MIL trying to send MY Jewish kids to Bible camp!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

How did you explain this to your children? I think canceling your trip altogether was the nuclear option. You probably should have tried talking it out first instead, but I sense your real wish is to cut the inlaws out of your life completely, right? Please remember that there are very few people on this earth that live your kids like their grands. You've treated them as completely expendable, which perhaps in your mind they are.

I agree with the sentiment of this, although I also agree that you should not have sent them to the camp. It's ok to tell grandma that the kids can't go to the camp, but canceling the trip was really the nuclear option, and you jumped right to it. Why? I could see that approach AFTER you discuss your position with her, and she refuses to cancel the camp, but why as the first option?

Agree 110%

I also agree with the poster who thinks OP views the children as primarily hers.

OP is going to be in for a rude awakening in a few years.

Rude awakening? Wow, you are dense. It's not that she thinks of the children as hers, it's that they are Jewish. Full stop. They aren't half of anything. They are Jewish. Even her DH gets that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hey OP if you simply keep the kids at home all of the time and don't let anyone in and don't give them access to TV/internet they won't find out that there are other religions and lifestyles. They won't be exposed or influenced. It's perfect! Hire some security or maybe build a moat around your house to keep the non-Jewish elements far far away. You have to be committed to this!

Good idea.

Now what to do with the actual issue - the meddling MIL?

+1,How are so many posters simply ignoring that so that they can yell at OP about how she is close minded?!

Its not the issue at hand!

[Anonymous]

Ok. I am jewish. My wife is jewish. I would have a huge HUGE problem with this. Mostly because Bible camp is about proselytizing.

At the Jewish camps we sent our daughter too, there was no proselytizing. Instead, it was just living life according to jewish rules. At it is Jewish camp, not Torah camp. I would have a problem sending my DD to something called Torah camp.

[Anonymous]

I think that the Op will be the MIL in a few years. The DH just married his Mother.

[Anonymous]

MIL needs to apologize and change her ways

Then there is no problem

[Anonymous]

MIL shows great disrespect. And any poster who doesn't "get this" is showing the same disrespect.

[Anonymous]

How would people feel if the OP and her husband were very anti-gun and the MIL signed the kids up for a riflery camp?

Regardless of whether the kids should be exposed to different and/or their grandparents religions, it is the parents' decision when and how. The parents are united in what they want for their family.

I'm sure it is sad for the MIL, I would be sad if my children broke with any of the major values that are important to me; but as many people say regarding many other issues on this board, it is the parents that get to decide. I think it's interesting so many posters think it's wrong for the parents to want to maintain the final say on religion (and exposure to other religions) since most people would agree these are some of the most basic and fundamental decisions parents make for their young children.

[Anonymous]

She's just trying to save their souls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The title of your post is very interesting and I'm surprised no one has mentioned it. You say "MY Jewish kids" as opposed to "our Jewish kids." It makes me think you consider these kids yours and 100 Jewish and don't seem to understand they also come from your husband and his Christian family. I think the title of the post says a lot about your attitude and how you approach the mixed marriage.

Once again, OP's family is Jewish. There is no Christianity in the home. Some families practice and celebrate multiple religions but OP's family does not. There is no obligation to allow extended family to expose these Jewish children to a camp where there will certainly be daily prayers to Jesus. This is considered very offensive to Jewish families because of the very long history of Jews being forced to practice other religions.

its also considered very much against their religion- the most important component of the Jewish religion is the allegiance to the ONE God ,and praying to anyone other than the God of Abraham is pretty much the worst thing you can do. And while Christian people think that praying to the Lord jesus Christ is the same b/c of the trinity and all that, observant Jews don't think so highly of Jesus and don't believe in the concept of 3=1, 1=3 so its all good we worship the same deity. B/c- what the hell- its anonymous: news flash only Christians think that their religion is monotheistic, strictly speaking its polytheistic, that is breaking the 1st commandment! I mean i'm not Jewish but for Muslims- Jewish religious stuff is ok,i know its not vice versa, b/c the Oneness of God is the most important belief of all - actually i'd like invite from the Jewish poster- is that concept of noon you CANNOT pray in the name of x,y,z human being a no go for you as well? I've always wondered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is such nonsense and so is the comment by the PP who said the children are half Christian. It's not a mixed religion family. The children are JEWISH.


But there must be something that attracted Op to her husband since he isn't Jewish. I still think that if being Jewish was so important than she should have married a Jewish guy. Period. But, like it or not, the children's father's family are Christian so wouldn't be nice if they learned about their heritage and history? Seriously, if one week could undo your Jewish kids maybe their faith isn't so strong.

Lastly, if one can be black and white or white and Asian why can't someone acknowledge the religious side? Ie Jewish and Catholic? This is an honest question and yes, I know about Jewishness passing through the Mother. I'm not saying don't raise your kids Jewish, I'm saying what's wrong with understanding all your family history.

b/c praying to anything/person other than the Lord God of isreal ,Who is One- even for a week is breaking the first commandment? i don't understand the christian people on this thread- YOU think you worship the same God, but you are alone in this, Jesus is not a deity for Jews. he just isn't. all you evangelicals- would you be ok with your kid praying to Krishna or Hanuman for a week? Obviously PP and her husband made this decision-the grandparents have to respect it. Its NOT the same for Jews as it is for Christians!Being told that Praying to Jesus is the same as praying to God is historically offensive to Jews. God 50 years of not murdering/coercing people and its like the past 1950 years never happened

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Curious how many of you MIL supporting posters would be cool with Muslim inlaws surprise signing up their Jewish grandkids for a week of Koran camp at a time when it will hugely impact their parents to find other arrangements.

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She's just trying to save their souls.

And if buys into that BS I'd worry about her general sanity.

[Anonymous]

I'm Jewish and grew up in a community where I was surrounded by evangelicals. At times I was treated like an oddity and other times bullied and called a Christ killer. Don't think VBS would be much for Jewish identified kids especially if there's a huge emphasis on conversion

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How would people feel if the OP and her husband were very anti-gun and the MIL signed the kids up for a riflery camp?

Regardless of whether the kids should be exposed to different and/or their grandparents religions, it is the parents' decision when and how. The parents are united in what they want for their family.

I'm sure it is sad for the MIL, I would be sad if my children broke with any of the major values that are important to me; but as many people say regarding many other issues on this board, it is the parents that get to decide. I think it's interesting so many posters think it's wrong for the parents to want to maintain the final say on religion (and exposure to other religions) since most people would agree these are some of the most basic and fundamental decisions parents make for their young children.

Is there a chance that one might be shot at bible camp? Silly analogy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok. I am jewish. My wife is jewish. I would have a huge HUGE problem with this. Mostly because Bible camp is about proselytizing.

At the Jewish camps we sent our daughter too, there was no proselytizing. Instead, it was just living life according to jewish rules. At it is Jewish camp, not Torah camp. I would have a problem sending my DD to something called Torah camp.

If you are both Jewish, you wouldn't have this problem.