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Did that just happen?

AngryJason

Shared on Tue, 08/02/2011 - 13:23

Okay, so my girlfriend has two young boys, ages 7 and 9.  The 9 year old has taken up reading Harry Potter books this summer.  He's about mid way through the second one.  Good for him - I'm very happy that the kid is reading and enjoying it.  Me and the lady go to comic-con last week, and the boys stay with their grandmother (her baby daddy's mom).   This lady is one of those hard core religious folk.  Usually, when the boys stay there, they come back with some new song about God or Jesus or something, it's all good. 

Yesterday, the 9 year old comes clean and says that his grandmother made him rip up and throw away his Harry Potter book because witchcraft is against the bible and he's sinning when he reads it!!! Sinning by reading Harry Potter?  WTF?  We found out yesterday, and promptly got him a replacement copy of the book - and proceeded to give him a rundown of Fahrenheit 451 for future reference.  My chick texts her ex, and then starts getting texts from the grandmother saying that she didn't tell him to rip up and throw the book away.  I call BS on this, based on his demeanor when telling what happened and by how elated he was to get a replacement copy.

As I said, she's a southern protestant (not sure which flavor) who is seemingly intolerant, despite professing to live by Christ's example.  So my three prong attack will commence.  First, he keeps reading Harry Potter, and I'm also going to get him the Golden Compass and some mythology books.  Second, I'm going to get him (and his brother) some saint's medallions, and put in his head that his mom is thinking about sending him to Catholic school (from what I hear, this lady HATES Catholics).  Third, I'm teaching that boy the Hail Mary.

I have nothing at all against religious people, but the pious hypocritical ones really grate on my nerves.  I may be overreacting, but dissuading an interest in reading is ignorant, and I will fight this redneck intolerance with intelligence.  Hopefully, the kid is paying attention to me and will learn how to screw with idiots further on in his life.

 

Comments

JPNor's picture
Submitted by JPNor on Tue, 08/02/2011 - 13:34
My closest friend, and the person who agreed to be the godfather for my first born son, was just recently born again and refuses to participate in my son's baptism in a catholic church. I completely agree with you about the closed-mindedness having no place in anybody's life and especially a child's. Good to hear he is enjoying reading and that you're not letting the grandmother detract from this.
TKBosss's picture
Submitted by TKBosss on Tue, 08/02/2011 - 14:21
If grandma knew that Catholics make you feel guilty, she would probably love it.
strue's picture
Submitted by strue on Tue, 08/02/2011 - 14:26
I'm a vicitum of the same kind of thing. The mother in law and ex's family are all extreme religious nuts. They don't understand that just because you may read, see or play something that has violence ,witchcraft, or whatever they call evil that it doesn't mean you are gonna worship a snake or mass murder a shopping mall. Keep fighting the good fight, though our government acts like the socialist dictators doesnt mean the population has to sit around and muzzle freedoms for whatever reason they see fit!
TDrag27's picture
Submitted by TDrag27 on Tue, 08/02/2011 - 14:35
Grandma knows how to text?
DrStrange's picture
Submitted by DrStrange on Tue, 08/02/2011 - 21:09
Skip the Saints and Catholic school and since he likes to read get him a copy of "The Demon Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark" by Carl Sagan. No thinking like critical thinking.
Automan21k's picture
Submitted by Automan21k on Tue, 08/02/2011 - 21:55
there is nothing like the love and tolerance taught by the bible to make people hate, torture, and kill each other in horrific horrifying ways just to prove that THEIR love is the right kind. my parents church is actually very tolerate as far as churches go, but under the breath of every prayer ad song is the focus on who is right, and who needs to be converted/saved. that's why I am agnostic.
Buzz's picture
Submitted by Buzz on Wed, 08/03/2011 - 01:03
tattoo a 666 on his forehead if you really want to get a reaction
Big0ne's picture
Submitted by Big0ne on Wed, 08/03/2011 - 09:39
Just remember as you're retaliating that we are all hypocrites, we just don't like to think of ourselves that way. Maybe a better tact is to explain to the child where your opinion is different but still show tolerance for someone else's anyway. Not acceptance, tolerance.

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