# Give your opinion on something (mom wants to pass out "church cards" at Halloween) \[update\] **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 18, 2016, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-your-opinion-on-something-mom-wants-to-pass-out-church-cards-at-halloween-update/768908 "2016-10-18T01:19:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_King_of_Soup)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-your-opinion-on-something-mom-wants-to-pass-out-church-cards-at-halloween-update/768908/81 "2016-10-19T20:35:04Z")
> [@Eliahna](#): > > Ugh. > > So if I’m already reluctantly dragging myself around on this oh-so-cynical marketing exercise and someone hands my children an invitation to a religious MOVIE NIGHT! with POPCORN!! and I have to put up with pleading and whining because they’re absolutely not going to that, period, then I’m going to be pissed off. > > At least hand it to the adult, not the child. Your problem is clearly _not_with the OP’s mother. Millions of Americans don’t participate at all, with no ill effects observed in their children. Millions more sift candy and allow their kids to eat some but not all, and almost every parent reserves the right to take their children, or not, to a movie, free or not. If you hate the idea of being at odds with your children over their basic impulses, Halloween itself is the thing you need to fear, but not as much as parenting itself. ---
**Author:** ![The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_King_of_Soup)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-your-opinion-on-something-mom-wants-to-pass-out-church-cards-at-halloween-update/768908/82 "2016-10-19T20:38:03Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Actually, no, that’s not true. The OP states that his mother, according to her church’s dictate, will be handing out the invitations with glee. The OP was the one agonizing over this, not his mother. > > You’re never going to convince me that my hypothetical is in anyway similar to the OP’s reality. Christian privilege is very real. And trust me, we atheists do more shutting up than dried clams. Okay then: tell me about the religious persecution you’ve suffered. Was it being given free candy and a religious movie that you could see or not as you pleased? Or was it something (gasp) _even worse_? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-your-opinion-on-something-mom-wants-to-pass-out-church-cards-at-halloween-update/768908/83 "2016-10-19T20:40:15Z")
> [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](#): > > Okay then: tell me about the religious persecution you’ve suffered. Was it being given free candy and a religious movie that you could see or not as you pleased? Or was it something (gasp) _even worse_? Christian privilege was claimed, not religious persecution. (gasp), indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-your-opinion-on-something-mom-wants-to-pass-out-church-cards-at-halloween-update/768908/84 "2016-10-19T20:46:46Z")
> [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](#): > > Okay then: tell me about the religious persecution you’ve suffered. Was it being given free candy and a religious movie that you could see or not as you pleased? Or was it something (gasp) _even worse_? Alright, I apologize ahead of time if the swoon-factor isn’t radical enough for you, Johnny Utah, but remember, this is just one of the several thousand instances I can point to that leads to outbursts like this. Recently, at work we were given a little speech on proper workplace etiquette, as a result of some dipshit doodling a swastika somewhere. In speaking of things that would be offensive, we were told by our direct supervisor, “For example, if someone wore a tshirt that said, ‘I’m and atheist and proud of it,’ that would offend me, because I’m a Christian.” Yeah, I know right? Totally boring. A trivial little nothing. Hardly even worth mentioning. Again. For the millionth time. I mean is my job really worth speaking up? Nah. I’m a good atheist. I’ll shut up. ---
**Author:** ![The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_King_of_Soup)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-your-opinion-on-something-mom-wants-to-pass-out-church-cards-at-halloween-update/768908/85 "2016-10-19T20:50:30Z")
The privilege to hand out a small card along with candy is not uniquely Christian. Gasp. Also, **Jack Batty** , (Gasp),_did_ in fact claim to be the victim of persecution. Gasp. And there’s still no argument that persuades an atheist like me that a woman in her own home can’t hand out whatever she wants in addition to the candy. I’m an atheist because I believe reasoned argument leads me there. I have no need to muzzle Christians, or anyone else I disagree with, especially in their own homes. Indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-your-opinion-on-something-mom-wants-to-pass-out-church-cards-at-halloween-update/768908/86 "2016-10-19T20:53:51Z")
Bully for you. Just be sure to not put that shoe on the other foot. Just stay nice and quiet with the rest of us atheists too. ---
**Author:** ![The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_King_of_Soup)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-your-opinion-on-something-mom-wants-to-pass-out-church-cards-at-halloween-update/768908/87 "2016-10-19T20:57:40Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Alright, I apologize ahead of time if the swoon-factor isn’t radical enough for you, Johnny Utah, but remember, this is just one of the several thousand instances I can point to that leads to outbursts like this. > > Recently, at work we were given a little speech on proper workplace etiquette, as a result of some dipshit doodling a swastika somewhere. In speaking of things that would be offensive, we were told by our direct supervisor, “For example, if someone wore a tshirt that said, ‘I’m and atheist and proud of it,’ that would offend me, because I’m a Christian.” > > Yeah, I know right? Totally boring. A trivial little nothing. Hardly even worth mentioning. Again. For the millionth time. I mean is my job really worth speaking up? Nah. I’m a good atheist. I’ll shut up. Were you told not to wear such a shirt, and were religionists not given a similar warning? If so, that’s wrong. Did you bother to complain? I’d be on your side. If anyone told you not to wear that shirt at home while handing out Halloween candy, I’d be even more on your side. But an atheist should be the last person to object to a person espousing religious belief or nonbelief from their own doorstep, especially when it consists merely of an invitation that can be ignored or declined. You have no beef with the OP’s mother. