Newsflash: They don't.
While I will be the first to admit that I do not encourage Christianity at home, given that I am not a Christian, I do not believe this qualifies as a failing. My neighbor, however, seems to think so.
Is it any wonder that I keep to myself?
Okay, here's what happened. My youngest, at the tender age of 9, made friends with a neighbor boy aged 7. They live a few doors down, and we've been here for 5 years, so she really didn't get acquainted with him until his parents let him out of the house for Public School. I'm certain his mother regrets that at this point. In fact, I'm pretty sure they had a McCain sign in the yard last fall.
They played together a bit over the last few days. All seemed well. Then this afternoon Annie marches into my room and spews out a trail of words "Jeezus, and if I didn't believe in him, and too late...
Essentially, the 7 year-old began preaching at her. Annie didn't appreciate it, in the least. Then he pulls the cracker: "by the time you believe in Jesus it will be too late!"
Insert Mama Lion.
You do NOT tell my kid what to believe, nor belittle them because they do not hold your beliefs. Period. I don't care if you are 7 or 70, Christian, Jewish, Muslim or Zoroastrian. I do, however, hold parents responsible, not 7-year-olds. So I went to the source.
The source is a dimwit blonde who hasn't lost the baby-fat - from the last few babies. Sorry, that's insensitive, but so is she, and besides, I'm pissed. I don't feel inclined to be kind right now.
I'll give her credit, she made him apologize after the extensive philosophical discussion I attempted to engage her in - you know, "your beliefs aren't the only beliefs", "people should respect other beliefs", etc.. - she still didn't really get it. She kept focusing on how it wasn't the boy's fault. I kept insisting that of course it wasn't his fault - he's parroting what you teach him.
I also pointed out that MY KID doesn't make fun of HIS beliefs. That went right over her bleached blonde head. Well, except when she pointed out that Annie also repeats what she learns at home - like being an atheist. Still, she didn't get the point that as an atheist, Annie doesn't try to convert people, whereas her kid does.
The term "proselytizing" came up repeatedly (from my side), but she still didn't understand. She just kept saying "but he meant well." To who? My kid? I'd hardly call his statements to my kid "meaning well." As I pointed out AGAIN, he was repeating what he learned at home. And AGAIN, I pointed out that MY KID doesn't attempt to convert kids to atheism. Annie understands that people are different, and that's okay.
I'll admit, "Mrs. Christian" was a little at a loss for words when she asked me how I would react if one of my kids decided they were Christian (actually "decided to accept Jesus" and I said "I'd love them anyway" then countered with "what if one of your kids were gay?" She didn't have a comeback for that one.
Maybe I'm being harsh, but I watched this woman's face as we talked. I am an introvert. I pay attention to people's body language, because I don't communicate as well verbally. I observe motives. And even though this woman marched her son over here to apologize, I do not believe for one second that she thinks his actions were inappropriate.
Fortunately, I don't really have to worry about it. Annie announced over a year ago "I wish nobody had ever invented this 'God Concept'." Annie is not in any danger of succumbing to what I would consider brainwashing. And yes, as her parent, I instilled some of those values. However, I also encourage her to think for herself and come to her own conclusions - and more importantly, I strongly discourage making fun of others for their beliefs, or anything else.
Live and let live. That is the family motto.
But this lady has a different sort of family. Seven-year-olds don't preach damnation without a little prompting. That is not how they are wired. And that, quite frankly, is what pisses me off about the far right - and this woman - they don't appreciate how well they 'train' their kids. Their children are trained in fundamentalism at an early age. The question is, what about their gay kids?
Because they DO have gay kids. Whether they admit or not, whether they make the prospect of 'coming out' too hellish to consider or not - they DO have gay kids. It's unavoidable.
What KIND of mother would indoctrinate their child in such a way that the sheer idea of being gay might make them suicidal? Who DOES this shit? Who raises a child to believe that there is ONE way - the RIGHT way? I mean, my family did a pretty bang up job in that arena, but even they weren't that bad. And considering how badly they destabilized my psyche, can you imagine the impact on a child reared in a fundamentalist Christian home? It's fucking child abuse.
So while my initial anger was directed at the diss towards my own child, my vehement anger is more personal. I *know* what it feels like to be made to feel that who you are isn't "right" or good enough. And the idea that there are people like this raising GAY children appalls me.
Sad. It's all so fucking sad. And infuriating. How dare they? I don't care who you worship in your spare time. I don't care who your god is. But keep it to your fucking self. And don't drag anything into your home that makes your kids (or their guests) feel unaccepted. What kind of parent does that?
My guess is my neighbor.
