My Daughter Rejects My Religion
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Thanks for listening to my Call of the Day podcast. You can hear my live radio program Monday through Friday from 2 to 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Sirius XM Triumph 111. Louisa, welcome to the program. Hi, Dr. Laura. It's a pleasure speaking to you, long-time listener.

I just wanted to ask you, I'm having my own internal struggles with my young adult daughter, 23 years old. In the last year and a half, she's turned away from the religion that she's grown up with, Catholicism, having done all the sacraments and, you know, a faithful believer. And she's turned into a born-again Christian.

And her dad and I are kind of asking ourselves. Well, the good news, the good news is that she still believes in Jesus Christ as her savior and she still believes in God. And that's and I say that every day and I'm very grateful for that. Then leave it alone. Then leave it alone. Then leave it alone. You don't decide somebody else's religious journey.

But then she's questioning mine. Then be prepared to give answers. Then be prepared to give intelligent answers. Okay. And if she shuns away all friends that don't follow that religion. Okay, come on. Louisa, cut it out. Cut it out. Give me an example of a question she's asked you about your beliefs. Give me an example.

Why are you, why do you worship a pagan saint, which is, you know, you will not, you know, get to the gates of heaven if you're worshiping Mother Mary. Okay, who's the pagan saint? Mother Mary. Who's the pagan saint?

She believes all saints, like with the new, you know, born again Christian. They don't believe in any of the saints. And I said, well, Sophia, like I'm sorry, my daughter, you know, that's that's Jesus's mother. Like, you know, we are, you know. OK, the answer to your question is because I don't think it's a pagan saint. I believe it is Jesus's mother. I have a different belief than you have. OK, just answer it intelligently.

Yes. Okay. So give me another question that she challenges you about. Well, we have to be, well, and I agree with her, like reading the Bible every day, but she reads it a lot and she recites it. That's not your business, ma'am. Cut it out. But she doesn't, yeah. Cut it out. Stop that. Criticism. If she wishes to read the Bible every day, fabulous. Yeah.

Why would you sniff your nose at that? I don't. You do. You just did. You just did. If that's the only thing she does, I'm a little bit concerned sometimes. That's all. Okay. Louisa, is she on drugs? No. Is she hustling on the street in your city? No. No. She's struggling right now. The best thing you can do is not fight her, but answer the questions.

In fact, call her when we're done and say, you know, I was thinking I really like that you ask me questions because it challenges me. Yes. Yeah. I mean, if I believe that Mary is the mother of Jesus, that's as fair as you don't believe Mary is the mother of Jesus. Neither one of us has proof either way. That's why it's called faith. Yes. So don't put me down.

For believing in Mary, and I won't put you down for not. Okay. It's a belief. It's your faith. That's how I want you to talk to her, not challenge her, not critique it, not get so negative. That loses her. You'll lose her that way. Okay. Yeah, I appreciate that. Look at that. I don't want to do that. No. No.

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And now I'll make you crazy. You want me to make you crazy? My father was a nice Jewish boy from Brooklyn. He was in the army freeing Italy from Nazis and et cetera. Gets me angry every time. And my mother was a nice Italian Catholic girl. They got married. The war started when they came back to America because he married her. She was a war bride. And my father...

Father's family was livid that he didn't marry a nice Jewish girl. Interestingly enough, her father, who was Catholic, had no problem with it. He said, he's a nice man, as long as he's good to you. But the wars happened here. And my mother got so pissed off at constantly being harassed by my father's family that I got baptized Catholic. Okay. So, you know, these things go on.

The main thing is you don't want to lose your daughter. Yeah. And that belief in that faith that she has now has... No, she's confused and wants to feel connected to something. Kids these days, young adults, don't much feel connected to anything that makes sense.

because of all the strife socially, politically, economically. I mean, it's not like it was when I was born in 1947. In the 50s, it was quieter time. And you could believe in certain things, like if you went to college, you'd actually get a job or you'd get an education. So everything has changed. So don't think of her reaction as, you know, an attack on you.

She's struggling to find something for herself. Who knows where that will end up? But if you fight with her on it, she's going to pull farther away. Don't do that. Okay. Appreciate that you called. My number, 1-800-375-2800.

72. Check out my social media on Facebook and Instagram. I post stories, photos, and videos seven days a week and feature some of what you've sent me to. There's always something interesting going on there. You can find me at facebook.com slash drlaura and instagram.com slash drlauraprogram. Amazon Pharmacy presents Painful Thoughts.

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