Ummm, Parent of DS Friend told me I was using religious propaganda on their son...

[Anonymous]

Congratulations OP!

I think you must have met the crazy, raging atheist from DCUM. Now we know what she is like in real life...wackier and ruder than she is online

Seriously, you will find other friends for your kid who are, shal we say, normal.

Muslim families and Christian families. Evangelicals and Mormans. Hindus, Jews, and even open minded atheists.

This area is cool because there are so many different types of people.

We have been here several years, and the only family that has prothletized to us is an atheist family. Go figure.

PP is right. Any mom who freaks out about something like Silly Songs with Larry is going to freak out about everything else on the planet. You said that you are a cultural Jew. Do you put out a menorah? What if the kids stayed friends, and her child came over and asked what is the big candle thing on your table, and you...gasp...answered? Can you imagine the wrath you would face then, and how much harder it would be for your child after months of friendship?

You dodged a bullet with this one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP is right. Any mom who freaks out about something like Silly Songs with Larry is going to freak out about everything else on the planet. You said that you are a cultural Jew. Do you put out a menorah? What if the kids stayed friends, and her child came over and asked what is the big candle thing on your table, and you...gasp...answered? Can you imagine the wrath you would face then, and how much harder it would be for your child after months of friendship?

Please note the important distinction between "our family has this religious belief" and "you should have this religious belief".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I say - send her a brief email that this was all a misunderstanding and make sure you tell her that you are NOT religious at all. Also, let her know that her overreaction hurt your feelings.

This seems like the wrong response to me, particularly the "make sure you tell her that you are NOT religious at all" bit. Even if she were religious, the reaction by the other parent was over the top and inappropriate. Saying something like "don't worry, it's OK, I'm not religious" sort of suggests that atheism is acceptable or desirable, which could compound the problem is the other family is religious.

Atheism is acceptable, PP. Being non-religious is acceptable.

Not really. Atheists are not good people, fundamentally.

I'm an atheist and find this hilarious. Like I spit out my coffee laughing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not religious but I also don't shelter my kids from religious content. I figure they need to learn that some people believe in God or Allah or whatever or nothing. It's all about being educated.

But I find it really interesting that parents that are non-religious will not let their kids hear anything about God or the Bible or anything Chrisitan but they all have books on mythology.

Just an interesting observation.

OP, People around here are crazy. Don't worry about this 1 kid or 1 mom. Your son will find friends with normal parents eventually. They will also have friends with crazy parents. It's all a part of growing up. I have 1 friend who has a 13 yo and still can't watch Disney channel - because it is too advanced. So we don't watch Disney channel when she is over. Whatever....

Did you just call your own observation "interesting?"

Yes I did.

You obviously think more highly of yourself than others think of you. That was a pretty arrogant thing to say.

I find it interesting that you are such and ass. Just an interesting observation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP is right. Any mom who freaks out about something like Silly Songs with Larry is going to freak out about everything else on the planet. You said that you are a cultural Jew. Do you put out a menorah? What if the kids stayed friends, and her child came over and asked what is the big candle thing on your table, and you...gasp...answered? Can you imagine the wrath you would face then, and how much harder it would be for your child after months of friendship?

Please note the important distinction between "our family has this religious belief" and "you should have this religious belief".

Can you read?

OP is not Christian. She is not even religious. She is agnostic.

Silly Songs with Larry is not religious. It is not even Christian. Veggie Tales just happens to be created by a Christian media company, but is now owned by the very non Christian NBC. Their older stuff is losely Christian spoofs. Their newer stuff is not Christian at all (unless you agree that Christians hold the monopoly on lessons like be nice, listen to your parents, don't lie, etc.)

If that woman is freaking out about the non religious Silly Songs with Larry because at one time that company happened to be religious, then she is highly likely to freak out if OP told that ladies child what a menorah is.

[Anonymous]

You're assuming that everybody knows that, while Veggie Tales in general is Christian, "Silly Songs With Larry" specifically has no religious content.

But not everybody knows this.

[Anonymous]

OP, I'm really sorry this happened to you. I'm even more sorry for your child and his friend, because they will likely be confused about why they can't go to each other's houses anymore. If she had been slightly less crazy, I would suggest trying to come to some kind of compromise, but her crazy was past the level that I personally would be able to let slide.

