How do you deal with people who hate people of your religion?

[Anonymous]

Not sure if this goes here or in family issues, but I have a SIL who absolutely hates religion and religious people, and had a particular dislike for people of my faith. Her Facebook page is covered in rants about the topic, and during family gatherings she makes rude remarks to people's faces about it. For no particular reason - no one's proselytizing to her or anything - I guess she just thinks she needs to get her opinion out there. Is there a polite way to interact with people like this? I know I shouldn't be so sensitive, but she's hateful.

[Anonymous]

So the situation is that, for example, you are Catholic, and she makes anti catholic comments? That's not over sensitivity. She's a bigoted rude hateful person. You walk away.

[Anonymous]

I ignore as best I can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I ignore as best I can.

I'm atheist, btw.

[Anonymous]

Walking away isn't always an option in family functions. And since she's an IL, I feel like I need to be on my best behavior.

[Anonymous]

I've LITERALLY never met any. Or if I have, I haven't known they hate Jewish people. I've met people who are ignorant about Judaism (do you celebrate Thanksgiving?), but nobody who hates my tribe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not sure if this goes here or in family issues, but I have a SIL who absolutely hates religion and religious people, and had a particular dislike for people of my faith. Her Facebook page is covered in rants about the topic, and during family gatherings she makes rude remarks to people's faces about it. For no particular reason - no one's proselytizing to her or anything - I guess she just thinks she needs to get her opinion out there. Is there a polite way to interact with people like this? I know I shouldn't be so sensitive, but she's hateful.

Suggest calling a truce. When you're together, neither of you will bring up religion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've LITERALLY never met any. Or if I have, I haven't known they hate Jewish people. I've met people who are ignorant about Judaism (do you celebrate Thanksgiving?), but nobody who hates my tribe.

Np here.
There are plenty of haters and many hate religion in general. In these parts, while atheism might be all the rage, anti Semitism is still highly frowned upon. Most people don't announce their hate, at least not in such obvious and confrontational ways.
It is possible to have opinions and decent manners at the same time! Not for my SIL though - she doesn't stop until my MIL is in tears with her anti Catholic rants and belittling everyone's beliefs (many family members left the Catholic Church but manage to not be DICKS about it!). What do I do? I have very little to do with her, try to ignore and not be too judgy about her lack of manners and respect. I do fantasize about what I could or should say to her but probably will keep my mouth shut. She is unbelievably rude and obnoxious, but i am not the type of person who needs to put others in their place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've LITERALLY never met any. Or if I have, I haven't known they hate Jewish people. I've met people who are ignorant about Judaism (do you celebrate Thanksgiving?), but nobody who hates my tribe.

Np here.
There are plenty of haters and many hate religion in general. In these parts, while atheism might be all the rage, anti Semitism is still highly frowned upon. Most people don't announce their hate, at least not in such obvious and confrontational ways.
It is possible to have opinions and decent manners at the same time! Not for my SIL though - she doesn't stop until my MIL is in tears with her anti Catholic rants and belittling everyone's beliefs (many family members left the Catholic Church but manage to not be DICKS about it!). What do I do? I have very little to do with her, try to ignore and not be too judgy about her lack of manners and respect. I do fantasize about what I could or should say to her but probably will keep my mouth shut. She is unbelievably rude and obnoxious, but this is more her problem than mine.

[Anonymous]

Like today when a coworker made fun of me because my brown scapular was showing? I've responded mostly by walking away, but my older child's bad experiences in MoCo public schools helped steer us toward Catholic schools for the younger one. It's a bubble, but she shouldn't have to deal with bigoted teachers and classmates. Plus, she does have a Jewish dad and other non-Catholic family and friends who round out her learning about different cultures and perspectives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've LITERALLY never met any. Or if I have, I haven't known they hate Jewish people. I've met people who are ignorant about Judaism (do you celebrate Thanksgiving?), but nobody who hates my tribe.

OP here. SIL is a pagan, and feels that any kind of "organized religion" is beneath her. Also, as another PP pointed out, anti-semitism is frowned upon. I know it's out there, but people hide it really well - except SIL, of course, because how could they be silly and uneducated enough to believe in God?

[Anonymous]

"We got it, Larla. You've made it very clear how you fell about these things. How was your Solstice?"

[Anonymous]

My own brother likes to rant against religion on the whole, against Catholicism in particular, and my husband is Catholic (I'm not - I'm a different religion). I tell my brother that he can shove it - honestly, I mean, is there no other subject you can find to discuss? I think they'd have a pretty good relationship actually if my brother could just keep a lid on it - it's not like my husband is trying to dose the guy in holy water.

That said, my husband has his own religiously based biases, that I just find very ironic. C'mon people! Thankfully, he's not rude or insulting to other people, or I'd be telling him to shove it too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've LITERALLY never met any. Or if I have, I haven't known they hate Jewish people. I've met people who are ignorant about Judaism (do you celebrate Thanksgiving?), but nobody who hates my tribe.

Just stick around DCUM. This forum has at least one very juvenile hater, maybe two. Just like your SIL, they don't think just saying it once or twice means they've been heard.

[Anonymous]

My SIL hates religion and, in combination with general immaturity and laughing at her own jokes, can be a real bore. Several Christmases ago she gave us a small glow-in-the-dark statuette of the Virgin Mary, thinking we'd find it hilarious or something. I'm not Catholic but I put it in a corner if the kitchen window and it's still there. She's never asked me about it....