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-your-opinion-on-something-mom-wants-to-pass-out-church-cards-at-halloween-update/768908/88 "2016-10-19T21:03:04Z")
> [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](#): > > Your problem is clearly _not_with the OP’s mother. Millions of Americans don’t participate at all, with no ill effects observed in their children. Millions more sift candy and allow their kids to eat some but not all, and almost every parent reserves the right to take their children, or not, to a movie, free or not. If you hate the idea of being at odds with your children over their basic impulses, Halloween itself is the thing you need to fear, but not as much as parenting itself. I’m OK with my parenting. I resent being set up for an argument with my kids because someone is inappropriately pushing their religion on them. My gripe with Halloween is multifaceted, but it’s not that I’m incapable of regulating their sweet allocation :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-your-opinion-on-something-mom-wants-to-pass-out-church-cards-at-halloween-update/768908/89 "2016-10-19T21:16:12Z")
> [@Eliahna](#): > > I’m OK with my parenting. I resent being set up for an argument with my kids because someone is inappropriately pushing their religion on them. My gripe with Halloween is multifaceted, but it’s not that I’m incapable of regulating their sweet allocation :rolleyes: Sorry, the world is chock-full of stuff you’ll have to argue with your kids about because someone is inappropriately pushing something you don’t agree with. That doesn’t make it anyone else’s problem but yours. The world is not obligated to make things easy for you. FWIW, I sense a few distinct traditional market-based outcomes: [ol] [li]Word will get out and they’ll get fewer customers, and none by next year[/li][li]The traditional response to “inadequate” treats is tricks, so they should be ready for egging and TP’ing. (In the interests of civil peace, hopefully not more than that).[/li][/ol] ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-your-opinion-on-something-mom-wants-to-pass-out-church-cards-at-halloween-update/768908/90 "2016-10-19T21:16:32Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > No kid is gonna wind up with a sermon their parents don’t know about. Really? Parents are magically aware of every damn thing their kids encounter, 24/7? As a teen, I had at least 2 experiences where I was seriously proselytized at - over the course of an evening in one case, for an entire weekend the other. My mother found out later, because I told her about it. But she certainly couldn’t have been expected to foresee or prevent either situation (one was a friend’s birthday party, the other was a “babysitter” since my parents were going to be gone for 3 nights and thought that was too long to leave me alone; the older teen they hired to stay with me was cleancut, polite, and …batshit insanely religious). ---
**Author:** ![The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_King_of_Soup)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-your-opinion-on-something-mom-wants-to-pass-out-church-cards-at-halloween-update/768908/91 "2016-10-19T21:17:56Z")
> [@Eliahna](#): > > I’m OK with my parenting. I resent being set up for an argument with my kids because someone is inappropriately pushing their religion on them. My gripe with Halloween is multifaceted, but it’s not that I’m incapable of regulating their sweet allocation :rolleyes: First of all, let’s belatedly dispense with the notion that your kids even notice anything in their trick-or-treat bags that isn’t edible. Done. Do you never argue with your kids about anything they want, whether it’s a toy, a treat, or a movie, book or magazine? Even if you think a night at church is beyond the pale, are you prepared to give them everything they see advertised on TV? If that’s not the case, you are as well-equipped as any parent to deal with this. Your characterization of a card inviting someone to a religious movie as “someone inappropriately pushing their religion on them,” would be wrong even if they came to your door to do it, much less when it happens when you knock on theirs. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-your-opinion-on-something-mom-wants-to-pass-out-church-cards-at-halloween-update/768908/92 "2016-10-19T23:41:11Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I’m sorry, but that’s not “movie night”-that is “commercial night”. I don’t disagree. > [@WilyQuixote](#): > > My bolding. > > Are the movies names in doubt? Or is the apparent title perhaps merely the theme of whatever dreck they plan to show that evening. > > As mentioned earlier, Google brings up no relevant movies with those titles. Maybe they’re movies this church made themselves. I don’t know. But the titles are, more or less, that. Oh, my mistake. I only had one right. Here are the others. Here are what the cards look like, by the way. [Front](https://scontent.fphx1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/p296x100/14650120_10210909842165791_4898345006060171347_n.jpg?oh=ffa2a5ef09cb707a391f4b98eb19324f&oe=589B1617) [Back](https://scontent.fphx1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14724606_10210909839965736_7129788764775163741_n.jpg?oh=4088cb795bd47199dc7f4260737b9f36&oe=58A1D014) ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2016, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-your-opinion-on-something-mom-wants-to-pass-out-church-cards-at-halloween-update/768908/93 "2016-10-20T00:05:50Z")
