistically bound to happen. I would have preferred otherwise.

Well tonight my step-grand-daughter walked in the house and announced that they had just gotten out of church. The poor dear is only 5 years old. I asked my wife why they were in church on a Thursday and she told me that's children's night. I said something along the lines of little minds being ruined. She replied that she didn't want to talk about it. (She NEVER does.) I replied, "Yes, dear, I realize that you are not emotionally equipped to discuss the subject on an intellectual basis. And you aren't interested in learning the truth. You'd rather continue to believe the nonsense that you were brought up with. I get it."

Its just horrible to watch these children have their young minds filled with garbage and not be able to even talk to them about it. But I'm supposed to sit quietly and "respect their parents wishes".

 

Why did you marry her?

 

Regretably you just told the readers who wears the pants in your house.

 

So your suggestion is what? That I be a domineering ******** and tell her what religion she and her offspring must practice? Is that the "Christian thing to do"? History would answer that question with a resounding 'YES!" But that is one of the things that I despise about them.

 

Did I offer a suggestion? Obviously not. So go ahead and do it in the manner in which your non-believer mode of thinking will allow you to do. Which we already know what that will be, as you have already indicated who speaks loudest in your house.

 

Would that solve the problem? No, because the kids would still be raised to believe in nonsense. And its not like the one issue clouds the entire relationship. Like if she gave louse blow jobs or something.

 

Like I said they are HER offspring. Although, sad to say, I have a daughter who moved to the Ozarks who is getting some pretty goofy ideas. I guess if I subscribed to any of the Abrahamic religions I could just murder them. That's been working for them for thousands of years.

 

I feel for you.

One of the most annoying things about Christians is that they're super keen to convert loved ones/friends eyc, but refuse to talk about it. Like going to a used car yard on a rainy day (desperate salesmen), but rather than tell you about the car you're eyeing off, or answer any questions, they get get cross and shout "just buy it!"

 

Most of them don't seem to have put even 5 minutes thought into it either. They don't seem to know what it is they claim to believe. Yet they are firmly convinced that, whatever it is, it is absolutely true. Even though they can't answer even basic questions about any of it.

On a humorous side note, I attended my wife's family reunion a few years ago. They had a couple of guests from South Africa. Black preachers. I talked with them briefly about how people can become angry and resentful to compensate when they are indebted to someone. As whites are to blacks for all the free labor we stole from them. And how the resources of Africa have been exploited by the white man. A little sermon on the mount type stuff. Ever since, from time to time, my wife tells me that her relatives tell her that those gentlemen have asked about me. They are all convinced that I am some great religious philosopher. If only they knew, lol. I just don't see much point in getting into it with her old widowed aunts and such. But its such a shame to watch these young minds being filled with this nonsense.

 

Well, I don't want to burst your bubble, but in this day and age, and in this country, murder is a criminal offense. So, as I indicated before, I am not making any suggestions on what you should do. But it is nice to know what type of thoughts you do entertain.

 

There you go again, demonizing others for speaking the truth.

If you can not handle it when someone mentions what the Israelites did and what their laws then perhaps you should not listen.

 

The Israelites were bad enough:

But it would be difficult, indeed, to come up with a sicker concept than the Christian belief that the "creator of all things" plans to condemn billions of people to ETERNAL TORTURE, not because of anything they ever said or did, but simply because they don't believe the vile garbage that Christians do.

By that philosophy the Nazis, who after all were only following the instructions of Martin Luther (the founder of the Protestant faiths), can go to an eternal reward but the Jews they murdered by the millions will go to eternal suffering for not becoming Christians.

But of course they don't tell children that except when they do. Most of the time its, "Jesus loves you so much he gave up his life for you. Now turn off your brain and learn to follow orders."

 

So you put your wife down and yet it's your granddaughters mind who is being destroyed? You might want to do a little bit of reflection there buddy.

 

You need to take a class in reading comprehension. Its HER grand daughter's mind that is being filled with rubbish. And what exactly is it that you think I need to reflect on? That Christianity is glorified ignorance?

