Anonymous
Post 08/14/2013 11:05     Subject: Re:Ummm, Parent of DS Friend told me I was using religious propaganda on their son...
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don't think "shielding" children is a longterm answer. One of the reasons, we started going to UU Church so my children would have exposure to what is out there with a framework with which to observe. So, when my younger child was told on the playground that he was going to hell because he did not believe in Jesus Christ, he was able to respond in a thoughtful respectful age appropriate manner.


Nice try, but I don't buy it. Kids simply do not use the playground as a platform to threaten eternal damnation.


Actually somebody told me this on the playground once. My thoughtful respectful age-appropriate response was, "What?!"


Nope. Didn't happen.


Around here this is unlikely. In other parts of 'Merica, likely.
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2013 11:05     Subject: Ummm, Parent of DS Friend told me I was using religious propaganda on their son...
Anonymous wrote:1. We have a faith. If I learned that my child had been shown anything that was non-religious on a playdate I would be upset. I don't like being proselytized about atheism, and I especially don't want my child being proselytized.
2. however, my reaction would be. "Since we have a faith, do you think in the future you could not show my child any non-religious content on palydats", rather than "That's it, you horrible person, no playdates ever again!".


There are lots of non-religious things. When your child's teacher teaches math, do you consider that proselytizing about atheism? (Although there are apparently people who do think this about string theory.) When your child is on a playdate, and they play Hungry Hungry Hippos, do you consider that proselytizing about atheism? Yet both math and Hungry Hungry Hippos are non-religious.

Proselytizing about atheism, in my opinion, would be a video whose purpose is to help children discover that There Is No God - And Religion Is A Lie!
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2013 11:05     Subject: Ummm, Parent of DS Friend told me I was using religious propaganda on their son...
I took me a few times before I realized Veggie Tales had religious undertones! We do not practice religion but my kids like Veggie Tales and the lessons are good. So why not let them watch it. When they ask me about Jesus, I just say, "Some people believe...." and leave it at that. They accept that answer. OP, this woman is a psycho and I agree with PPs that you will make new friends very quickly once school starts. The ridiculous reaction of this woman was a "blessing" in disguise.
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2013 10:53     Subject: Re:Ummm, Parent of DS Friend told me I was using religious propaganda on their son...
What a story OP!

I have a very different one. We are Orthodox Christians, so Veggie Tales is definitely not our version of Christianity. In fact some would consider it disrespectful. My son, though, absolutely loved everything Veggie Tales and he had quite a collection thanks to some neighbors. His best friend at the time was a girl from a mildly religious (or possibly secular) Jewish family. One day the friend was over for a 3 hour play date and I realized at the end as the mom was coming in that he had played religious veggie tales music for the full 3 hours. The girl had picked up songs and both were belting them out. I started apologizing to the mom and tried to assure her we weren't trying to proselytise. She looked at me very puzzled and said "All that kid music sounds the same to me; I don't even hear the words." The two remained good friends for a couple more years and the mom always seemed eager to drop her daughter at our house.
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2013 10:51     Subject: Ummm, Parent of DS Friend told me I was using religious propaganda on their son...
1. We have a faith. If I learned that my child had been shown anything that was non-religious on a playdate I would be upset. I don't like being proselytized about atheism, and I especially don't want my child being proselytized.
2. however, my reaction would be. "Since we have a faith, do you think in the future you could not show my child any non-religious content on palydats", rather than "That's it, you horrible person, no playdates ever again!".
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2013 10:47     Subject: Re:Ummm, Parent of DS Friend told me I was using religious propaganda on their son...
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don't think "shielding" children is a longterm answer. One of the reasons, we started going to UU Church so my children would have exposure to what is out there with a framework with which to observe. So, when my younger child was told on the playground that he was going to hell because he did not believe in Jesus Christ, he was able to respond in a thoughtful respectful age appropriate manner.


Nice try, but I don't buy it. Kids simply do not use the playground as a platform to threaten eternal damnation.


Actually somebody told me this on the playground once. My thoughtful respectful age-appropriate response was, "What?!"


Nope. Didn't happen.


*Fingers in ears* Lalalalala, I can't hear you!