Your links don’t work. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2016, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-your-opinion-on-something-mom-wants-to-pass-out-church-cards-at-halloween-update/768908/94 "2016-10-20T00:18:21Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > I don’t disagree. > > Maybe they’re movies this church made themselves. I don’t know. But the titles are, more or less, that. > > Oh, my mistake. I only had one right. Here are the others. Here are what the cards look like, by the way. > > [Front](https://scontent.fphx1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/p296x100/14650120_10210909842165791_4898345006060171347_n.jpg?oh=ffa2a5ef09cb707a391f4b98eb19324f&oe=589B1617) > [Back](https://scontent.fphx1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14724606_10210909839965736_7129788764775163741_n.jpg?oh=4088cb795bd47199dc7f4260737b9f36&oe=58A1D014) Those aren’t the names of the movies-those are each night’s themes. The ticket says that they will show new hits and Hollywood classics and tie them to Biblical themes. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2016, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-your-opinion-on-something-mom-wants-to-pass-out-church-cards-at-halloween-update/768908/95 "2016-10-20T00:41:46Z")
I thought that might also be the case, but wasn’t sure. Does that change your opinion on whether or not they should be passed out at Halloween, though? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2016, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-your-opinion-on-something-mom-wants-to-pass-out-church-cards-at-halloween-update/768908/96 "2016-10-20T00:52:13Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > I thought that might also be the case, but wasn’t sure. Does that change your opinion on whether or not they should be passed out at Halloween, though? The cards are pretty straightforward as to what will be going on, and as long as there isn’t any bait-and-switch with the movies(showing movies from Christian film companies instead of actual Hollywood hits) I see no problem. But it better be coupled with candy bars instead of tiny hard candy. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2016, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-your-opinion-on-something-mom-wants-to-pass-out-church-cards-at-halloween-update/768908/97 "2016-10-20T02:14:26Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Really! > > Why would I want to give books on Halloween? That’s just dumb. **Idle Thoughts** ’ Mum has a history of giving away books. [His, specifically.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=781518) ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2016, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-your-opinion-on-something-mom-wants-to-pass-out-church-cards-at-halloween-update/768908/98 "2016-10-20T04:35:09Z")
> [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](#): > > First of all, let’s belatedly dispense with the notion that your kids even notice anything in their trick-or-treat bags that isn’t edible. Done. Do you never argue with your kids about anything they want, whether it’s a toy, a treat, or a movie, book or magazine? Even if you think a night at church is beyond the pale, are you prepared to give them everything they see advertised on TV? If that’s not the case, you are as well-equipped as any parent to deal with this. Your characterization of a card inviting someone to a religious movie as “someone inappropriately pushing their religion on them,” would be wrong even if they came to your door to do it, much less when it happens when you knock on theirs. First of all, let’s dispense with the notion that you know my kids better than I do. They will actually look at non edible things in their baskets. Done. I do actually argue with my kids about the things they want and I don’t give them everything. That’s why I said I don’t want to listen to my kids whinge, rather than saying I don’t want to have to go. There are already a million things we can argue about, thanks. We don’t need randoms adding new stuff. ---
**Author:** ![WilyQuixote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f9ae1b/32.png) [@WilyQuixote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WilyQuixote)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2016, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-your-opinion-on-something-mom-wants-to-pass-out-church-cards-at-halloween-update/768908/99 "2016-10-20T05:38:55Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > I thought that might also be the case, but wasn’t sure. Does that change your opinion on whether or not they should be passed out at Halloween, though? It sounds like a film studies class with a Biblical bent, showing snippets of films that tie into that nights theme followed by long discussion or sermonizing afterwards. If they were showing full films, they would state what those films are, not just a theme. It’s not a movie night. ---
**Author:** ![WilyQuixote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f9ae1b/32.png) [@WilyQuixote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WilyQuixote)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2016, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-your-opinion-on-something-mom-wants-to-pass-out-church-cards-at-halloween-update/768908/100 "2016-10-20T05:42:07Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > The cards are pretty straightforward as to what will be going on, and as long as there isn’t any bait-and-switch with the movies(showing movies from Christian film companies instead of actual Hollywood hits) I see no problem. > But it better be coupled with candy bars instead of tiny hard candy. 😃 See my preceding post. Still think its “straightforward”? And even if it is a “movie night” as posited in the OP, I would consider the lack of titles to be deliberately obfuscatory and suspicious, especially when it is on a flyers given deliberately to young children. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-your-opinion-on-something-mom-wants-to-pass-out-church-cards-at-halloween-update/768908.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/give-your-opinion-on-something-mom-wants-to-pass-out-church-cards-at-halloween-update/768908.md?page=6)