Super-liberal relatives visiting over Easter

[BlueEyedLady]

Sorry Blue Eyed Lady, you may be the exception to the rule when you post here on CAF, but there are many that don’t adhere to the same level of civility. Maybe YOU are the common thread with your friends and relatives with different beliefs that helps everything remain civil?

I do have to say that you are one of…I can’t even quote a number, maybe the ONLY, civil atheist that I have come across on the internet…

Nope, my friends,and relatives with different beliefs are all pretty civil without me.

I just have a hard time believing that the people who derailed this thread to liberal bash are paragons of civility, and that it’s everyone else who just can’t get along with those who disagree with them.

And frankly, in my life, it’s conservatives who try to goad people into public debates. Does that mean conservatives are more likely? No. I think it means that there are a lot of obnoxious people in the world. I also think that if you’re a liberal, you’re going to be hounded by annoying and rude conservatives more often, and vice versa if you’re a conservative. The desire to be right is a pretty universal trait, it doesn’t know political bounds. (And I’m pretty sure it was a problem long before liberals and conservatives ever existed.)

The only thing you can do is make sure that you set boundaries and don’t feed into it.

 

[Miss_Felicity]

**I just have a hard time believing that the people who derailed this thread to liberal bash are paragons of civility, and that it’s everyone else who just can’t get along with those who disagree with them.
**

Especially since the guideposts of what is conservative or liberal change depending on who you talk to you and about what.

 

[VanSensei]

I’d have them over because they can still engage in polite discourse and not bring out what they disagree with you with at the table. You go to church as a family, but maybe meet them at a nice place for…whatever part of the day you can get there. Nothing bad.

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Especially since the guideposts of what is conservative or liberal change depending on who you talk to you and about what.

And you see the same antagonistic, argumentative behavior on issues unrelated to politics too. Health nuts, for example, can show the exact same rude, undesirable qualities that we’re talking about here. And there are people who behave this way who have beliefs all over the spectrum, like libertarians. 9/11 truthers and other conspiracy theorists often behave the same way, and they come from all over the spectrum.

Someone’s beliefs on abortion, gay marriage, religion, economics, gun control, whatever, do not determine how tolerant and easy to get along with they are. (How do you determine this anyway? What if I’m conservative on gun control, a right leaning moderate on foreign policy, a liberal on social issues, and an economic moderate? I am, by the way.) How well someone is able to agree to disagree determines how easy they are to get along with, and that is not a trait associated with any one side of the political spectrum.

I still say that humans love to be right, and when you take someone lacks social restraint and make them passionate about something (anything. Religion/politics/exercise), they will be difficult to deal with and resistant to hearing other views.

 

[revert_jen]

I don’t think that Good Friday is an obligation, at least in the U.S.

I don’t think it’s possible for Good Friday to be a holy day of obligation anywhere, because the obligation would be to attend Mass, and it is the one day a year when there isn’t any Mass.

However, obligation or not, it is a day when many Christians (not just Catholics) spend a good deal of time contemplating and reflecting on the great sacrifice that Christ made for us.

I’m sorry, everyone, but the more I think about it, the more I think that this family should host their super-liberal relatives over the Easter Weekend, the most sacred time of the year for Christians.

I can certainly see your point, but I’m not sure that the best way to show non-believers the love of Christ is to invite them to your home and then have to abandon them for hours a day for religious reasons.

And if you neglect the religious observances that you would like to make, then you are giving them the subtle message that hospitality is more important than worship. Which they would agree with, but it nonetheless isn’t true.

I can see why the OP can’t put them off this year, but I would certainly start now making arrangements so that their visit next year comes at some other time. I’d maybe even put it this way, “I’m sorry, but if you come to visit at Easter, we really can’t give you the time and attention that we would like to, because there is so much else going on for us. It really would be better if you could come at some time when we could concentrate on you more.”

Just MHO.

–Jen

 

[Aggie414]

I have not read all the replies so I apologize if I’m repeating.

They can only come visit you if you allow it. You could simply say, “I’m so sorry. That is really not a good weekend for you to visit. How about xxx” and then give some dates that your family is available to host them.

If they’re not staying with you, then just plan to meet up with them at some convenient times. Y’all could go to the service on Good Friday, then have all day Saturday, and then Sunday after Easter morning Mass. Then maybe some time on Monday before they leave.

It’s about standing up for what’s best for your family. Just be polite and pleasant when you tell them.