[WillowTheWhisp]

Originally Posted by Less

Oh, and while we are at it leave other folk to at least get a chance to explain their views, (even Muslims), without fearing for your daughters soul's.

Have you missed what I have actually said on this subject? I have absolutely no objections whatsoever to my children learning about other religions. It's part of the school curriculum and I embrace that wholeheartedly. How can people ever hope to understand each other if they don't know the first thing about what the other person believes? It's a brilliant way for them to learn.

'Leaning about' is a million miles away from 'willingly participating in', and 'willingly participating in' is another million miles away from 'being forced to participate in'. The former two I have no problem with at all. It's the latter which I disapprove of. My eldest daughter has accompanied friends to other churches which they attend. Both have in the past (when they were young enough) gone along to the summer activities at Peel Street Baptist Church. They have both gone to other church youth clubs. I have been to the Jehovah's Witnesses Kingdom Hall, RC, CofE, Baptist, Methodist and pentecostal churches. I have been to a Jewish synagogue and a Muslim mosque (several if you count the ones we have visited on holiday). I have never tried to force my religion on anyone else and would never do so. I am willing to discuss it with others if they are interested and to correct any misconceptions which they may have.

I'm a member of 'a Church in which I have no authority to influence their views' because I believe the doctrine to be true. I would hope that it influences me rather than vice versa. I would still believe the doctrine to be true even if some of the members went doolally flip because that would be them as individuals and not the doctrine. When my first husband was alive and he was Ward Mission Leader I would have passed your address on to him with a request that the missionaries do not call on you. Now if you'd like to PM me your address I will pass it on to our current WML with the same request if you wish. I once worked with a woman who had met a couple of our missionaries on the train and had invited them to visit her at home and teach her but when she got home and told her husband he said he didn't want them. She asked me if I could contact them and let them know - so I did, and they didn't go round there. Now that doesn't mean that at some time in the future a new bunch of missionaries calling door to door might not knock on theirs but she is perfectly able to tell them 'no thank you' just as she could have done if she'd never laid eyes on Mormom missionaries before.

Of course I cannot alter the world wide missionary program of the church simply because a few AccyWebbers think it would be a good idea - but I can request our local missionaries to avoid you in particular if that is your wish. In some countries missionary work is not permitted by law. In which case our missionaries do not go there, or if they do they go as 'service missionaries' just helping and not proselyting. If they come to an area where cold calling is not permitted then they should not call there door to door either. I'm not saying that everyone of the thousands of missionaries throughout the world is perfect but they do try to do their best.