To ask religious MIL to respect our views?

[Namedilema123]

PIL are Christians. DH is atheist. Im not atheist but not religious at all and find it all a bit culty.

MIL is always talking about Jesus and God to my 4yo and 2yo. She plays religious nursery rhymes when she looks after them. For Christmas has bought them a Childs First Bible and Child's First Prayer Book. How do i broach this subject? It makes me feel so uncomfortable. Its not so much the religion itself but more it being taught as blind fact, rather than just stories or that some people believe it, others don't. would be much happier if other religions were spoken about too. Or AIBU?

I'd retur the Bible as it is not suitable reading for children, you might want to highlight a few bits.

Watch Seth Andrews' bed time Bible stories for some examples.

My Nana was like this, my parents were non-believers. It was she, in fact, who consolidated my non-believing status when I was about 8 due to her (unsatisfactory, as far as I was concerned) answer to my theological questions! I didn’t tell her, though because her belief was important to her, especially as her health deteriorated. I don’t regret the visits to church and Sunday School with her though.

I would throw the books away, there is no more a god than Father Christmas or the tooth fairy

Some of these comments are truly shocking. I'm no god botherer but to equate a belief in God to Father Christmas is so disrespectful. Of course a child's bible is suitable for a child, the clue's in the name, ffs. I do wonder why it's only Christianity that gets attacked like this, nobody would dare take this attitude towards Islam or Judaism.

Bluelady

Why should a belief in god trump belief in father christmas?

“I'm no god botherer but to equate a belief in God to Father Christmas is so disrespectful.”
Can you explain why?

Very disingenuous, speakout.

nobody would dare take this attitude towards Islam or Judaism.

If you really believe this you must be seriously unaware of the world around you.

OK, both of you know precisely why but I'll bite. Because there are many, many people for whom a sincerely held belief in a higher deity is a tenet on which they base their lives. Not just Christians but many other religions too. Respect for other people's beliefs should be part of any civilised society. We are rightly offended by racism and misogyny but some of us feel that disrespect for other people's religions beliefs is fine. I don't.

I would throw the books away, there is no more a god than Father Christmas or the tooth fairy

In that case throw away all fairy tales and gruffalo and the like... keep only the books of hard fact

Why are atheists so afraid of exposing their children to Christianity? If it’s all nonsense, why care?
Or do you think the 2.4 billion Christians in the world might actually be right, and that your children are loved by God, redeemed by Jesus, and comforted by the Holy Spirit - and that would clash with your scornful rejection of that love?
Your MIL will be teaching your kids to love their fellow humans as themselves, and to love God. How terrible, OP! What a dreadful role model that Jesus chap was, healing the sick, suffering torture and laying down his life for us. No wonder you want nothing to do with him.

Mil is very religious - she's a Jehovah's Witness - I am a passionate Atheist, dh is agnostic, she knows this, we have many debates about religion, she's a lovely woman and I care for her deeply but she is under no illusion on how I feel about religion, no way can I hide it, as an ex Catholic, the brainwashing I received as a child gives me the rage - yep it still does! there's no way she's attempt to convert the kids. She did express concern that they would not know of God and therefore I was depriving them of God's love - so I asked her to question the kids about what they knew about the Bible and they were surprisingly knowledgable - both have target grade of 8 in their GCSE Religious Studies - which they both decided to take because they find other people's beliefs interesting, neither are believers. And the children's bible (edited total brain washing version) she gave me to give to them went to the same place the magazines she gives us on a regular basis go - the recycling bin.

Why are atheists so afraid of exposing their children to Christianity?

Because christianity is a poweful poisonous force.

Dh is an atheist, I don't have any particular views on religion. We have 6 bibles in the house, my children go to a cofe school, they have friends who are devout christians and they, now teenagers, have decided their own views on the subject and are non believers.

As a child I went to church and Sunday school every week, both granny's were very religious, I actually remember quite enjoying the stories and parables. It had no effect whatsoever on my ability to decide for myself.

Making a big deal of it would just draw more attention to it. I'd leave it but probably wouldn't let them take the children to church, I'd do that myself if they asked to go.

A poisonous force? It can be, it can also be an agent for great good.

Regardless of the nature or subject, if parents are uncomfortable about the content of a book then they have the ultimate say in whether to let their children be exposed to it or not. It could contain violence, sexual bias, swearing etc and I'm sure everyone would think that was ok if those books were taken away and I can't see any difference in religious books if they are also making parents uncomfortable. As an athiest I would let the bible stories book onto the shelf, not picking it to read aloud, but to just be there if they fancied looking at the pictures. The prayer book, no way I'm afraid.

Meh, just buy some child's books about other faiths (including flying spaghetti monster). I'm atheist but had a lot of religious stories growing up. It was the exposure to many different faiths (and the ways they acted throughout history) that cemented my belief. Encourage them to ask questions and to identify discrepancies if they start to show an interest. I'd only step in if it was a cult type church or they began to obsess over he'll.

But banning them and making it interesting is not the route I'd take.

Well OP has disappeared without answering any questions so

But thank you @SchrodingersUnicorn .. I agree.

Some people seem to believe that religion and science cannot peacefully co-exist (speaking of ill-founded beliefs...)

Perhaps because they believe that the world’s 2.2 billion Christians are one monolithic mass who all interpret the bible exactly the same way. Lol.

My siblings and I were raised in a devoutly Catholic home, attended Mass weekly and went to a religious school.

We were taught evolution, Big Bang Theory (noting the various views in the scientific community... see they aren’t a monolith either!) and that “Being Gay is A-Okay!” (it was the 90s).

Religion and science are not incompatible.

Because christianity is a poweful poisonous force.
Many think the same about Islam, but wouldn’t say it on here.
Christian Aid does more for the world than any other religion, but what the hell, let’s look for the bad things.

Christian Aid does more for the world than any other religion
Prove it

Because christianity is a poweful poisonous force. Interesting word choice there.

I'm no god botherer but to equate a belief in God to Father Christmas is so disrespectful.

Good. As I said before, religion isn't entitled to respect. Religious people are entitled to tolerance, that's all. Religions themselves are organisations, like British Gas and the BBC. It's perfectly acceptable to show them no respect if you don't think they've earned it.

cannotremember so you take umbrage at my words but none at “Christianity being a poisonous force” Just try google, why should you doubt it, which religion do YOU think does more.

The Christian Church is (IIRC) the richest organisation in the world. And yet there is poverty and hunger everywhere. Priests dripping in gold abuse children.

Yes, it’s a real force for good.