Need quick answer re: GAL

[casa]

I may have missed it, but I didn't see where Mom had a problem with Dad's beliefs on baptism. I saw where daughter feels she was baptized before she was ready and to that I think Dad should have daughter speak to their pastor or whatever his title is and explain how she's feeling now since that was between them in the first place (assuming he had to approve she was ready in the first place).

I'm not saying it's about Baptism exclusively. I'm saying Mom obviously does not share all Dad's Religious views. And, apparently, neither does the child. So, if Dad & stepmom are saying she (or friends/family, whomEVER) are going to go to Hell if they don't do x,y, or z as in accordance with their faith...well, they're teaching her to discount/negate/look down/shun (or WHATEVER verb you like best)....and THAT is exactly what Bigotry is. Not to mention they may be scaring the sh*t out of the poor kid, who's obviously confused enough as it is right now...and who may fear she will be going to hell herself!

And, while I do not share the belief that hell is for the unbaptized, teaching that does not = bigotry. It's too easily disproved how much unconditional love and caring comes from people that have this belief to say ergo they are also a bigot. Remember that OP and those of her faith aren't condemning anyone in the first place.

They are not a bigot BECAUSE of their belief....they are a bigot if their teachings shun any/all others as 'untrue' or non-believers or people who ride in handbaskets, etc etc etc ad naseum.

 

[wileybunch]

Where was the mention that daughter is being taught to shun others or anything like you're mentioning, casa?

And, this very can very well be bias on the evaluator's part. If the evaluator doesn't believe in "something bigger than himself" or a higher authority he answers to or a number of other things, he can put his own name on what Dad does and make him look bad.

There are some in their religious rites that will hook things onto their body that bears a lot of weight on it and walk up a very long flight of stairs after fasting for some time (it's been a while since I knew the details, but I've been to the place this is done in Malaysia -- I think it's by the Hindi). Outside that religion, I'm sure they could be diagnosed with all manner of psychological disorders by someone that doesn't understand the perspective it comes from.

I think too many assumptions are being made about what Mom and child have an issue with in the first place. There wasn't all kinds of talk about Mom believing child is being taught to shun, hate, etc. based on Dad's religious teachings.