I thought religion taught understanding and tolerance

I actually saw this video over at Antibarbie, and it ticked me off to the point that I needed to write a post about it. Let me start off by stating that I am a Catholic. The video is about a family who moved to what they thought was a great small town. However, it turns out the town wasn't as great as it was made out to be. The family is atheist and the town had a problem with that and pretty much ganged up on the girl. Both kids and teachers at school made of fun of her and talked behind her back. The part that floored me was that the school allowed prayer before and after practice and games. Don't believe it? The video shows video of it. (Just to add – I hope that this family wins.)

As I said, I am Catholic, and I would have a problem with my kids participating in something like that. Not all kids are Christian, and I understand that. I live in an area that we have a ton of different religions and that would not go over well (yes, my school district is the one that made national news, because they canceled all holiday parties. They did get reinstated after much protest). I understand that kids can be mean, but the fact that adults took part in ostracizing this poor girl makes me even angrier. In a way though, it doesn't surprise me.

A while back, it was brought to my attention that the book Parenting Beyond Belief: On Raising Ethical, Caring Kids Without Religion needed help with promotion, because bookstores wouldn't carry it. I don't get it. To me, this seems to break some of our basic freedoms. If you aren't an atheist, why do you care if your local bookstore carries this book or not? I know I don't.

Maybe I am too open minded. I want my children to grow up knowing that there is more that just being Catholic and that others believe different things. That isn't good or bad; it is just different. I don't want them going to school and being taught religion (that's for their mom and dad to do). I don't want them being involved in group prayer and making others feel like outsiders. I want adults to be able to go to their local bookstore and get a book that will help them to raise their children.

My religion teaches me to be good to others last I checked, and it seems that some people have forgotten that.

Lisa Martin

In April 2006, Lisa began blogging to stay connected with distant relatives and friends. As she delved into blogging, she discovered the potential to assist others by sharing her experiences. Lisa has actively engaged in numerous exclusive media ventures. Notable among these are her participation in events such as the Sony Mommy Bloggers Event, the Pampers Mommy Bloggers Event, the Epson Event in Chicago, the Stouffers Event, a memorable yacht excursion with Lands End, collaborations with 1-800-Baskets, an exclusive tour for bloggers by Mrs. Prindable’s, partnerships with Hallmark, PopCap games, Chicago Cubs Mastercard Priceless Events, and Rug Doctor. In addition, she has collaborated with Nutrisystem on a weight loss initiative, teamed up with Buick and Chevy, and served as a brand ambassador for Sprint. Lisa's collaboration portfolio also extends to Disney, where she has participated in press trips for significant movies such as Frozen, Guardians of the Galaxy, McFarland USA, The Good Dinosaur, The BFG, and Cars 3. Notably, for projects like Frozen, The BFG, and Cars 3, she was granted the privilege of walking the red carpet and conducting interviews with celebrities. The impact of Lisa's blog has gained recognition, with The New York Times referencing her content. Moreover, she has been featured in interviews by respected publications such as the Southtown Star, The Chicago Sun Times, and inside.