Yesterday, my wife was getting ready for the KH and told the kids that they had to get ready too. I figured, oh well, they're heading to the hall at least I can get the time I need to catch up on some house work and what not. Before I know it, the wife gave up and allowed the kids to stay. Apparently, she is not trying to force them to go to the hall for she figures (and perhaps rightly so) that they would rebel later on when they become teens. I check in with her to ensure that they did not have a special guest at the hall or if there were any other reason why she insisted at first that the kids go. I even offered to go with her as a family if this was the case. Nothing special and she did not seemed too concerned with us going so she left on her own.
Hanging out at the house with the kids, the day kind of got boring for them as the weather did not permit them to play outside. They earned some money cleaning up so I took them to spend it at the store. On our way there, we talked about Halloween and the holidays and why mommy does not celebrate.
"She chooses not to celebrate because she believes that by not celebrating she is pleasing God," I said.
Of course I do celebrate and so I told her that I did not feel the same way. We talked about how different people of different faiths practiced their faith differently even though they are pleasing the same God. I asked her if she remembered the invitation she got from her Mormon friend to attend her baptism. She did so I told her that Mormons feel that they please God by not drinking coffee or sodas because of the caffeine nor do they smoke. They feel that by abstaining from these things, they keep their bodies clean and please God. "So you mean no more Dr Pepper's?" she asked. "If you and mom were Mormons I could not drink Dr Pepper?" "That's right," I said, "if mom and I were to try to raise you up as a Mormon, no soft drinks for us and no coffee for mom." She questioned about how different people's religions have different rules when they are all trying to serve the same God to which I responded, "Yeah, it does all seem a little man made, doesn't it." By then we were entering the store and the girls went to the toy section to get their gifts.
We then got lunch and they wanted me to take them to the new Goodwill that was just opened nearby. We went there and stayed for a short bit and left for home. On our way out the store, we passed by this muslim couple and my child, being 8 and naturally inquisitive began asking, "Why is that lady wearing a mask and only her eyes can be seen?" To which I replied, "Well, remember what we talked about concerning rules and pleasing God? People of the Islam or Muslim religion believe that women should remain covered from head to toe so as to show respect to their husbands or fathers and in so doing, please God." "Mom does not do that," she said. "I know, same God different rules," I replied.
Hours went by before my wife returned but shortly after her returned I told her of our conversation. She was less than pleased and was visibly upset. She tried to say that the God of Islam is not the God of Christianity (they are). She felt the need to later school our daughter on why she does not celebrate Halloween and how it was started by pagan customs and then judge and criticize the churches that held the trunk or treat like the one we went to last week. I think she is concerned that I am trying to make our daughter an atheist (I'm not) in spite of the fact that she believes in God (as do I). I told her that I have NO interest in making my children think my way (that's what religious people do) and instead I just simply present things as they simply are to the best of my knowledge.