Dealing with an Atheist Family next door.

decrevit

My 4 year old daughter came home yesterday crying because our Atheist Next door neighbours child (also 4) told her that santa did not exist and that she was not going to see her granny in heaven. How do others deal with atheists? I mean the family is ok, nice neighbours, to a point. The have no christmas trees or decorations.. but go all out for halloween.. (strange)

Anyone else have the same issue.

davocesque

Your neighbours are bringing up their child with certain beliefs, just like you are doin with your child, and kids will be kids, so this type of thing was always a possibility. There is inevitably gona be a clash with two different belief systems.

To be honest, i think its good your child will grow up in a diverse community, as opposed to everyone being catholic, this way, when they are older they will come to a belief that they are happy with. (as well as being more cultured)

it is a kick in the teeth when the child says that about santa, and especially the granny, but all you can do is explain the situation as best you can, how other people have different beliefs, and teach your child to be tollerent!!

Good luck!!

decrevit

davocesque wrote: »

Your neighbours are bringing up their child with certain beliefs, just like you are doin with your child, and kids will be kids, so this type of thing was always a possibility. There is inevitably gona be a clash with two different belief systems.

To be honest, i think its good your child will grow up in a diverse community, as opposed to everyone being catholic, this way, when they are older they will come to a belief that they are happy with. (as well as being more cultured)

it is a kick in the teeth when the child says that about santa, and especially the granny, but all you can do is explain the situation as best you can, how other people have different beliefs, and teach your child to be tollerent!!

Good luck!!

We have muslin and jewish friends. So they are tolerant. Its just the thing of not God or heaven that frightens my children. Of course I have to say to my child that heaven does exist, This drives my child to say to the other that she is wrong that that her Granny is in heaven... To be honest its better to have neighbours who have a faith than those who have nothing.

oceanclub

decrevit wrote: »

The have no christmas trees or decorations.. but go all out for halloween.. (strange)

*sniff* *sniff* Troll. Lesser spotted.

(Considering you think that atheists are all communists in another thread, it's just kinda convenient that your atheist neighbours fit a boogieman description that no atheist I've ever met matches - I've never met one who didn't do Xmas, and would have the cop-on not to scare a child with issues related to death until they're old enough to deal with it.)

P.

Abelloid

decrevit wrote: »

My 4 year old daughter came home yesterday crying because our Atheist Next door neighbours child (also 4) told her that santa did not exist and that she was not going to see her granny in heaven. How do others deal with atheists? I mean the family is ok, nice neighbours, to a point. The have no christmas trees or decorations.. but go all out for halloween.. (strange)

Anyone else have the same issue.

Can't you forgive them?

Skinback

decrevit wrote: »

We have muslin and jewish friends. So they are tolerant. Its just the thing of not God or heaven that frightens my children. Of course I have to say to my child that heaven does exist, This drives my child to say to the other that she is wrong that that her Granny is in heaven... To be honest its better to have neighbours who have a faith than those who have nothing.

Why so......religion is an affront to humankind, as Richard Dawkins put it.
Without religion bad people will do bad things and good people will do good things but for good people to do bad things it takes religion.

testicle

Burn them out.

Gillo

Skinback wrote: »

Why so......religion is an affront to humankind, as Richard Dawkins put it.
Without religion bad people will do bad things and good people will do good things but for good people to do bad things it takes religion.

The problem with Dawkins is he ram's his (fundalmentalist) lack of belief down your throat and he's completely right. I read half way through "the god delusion" and couldn't stomach anymore. I'm not saying he is right or wrong but he's just as bad as a hard line bible bashing Christian.

Busi_Girl08

It doesn't really sound like the family, in particular, is the problem (if you would really call this a problem). It's simply a young kid (I assume the neighbours' child is around the same age as your daughter?) doing her usual "na-na-na-na boo-boo" schtick, as many kids that age do.

The parents aren't stopping your child every morning and telling her that there is no God, etc, and I assume they aren't calling over to try to "deconvert" you or anything.

I don't really see any intolerance here.
It was mean what that child did, if he/she is old enough to realise that it would upset her. This is just what this child has learned, and I'd say their parents, your neighbours, feel awful about your daughter being upset.

Fanny Cradock

I suggest that at some point in the future you have a chat with your daughter. Explain to her that people everywhere think differently - some prefer vanilla while other prefer strawberry. I'm sure you can do this in a way that she can comprehend. Aside from having this talk there isn't much that can be done. Your neighbours are entitled inculcate atheism or any other worldview to their child.

Fanny Cradock

Thread locked because it is a trouble magnet.