Uncomfortable religious situations you were forced into

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, were they all child molesters at this church, op? Did they force you to handle snakes?

I would have been uncomfortable, too. But unless you feared for your safety, so what? You were uncomfortable for a few days. I dont understand why you think this was such an unacceptable thing for them to do. Bringing a friend to church while they were under my parents care is exactly what my own parents did and what most other parents I knew did. Uncomfortable, sure. Egregious, not really.

Would they ask the friend first? I think there is a difference when a child is a certain age. Like if the child is 6-10 I don't even think you would ask-but I think after that its at least polite to ask if they are ok with it. I also think church is one thing, making a teenager go to the "teen bible study" is going too far and then making the teenager go again on a different day after they said they were uncomfortable is taking it WAY too far.

Insert a different religion and see if you respond with such support to the OP.
If this post had been OP sharing how she had stayed with a Muslim family and they had “forced” her to go to their mosque (because they felt responsible for her while she was staying with them for the weekend and didn’t feel like they should leave her alone) and then OP went on and on about how she was super uncomfortable with all the kneeling in the direction of Mecca and praying and such, would you be responding in the sane way or would you be chastising OP for not being open-minded enough to spend a couple of hours outside her comfort zone in appreciation of someone else’s faith traditions? Is it do very hard yo expect a house guest to simply be polite and go along and experience a faith tradition with which thru are unfamiliar? Or is this only
Objectionable when it’s Christianity as the target?

In both cases, I would say the kid has to go and be respectful, but should be able to opt out of religious things (i.e., sit in the lobby or waiting room with a book).

And for all the Christians that think this is no big deal and OP is a whiner - would you like it if your 14-15 year old Christian believer child was told for hours that God didn’t exist? Got sent to a class to study why God isn’t real and then was asked what she learned? Or do you think some Christian children might feel justifiably uncomfortable with 3 days of that?

The short answer is I wouldn't randomly pawn my kid off on the hardcore atheist family that visits the local atheist society two or three times a week to begin with.

That being said kids are exposed to atheistic thought period so its not that big of a deal. I suppose it would depend on whether it was an exposition of the works of Nietzsche or David Hume who are historically significant figures or whether it was just lowbrow Dawkins-style bigotry.

Being ignorant of the Bible is to be ignorant of the most influential book in the development of Western Civilization (and all modern civilization really). At least people like Nietzsche and Hume were smart enough to realize that. I find it odd you would want your kid to be purposefully shielded from such a historically significant work, but if you feel that strongly about it then of course you are always welcome to, say, look after your own children?

No shit. I wouldn’t leave my kid with a hardcore Christian family either. But that’s not the point. The point was that people think the OP should not have been uncomfortable. Do you still think that if the religions are reversed?

She should not have been uncomfortable. These people took her in and cared for her for free, the only family that would.

So if a devout Christian with no other place to go was taken in by atheists (for free), the devout teenager should not feel uncomfortable when she’s told repeatedly that God isn’t real. Cool.

[Anonymous]

Beggars can't be choosers.

Full stop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tell you what, if I'm watching my neighbors kid for several days, FREE, and they object to me participating in my place of worship, with your free loader kid in tow, then just come pick your kid up and watch your own kid.

Ammirite?

You are right in that you shouldn’t be around anyone’s kid. You sound unstable. If anyone has the bad judgement to ask you for help, please open up about your feelings on this topic so they can see how crazy you are and find alternative arrangements.

[Anonymous]

Not sure if this counts but if we visit my ILs over Christmas I am expected to go to Catholic mass. If it were literally any other religious denomination I would be okay with this— I’ve been to lots of Christian and Jewish services with friends (weddings but also sometimes regular services) and am generally respectful and even interested in other people’s faith systems even though I am agnostic.

But I was raised Catholic and believe the Catholic Church is a corrupt and abusive organization and I feel extremely uncomfortable attending services there.

