My 6-year old DD is getting into religion because of the Berenstain freaking bears

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD 6 is a big fan of the Berenstain bears books. We’ve encouraged this as those books have been very helpful to her learning to read. However, a problem has risen. Those books have gotten very Christian, and she’s read the ones about religion because she reads all of them. And after reading books about the Berenstain bears going to church and stuff, she’s started asking why we don’t go to church or Sunday school and saying that she wants to attend.

Now, when DH and I got married we agreed to raise our children in a secular way as we’ve both had bad experiences with religion. I’m not saying that our daughter can never explore religion or faith, if she wants too she absolutely can. However, in my view six is a little young for this. Especially considering that she is only interested because of the Berenstain bears.

How do we handle this? I don’t want our daughter to feel that we don’t support her but we also have no interest in joining a church. Maybe there are more laid-back ways to give her a taste of religion? What would you all suggest?

It’s a phase, just like anything else. It might pass or maybe she will adopt a religion. Either way, humor her. This is not causing any physical or mental danger for her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe you should support her if she’s interested. What was your bad experience with religion?

Women are less than men.

Gay people are sinners.

Listen to men who are evil like the pope that dug up another pope put his dead body on trial.

Politicians using the pulpit to spread hate.

Do you need more examples?

+1. And I could add a few. Or several…

Catholic Church paying for Pedos instead of protecting the abused. Mega Churches making millions while their subjects suffer, Christian Nationalists spreading child porn etc...

[phone]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Berenstain bears aren't Jewish?!

IKR?!?

It's not Berenstein.

[Anonymous]

The Berenstain Bears books are also kind of nuts. I'd avoid them altogether.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Berenstain bears aren't Jewish?!

IKR?!?

It's not Berenstein.

Yes, but it is still a Jewish name.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DEAR OP- the Bernstein bears faith based stories are clearly labeled with a logo on the front cover. A faith story or something like that. I avoided those but I have no problem with religion and I love the community that church can offer you. Find one in your area that you feel accepted at, take her one day. For me faith offers community and set of guidelines to grow and be good. Nothing negative needs to come from it.

I love the idea of a Christianity warning label.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD 6 is a big fan of the Berenstain bears books. We’ve encouraged this as those books have been very helpful to her learning to read. However, a problem has risen. Those books have gotten very Christian, and she’s read the ones about religion because she reads all of them. And after reading books about the Berenstain bears going to church and stuff, she’s started asking why we don’t go to church or Sunday school and saying that she wants to attend.

Now, when DH and I got married we agreed to raise our children in a secular way as we’ve both had bad experiences with religion. I’m not saying that our daughter can never explore religion or faith, if she wants too she absolutely can. However, in my view six is a little young for this. Especially considering that she is only interested because of the Berenstain bears.

How do we handle this? I don’t want our daughter to feel that we don’t support her but we also have no interest in joining a church. Maybe there are more laid-back ways to give her a taste of religion? What would you all suggest?

Go away troll!

There is no way you are real.

And if you are real you are a moron. You buy the books don't you read them before hand? Just don't buy more and answer her question honestly. Honey we don't do cults in our house. We don't feed you stupidity in our house we believe in Science, not lying, birth control, and knowlege period not a book written in 1947 by white shitty men. That is what you tell her.

Just take the books away you idiot

Um… well, firstly presumably OP got the books from the library. Secondly, the amount of anger you have towards OP seems wild and disproportionate. Please be kinder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD 6 is a big fan of the Berenstain bears books. We’ve encouraged this as those books have been very helpful to her learning to read. However, a problem has risen. Those books have gotten very Christian, and she’s read the ones about religion because she reads all of them. And after reading books about the Berenstain bears going to church and stuff, she’s started asking why we don’t go to church or Sunday school and saying that she wants to attend.

Now, when DH and I got married we agreed to raise our children in a secular way as we’ve both had bad experiences with religion. I’m not saying that our daughter can never explore religion or faith, if she wants too she absolutely can. However, in my view six is a little young for this. Especially considering that she is only interested because of the Berenstain bears.

How do we handle this? I don’t want our daughter to feel that we don’t support her but we also have no interest in joining a church. Maybe there are more laid-back ways to give her a taste of religion? What would you all suggest?

Go away troll!

There is no way you are real.

And if you are real you are a moron. You buy the books don't you read them before hand? Just don't buy more and answer her question honestly. Honey we don't do cults in our house. We don't feed you stupidity in our house we believe in Science, not lying, birth control, and knowlege period not a book written in 1947 by white shitty men. That is what you tell her.

Just take the books away you idiot

Um… well, firstly presumably OP got the books from the library. Secondly, the amount of anger you have towards OP seems wild and disproportionate. Please be kinder.

How do you read the books ahead of time? Amazon might have a page, but certainly not the whole book.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe you should support her if she’s interested. What was your bad experience with religion?

Women are less than men.

Gay people are sinners.

Listen to men who are evil like the pope that dug up another pope put his dead body on trial.

Politicians using the pulpit to spread hate.

Do you need more examples?

None of this is remotely biblical or Christian.

You haven't read the Bible then.

I’ve been reading and studying the Bible for years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe you should support her if she’s interested. What was your bad experience with religion?

Women are less than men.

Gay people are sinners.

Listen to men who are evil like the pope that dug up another pope put his dead body on trial.

Politicians using the pulpit to spread hate.

Do you need more examples?

None of this is remotely biblical or Christian.

You haven't read the Bible then.

I’ve been reading and studying the Bible for years.

Just skipping over some parts, apparently.

[Anonymous]

Read the books before your children do.

[Anonymous]

🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

Take her to church.

[Anonymous]

See? Grooming is real. This is why parents don’t want pronoun drag queen stuff pushed on kids through books and libraries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stop reading berenstain bear books. She’s getting too old for them anyway. Give her a new more secular series to get into.

She’s not too old for those books, why say something so stupid?

[Anonymous]

Just say no? You are the parents and make the decisions about religion for your very young child. You don’t need to vilify religion… presumably she reads about many things that her family doesn’t do.

That’s the beauty of books - we learn about people and experiences different from ourselves.

If this were a teenager, I would possibly engage differently.