So I have a big problem. My wife are taking a class that is being offered for pregnant couples by our potential doula. My wife has talked briefly to her on the phone and she invited to join her class at the last minute. They even had child care available! Then I found out the class was being held in a church. I didn't say anything because there was a chance that it was going to be focussed on dealing with pregnancy and childbirth. Believe me when I say, free child care is great too
Unfortunately, our doula's husband is the pastor of this FUNDAMENTALIST church. She also cannot apparently separate her job as a doula and teacher with that of a religious believer. This means she providing us "helpful" scriptures and her "textbook" is filled with passages from the bible. I found it VERY difficult to continue to sit in my seat and say nothing.
Then I found out that the child care - which I quickly realised was run by the church - was essentially attempting to indoctrinate my child. This made me both queasy and very angry. He is luckily only 3 and has a secular home life and likely sees the "story" he was read as just that... a story.
My wife is unsure what her position is or at least she is reluctant to tell me her position. I agreed that if the doula could detach herself from her religion and service us in her capacity as a childbirth expert then I would work with her. Unfortunately this likely still means attending her class. She apparently likes discussion however, so I believe I will try and bring a more secular discussion to balance her "biblical" ideas.
In case you haven't guessed, I am an atheist - or perhaps secular humanist? I have no problem with people believing whatever they want. I do have a problem with people pushing those beliefs on others. The classroom where we go has a book in obvious display that sums up my problems quite well - "The Lie: Evolution"
What am I to do but grin and bear it?
That's a tough one man. You want both you and your wife to be totally comfortable with such a big happening. It looks like if you have time to switch, do so immediately. If not, remember the Bible is a book of stories, and there are some great ones in it. Like with Aesop's fables or great modern stories based in part of "biblical" themes like LOTR and Star Wars. And some good lessons like all stories, my guess is you are upset by the spin, not the stories themselves. So if you stay with this program you have to make sure it is understood (constantly) what your take is.
ReplyDeleteSo bail if you can you and your wife are under enough stress as it is! :-)