Fortunately my DH is understanding (he’s also agnostic even though he was raised Catholic) so we almost never spend Christmas with them. But I know it bugs his mom. I think a lot of people assume “oh a lapsed Catholic, that’s normal” but I don’t consider myself “lapsed”. The second I had any say in my religious affiliation I got as far away from Catholicism as I could. I chose not to be confirmed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, were they all child molesters at this church, op? Did they force you to handle snakes?

I would have been uncomfortable, too. But unless you feared for your safety, so what? You were uncomfortable for a few days. I dont understand why you think this was such an unacceptable thing for them to do. Bringing a friend to church while they were under my parents care is exactly what my own parents did and what most other parents I knew did. Uncomfortable, sure. Egregious, not really.

Would they ask the friend first? I think there is a difference when a child is a certain age. Like if the child is 6-10 I don't even think you would ask-but I think after that its at least polite to ask if they are ok with it. I also think church is one thing, making a teenager go to the "teen bible study" is going too far and then making the teenager go again on a different day after they said they were uncomfortable is taking it WAY too far.

Insert a different religion and see if you respond with such support to the OP.
If this post had been OP sharing how she had stayed with a Muslim family and they had “forced” her to go to their mosque (because they felt responsible for her while she was staying with them for the weekend and didn’t feel like they should leave her alone) and then OP went on and on about how she was super uncomfortable with all the kneeling in the direction of Mecca and praying and such, would you be responding in the sane way or would you be chastising OP for not being open-minded enough to spend a couple of hours outside her comfort zone in appreciation of someone else’s faith traditions? Is it do very hard yo expect a house guest to simply be polite and go along and experience a faith tradition with which thru are unfamiliar? Or is this only
Objectionable when it’s Christianity as the target?

In both cases, I would say the kid has to go and be respectful, but should be able to opt out of religious things (i.e., sit in the lobby or waiting room with a book).

And for all the Christians that think this is no big deal and OP is a whiner - would you like it if your 14-15 year old Christian believer child was told for hours that God didn’t exist? Got sent to a class to study why God isn’t real and then was asked what she learned? Or do you think some Christian children might feel justifiably uncomfortable with 3 days of that?

The short answer is I wouldn't randomly pawn my kid off on the hardcore atheist family that visits the local atheist society two or three times a week to begin with.

That being said kids are exposed to atheistic thought period so its not that big of a deal. I suppose it would depend on whether it was an exposition of the works of Nietzsche or David Hume who are historically significant figures or whether it was just lowbrow Dawkins-style bigotry.

Being ignorant of the Bible is to be ignorant of the most influential book in the development of Western Civilization (and all modern civilization really). At least people like Nietzsche and Hume were smart enough to realize that. I find it odd you would want your kid to be purposefully shielded from such a historically significant work, but if you feel that strongly about it then of course you are always welcome to, say, look after your own children?

No shit. I wouldn’t leave my kid with a hardcore Christian family either. But that’s not the point. The point was that people think the OP should not have been uncomfortable. Do you still think that if the religions are reversed?

She should not have been uncomfortable. These people took her in and cared for her for free, the only family that would.

So if a devout Christian with no other place to go was taken in by atheists (for free), the devout teenager should not feel uncomfortable when she’s told repeatedly that God isn’t real. Cool.

NP. Aside, that's pretty unlikely hypothetical. Religious folks generally do better than atheists at building communities, so its far less likely that a practicing member of a faith would need to go outside of their community to find support than the inverse. But in that scenario I wouldn't expect the atheist family to hide their beliefs. Why wouldn't they state what they believe?

Whether they stated their beliefs in a manner that was respectful of the conscience of someone that may disagree is a different matter and in the eye of the beholder. But stating one's lack of belief in God or gods is not inherently offensive.

