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not sure how to deal with dh's lack of respect for my beliefs.

23 replies

popmusic84 · 02/11/2013 23:50

So I am RC by birth. I was still practising when we married and dh agreed to marriage in my home church but not full nuptial mass. All good at this stage. Over the years of marriage my church attendance has been more erratic but I now go to church regularly with 2 of our 3 children.
I am obviously keen for middle child aged 8 to attend church but don't want to force him. Dd aged 10 has been encouraging him but dh says things like. "I Don't blame you. Church is the most boring place imaginable etc etc."
Ok fair enough his opinion so I don't know if I am being oversensitive about this.
However, even worse our ladt child was a happy accident (in my opinion). Maybe not so happy in his. He has more than once said dd should have been aborted. Once in front of other dc.
I want to be able to forgive this but I feel it is driving a wedge between us.
Any advice appreciated.
Thank you.

OP posts:
sooperdooper · 02/11/2013 23:54

I think your issue is nothing about religion and everything about your DH openly saying in front of other Dc that your youngest should've been aborted

That's just unimaginably cruel, sad and a horrific thing for a parent to say openly to anyone, let alone to the other children - have you not spoken about this??

sooperdooper · 02/11/2013 23:56

Posted too soon, why do you want to forgive him saying that?

ethelb · 03/11/2013 00:04

He doesnt sound very nice. Is he talking about abortion as a way of having a go at catholicism in a really, really inappropriate way?
It may sound odd but I am RC and people will say OUTRAGEOUS things about abortion, pointedly at me, and when I disagree say I would say that as I am catholic.
It sounds a bit like that only a million times worse

popmusic84 · 03/11/2013 00:08

Tbh I was so shocked and hurt that I haven't challenged him. I want to discuss but I can't find the words.
I am even questioning whether I want to continue with marriage.

OP posts:
LoveAndDeath · 03/11/2013 00:44

This is nothing to do with religion, really. He sounds absolutely horrible. Having an opinion on abortion is one thing. I am pro-choice but would never, ever say a thing like that in front of a child or even think it about a child!
I don't really know why you would want to be married to him.

laughingeyes2013 · 03/11/2013 04:51

What a terribly harmful thing to hear from your Dad.

I'd be more concerned about that than his issue with church, although he isn't showing common decency there either. He should at least 'live and let live'.

He owes your daughter a huge apology. For her sake I'd be looking to protect her from hearing that again. that kind of cruelty is likely to be ringing in her ears the rest of her life.

It's easy for me to say what I think I might do in your shoes, but no one really knows unless in that position. My knee-jerk reaction is to say I'd give an ultimatum - apologise and mend your ways or for the sake of everyone we have to go our separate ways.

I'm really sorry you witnesses that from the person you chose to marry. I hope your way forward becomes very clear to you, whatever that is.

popmusic84 · 03/11/2013 17:21

Fortunately dd is only 11 months but my fear is that he will say it again. So I know we probably don't have a long term future unless he changes his aattitude.

OP posts:
laughingeyes2013 · 03/11/2013 18:53

I'm glad to hear that, although you said he spoke in front of your DC, I can't imagine they'd be comfortable with that either.

But it does then look like the attack is towards you from your religion point of view, which is a shame because the balanced perspective is for everyone to find their own way and not attack each other in the process.

Good luck to you on that one.

popmusic84 · 03/11/2013 23:36

Thank you

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DioneTheDiabolist · 04/11/2013 22:14

I don't think it's his attitude towards religion that is the problem here. It's more his lack of respect for you and your DCs. Has he always been like this or is it a recent thing?

popmusic84 · 04/11/2013 23:14

It is recent. Probably since birth dd.

OP posts:
DioneTheDiabolist · 04/11/2013 23:20

I think your DH should speak to his GP. It sounds as though the birth of your 3rd DC has triggered something for him (he may even be suffering PND).

