Exposing your children to Christianity

[nevyn]

to continue with the saga...my mother just asked if we would mind if she brought the girls to CCD (sunday school for catholics). She would have to take the responsibility of bringing them to church and to class and home again. I believe that we will let them, after I talk to the priest and assure him that we DONT want to have them baptised. That will be their choice when they are older. She (my mother) says that if they don't remain catholic, it won't matter, but I still feel strongly that they NOT be baptised, not have Sacraments until THEY choose.

We now feel the need to locate a coven in the area where we can show them FAMILY pagan practices, not the adult coven he belonged to previously. Going to be difficult, but we don't want the responsiblity of running/starting a coven. We've got 2 kids, 2 jobs and 2 lives, and not alot of time left over for administrative activities!

Wonder if I can find a rabbi.....

[wren]

For my 2 cents...

I was raised Methodist, married a 'casual' Jew and we began raising our children in both faiths. The idea was they should learn about everything and make their own decisions. Even my dad always said he didn't care what we believed in as long as we believed in something and knew why we believed it. The Methodist church I attended accepted my husband with open arms and no pressure. The synagogue would not accept me or our children, unless I signed a paper stating they would be raised in the Faith. I wouldn't.

Now that I am studying Druidry, they all attend my Grove rituals with me. We discuss all faiths and they ask great questions. To join or not to join is completely their choice. And, they know they can change their minds at any time.

The Druid-ette is studing Druidry now, as well as learning about Quakers from her uncle. The boy knows what he doesn't believe in (fundamentalist anything) but isn't quite sure what he wants to do yet. He attends my old church's youth group, the Grove rituals, etc. My own studies are leading me back to a better, deeper understanding of my childhood religion so we are all on a path of discovery.

At the heart of Druidry is learning and that is the lesson I hope to give them, along with understanding the true heart of each religion.

And, my experience is that converts of any sort are always the most zealous! "I found the truth and so should you!"

[wvdonovan]

Well, I am a Pagan parent of a Christian daughter. My oldest child, my son, is agnostic. He is about at the same point I was when I awakened to the path I am on. The difference being--when I became enlightened to the fact that the Christian faith, IMO (please don't start blasting lol) was based on half-truths, I questioned everything, and read and researched as much as I could---thirsting for knowledge. My son on the other hand--came to his own conclusion regarding Christianity and left it at that. My daughter is 12--she follows a Christian path, primarily because that is what I set her out on 12 years ago. I have never discouraged her--although I don't attend services with her (only when she is performing a concert or play, etc..) and I am completely honest with her when she asks questions regarding my beliefs on things. She is very much like me, and is questioning everything around her--wanting to learn all she can about different philosophies. As a matter of fact--in the "Christian/Pagan" discussion that we had going on for a while--she was very involved reading what I had to say about it--and reading the responses wrote by others. I want her to be as informed as possible without pushing her in either direction. I strongly believe in her finding her own path. I do, however, want her to be accepting of others with differing philosophies. She's a very smart child, and I have a strong belief that she will find her path moving away from Christianity. But I could be wrong--she may discover all that I did, and see it in a completely different light. Which ever path she chooses--as with my son--all I want is for my children to be at peace with themselves and with the world around them. ( Boy, did that sound like a "Miss America" kind of statement, or what? lol)

[nevyn]

april....registration time. D-day.... we have to decide what we want Morgyn to do next year. She's excited about the white dresses and the pagentry and all that but I don't know if she is ready to decide that this is what she wants. I don't agree that she can't be able to take the classes and not have to be baptised and confessed and communioned. I went to catholic school where the kids were put through the catechism but didn't participate in the actual communioning.... But then again, I don't have much choice. I want to get together with the teacher, the priest, MY MOTHER, and Morgyn and see what we can work out. Let's see if that can happen. I don't have as much a problem with the baptisim, but her FATHER does.

I hope that I will be able to have a child who knows her mind and wants to make her decisions, I guess I just think that that decision is more intellegently made at the age of 12 or so....So a Bat Mitzvah of sorts for the pagan/christian child.... And made on her own violition, not mine or her teacher and Priest's or her grandmother's....

[nevyn]

Morgyn decided to follow the Catholic path...see my blog in I Did it My Way....All I can do is support my child in her life decisions. I just won't give up the Goddess!