[Anonymous]

New story:

I was in Morocco around 2005 at a small family-run hotel. We were socializing with the wait staff. The call for prayer came on. One of the staff stayed happily chatting but the other was visibly uncomfortable. It was clear he wanted to go pray but wasn't sure if he should leave his post to do it since people were actively ordering drinks. Some secular progressive white lady of English descent who had a few too many drinks noticed this and started making fun of him. Literally like, "Oh Allah's going to get you if you don't say your prayers!" It was really gross.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, were they all child molesters at this church, op? Did they force you to handle snakes?

I would have been uncomfortable, too. But unless you feared for your safety, so what? You were uncomfortable for a few days. I dont understand why you think this was such an unacceptable thing for them to do. Bringing a friend to church while they were under my parents care is exactly what my own parents did and what most other parents I knew did. Uncomfortable, sure. Egregious, not really.

Would they ask the friend first? I think there is a difference when a child is a certain age. Like if the child is 6-10 I don't even think you would ask-but I think after that its at least polite to ask if they are ok with it. I also think church is one thing, making a teenager go to the "teen bible study" is going too far and then making the teenager go again on a different day after they said they were uncomfortable is taking it WAY too far.

Insert a different religion and see if you respond with such support to the OP.
If this post had been OP sharing how she had stayed with a Muslim family and they had “forced” her to go to their mosque (because they felt responsible for her while she was staying with them for the weekend and didn’t feel like they should leave her alone) and then OP went on and on about how she was super uncomfortable with all the kneeling in the direction of Mecca and praying and such, would you be responding in the sane way or would you be chastising OP for not being open-minded enough to spend a couple of hours outside her comfort zone in appreciation of someone else’s faith traditions? Is it do very hard yo expect a house guest to simply be polite and go along and experience a faith tradition with which thru are unfamiliar? Or is this only
Objectionable when it’s Christianity as the target?

In both cases, I would say the kid has to go and be respectful, but should be able to opt out of religious things (i.e., sit in the lobby or waiting room with a book).

And for all the Christians that think this is no big deal and OP is a whiner - would you like it if your 14-15 year old Christian believer child was told for hours that God didn’t exist? Got sent to a class to study why God isn’t real and then was asked what she learned? Or do you think some Christian children might feel justifiably uncomfortable with 3 days of that?

The short answer is I wouldn't randomly pawn my kid off on the hardcore atheist family that visits the local atheist society two or three times a week to begin with.

That being said kids are exposed to atheistic thought period so its not that big of a deal. I suppose it would depend on whether it was an exposition of the works of Nietzsche or David Hume who are historically significant figures or whether it was just lowbrow Dawkins-style bigotry.

Being ignorant of the Bible is to be ignorant of the most influential book in the development of Western Civilization (and all modern civilization really). At least people like Nietzsche and Hume were smart enough to realize that. I find it odd you would want your kid to be purposefully shielded from such a historically significant work, but if you feel that strongly about it then of course you are always welcome to, say, look after your own children?

No shit. I wouldn’t leave my kid with a hardcore Christian family either. But that’s not the point. The point was that people think the OP should not have been uncomfortable. Do you still think that if the religions are reversed?

She should not have been uncomfortable. These people took her in and cared for her for free, the only family that would.

So if a devout Christian with no other place to go was taken in by atheists (for free), the devout teenager should not feel uncomfortable when she’s told repeatedly that God isn’t real. Cool.

Been in a public school lately? Christian kids face the denial of God pushed into their lives every single day bc they are required to attend school and God is no longer welcome there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm Jewish and have spent time with Catholics and people of lots of other religions. It's mostly gone swimmingly. We used to host a Passover seder and we fell into an unintentional habit of always inviting someone who wasn't Jewish. Once it was my Italian friend in high school, once it was my brother's Indian friend in college, etc.

When I went to college, I didn't drink (not for religious reasons) and all the other girls on my floor were big partiers. The RA hated me - I think they all thought I looked down on them? But she scheduled a mandatory floor meeting at a dining hall during Yom Kippur, when I was fasting. I went to her and said due to religious reasons I wouldn't be able to attend, and she made a big deal about "You may only be a freshman but you should learn in your English 101 class what mandatory means, you're going to get in huge trouble and possibly kicked out of school if you don't show, etc."

