3 year old saying: "I wanna be Jehovah's friend", how would you answer?

Daniel1555

Just looking for some of your views / advice:
I am divorced and am together with my dear boy every second weekend for 2.5 days. He is now 3 years old and heavily indoctrinated by his mum and grandmother.
Today he told me:
"Daddy, Jehovah is high up in heaven. We can't see him, but he is there. He is very kind. I wanna be Jehovah's friend."
Just brainstorming and looking how you would answer:
What would you say to a 3 year old, who is asking this question?
I still believe somehow in a loving God, but not in the evil "monster" God of the Bible, Jehovah, who ordered murder, genocide, infanticide, slavery and even sex slavery.
I want to counteract his indoctrination, but I don't want to make it too hard for him or indoctrinate him myself, as he is still so young and doesn't understand religion.

stillin

I think I would respond that that is what some people say and that others have a different idea. I would also mention that being honest, kind and good is the best way to be; the more he practices it, the more he will like it.

scared and lonely

You don't want to mess with his little mind any more by confusing him at this stage.

As you still believe in a loving God, you can agree that he is up in heaven or wherever you think he is and just omit the name Jehovah.

You could explain to him that many people believe in God but choose to call him by other names.

You sound like a loving dad, not wanting to impose your believes on him or wanting to make it hard for him.

Vanderhoven7

Wait till he is older to challenge his faith... or you may end up with visitation rights only.

jwfacts

When he attends child care or school you can discuss that there are many children he knows that also want God to be their friend too. They just have different names for him. Children find it hard to accept that all their school friends are evil. That is the first step to shedding black and white thinking.

Daniel1555

Thank you so much for your excellent advice.

He said it in the beginning of my visit after I picked him up from Kindergarden.

I told him there are many names for God and that I just call him dear Papa in heaven but that I don't believe in Jehovah (it is confusing, but I'd like him to know that I don't believe in Jehovah).

I told him that people believe in many different things and gods or that also many don't believe in god at all and that he is free to believe what he likes.

After that for the next 2 days he didn't say anything about Jehovah but enjoyed our time having fun, playing, reading stories etc.

And he didn't attend the convention because he was with me ;-)

Daniel1555

Last October we celebrated his birthday and he liked it.

At the next visit he told me that Jehovah doesn't like birthdays. I asked him if it is something good, when a baby is born. He said yes and I told him that likewise our heavenly Papa is happy when he was born and that he loves him very much, so birthday can't be bad (it is at this age so difficult to counteract on indoctrination and not to indoctrinate him myself).

Once I picked him up at the Kindergarten. He enthusiastically showed me their christmas tree and his eyes were shining. Then he told me, Jehovah does not like Christmas trees. I asked him: "Do you like this Christmas tree?" And he says "Yes." I just answered. "I know, Jehovah doesn't like many things."

naazira

I would definitely teach him about my lack of religious beliefs as soon as possible. My child will frequently hear me say there is no such thing as Jehovah because they need to know that nonbelievers aren't bad! I would also ask my youngin' is killing someone bad...they will say yes.... I will say Jehovah hurt many people .....is Jehovah bad?

You'd be better off indoctrinating your kid than having a witness do it- lesser of the two evils.

Finkelstein

Mentally indoctrinating children that there is a genocidal murdering god who's going to kill most of humanity soon

... sad

Giordano

Keep making the point that Jehovah is his mothers and grandmother's god but your god is 'papa' God. Keep it on the down and low........ just casual enough to allow him to see the difference. As he gets older you can demonstrate the differences in beliefs that are innocent, good and loving without putting down his mother's religion you can direct him to Matthew and the sermon on the mount and what Jesus said. Sharing food, helping people, treating people as he wants them to treat him. etc.

The Jesus faith is far more kind and balanced then the Jehovah faith of the JW's. But you need to do this in a way that doesn't become judgmental against the JW's. Eventually he will figure it out.

3 year old saying: "I wanna be Jehovah's friend", how would you answer?

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