Funny though. One of you says that I'm putting my wife down. Yet with the same exact information another says that I let her "wear the pants".

 

Of course they do this. A young mind is far more malleable than and adult mind that's why you need to get them while they are young. I remember trying to be brainwashed in second grade by these people and I distinctly remember thinking why are none of my friends questioning this? They are just blindly following which I thought was strange even way back then.

 

So then how do you explain your conservatism? It's the same exact thing. Which is why the two are so often conjoined.

 

5 years old? My boy is nearly 4, if someone (say, my Aunt, who is an... outspoken Christian) spoke to him like that after he'd specifically said he didn't want to talk about it, they would deserve a punch in the face. You might not be a 'domineering (*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)', but you seem to me like you are one of those two words.

 

No it isn't. I am a fiscal conservative and I formed my own views on conservatism myself by reading, observing and making informed decisions based on reality. Religion is fantasy, fiscal conservatism is logical and sound and based on reality not the vivid imaginations of people who want to mold other people. Im also registered as independent. If I feel a democrat has social and economic policies that agree with me then I will vote for him her, the problem is they almost never do especially when it comes to spending and the religious right doesn't affect my wallet at all. My observation based on reality is religion has caused a great deal of harm to mankind over the course of human history and in our modern day times liberals are equally as offensive to me as they take away freedoms as well as money with nothing to show for it.
Also you can still believe in a higher being but not any religion.

 

Learning what thoughts enter the mind of someone is demonizing them? Then mention of what the Israelites "did and what their laws" were does not bother me at all. But, IMHO, the suggested application of those laws in this country (region known as the ozarks) is an offense to the current laws in this country.

 

I think it's the approach. If you told her she's not emotionally equipped, anything past that point probably would go unheard. I've leared it the hard way. I would approach it from the perspective of wanting to understand why she believes what she does, at the root of it, and gain her perspective before offering your own. Once you both understand her side, then maybe she'd be open to discussing it further. Insulting her right up front will just shut her down more and strengthen the wall she's built to the topic even further, even if it frustrates you to have to be so patient through the process to allow her to feel she can confide her real feelings about it rather than just defend her point of view from your perspective.

 

It's just like Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy to kids.

 

That seems like some advice that some members of this forum should heed prior to engaging other members. Good post SMDBill.

 

Yes, is no a pretty picture and the more one learns the worse it gets. Many folks think all the nastiness ended a long time ago but that is not the case.

The "Kill the Jew" (and anyone else who we disagree with) fever reared its ugly head during WWII when the Church helped with the Genocide in Catholic Croatia against Orthodox and Jewish Serbians.

The Bishops were in there up to their eyebrows just like in the "Good ole days of the inquisition" Forced conversions and much killing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_clergy_involvement_with_the_Ustaše

Ivan Šarić was the Roman Catholic Bishop of Sarajevo, who supported the Ustaša. His diocesan newspaper wrote:

What a fine example of the Love of the Church = Lets "liberate" the world from Jews in the name of God.

The Pope helped the head of the Ustase (Pavelic - Hitler of Croatia) escape after the war dressed as a Priest and the dude was never brought to Justice.

Here is another link but there are many more.
http://serbianna.com/analysis/archives/1182

Interesting that not a word of this was brought up during the war in Yugoslavia. It was Payback. Not that this makes it right but it was not just a random event.

 

IMO manners are a pretty important concept as well. Setting an example of rudeness can't have been a good thing. Calling your granddaughter's parent stupid and emotionally immature couldn't have helped your relationship or gotten your point across either.

How come you get to be the arbiter of how other people's children are raised? Do you have any of your own? I presume you raised them in the ways you thought right, brooking no interference from others. Can you not grant that same right?

 

You married your wife so it makes her your granddaughter too. But if acting like a jerk is a sign of being "enlightened" then I'm definitely going to raise my kids in church. At least they'll be respectful.