I got so worried I went to the RA in another building - he was really cool and we'd become friendly - to talk with him about it. He laughed and was like "Come hang out with me that day. So we sat on his bed all day on Yom Kippur talking and listening to Janet Jackson. I did NOT get kicked out of school for missing the meeting and my RA never said a word about it to me.

Later, before winter break, she had a floor meeting. She called each girl's name one by one and handed each girl a Christmas card. Towards the end, she called my name. I went up, and she said, in front of everyone, "You know, I had a Jewish kid last year who I gave a Christmas card to, and she got all bent out of shape about it, so I didn't get you one so you wouldn't be offended." Everyone laughed as I sat back down.

I haven't thought of that in DECADES! Damn, she was ignorant!

This is so so terrible. I’m sorry.

Blah Blah Blah. My Catholic friend married a Jewish girl and her Dad made him get circumsized at 25!!!

Most baby boys are cicumcised at the hosp, irrespective of religion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, were they all child molesters at this church, op? Did they force you to handle snakes?

I would have been uncomfortable, too. But unless you feared for your safety, so what? You were uncomfortable for a few days. I dont understand why you think this was such an unacceptable thing for them to do. Bringing a friend to church while they were under my parents care is exactly what my own parents did and what most other parents I knew did. Uncomfortable, sure. Egregious, not really.

Would they ask the friend first? I think there is a difference when a child is a certain age. Like if the child is 6-10 I don't even think you would ask-but I think after that its at least polite to ask if they are ok with it. I also think church is one thing, making a teenager go to the "teen bible study" is going too far and then making the teenager go again on a different day after they said they were uncomfortable is taking it WAY too far.

Insert a different religion and see if you respond with such support to the OP.
If this post had been OP sharing how she had stayed with a Muslim family and they had “forced” her to go to their mosque (because they felt responsible for her while she was staying with them for the weekend and didn’t feel like they should leave her alone) and then OP went on and on about how she was super uncomfortable with all the kneeling in the direction of Mecca and praying and such, would you be responding in the sane way or would you be chastising OP for not being open-minded enough to spend a couple of hours outside her comfort zone in appreciation of someone else’s faith traditions? Is it do very hard yo expect a house guest to simply be polite and go along and experience a faith tradition with which thru are unfamiliar? Or is this only
Objectionable when it’s Christianity as the target?

In both cases, I would say the kid has to go and be respectful, but should be able to opt out of religious things (i.e., sit in the lobby or waiting room with a book).

And for all the Christians that think this is no big deal and OP is a whiner - would you like it if your 14-15 year old Christian believer child was told for hours that God didn’t exist? Got sent to a class to study why God isn’t real and then was asked what she learned? Or do you think some Christian children might feel justifiably uncomfortable with 3 days of that?

+1 Luckily, unlike church, there is no organized method for atheists to do that. Instead, atheists simply do not attend religious services (just like many"believers" ) and don't try pound their disbelief into others' head. They get no eternal credit for converting people to their lack of belief.

Ok, then don't ask a Christian neighbor to watch your kid for days, including their days of worship, free so you can leave town or whatever. Even if your a desperate single mother. You say atheism is so important. Keep your kid

Always consider a neighbor's religion when letting your kid stay in their home. Otherwise your kid is liable to be converted into that neighbor's religion, whether you like it or not. especially if it's a religion like Christianity, in which proselytizing is an integral part. Many Christians simply think they are right and do not respect other's religions or lack of religion.

[Anonymous]

Just being exposed to religion is not attempted conversion.

People who take a kid to church aren’t telling a kid they have to believe what’s being said in the church.

An atheist would have no reason to discuss religion with a kid in their home. Why would they? Just out of nowhere start telling a kid there’s no God?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, were they all child molesters at this church, op? Did they force you to handle snakes?

