AIBU to really hate religion?

[speakout]

My 5 year old great niece is very upset right now,
She was given a fairy door- small wooden one that sticks on the bottom of a skirting board.
My sister- very religious has seen it in her room, ripped it off and broken it telling the child that Satan will come through and it is an evil trap.
I am trying to be respectful of my sister's religion but it is hard.

[magpiemischief]

Why unconcerned with the nitty gritty of some forms of Paganism op? Can be just as racist, right wing etc. A lot is concerned with blood lines within certain forms of Paganism. Blood rites and sacrifice also featured strongly. A lot is absorbed in very bloody warrior culture and dominance. Thus romanticism people have over practically any non Christian beliefs is misplaced.

[JustDanceAddict]

That’s not normal religion!

[SimoneOfHouseDavies]

OP is not talking about paganism it's fundamental Christianity her neice is suffering under, stay on topic. Regardless, op said they hated religion, I take that to mean all religion so paganism as you've described it would be included in that.

Why are you so desperate to deflect to paganism? Any hurtful behaviour in the name of any God or gods or lack of is wrong I'm sure we can all agree.

[speakout]

I really don't see a child pinning a fairy door on a skirting board as paganism.

[StatelessPrincess]

I'm religious and I'm not nasty to children. i| don't think people behave like tossers because of religion I think they do it in spite of it.

[speakout]

The thing is my sister is doing this out of love.
She truly thinks she is protecting the child.

This is not an action of spite or malice.

That's why I blame religion.

[magpiemischief]

Why are you so desperate to deflect to paganism? Any hurtful behaviour in the name of any God or gods or lack of is wrong I'm sure we can all agree.

I am not. I am merely questioning why something associated with Pagan beliefs is seen as innocuous and outside of religion. The OP says she hates all religion but then suggests the fairy door falls outside of any religious belief. Would the OP feel similarly about a cross given to her child to help her feel protected from bad dreams? Similar level in terms of the associations.

I think the sister handled this badly but that is down to her fear and her panicky reactions. Not religious belief, per se.

[SleepOhHowIMissYou]

I think the link to Paganism here is the fairies, no? Paganism is also a religion. OP's titled her thread AIBU to really hate religion, not AIBU to really hate Christianity.

There's thousands of religions, I simply believe in one less than those who have adopted one (or had one foisted on them by their families). The adoption of one religion automatically shuts out all the other thousands of religions by default.

Perhaps it's time to accept we don't have the answers, no matter how scary that may be. Thankfully, I see that starting to happen.

[TheEgregiousPeach]

Oh your poor niece! What a horrible way to treat a 5 year old. Reminds me of the mother in Jeanette Wintersons 'oranges are not the only fruit', not a good look.
Could you perhaps get the buggers told have a sensible word in your sister and the mothers ear?

[missyB1]

To me Christianity is to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, Op your relatives are not doing this. The fairy door being evil nonsense has not come from JC! And dont get bogged down with old testament, when JC arrived he brought the new testament which he described as "a new covenant".

So in summary some religious groups try to describe themselves as "Christians" but do not seem to follow the teachings Of Jesus.

I also believe some people would be extremists anyway, even if it wasn't religion they were twisting it would be something else.

[Namethecat]

We walk in a wood that has one of those fairy doors. If we pass it at the same time as a family with children I point it out to them and carry on walking whilst the family investigate ( I've always thought I was spreading awe & wonder ) Maybe I'm going to hell !

[speakout]

missy and dont get bogged down with old testament,
But that is only your interpretation.
Are you suggesting the old testament should be disregarded- including the 10 commandments?

[magpiemischief]

Fairy doors can be whatever you want them to be, Name. Awe and wonder is, of course, pretty positive. I myself am interested in folk, fairy tales and old beliefs. They tell us something about humanity. However, the point I was making, is that some people will associate fairies with some quite disturbing traditional folk beliefs which could be triggering for them.

[bridgetreilly]

One of our local schools had a priest in who told the kids there is no such thing as fairies .

One of your local schools had a priest in who told the kids the truth.

FTFY.

[iJustReallyLikeIt]

missyB1

Absolutely.

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 10:34-36

[LaurieFairyCake]

It’s not a coincidence that 8 members of your family are like this. It’s a delusion that perpetuates in pockets, it’s how cults work.

It’s how Westboro baptists work. Small communities or pockets going fundamental.

There are really very few Christians like this, a slightly higher percentage than Islamic fundamentalists I think - but still it’s 0.008 %

I think you should focus on what’s going on in your family - it’s great you escape it but you also have to tackle it for the next generation

[LaurieFairyCake]

It’s not about the Old Testament being ‘disregarded’ - they are just fables/stories/metaphors - there to teach us about how communities lived and what they believed about God at the time

We don’t disregard ‘ring a roses’ - we put it in it’s correct historical context and develop some critical thinking around it

[sanddune11]

It's extremism, why judge all Christians because of that. Just the same as we shouldn't judge all of Islam because of the extremism in their religion surely? Either that or she's just a nutcase.

[VileyRose]

The fear of these things was only started to convert people to Christianity. Ridiculous over reaction.

[specialsubject]

Anyone who won't allow others to talk about different beliefs because it is offensive is a) a waste of oxygen and b) has very weak faith . crackpot faiths only last because ideas are censored - that's why Christian extremists homeschool.

Poor child.

[Mustang27]

That’s not religion though is it? That’s just your sister being over the top and a bit nuts.

You can be perfectly devout without being an arse. I think a teeny tiny Satan would be quite cute.

Tell her not to worry he is already plodding about in the form of the very charming Derren Brown. He seems pretty likeable to me.

[moomoo222]

Poor kid. Are you in the USA? If Creationism is being taught in a funded school in the UK the Government will withdraw funding if they are informed, the school could get into trouble.

The sad irony of this story is that the child is being punished for believing in fairies and yet grown adults who are responsible for her care believe in a judgemental and factually impossible big fairy in the sky as well as the Devil, who is apparently terribly small. Plus, if this is to be believed actually think fairy doors are magical portals for evil. Seriously, if it weren't so awful it would be funny.

[sanddune11]

I watched a programme about Saudi Arabia recently. There we were told children were taught in schools from an early age that all Christians must die, by..... beheading.
Let's hope aunty doesn't get that extreme.

[autumnintheair]

its not just religion its the following of any extreme views, makes me feel suffocated and scared. There are posters on here who would argue to the death about how awful religion is but then you see other posts on stuff like politics and they are just as brain washed and extreme themselves there.

[speakout]

moomoo222 it's not the USA, Its also not a state funded school, it's a large (1000 pupils) Baptist church.