This cannot situation cannot continue as it will result in very unhappy children and possibly the end of your marriage.Sad

lottiegarbanzo · 04/11/2013 23:33

Well, I think that telling any child they were not wanted or are regretted is utterly unforgivable. So is introducing that idea into your other DCs' minds by saying it about your baby.

I can understand he might have had all sorts of reasons for not wanting another child. Would he really have encouraged a non-Catholic DW to abort though? And if she didn't want to? Sounds like he's using your religion as the scapegoat for his unhappiness about that situation, rather than addressing the real issues.

However much he didn't want the pregnancy, resenting a baby, once born, is cold and dreadful. surely a normal response would be to dislike the circumstances but love the child. I don't think I could live with someone who felt that about my child.

Cuddledup · 05/11/2013 20:57

I think what Dione says could be true - perhaps he is depressed. He may be overwhelmed / frightened by the responsibility of 3 children. I'm sure / I hope he didn't mean what he said. The only way to resolve this is to talk to him. If necessary seek support from Relate (for both of you) and your priest (for you). Good luck.

popmusic84 · 06/11/2013 11:17

I do think he loves her during good times. He just doesn't handle the tougher times. When she cries etc. I feel like all the responsibility for her rests with me. Unless I am out of course.

OP posts:
specialsubject · 06/11/2013 14:54

if it were just religion, my take would be that neither of you should force your beliefs on kids. You go to church, he doesn't. The kids choose if they want to go or not. It could be a great example of showing how people can respect each other.

but this isn't religion, is it? It is your husband telling the kids that he didn't want the youngest. Utterly horrific.

take action/get help/whatever - quickly.

lottiegarbanzo · 06/11/2013 15:41

I just don't think this has anything to do with religion. If he'd had an atheist wife who had refused to abort, what would he have blamed that upon? It's not as if all married non-Catholics just casually abort whenever a pregnancy is inconvenient to their husband.

Saying that any child should have been aborted, in front of your children, is just horrific - and nothing whatsoever to do with religion.

He needs to decide whether he can commit to this family or not, because at the moment he is not commited - you can't be commited only when things are going ok, or when a baby is not crying. You cannot declare your non-commitment to a family and stay in it. That is completely destablising for everyone else.

You can certainly find things difficult at times and talk about your difficulties with your spouse but that is quite different from expressing this sort of hatred towards his family whenever things aren't going quite so well for him.

I think he needs to address this head on, seek counselling if necessary and decide whether he is going to stay, offering love and support, or go. He cannot stay and poison your dc's childhoods.

A friend of mine remembers his father telling him he wished he hadn't had children, when he was about six. They have had no relationship at all since he eventually left a few years later. Is that the outcome your DH wants? For his children to despise him and distance themselves at the first opportunity (and despise and detest him all the more the longer he stays)?

popmusic84 · 18/11/2013 03:13

Thank you.

OP posts:
popmusic84 · 18/11/2013 03:14

Need to tsckle this one.

OP posts:
Glenshee · 19/11/2013 00:49

OP - ask to move this discussion to Relationships, you might get more useful advice there.

It really isn't about religion. It's awful. I would not be able to forgive or forget unless the partner would fully understand the impact and would take steps to make sure that this kind of behaviour never happens again.

I would want to forgive and forget, though. I just don't think I would actually be able to do it.

AnnieLobeseder · 19/11/2013 01:05

Well, if your DH finds church boring, that's up to him. DH finds my hobbies boring, as I do his, and we say so in front of the DC. But that's in a friendly, bantering kind of way. If you feel your DH is being openly hostile and disrespectful about you, then that's another matter entirely. It's not about about religion, it's about his attitude towards you and how he chooses to express that in front of your children.

I will say this though. If my DH ever suggested that any of our DC were unwanted, let alone should have been aborted, in front of our other DC, he would be out the door so fast his head would spin. Absolute deal-breaker for me.

popmusic84 · 19/11/2013 20:30

Thank you for your replies.

OP posts:
JulieMumsnet · 19/11/2013 20:40

Hi,

Just to let you know that we're going to move this into the relationships section.

We're wishing you all the best, popmusic Thanks

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