Page 5 | Aunt sends me religious cards

Iamnotreligious · 2022-04-15T17:45:52+00:00

My aunt knows I am not in the slightest bit religious and I won't disrespect her faith she's devout catholic. Every Christmas, Easter, Birthday she sends me a very religious card with a passage from the bible and a well meaning message about how much God loves me. I can't not reply I'm not rude but how can I politely ask her to not send me religious cards or as it's just a few times a year and she feels feels she's doing something nice just suck it up and keep being polite?

SquirrelG · 15/04/2022 20:51

For crying out loud - what actually is the issue here???? Why not be grateful she cares about you enough to send a card. Has it ever occurred to you that Easter and Christmas are religious celebrations? Honestly, what is wrong with people- the petty complaints on MN are getting more bizarre each day.

InFiveMins · 15/04/2022 20:51

They are just cards. Suck it up, accept them and be polite.

MrsSkylerWhite · 15/04/2022 20:52

Just say thank you. It’s obviously meaningful to her and it does you no harm.

(I’m an atheist)

Itsbackagain · 15/04/2022 20:53

Why would you say anything - just bin it. Lifes too short to sweat the small stuff

IheartJKRowling · 15/04/2022 21:21

Well obviously as a non believer your choice not to want religion in your life doesn't matter at all to people of faith because they all just mean well and it makes them happy to send you religious cards, so don't you dare say you object 🙄

I wonder if people would tell you just to "suck it up" if your belief was an Orthodox Jewish one and were receiving cards wishing you a "Happy Eid" or were a devout Muslim and were receiving "Happy Yom Kippur" cards?

I'm another vocal Atheist and I expect people to respect that. I would never send a card to a religious relative with "You believe in God, you're wrong and here's why you are totally deluded" on it so I would not accept one with bible verses and Jesus on it without saying it was unacceptable.

Your Aunt is telling you your choice is not worthy of her respect, why would you not want to say something as she's more than happy to upset you three times a year with her religious missives?

2bazookas · 15/04/2022 21:30

I would just totally ignore the cards; don't thank her or even mention them.

If she asks directly "Did you get my card" you just nod and change the subject.

sweeneytoddsrazor · 15/04/2022 21:47

Jehovah’s Witness a Christmas card and they’d be unreasonable to be annoyed by it?

The difference being JWs don't celebrate Xmas, the OP does celebrate Easter and Xmas both of which are religious festivals. I did give a Xmas card once to someone I didn't realise was a JW they politely thanked me for the thought before telling me they didn't celebrate it.

sweeneytoddsrazor · 15/04/2022 21:49

If you don't want any religion in your life you shouldn't be celebrating Easter or Christmas

Whatalovelydaffodil · 15/04/2022 22:32

@IheartJKRowling

Well obviously as a non believer your choice not to want religion in your life doesn't matter at all to people of faith because they all just mean well and it makes them happy to send you religious cards, so don't you dare say you object 🙄

I wonder if people would tell you just to "suck it up" if your belief was an Orthodox Jewish one and were receiving cards wishing you a "Happy Eid" or were a devout Muslim and were receiving "Happy Yom Kippur" cards?

I'm another vocal Atheist and I expect people to respect that. I would never send a card to a religious relative with "You believe in God, you're wrong and here's why you are totally deluded" on it so I would not accept one with bible verses and Jesus on it without saying it was unacceptable.

Your Aunt is telling you your choice is not worthy of her respect, why would you not want to say something as she's more than happy to upset you three times a year with her religious missives?

Do you send religious cards to religious people? And atheist ones to atheists?

JC544D · 15/04/2022 22:33

There's nothing stopping companies paying more than the absolute minimum wage if they wish.

JC544D · 15/04/2022 22:34

Sorry, wrong thread.

notsureaboutTAAT · 15/04/2022 22:36

My uncle does this. I just ignore it. I always choose a really unreligious card to send him.

Eightiesfan · 15/04/2022 23:01

I suspect she buys her cards from the church, which is why there are no Easter chicks or bunnies in sight!

Tigertigertigertiger · 15/04/2022 23:03

Your aunt sounds sweet

Sloelydoesit · 16/04/2022 00:33

I think the problem with this is intent.

As previous posters have mentioned, Christmas and Easter were never Christian festivals. They were however taken over by Christians for the purpose of suppressing previous faiths.
So whilst it may be well meaning, it can be uncomfortable if you have friends or relatives send you religious cards when they know you are not celebrating the same thing they are. Whilst it may be a long time ago, there's obviously something in us that hates to be preached to if we don't want it.

There's nothing wrong in celebrating Christmas if you aren't religious. it's the middle of winter, just past the shortest day of the year. There are public holidays and what's wrong with getting together and eating good food?!
Easter - have you looked up the etymology of the word? Nothing to do with Jesus. Eggs and bunnies - yes. More so.
However if you want to celebrate it as such then that's fine.

Christianity has got a pretty bad reputation for being pushy.
Other religions also. But there are some that are pretty cultish, and if you leave you are shunned. So they seem to be respected more sadly.
As for The Salvation Army - someone mentioned them earlier. Yep, another cult.

Long story short, be polite - but also don't feel you have to accept. I would quite happily say to "Auntie whoever" :
Please don't sent me religious cards. It's a waste of paper, I don't enjoy them and it means nothing to me. I would rather have a catch up on a phone call/meet up and chat about what we've been up to.

Whatalovelydaffodil · 16/04/2022 09:35

Jesus died and rose during the Jewish festival Passover, which he celebrated. That's why Christians celebrate Easter.

topcat2014 · 16/04/2022 09:38

You know these festivals are religious, ✅:)

Just accept the cards like any other.

Conversion not required

ThinWomansBrain · 16/04/2022 09:40

do you send her religious cards in respect of her faith?
on non religious ones, expressing your good wishes.

She isn't going to convert you - or probably even trying to.

warmeduppizza · 16/04/2022 10:27

Atheists get away with hijacking Christian feasts without any reference to their religious meaning. Receiving cards with religious messages is the very least they should put up with in return.

Northernsoullover · 16/04/2022 10:34

My Muslim friend sends me lovely messages at Eid and during Ramadan. I send them back to her. Then forget about it 🤷‍♂️

Organictangerine · 16/04/2022 10:36

@warmeduppizza

Atheists get away with hijacking Christian feasts without any reference to their religious meaning. Receiving cards with religious messages is the very least they should put up with in return.

I agree.

ShouldersBackChestOutChinUp · 16/04/2022 10:38

She's sending you good wishes. It's just a card.

It comes from a good place. A well meaning place.

You don't have to enter a nunnery.

Thehundredthnamechange · 16/04/2022 10:50

It would be shockingly rude for you to ask her to stop sending you lovingly written cards. Don't be such a baby. Why on earth can't you accept her cards?! Can you not respect and tolerate other faiths?

Thehundredthnamechange · 16/04/2022 10:56

@warmeduppizza

Atheists get away with hijacking Christian feasts without any reference to their religious meaning. Receiving cards with religious messages is the very least they should put up with in return.

Ohh I like this. What a good point!

Sux2buthen · 16/04/2022 11:01

Any other card thread it would be filled with complaints about the waste for the environment