I would have been uncomfortable, too. But unless you feared for your safety, so what? You were uncomfortable for a few days. I dont understand why you think this was such an unacceptable thing for them to do. Bringing a friend to church while they were under my parents care is exactly what my own parents did and what most other parents I knew did. Uncomfortable, sure. Egregious, not really.

Would they ask the friend first? I think there is a difference when a child is a certain age. Like if the child is 6-10 I don't even think you would ask-but I think after that its at least polite to ask if they are ok with it. I also think church is one thing, making a teenager go to the "teen bible study" is going too far and then making the teenager go again on a different day after they said they were uncomfortable is taking it WAY too far.

Insert a different religion and see if you respond with such support to the OP.
If this post had been OP sharing how she had stayed with a Muslim family and they had “forced” her to go to their mosque (because they felt responsible for her while she was staying with them for the weekend and didn’t feel like they should leave her alone) and then OP went on and on about how she was super uncomfortable with all the kneeling in the direction of Mecca and praying and such, would you be responding in the sane way or would you be chastising OP for not being open-minded enough to spend a couple of hours outside her comfort zone in appreciation of someone else’s faith traditions? Is it do very hard yo expect a house guest to simply be polite and go along and experience a faith tradition with which thru are unfamiliar? Or is this only
Objectionable when it’s Christianity as the target?

In both cases, I would say the kid has to go and be respectful, but should be able to opt out of religious things (i.e., sit in the lobby or waiting room with a book).

And for all the Christians that think this is no big deal and OP is a whiner - would you like it if your 14-15 year old Christian believer child was told for hours that God didn’t exist? Got sent to a class to study why God isn’t real and then was asked what she learned? Or do you think some Christian children might feel justifiably uncomfortable with 3 days of that?

+1 Luckily, unlike church, there is no organized method for atheists to do that. Instead, atheists simply do not attend religious services (just like many"believers" ) and don't try pound their disbelief into others' head. They get no eternal credit for converting people to their lack of belief.

Ok, then don't ask a Christian neighbor to watch your kid for days, including their days of worship, free so you can leave town or whatever. Even if your a desperate single mother. You say atheism is so important. Keep your kid

Always consider a neighbor's religion when letting your kid stay in their home. Otherwise your kid is liable to be converted into that neighbor's religion, whether you like it or not. especially if it's a religion like Christianity, in which proselytizing is an integral part. Many Christians simply think they are right and do not respect other's religions or lack of religion.

Op’s mom either didn’t care where her kid was staying, or knew the family was trustworthy and her child would be safe with that family. The religious family stepped up and did op and her mom a huge favor, because their religion taught them to help those in need. And the sad sacks here (including whiny, ungrateful op) are trying to turn it into a conversion attempt. Pathetic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, were they all child molesters at this church, op? Did they force you to handle snakes?

I would have been uncomfortable, too. But unless you feared for your safety, so what? You were uncomfortable for a few days. I dont understand why you think this was such an unacceptable thing for them to do. Bringing a friend to church while they were under my parents care is exactly what my own parents did and what most other parents I knew did. Uncomfortable, sure. Egregious, not really.

Would they ask the friend first? I think there is a difference when a child is a certain age. Like if the child is 6-10 I don't even think you would ask-but I think after that its at least polite to ask if they are ok with it. I also think church is one thing, making a teenager go to the "teen bible study" is going too far and then making the teenager go again on a different day after they said they were uncomfortable is taking it WAY too far.

Insert a different religion and see if you respond with such support to the OP.
If this post had been OP sharing how she had stayed with a Muslim family and they had “forced” her to go to their mosque (because they felt responsible for her while she was staying with them for the weekend and didn’t feel like they should leave her alone) and then OP went on and on about how she was super uncomfortable with all the kneeling in the direction of Mecca and praying and such, would you be responding in the sane way or would you be chastising OP for not being open-minded enough to spend a couple of hours outside her comfort zone in appreciation of someone else’s faith traditions? Is it do very hard yo expect a house guest to simply be polite and go along and experience a faith tradition with which thru are unfamiliar? Or is this only
Objectionable when it’s Christianity as the target?

