[email protected]

In a message dated 02/03/2002 2:07:27 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[email protected] writes:


> Wow, I have a recent experience with this very thing. I got an email from
> Zack (my oldest, currently in PS, living with his conservative christian dad
> and seciond family in GA.) He is fundraising for a program at their baptist
> church for bibles to give to pakistanis in the area. He wanted me to donate
> money. I told him I was very uncomfortable donating money to a cause like
> that. He knows how I feel about proselityzing and also about the religion
> his father and stepmother are forcing him to embrace (no I am not using too
> strong a word they are extremely coercive parents) I felt terrible and as if
> I was not supporting him in his endeavors but I finally decided that it was
> much more important for him to see an example of someone who felt strongly
> about their beliefs and stick to them. He understood. I also suggested to
> him that if he felt strongly that passing out the bibles was important, he
> should donate a portion of his allowance. I'm not sure if he is going to.
>

I think we also have to be careful about cohersing ourselves. There are
things I would not give my child money to do because they run counter to my
values. If he wanted to send money to...I don't know, Jerry Falwell, I
wouldn't do it. I might offer suggestions about ways he could make extra
money to do so, but I would definitely tell him why I had a problem with it.
It's important to me to "walk my talk," and important to me to model that to
Julian.

Kathryn


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