Not Without My Son!
Because her own daughters have rejected her cult, Mom has turned her attention to her only grandson, in an effort to at least drag ONE of us kicking and screaming into paradise. I normally don't get concerned about her dragging him to meetings every now and again. Unless the JW's put in a live drum band, like his black Southern Baptist relatives see in church, he will remain unmoved. I relaxed when I found out why he was going in the first place.
Dairy Queen.
Yes, my son takes bribes for church. If it weren't for the Oreo Blizzards afterward, Dante would have zero attendance at "church". When I learned the other day that Mom had picked Dante up to stay with her on a different night than usual, I got suspicious. Then I realized it was Witness Memorial time, the only official celebration they have.
You basically sing and pray a lot at sundown on Nissan 14 of the Jewish calendar, then you pass around a plate of unleavened bread and a glass of wine that's supposed to represent Jesus' body and blood. (Gross.) You don't actually EAT it, unless you are one of the chosen few going to heaven instead of staying on earth. Then you get to nosh on it. Although I do know for a fact that the Witnesses who take the objects home munch the bread and guzzle the wine afterward. Apparently it's only symbolic for 45 minutes. It's incredibly boring.
I realized it was Memorial time again when I asked Dante what he'd done that day: "Oh, it was great, Mom!! I had a slushy, an Orea Blizzard, some ice cream bars and some pop!" What kind of event warrants that kind of bribe? He didn't mention the actual "celebration". I wonder how she strung the rewards out? Did he get them throughout the day, or was there one big indulging session?
You have no idea how much I was hoping his curious nature would get the better of him and he would nosh the bread and sip the wine and then say "Yuck!"
--Virgil
posted by contemplator at Saturday, April 15, 2006
3 Comments:
I feel your pain...my practically 10-year-old is being "persuaded" to attend "church" with my in-laws. Granted, they are Unitarian, but there is still something that makes me uneasy about the whole thing. He has certainly turned out, all ready, to be a free thinker, but I just sort of cringe at the whole idea of an indoctrinated organization with "rules" and what not.
I am learning, slowly, how to step up and demand (in a non-threatening way) that MY views and beliefs as a parent be respected. This includes "church" and the rules of inviting my kids to attend. This also means don't ask me, in front of them, if they can go to a function with you. I WILL NOT be the bad guy, in front of my kids, because YOU didn't have the balls to ask me out of their presence. Ughhhh...I feel a new post coming on...
I sometimes miss church. I grew up with that social network that you can't really replace without church, the central thing that brings people together.
All my wife's relatives, the TN side of our family, are mostly noncomittal about religion. They're the Methodists. However, my family, the Atlanta side, are all Baptist. I worry sometimes about when religious differences are going to come up. I have a sister in law that will mention christianity every once in a while in an email, and I have a brother that has read some things I wrote on Myspace. Not only did I profess atheism but I made fun of the pope's death. So he at least of my family knows.
Right now, I let Dante be exposed to all types of religion that his different family members believe in. He's well aware that I'm an atheist, and we've talked about it. I told him that when he's older, he'll get to decide what's right for himself. So unless family pushes religion in ways I find unacceptable, I just let it go.
The social aspect of church is huge, and in my opinion, it's a big factor in why people go to church. Live drums and a lively congregation make it for Dante, and it's pretty soul stirring anyway!
Post a Comment
<< Home