Hi there!
I have been having some issues lately regarding DD1 and her beliefs.
I was raised catholic and went to a catholic private girls school and went to church the odd weekend. I didn't feel that I was pressured or that the education was thrown upon me. Maybe it just went over my head? Anyway, I have come out of it all believing in a higher power but not actively practising any religion.
SO...when the inlaws offered to take DD to church with them, Anglican, I didn't realise they were Evangelist Anglican. Even if I had have it probably wouldn't have meant much to me. Now they have a 10 year old daughter (my DD's aunty) and she is read to every night out of the bible and has been taught since she was about 2 (when the inlaws "discovered" religion) that good girls that believe in God go to heaven and those who don't will go to hell. she constantly tells DD about the members in my family who will be going to hell because they dont' believe (ie DD's biological dad, her uncle etc). I also found a piece of paper she brought home with her one sunday that said "THose who don't believe in God will go to hell". That was A SHOCK, considering she got given it at church.
It's only been this year (5 years of DD going to sunday school with them) that I have found this out and that DD has started to have nightmares about the devil, hell etc and keeps saying that she doesn't believe in God. I am a bit distressed as I dont' recall ever even having an opinion at that age, let alone being scared about it all.
I was happy to let her have the education and she even did 3 years of Bahai studies at school, just for the education. I'd love her to know about religion as I feel I don't know about many religions. Guess my problem is Im wondering where to go with her next, as in what to tell her. I try to say that it's fine to pray and you dont' have to go to church with the inlaws but you can still believe but she seems to not want to even do that. Any thoughts would be appreciated!!! xoxo
PS I dont' want anyone to think that I am saying all Anglican's are like this, I dont' know much about it, but this particular church is very very pushy.. xo