I can sort of see why she might be a little touchy about someone showing her son religious material, especially someone she did not know well. Maybe her overreaction was informed by a previous bad experience. You never know. If she knew your family, she would know that you're not trying to convert her son to any religion, least of all one that is not practiced by your family. Either way, it seems like if she was NOT crazy, she would have used this opportunity to have a conversation with you about what she's comfortable with and uncomfortable with, rather than flipping out.

As for the squabbling about atheists, what they believe, what books they have, etc., I think it's worth remembering that not all atheists, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs, Wiccans, or whatever are the same as all the other atheists, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs, Wiccans, or whatever. I personally was raised by a hippie professor and a Buddhist stay at home mom. My dad was raised Methodist, but hasn't been to church since he was a kid. My mom attends an Episcopalian church in her community now. I haven't taken my 3 year old daughter to church for any reason and don't feel like I'm depriving her of an essential life experience as a result. We are not "non-religious" because we still celebrate various religious holidays in secular ways, but religion is not an important touchstone in our family. If she went over to a new friend's house for a playdate and all I knew about that playdate was that they watched Veggie Tales, I would probably assume some things about you that might not be true. But I would also ask you about those things, rather than banning your kid from ever coming to my house.

[Anonymous]

If another parent had been so aggressive towards me, I would just have stared at her and gone on my way. NOT apologized (cringe). You are a much nicer person than I am, but even if you are new and need friends, you do not need to apologize for other people's madness.

Don't worry. Ignore her from now on.

[Anonymous]

A Christian Media Company ~ ugh. NBC should have changed the name - shouldn't have kept the name "Veggie Tales" unless they wanted the branded image

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I say - send her a brief email that this was all a misunderstanding and make sure you tell her that you are NOT religious at all. Also, let her know that her overreaction hurt your feelings.

This seems like the wrong response to me, particularly the "make sure you tell her that you are NOT religious at all" bit. Even if she were religious, the reaction by the other parent was over the top and inappropriate. Saying something like "don't worry, it's OK, I'm not religious" sort of suggests that atheism is acceptable or desirable, which could compound the problem is the other family is religious.

Atheism is acceptable, PP. Being non-religious is acceptable.

Not really. Atheists are not good people, fundamentally.

I'm an atheist and find this hilarious. Like I spit out my coffee laughing.

I'm sure you think you are a good person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not religious but I also don't shelter my kids from religious content. I figure they need to learn that some people believe in God or Allah or whatever or nothing. It's all about being educated.

But I find it really interesting that parents that are non-religious will not let their kids hear anything about God or the Bible or anything Chrisitan but they all have books on mythology.

Just an interesting observation.

OP, People around here are crazy. Don't worry about this 1 kid or 1 mom. Your son will find friends with normal parents eventually. They will also have friends with crazy parents. It's all a part of growing up. I have 1 friend who has a 13 yo and still can't watch Disney channel - because it is too advanced. So we don't watch Disney channel when she is over. Whatever....

Did you just call your own observation "interesting?"

Yes I did.

You obviously think more highly of yourself than others think of you. That was a pretty arrogant thing to say.

I find it interesting that you are such and ass. Just an interesting observation.

Typical DC narcissist.

[Anonymous]

Her over the top reaction is not really related to religion. She is a control freak. She wants things one way and one way only. It will be very difficult for her as her child enters school and she wants to control every image her son sees.

A reasonable non-control freak person who feels a particular movie or toy is against her beliefs would simply ask you to not have it around the next time and have a quick conversation about why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You're assuming that everybody knows that, while Veggie Tales in general is Christian, "Silly Songs With Larry" specifically has no religious content.

But not everybody knows this.

But OP told the woman and apologized profusely.

The bitch is crazy. Even most of the atheist posters agree.

[Anonymous]

She sounds crazy. Just be glad you found out how crazy she is, so you can avoid her.


signed, an atheist who is a good person

[Anonymous]

OP, do you really want your own kid to play at the house of such an intollerant and bigoted person, whatever her believe structure might be?