Again, nice try.
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2013 10:47     Subject: Ummm, Parent of DS Friend told me I was using religious propaganda on their son...
Anonymous wrote:Because on Saturday I let them watch an episode of Veggie Tales. It was an episode that had absolutely no religious or spiritual mentions in this episode, it's just "Silly Songs with Larry". I was kind of flabbergasted, she came to me this afternoon at pick-up and said she wanted to talk to me. She told me she didn't appreciate me trying to convert her son (uh, we are Jewish-Agnostics). I told her that I meant nothing by it, that my son just loves the Silly Songs with Larry CD and they both wanted to watch it. I told her numerous times there was nothing religious in this particular episode, and she just didn't listen. I finally just apologized and said I'd run through everything by her before we watched it, and that it would never happen again. She told me that I wouldn't have to worry about that because her son would never come to my house again, and that my son was no longer welcome at hers. I just said "ok" and got my son. I cried on the way back home. My son just started school in the area and her son has been friendly to my son, his first friend in our new town. Now I've gone and ruined it by accident. I'm also pissed at the other mom. I shouldn't have let them watch the DVD, I didn't think twice about it. I just think she's overreacting and honestly a bit nuts. Do you think there is a way to fix this? Maybe she was overly upset and spoke on impulse?


OP, I'm not going to read through all the responses, but I wanted to say you have no responsibility to manage this woman's control issues. So sorry you had to endure that nonsense. This has everything to do with her and nothing to do with you or religion. I encountered something similar with a nut-job mom, and, speaking from experience, I found the best way to deal with it was to stay calm and do not engage with her histrionics.

The school year just started, so I'm sure your son will make more friends in no time!
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2013 10:33     Subject: Ummm, Parent of DS Friend told me I was using religious propaganda on their son...
Who needs friends like this? Drop her like a rock and don't look back. She's a nutcase.
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2013 10:33     Subject: Re:Ummm, Parent of DS Friend told me I was using religious propaganda on their son...
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don't think "shielding" children is a longterm answer. One of the reasons, we started going to UU Church so my children would have exposure to what is out there with a framework with which to observe. So, when my younger child was told on the playground that he was going to hell because he did not believe in Jesus Christ, he was able to respond in a thoughtful respectful age appropriate manner.


Nice try, but I don't buy it. Kids simply do not use the playground as a platform to threaten eternal damnation.


Actually somebody told me this on the playground once. My thoughtful respectful age-appropriate response was, "What?!"


Nope. Didn't happen.


*Fingers in ears* Lalalalala, I can't hear you!
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2013 10:30     Subject: Re:Ummm, Parent of DS Friend told me I was using religious propaganda on their son...
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don't think "shielding" children is a longterm answer. One of the reasons, we started going to UU Church so my children would have exposure to what is out there with a framework with which to observe. So, when my younger child was told on the playground that he was going to hell because he did not believe in Jesus Christ, he was able to respond in a thoughtful respectful age appropriate manner.


Nice try, but I don't buy it. Kids simply do not use the playground as a platform to threaten eternal damnation.


Actually somebody told me this on the playground once. My thoughtful respectful age-appropriate response was, "What?!"


Nope. Didn't happen.
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2013 10:15     Subject: Re:Ummm, Parent of DS Friend told me I was using religious propaganda on their son...
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don't think "shielding" children is a longterm answer. One of the reasons, we started going to UU Church so my children would have exposure to what is out there with a framework with which to observe. So, when my younger child was told on the playground that he was going to hell because he did not believe in Jesus Christ, he was able to respond in a thoughtful respectful age appropriate manner.


Nice try, but I don't buy it. Kids simply do not use the playground as a platform to threaten eternal damnation.


Actually somebody told me this on the playground once. My thoughtful respectful age-appropriate response was, "What?!"
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2013 10:09     Subject: Re:Ummm, Parent of DS Friend told me I was using religious propaganda on their son...
It was ugly and hurtful, but you are well off without her. Such an over reaction.
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2013 10:07     Subject: Re:Ummm, Parent of DS Friend told me I was using religious propaganda on their son...
Anonymous wrote:I don't think "shielding" children is a longterm answer. One of the reasons, we started going to UU Church so my children would have exposure to what is out there with a framework with which to observe. So, when my younger child was told on the playground that he was going to hell because he did not believe in Jesus Christ, he was able to respond in a thoughtful respectful age appropriate manner.


Nice try, but I don't buy it. Kids simply do not use the playground as a platform to threaten eternal damnation.
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2013 10:02     Subject: Ummm, Parent of DS Friend told me I was using religious propaganda on their son...
Anonymous wrote: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?


Exactly. OP this is not a family you want to be around or a good influence for your son.
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2013 10:01     Subject: Re:Ummm, Parent of DS Friend told me I was using religious propaganda on their son...
I don't think "shielding" children is a longterm answer. One of the reasons, we started going to UU Church so my children would have exposure to what is out there with a framework with which to observe. So, when my younger child was told on the playground that he was going to hell because he did not believe in Jesus Christ, he was able to respond in a thoughtful respectful age appropriate manner.