MIL trying to send MY Jewish kids to Bible camp!

[Anonymous]

No, your MIL should never have signed them up for this or any camp without discussing it with you. That said, a week is a long time to be with grandkids. My mother keeps our kids for a week each summer and I proactively sign them up for a camp so that my mother gets a much needed break and my kids can run around like crazy.

Instead of complaining and threatening to cancel a vacation with your DH get on the internet and find an alternative.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cannot believe all the posters saying they'd be ok with this. Bullshit. The whole point of these vacation bible camps, like everything else at any christian church, is evangelism. OP's children are jewish. And no, she did not "marry into" a christian family. Her husband married a jew and agreed to raise the kids jewish. You all are unreal.

Exaggerate much? The WHOLE point of vacation bible camp and everything else at ANY Christian church is not evangelism. Many of them actually teach about loving and serving one another, even, gasp, people of different religions.

As far as OP, if it was me it would completely depend on the particular Christian denomination.

- A mom whose 2 sons are welcomed as counselors at a Christian camp even though they are a very different religion

[Anonymous]

What's wrong with showing a little tolerance and appreciation of diversity?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's wrong with your kids going to bible camp? Even if you're raising your kids Jewish it doesn't mean they can't set foot in a church. If anything the bible camp is mostly fun and games. They will sing some songs. Why isolate your kids when they are visiting inlaws and not let them attend?

+1000 I would not cancel a trip over this. It is just for a few days and it would be a nice lesson on diversity. Vacation Bible School for youngsters is heavy on fun and light on religion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jewish kids don't belong at Christian bible camp. It's not just another cross cultural experience for them. Anyone who can't get that is thick.

Oh, lighten up. Jesus forgives you.

[Anonymous]

As a kid I would have been overjoyed to go to a Jewish (or Muslim/Buddhist/ect) camp because I was always curious about other people's religions. I was raised firmly Christian, with church every Sunday, vacation bible school, choir, ect and am still firmly Christian. It always bothered me that people were so separated on this, I never saw the harm in attending a camp or services of another religion.

Unless your MIL is sending your kids to one of those crazy, brainwashing camps I don't see the harm. It's mostly crafts and games. And contests, like memorizing the books of the Old Testament. Some singing perhaps. That's it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's wrong with showing a little tolerance and appreciation of diversity?

Not sure why the MIL can't respect her grandchildren's religion? Talk about intolerance and lack of appreciation for diversity.

[Anonymous]

Are the in laws thumpers?

[Anonymous]

Op,

When you married out of your faith than you ran the risk of having the In-laws have a different faith than you.

Yes, your husband agrees to raising the kids Jewish but, think of it this way. You children are not 100 percent Jewish. Why not let them learn about their Father's faith? What are you afraid of? That after a week they will no longer want to be Jewish? Once you become a parent there are so many things you cannot control. This could happen when they are adults or they could remain Jewish their whole lives. At least MIL didn't lie and she told you about the Bible camp.

I can't remember where I read this ( Washington Post perhaps) about the Jewish Mom and Christian Father. For various reasons, one kid chose to be Jewish and the other Christian. Each kid thought their religion was better and only until recently did they begin to tolerate each other.

If you felt strongly about being Jewish than I'm sorry, but you should have married another Jew. I dated a Jewish guy and I realized that my expectations and his were so way off that we couldn't be happy together. So, I didn't marry him. Too late now for you but, I would open your heart and raise them Jewish but, not completely shut them out of their dad's heritage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a kid I would have been overjoyed to go to a Jewish (or Muslim/Buddhist/ect) camp because I was always curious about other people's religions.

But what if you were, say, 8 years old, and you went to a camp of a different religion, and they told you that you'd go to hell unless you did x, y, and z? Would you still want that for yourself or another child?

I'm all for kids learning about different religions and their beliefs. I'd send my kids to a camp where they learned about a different religion each day of the week, in a purely non-proselytizing way. But that's not what the in-laws signed up the Jewish grandchildren for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I'm Jewish and wouldn't allow that at all and would also be incredulous. I'd cancel the trip with DH or take the kids with us.

Obviously a week of bible camp won't make the kids stop being jewish but I don't want them being educated that to be born is a sin. I don't want them being taught they should pray to a dead jewish guy.

Original sin is a bit deep for an 8 year old. But, even if it weren't, your kid at some point will be a member of the real world with differing views. And kids who will explain that people who don't pray to Jesus are going to hell (thanks to their parents & evangelical upbringing). Certainly my kids had heard this by the time they were 6-8. Teach your kids your religious values and belief system. Help them understand that different people have different religious beliefs and that they can be respectful of others views, but not believe them to be true. (Something you seem to have a problem with, given your dismissive tone).

Or raise your kids as the Jewish version of the Duggars.

[Anonymous]

I'm Christian and I understand your point. Just so you know often the themes are old testament (I.e. Noah and the ark) and its 3 hours of mostly playing. Sorry you have to deal with this. I really wanted a relationship with someone who had a different faith and I wouldn't do it because of something like this. is a great example of marrying into a family that have the same beliefs if your faith is important to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are the in laws thumpers?

+1 so much of this depends on the individual church.

[Anonymous]

Wow, first of all.

And, I am guessing she is some kind of evangelical Christian? If it is garden variety Protestant, that is one thing, but if it is the kind of church that is going to tell them that they must accept Jesus to be saved, and likely even ask them to give their hearts to Jesus, that is a non-starter.

DH, I hope, will make it **abundantly** clear that **he** is not ok with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a kid I would have been overjoyed to go to a Jewish (or Muslim/Buddhist/ect) camp because I was always curious about other people's religions.

But what if you were, say, 8 years old, and you went to a camp of a different religion, and they told you that you'd go to hell unless you did x, y, and z? Would you still want that for yourself or another child?

I'm all for kids learning about different religions and their beliefs. I'd send my kids to a camp where they learned about a different religion each day of the week, in a purely non-proselytizing way. But that's not what the in-laws signed up the Jewish grandchildren for.

Are you the OP? If not, stop projecting your own predjudices.