Neighbor Rant

[DCJenn]

Are you kidding?

I have no idea how I would have reacted, but I'd be feeling much the same way.

I feel the same way about the people who have the gall to knock on my door to tell me all about their religion. Um, thanks but I'll find you should I ever feel the need.

and what would she have done had the situation been reversed?

UGH.

Jenn

Wowza.

Now that they know each other's positions on religion, maybe they can just play like 9 yo boys.

I'd have been furious. Absolutely furious. It's one thing between the kids, and could (should) have been addressed saying "every family has their own beliefs, and it's not okay to try to force someone to see your side." And play like 9 year old boys (like Nellie said).

I'll admit - this kind of situation is what turned me off of religion as a whole when I was a kid. When my brother died the neighbor across the street came over and said to my Mom: "Don't worry Laura, we know Kenny is in heaven." My mother mumbled a "Thank you." (b/c really what solice can that provide when you've lost your baby?), but THEN the neighbor looked at me (3 YO), and said "Now, if it were Jennifer, we wouldn't know for sure, but with Kenny we know." My mother asked what on earth she was talking about - and the woman said that I (at 3) could have sinned and not been forgiven, so could have dammned myself to hell. My mother kicked them out of our house and never spoke to them again.

I don't blame you for holding a grudge. I'd say there (sadly) needs to be a "no religious preaching" ground rule for playing. It would be so sad and akward to lose that outlet over a religious disagreement between 9 year olds.

[samssugarmomma]

I'd have been furious. Absolutely furious. It's one thing between the kids, and could (should) have been addressed saying "every family has their own beliefs, and it's not okay to try to force someone to see your side." And play like 9 year old boys (like Nellie said).

I totally agree with this! How awful!

[Flynn]

I'm in shock. I'd have a hard time even talking to this woman again let alone socialize as someone who lives on her block. Good grief.

I can't stand people who think "their way" is the right way -- and then tell you how you are less than they are. If you believe you're right, BFD but don't walk around TELLING PEOPLE about it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm glad your DH told them "God decides not 9 year old boys!!!!!!" LOVE that answer.

[Ravenclaw]

with what everyone else has said. I say live and let live.

[Phoebe]

Well, first of all, tell Jake we would love to have him (and you) back in Indiana! But otherwise, I agree with the others. Sorry you guys had to experience that. I would tell him to let the neighbors know he doesn't want to discuss religion if it is brought up again.

Jennifer

[Meenah]

I would also be very angry. You can be my neighbor.

[PrincessFiona]

Wow....how very inappropriate. What is WRONG with people anyway???? How will that play out with the whole friendship between the boys thing? Hopefully, they aren't...nextdoor neighbors...

Next time I move...it will be to 80 acres of land and my house will be plopped right down into the center of it.

That really....really stinks. I hope you've heard the end of this.

kris

[Vanquisher]

Surely there are some liberals in the south? :huh:

There's at least one!

It is infuriating to me. Keep thy religion to thyself! The first question nearly everyone asks when you move to the South is, "have you found a church?"

[Sheherezade]

I'm hoping that Dad has some sense of propriety and he was horrified that it had come to this level with the new neighbors. (Hence the big wave. ) I think Mom and son are fine to have their beliefs, but there does need to be a line. I have one atheist friend that used to be a devout Catholic. Her reason for leaving the church was that she could no longer believe that her good friends were damned to hell for simply not being Catholic. Apparently, this opinion was rammed down her throat by her community so much that she would cry at night about the loss of her good heathen friends and have nightmares about their fate. That's heavy for a kid. In the end, she chucked the church and kept the friends. It's sad when it comes to that.

Again, I'm hoping Dad will talk sense to the family. I know that around here, Dad's the heathen. :>

Her reason for leaving the church was that she could no longer believe that her good friends were damned to hell for simply not being Catholic. Apparently, this opinion was rammed down her throat by her community so much that she would cry at night about the loss of her good heathen friends and have nightmares about their fate.

That's why my mother baptized all of the little Jewish children she babysat for. She was terrified they'd go to hell b/c they were Jewish, so she did the 'emergency' baptism thing while babysitting.

[Ravenclaw]

Angie that stinks about your friend feeling like she had to leave Catholicism. Did her church not follow Vatican II? I'm not Catholic but I'm pretty sure Vatican II's assessment of salvation from other world religions was good.
I think I remember reading Pope John Paul II saying something like Christianity and Islam are 2 different paths but both lead to salvation?? I'm sure others on here know more about it than little ol' me.

[Sheherezade]

I know that Catholicism - like most mega religions - has lots of slightly different communities under the umbrella of one faith. I think hers was very conservative. Her mom was a Catholic school teacher and her father was dead. She told me her mother was one step away from being a nun -- and probably would have been had she not had children. The point being I believe her parenting was severely religious and conservative. I'm married to a Catholic (lapsed ). I certainly don't want to give the impression that I think all Catholicism is like that.

[PrincessFiona]

Her reason for leaving the church was that she could no longer believe that her good friends were damned to hell for simply not being Catholic. In the end, she chucked the church and kept the friends. It's sad when it comes to that.

wow. That is sad.....I have a catholic friend that freaked out about me having taken communion in the catholic church once....She got irate....I had to bring the brochure from her church (where I had been) that specifically said that they welcomed individuals of all christian faiths (including lutherans) and then she still refused to believe it.

I know when we lived in TX there was a baptist movement that if you hadn't been "saved" you were going to hell...and I went to this *thing* with a bunch of friends and then everyone was runnign to the front waving their hands and crying. It actually scared me....

kris