Why be civilized? Give them what they want and go out with a bang. Throw wild Hallowe'en parties first. Hang a picture of Nietzsche over the mantle. Tell your kids that Jesus is made up just like Santa. Tell them that only luddites and fools pray and teach them to solve problems instead of lament them. Be good parents and don't let someone tell you you're doing anything wrong.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
How to be civil with religious fanatics who keep getting on our business?
- Thread starter James B
- Start date
laslo.kovacs
New member
Just tell them that any kind of religious talk is off limits to your kids. If they can't stay out of that realm, then tell them not to invite your kids over.
If that doesn't work, start preaching to THEIR kids. Give them lessons in comparative religion. Teach them all about evolution.
Why are you living in such a creepy neighborhood. I live in a town that is tolerant of all races and belief systems. All we ask is that everyone behaves decently.
Someday scaring children with stories of Hell will actually be considered child abuse, in the same way that 30 years ago children were beaten, but not anymore...at least not legally.
If that doesn't work, start preaching to THEIR kids. Give them lessons in comparative religion. Teach them all about evolution.
Why are you living in such a creepy neighborhood. I live in a town that is tolerant of all races and belief systems. All we ask is that everyone behaves decently.
Someday scaring children with stories of Hell will actually be considered child abuse, in the same way that 30 years ago children were beaten, but not anymore...at least not legally.
We have 3 children aged 9, 4 and 2. When we first moved into this neighborhood we were happy that the neighbors allowed their children, who had similar ages as ours, to come over and play, just as we allowed ours to visit theirs. Slowly things started to look differently. The neighbor's use their children as sources of information about the things that we do and do not do in our home.
Through this exchange of information the neighbors found out that I am an atheist and that my husband is not practicing his religion (Roman Catholicism) actively.Neither one of us takes the children to Church or any form of religious ceremonies. I thought that since I respected their Christian Evangelical ways they would be able to respect us in return.
No such luck. Our neighbors now give our children unwanted opinions on issues like homosexuality, divorce and prayer without consulting us. I have no problem with their kids sharing their faith with ours but I don't think it's right for adults to scare my kids into believing that our home is evil and that we're all condemned to hell. Our children are too young to deal with those issues. The other day they actually told my middle daughter that the reason why we had financial problems and our son has epilepsy is because we don't pray and I am an atheist. She cried in fear. Yesterday they told my son that doctors were not going to help him with his seizures if he did not pray and repented from his sins. WTF?
I want to cut ties with these people.Even with their children.Their children are like little spies in our home and I don't like it. However, I want to end it in a civilized and educated manner. How can I go about doing this? Write a letter? an e-mail? visit them one evening? Simply ask their kids not to come and play? I don't want to be cruel to their children and I don't want to tell my kids not to talk to them anymore.
Please help!
laslo:the town itself is awesome.By a sickening twist of events we ended up living next to the only bible thumpers on the block.
Through this exchange of information the neighbors found out that I am an atheist and that my husband is not practicing his religion (Roman Catholicism) actively.Neither one of us takes the children to Church or any form of religious ceremonies. I thought that since I respected their Christian Evangelical ways they would be able to respect us in return.
No such luck. Our neighbors now give our children unwanted opinions on issues like homosexuality, divorce and prayer without consulting us. I have no problem with their kids sharing their faith with ours but I don't think it's right for adults to scare my kids into believing that our home is evil and that we're all condemned to hell. Our children are too young to deal with those issues. The other day they actually told my middle daughter that the reason why we had financial problems and our son has epilepsy is because we don't pray and I am an atheist. She cried in fear. Yesterday they told my son that doctors were not going to help him with his seizures if he did not pray and repented from his sins. WTF?
I want to cut ties with these people.Even with their children.Their children are like little spies in our home and I don't like it. However, I want to end it in a civilized and educated manner. How can I go about doing this? Write a letter? an e-mail? visit them one evening? Simply ask their kids not to come and play? I don't want to be cruel to their children and I don't want to tell my kids not to talk to them anymore.
Please help!
laslo:the town itself is awesome.By a sickening twist of events we ended up living next to the only bible thumpers on the block.
Either tell them directly or find another family to be friends with. Do not send your kids over to play but find other activities and places for them to go. Be too busy for their kids to come over. Be unavailable to them. They will not let go easily as it is their duty to bring you back to the fold.
Try a Men In Black party. Invite friends over to watch the movie. Everyone has to dress in black. Close all curtains and do not invite them or tell them what's going on. When they see all the people come in dressed in black they will go nuts.
Try a Men In Black party. Invite friends over to watch the movie. Everyone has to dress in black. Close all curtains and do not invite them or tell them what's going on. When they see all the people come in dressed in black they will go nuts.
I
imported_da shadow
Guest
Either tell them directly or find another family to be friends with. Do not send your kids over to play but find other activities and places for them to go. Be too busy for their kids to come over. Be unavailable to them. They will not let go easily as it is their duty to bring you back to the fold.
Try a Men In Black party. Invite friends over to watch the movie. Everyone has to dress in black. Close all curtains and do not invite them or tell them what's going on. When they see all the people come in dressed in black they will go nuts.
Try a Men In Black party. Invite friends over to watch the movie. Everyone has to dress in black. Close all curtains and do not invite them or tell them what's going on. When they see all the people come in dressed in black they will go nuts.