Atheists & Agnostics

onager

(9,356 posts) Sun May 17, 2015, 07:17 AM May 2015

Does "Dear Abby" read this group?

From today's column:

DEAR ABBY: I have a question about how to handle a situation with one of my grandsons. "Rory" came to me recently to talk about religion. His mother is Christian; I am not.

He asked what I thought about his mother forcing him to go to church. He has many doubts about Christianity.

I tried to understand Christianity for more than 50 years, and about 20 years ago I found peace with the faith I now practice. My daughter doesn't want me to talk to her children about my path.

My question is, how do I address this issue with my grandson without confusing him even more? Any help would be appreciated because I don't want to go against his mother's wishes. -- FOUND MY PEACE

DEAR FOUND YOUR PEACE: Answer your grandson's question honestly. He asked you what you thought about his being forced to go to church.

He did not ask you how you found your peace -- or if you did.

Sooner or later, he will find his own peace, and probably the same way you did -- by searching for it. Do not push him -- or pull him -- in any direction and keep the peace with his mother.

4 replies

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Highlight:

Does "Dear Abby" read this group? (Original Post) onager May 2015 OP

But, isn't there only one Savior and ... Hoppy May 2015 #1

Did she answer the question???? Curmudgeoness May 2015 #2

This part seemed to answer it... onager May 2015 #3

And I thought my area was too religiousy. Curmudgeoness May 2015 #4

Hoppy

(3,595 posts)

1. But, isn't there only one Savior and ...

Reply to onager (Original post)

Sun May 17, 2015, 09:49 AM

May 2015

Curmudgeoness

(18,219 posts)

2. Did she answer the question????

Reply to onager (Original post)

Sun May 17, 2015, 02:52 PM

May 2015

No, she didn't. She did say not to get into discussions with the kid about his path, although I don't agree with that. But she didn't say whether he should tell the grandson to be honest with his mother, or to STFU and go to church to please his mom.

I would have taken the opportunity to have a nice conversation.

onager

(9,356 posts)

3. This part seemed to answer it...

Reply to Curmudgeoness (Reply #2)

Mon May 18, 2015, 07:31 AM

May 2015

Answer your grandson's question honestly. He asked you what you thought about his being forced to go to church.

I'm guessing Grandma can answer: "That sucks." How that avoids pissing off Mom is a good question, though.

I was just sort of surprised that such a question would even make it into "Dear Abby." And it seems like more evidence of the growing secular trend in America. Not too many years ago, the answer probably WOULD have been: "STFU, Grandma, majority rules."

In the local paper here in East Jesus-Stan, "Dear Abby" runs right beside Billy Graham's daily serving of religious goop. The answer in Billy's column is always "Jesus." I'm sure it's staff-written by the elves in Billy's workshop.

At first I suspected they just re-ran columns from about 1955, but they occasionally mention the Internet these days. When used to praise Jebus, Internet good. When used to personally investigate Xianity, Internet bad. You need a licensed Sophisticated Theologian for that.

Curmudgeoness

(18,219 posts)

4. And I thought my area was too religiousy.

Reply to onager (Reply #3)

Mon May 18, 2015, 10:13 AM

May 2015

We do have a weekly "faith" section, but at least Billy Graham is not a daily feature. And to be honest, the Faith section has been including a lot of articles about secularism and atheists....although I get the feeling that it is just to poke fun at the atheists. I have seen this happen often.

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