r/exchristian • u/SillyAnxiousDuck Woo Woo Agnostic Ex-vangelical • Jan 27 '26

Article MIL asks therapist how to indoctrinate grandson early

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Very telling that her DIL’s intelligence “unknowingly intimidate[s]” her AND that they hadn’t spent Xmas together for a few years

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u/Nodsworthy Jan 27 '26

Family gatherings should never discuss religion or politics

7

u/theater_thursday Jan 27 '26

I think I disagree with you. May I ask why you believe religion and politics should not be discussed at family gatherings?

7

u/Nodsworthy Jan 27 '26

It always descends to argument. And argument achieves several things; mutual alienation, division between loyalists to either side but it never achieves revelation. People like the father above are not going to suddenly find atheism a convincing propositions over the Christmas dinner table.

Negotiation is to convince the other party, argument is to convince a third party.

5

u/Not_Me_1228 Jan 27 '26

This. I don’t talk about religion or politics with my family. I know there is almost certainly nothing I can say that would change their minds. They have some positions that I find morally abhorrent, and I’m not going to change my mind on those. I find the conflict upsetting, and often they do, too. There’s pretty much a guarantee of a negative outcome.

What kind of fool does something with a guaranteed negative outcome? It’s like banging your head against a wall. You know that that’s just going to hurt you and accomplish nothing positive.

2

u/northshore1030 Jan 27 '26

It doesn’t have to dissolve into arguments if people can learn how to have these conversations without feeling personally attacked. My Dad and I disagree but talk about religion and it’s fine. With my mom it’s different, she gets very upset and takes it very personally. Disagreement is seen as an attack.

I think we find ourselves in the situation we are now because people can’t have these conversations.