In both cases, I would say the kid has to go and be respectful, but should be able to opt out of religious things (i.e., sit in the lobby or waiting room with a book).

And for all the Christians that think this is no big deal and OP is a whiner - would you like it if your 14-15 year old Christian believer child was told for hours that God didn’t exist? Got sent to a class to study why God isn’t real and then was asked what she learned? Or do you think some Christian children might feel justifiably uncomfortable with 3 days of that?

+1 Luckily, unlike church, there is no organized method for atheists to do that. Instead, atheists simply do not attend religious services (just like many"believers" ) and don't try pound their disbelief into others' head. They get no eternal credit for converting people to their lack of belief.

Ok, then don't ask a Christian neighbor to watch your kid for days, including their days of worship, free so you can leave town or whatever. Even if your a desperate single mother. You say atheism is so important. Keep your kid

Always consider a neighbor's religion when letting your kid stay in their home. Otherwise your kid is liable to be converted into that neighbor's religion, whether you like it or not. especially if it's a religion like Christianity, in which proselytizing is an integral part. Many Christians simply think they are right and do not respect other's religions or lack of religion.

Op’s mom either didn’t care where her kid was staying, or knew the family was trustworthy and her child would be safe with that family. The religious family stepped up and did op and her mom a huge favor, because their religion taught them to help those in need. And the sad sacks here (including whiny, ungrateful op) are trying to turn it into a conversion attempt. Pathetic.

Sounds like it was both - doing OP a favor and a conversion attempt. Unfortunately some religious people feel that doing someone a favor gives you the right to try to convert them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, were they all child molesters at this church, op? Did they force you to handle snakes?

I would have been uncomfortable, too. But unless you feared for your safety, so what? You were uncomfortable for a few days. I dont understand why you think this was such an unacceptable thing for them to do. Bringing a friend to church while they were under my parents care is exactly what my own parents did and what most other parents I knew did. Uncomfortable, sure. Egregious, not really.

Would they ask the friend first? I think there is a difference when a child is a certain age. Like if the child is 6-10 I don't even think you would ask-but I think after that its at least polite to ask if they are ok with it. I also think church is one thing, making a teenager go to the "teen bible study" is going too far and then making the teenager go again on a different day after they said they were uncomfortable is taking it WAY too far.

Insert a different religion and see if you respond with such support to the OP.
If this post had been OP sharing how she had stayed with a Muslim family and they had “forced” her to go to their mosque (because they felt responsible for her while she was staying with them for the weekend and didn’t feel like they should leave her alone) and then OP went on and on about how she was super uncomfortable with all the kneeling in the direction of Mecca and praying and such, would you be responding in the sane way or would you be chastising OP for not being open-minded enough to spend a couple of hours outside her comfort zone in appreciation of someone else’s faith traditions? Is it do very hard yo expect a house guest to simply be polite and go along and experience a faith tradition with which thru are unfamiliar? Or is this only
Objectionable when it’s Christianity as the target?

In both cases, I would say the kid has to go and be respectful, but should be able to opt out of religious things (i.e., sit in the lobby or waiting room with a book).

And for all the Christians that think this is no big deal and OP is a whiner - would you like it if your 14-15 year old Christian believer child was told for hours that God didn’t exist? Got sent to a class to study why God isn’t real and then was asked what she learned? Or do you think some Christian children might feel justifiably uncomfortable with 3 days of that?

+1 Luckily, unlike church, there is no organized method for atheists to do that. Instead, atheists simply do not attend religious services (just like many"believers" ) and don't try pound their disbelief into others' head. They get no eternal credit for converting people to their lack of belief.

