Atheist/Non-believing Parents/Christian Grandparents- What to do?
My parents and my boyfriends parents are all four Christians, raised in the South. We live together (before we are married) 20 minutes from both sets of them. (My boyfriend and I grew up in the same place).
I am wondering what we are going to do when we have children, because I don't want the grandparents telling my kids things that aren't true when they are so impressionable and scaring them into believing there is a place where Mommy and Daddy can burn forever for not believing in God. As you all know there are many other things I don't want them learning either- like thanking God for accomplishments, luck, and food, discrimination against gays and racism, ect.
All four grandparents don't know I am atheist. I want to sit down with them and tell them that I am Atheist and I think that Christians brainwash small children. I want them to know that I don't want them reading them bible stories, singing bible songs, or scaring them into believing there is a hell. What do you all think about my confronting the parents like this?
Do you think I should leave my kids with either set un-supervised? I won't leave them with my parents because they are alcoholics anyways.
mick herman
You should really talk to them about your atheism, as for the hell thing, not much that you can do other than prevent them from seeing your child, hope you have good luck with bringing them up
Jun 6, 2012
mwifjsyi
Thanks for all the responses. My boyfriend is on the fence about Christianity. He doesn't want to believe in God but then he says there is a chance there could be a hell and so he is not saying God doesn't exist. My boyfriend doesn't have a college education though. And a lot of my conversion to Atheism happened while I was in college science and history classes.
My parents are definitely not getting the kids for the weekend but my boyfriend's parents don't drink at all. My boyfriend told me since I posted this discussion that if I tell his mom that I am Atheist that she will hate me. She and I get along so well so it's sad to me but I will take his word for it. I guess she will hate me for not taking her grandchildren to church.
I was thinking the other day that I would almost rather take my kids to church every now and then so I can be there for all their questions after church, than announce that I am Atheist and have the grandparents picking them up EVERY Sunday morning.
Jun 6, 2012
Rachel
My mother is very religious (Jehovah's Witness) and my husband's parents are also religious (Lutheran and Catholic, strangely), though his mother is much more so than his father. My baby is due in November. I'm already stressing out about when this is going to come up, because it will. In fact, it's more MY mom that I'm concerned about. There's no Hell to burn in with Jehovah's Witnesses, but I'm sure she could scare my little one into believing God is gonna smite her off the face of the planet with Tribulation comes along. It'll no doubt be Hell with my husband's parents, though.
Thing is, I haven't said anything about my stance to my mother. When this can of worms opens, because it IS a matter of when and not if, it's gonna be pretty ugly. I can see it now...
Jun 14, 2012