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.

[Noimbrianfromhull]

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3092457/Boy-7-taken-away-parents-judge-rules-damaged-Jehovah-s-Witness-mother-s-religious-beliefs.html&ved=0ahUKEwiG7aWXnZjXAhWRSxoKHbhNBa0QFggxMAc&usg=AOvVaw2uta1wSTZcktSugfgm4N0y" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3092457/Boy-7-taken-away-parents-judge-rules-damaged-Jehovah-s-Witness-mother-s-religious-beliefs.html&ved=0ahUKEwiG7aWXnZjXAhWRSxoKHbhNBa0QFggxMAc&usg=AOvVaw2uta1wSTZcktSugfgm4N0y

You wouldn't be reporting the school for teaching creationism, you'd be reporting your family for causing emotional harm to a child.

[mickeysminnie]

I think you are being deliberately being obtuse OP.
Call social services on your sister!
If as you say, you hate religion because it gave rise to this situation you are aware it is wrong. But yet you are now defending the actions because your sister is trying to 'protect' your grand niece!
Seriously?
And I'll ask again! Why is the child being punished and not the adult who bought the door? Would it be because it is much easier to bully a child?

[Noimbrianfromhull]

Apologies for DM link but shows social services can become involved due to concerns that Religious beliefs are causing emotional harm to a child.

[Noimbrianfromhull]

Creationism is banned in any UK schools that are government funded but there are non-government funded schools which teach it in the UK. 54 of them according to an article I just read.

[speakout]

mickey- I am not defending my sister's actions, I am trying to understand them.

She clearly thinks she is doing a good thing.

[canttestright]

@Slimthistime I'm not from the UK and did find the 'compulsory religious assembly' requirement in schools insane, but my understanding is a) it's not widely practised in reality and b) most people don't care, at least not enough to do anything about it.

The UK is a very secular society, but it does seem like people are very open to being quite abusive towards 'religion.' I work in the charity sector and have worked for faith-based organisations- obviously, the non-proselytising ones who were happy to employ an atheist. I've found colleagues there incredibly respectful, and open, and questioning. The few religious people - e.g. Nuns, vicars- I've worked with have made tremendous personal sacrifices for their work. I absolutely get that this is not a sweeping, across the board generalisation and religious orders like most powerful institutions have done bad things but I've seen such a level of vitriol towards religion and religious people, including on mumsnet - blaming religion for starting wars, saying religious people are stupid.

I believe the official role of the church in the U.K. Will end v soon, but I'm worried that the tolerance for people of all faiths and none will be eroded too.

[speakout]

My sister doesn't think she is punishing the child.

[Noimbrianfromhull]

It doesn't matter what your sister thinks - she is harming a child. Call social services.

[ScrommidgeClaryAndSpunt]

Always amazes me, the number of people who describe themselves as Christians, and yet completely ignore the bits in the New Testament about not judging others and generally trying not to be a cunt.

I have for some time suspected that this is because they like judging others and enjoy being cunts.

Nothing new in this, of course - look what they did to the bloke himself. Douglas Adams summarised it neatly: "...one day, nearly two thousand years after one man had been nailed to a tree for saying how great it would be to be nice to people for a change..."

[magpiemischief]

mickey- I am not defending my sister's actions, I am trying to understand them.

Your sister sounds very fearful. Fear can do horrible things to people and cause them to behave horribly.

TBH if she had a firm belief in the efficacy of holy water, prayer, etc why is she behaving so panicked? Any spiritual problem she perceived would be as simple as washing the dishes.

This is fear that is causing her to act like this.

[speakout]

Yes it is fear.

Satan sits on her shoulder waiting for a chink in her defences.

[Notevilstepmother]

Your sister is trying to protect a child from an imaginary harm by harming her. Her intent may be good but her actions are not.

Any adult that thinks that fairy doors are real, and that fairies or Satan or anything else will come through them is not sane.

[Noimbrianfromhull]

Take your sisters beliefs out of it and think about a scenario like this - caregiver has a fear of germs, 5 year old forgets to take shoes off and walks on the carpet. Caregiver frantically disinfects everything, tells child they've brought germs into the house and now everyone might get ill or even worse. Child made to sit on the naughty step for an hour and told to think about the terrible thing they have done and how they have put everyone at risk.

Would you think that child would need someone to intervene? Do you think they'd need help?

[magpiemischief]

Well, if you speak to her you could mention that. A preoccupation with Satan and evil might not be the best use of her faith. It sounds like her fears are haunting her. She shouldn’t want that. She should concentrate instead in being kind and doing good positive things, as according to what she states she believes in.

[purpleangel17]

Another one saying this is religion being misrepresented either due to mental illness or deliberately to control.

Yes, people interpret the Bible differently as they do all religions and indeed atheists but no mainstream church would be scaring kids with stories about demons. The forced to pray reminds me uncomfortably of Annelise Michele.

[Nikephorus]

The mother is now regretting allowing her daughter to have the fairy door and is praying for forgiveness.
Well I'm fairly sure that God will forgive the child for being a child but I can't help thinking that He might have a few issues with your sister.
Still, I'm delighted to learn that Satan is a, tiny and b, restricted to entering through a door. And that must mean that when I'm scoffing biscuits, they're not a lack of willpower on my part but actually a gift from God so I should feel grateful rather than guilty

[OliviaPopeRules]

* My sister doesn't think she is punishing the child*

Doesn’t matter she is abusing the child and the child’s mother is complicit.
Congrats on the selective reading, no-one said to report that the school to SS, you would obviously report to the LA or whatever body is in charge. Schools are not allowed to each creationism and certainly not allowed to say Santa is Satan!!
It is you abusive sister you should report to SS unless you’re not really concerned about the child and jay looking to bash religion and excuse your sister.

[habenero20]

I believe the official role of the church in the U.K. Will end v soon, but I'm worried that the tolerance for people of all faiths and none will be eroded too.

I doubt it. Most CofE members, from what I can tell, don't even recognise their privilege. Couple that with the fact that most non-practising Brits are cool with it, especially if it gets their kids into a good school. A lot of other religious groups also love the state money for religious schools aspect.

Not in my lifetime I think.

[bingbongnoise]

@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.

Did any of this actually happen?

[CardinalSin]

I love that some religious people are coming on here shouting "It's not religion, it's control!"

Just think about it...

[purpleangel17]

Cardinal, people control, using religion as an excuse. The whole essence of Christianity is free will.

[magpiemischief]

Cardinal, if you don’t believe in any of the premises behind religion, surely, it does boil down to control? If you believe religious belief is a construct then it is merely a reflection of certain aspects of human nature? So the controlling elements boil down to simply human beings wanting to control others and have power over them.

[speakout]

bingbongnoise what do you mean?

Why would I make up such a story?
My sister has a long history of such behaviour, she has tried to get her husband exorcised, would force her own kids to wear black on Easter weekend and have them mourn.
Her own kids watched no TV, would not be allowed to listen to any music that was not religious, all reading material had to be religious etc.

[bigbluebus]

I know quite a few people who follow the Baptist religion. None of them are bonkers like your sister. In fact I had known one of them for about 3 years before I actually discovered he was a Baptist Minister.

[WorraLiberty]

I read your thread title and immediately thought YANBU

Then I opened the thread and realised your sister is an utter bitch to her grandchild and an abusive one at that.

Nothing to do with religion at all.