Ok, then don't ask a Christian neighbor to watch your kid for days, including their days of worship, free so you can leave town or whatever. Even if your a desperate single mother. You say atheism is so important. Keep your kid

Always consider a neighbor's religion when letting your kid stay in their home. Otherwise your kid is liable to be converted into that neighbor's religion, whether you like it or not. especially if it's a religion like Christianity, in which proselytizing is an integral part. Many Christians simply think they are right and do not respect other's religions or lack of religion.

Op’s mom either didn’t care where her kid was staying, or knew the family was trustworthy and her child would be safe with that family. The religious family stepped up and did op and her mom a huge favor, because their religion taught them to help those in need. And the sad sacks here (including whiny, ungrateful op) are trying to turn it into a conversion attempt. Pathetic.

Sounds like it was both - doing OP a favor and a conversion attempt. Unfortunately some religious people feel that doing someone a favor gives you the right to try to convert them.

And some people think they can use people

[Anonymous]

I have a weird neighbor who is always trying to get me to go her church. Nope. Never. Going. To. Happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, were they all child molesters at this church, op? Did they force you to handle snakes?

I would have been uncomfortable, too. But unless you feared for your safety, so what? You were uncomfortable for a few days. I dont understand why you think this was such an unacceptable thing for them to do. Bringing a friend to church while they were under my parents care is exactly what my own parents did and what most other parents I knew did. Uncomfortable, sure. Egregious, not really.

Would they ask the friend first? I think there is a difference when a child is a certain age. Like if the child is 6-10 I don't even think you would ask-but I think after that its at least polite to ask if they are ok with it. I also think church is one thing, making a teenager go to the "teen bible study" is going too far and then making the teenager go again on a different day after they said they were uncomfortable is taking it WAY too far.

Insert a different religion and see if you respond with such support to the OP.
If this post had been OP sharing how she had stayed with a Muslim family and they had “forced” her to go to their mosque (because they felt responsible for her while she was staying with them for the weekend and didn’t feel like they should leave her alone) and then OP went on and on about how she was super uncomfortable with all the kneeling in the direction of Mecca and praying and such, would you be responding in the sane way or would you be chastising OP for not being open-minded enough to spend a couple of hours outside her comfort zone in appreciation of someone else’s faith traditions? Is it do very hard yo expect a house guest to simply be polite and go along and experience a faith tradition with which thru are unfamiliar? Or is this only
Objectionable when it’s Christianity as the target?

In both cases, I would say the kid has to go and be respectful, but should be able to opt out of religious things (i.e., sit in the lobby or waiting room with a book).

And for all the Christians that think this is no big deal and OP is a whiner - would you like it if your 14-15 year old Christian believer child was told for hours that God didn’t exist? Got sent to a class to study why God isn’t real and then was asked what she learned? Or do you think some Christian children might feel justifiably uncomfortable with 3 days of that?

+1 Luckily, unlike church, there is no organized method for atheists to do that. Instead, atheists simply do not attend religious services (just like many"believers" ) and don't try pound their disbelief into others' head. They get no eternal credit for converting people to their lack of belief.

Ok, then don't ask a Christian neighbor to watch your kid for days, including their days of worship, free so you can leave town or whatever. Even if your a desperate single mother. You say atheism is so important. Keep your kid

Always consider a neighbor's religion when letting your kid stay in their home. Otherwise your kid is liable to be converted into that neighbor's religion, whether you like it or not. especially if it's a religion like Christianity, in which proselytizing is an integral part. Many Christians simply think they are right and do not respect other's religions or lack of religion.

Op’s mom either didn’t care where her kid was staying, or knew the family was trustworthy and her child would be safe with that family. The religious family stepped up and did op and her mom a huge favor, because their religion taught them to help those in need. And the sad sacks here (including whiny, ungrateful op) are trying to turn it into a conversion attempt. Pathetic.

Sounds like it was both - doing OP a favor and a conversion attempt. Unfortunately some religious people feel that doing someone a favor gives you the right to try to convert them.

And some people think they can use people

Sounds like people should know that taking care of a friend's kid could result in a conversion attempt because it's the Christian thing to do.