Inviting irreligious and Jewish/Muslim friends to a church event.
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Anonymous
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We are atheist/agnostic.
DD got invited to an event at a good friends church. I am open to my daughter attending religious ceremonies, but I fear that this particular event may be aimed at conversion. It's a "lock out", anyone know anything about them? |
Anonymous
| When in doubt, sit it out! |
Anonymous
Right. I just don't want DD to miss out on a fun time. I don't care if she decides to follow a particular religion, I've just seen Jesus Camp too many times and know that sometimes they can get aggressive about it. |
Anonymous
| What is a lock-out? I go to church but have never heard that term. |
Anonymous
| how old is she? |
Anonymous
DD corrected me. "Lock-in" They lock the youth (this group being girls 9 to 12) into the gym to play games and watch movies. I don't know, she is excited about it. |
Anonymous
| Depends on the church. If it was at our Episcopal church, I'd say "go ahead". If its at some of the other denominations, then your spidey sense is possibly right. At our church they sometimes have teen "lock ins" which usually involve pizza and a movie in a supervised setting. |
Anonymous
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I usually really enjoy going to religious events with my friends of different faiths so I think it's great you are open to this... But I agree, what is a lock out??
Ask the good friend who invited you. Surely she'd understand you not wanting to send DD to an event aimed at conversion. |
Anonymous
| I'd say absolutely not for an Evangelical church. Maybe google the church online and see how conservative it is. |
Anonymous
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I've heard of a lock in, but not a lock out.
Fwiw, the most conversion minded events I attended as a child were southern baptist. |
Anonymous
It probably depends on the particular church and how aggressive they are. I would look at their website, read the newsletter, talk to the youth group leader about the kind of games/movies. It probably would be okay. The religious aspects would probably escape her and she'd probably just have fun. (Come to think of it, my church youth group (Catholic) didn't even the religion or God for that matter. It was all "feelings" and kickball. |
Anonymous
I'm Jewish and would need more info. What KIND of games? Movies about what? Movies like ET and Annie and Grease and High School Musical? Fine. Movies about Jesus? Not fine. Games like basketball and 7-Up? Fine. Games like religious games? Not fine. |
Anonymous
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OP, would you let your kid go to a bowling party in fear that they would then be obsessed about becoming a professional bowler? Would you let your kid go to princess party in fear that they would only wear pink and tiaras for the rest of their life?
It's a party, it will be fine |
Anonymous
It's DD's good friend. Her parents seem *nice*. I trust that they wouldn't put her in a dangerous situation, but.... I don't know, just being an overly bearing mother. |
Anonymous
| I would decline. If it were a ceremony specifically for the child and you were close friends, then yes, but not for a child's friends parents who you are not close too if it is not your religion. |