Woman's mother starts teaching her daughter about her weird religion, woman threatens to cut ties with mother over it: 'I just don’t want her indoctrinating my kid!'

Author image for Baiz Hoen
Baiz Hoen
Jan 25, 2025 7:00 AM EST

Let's be real. We've all had a phase where we got really into cults. Jonestown, Waco, Texas, Mother God. Every time a new cult documentary drops on a streaming service, we flock like moths to watch it and learn about the ways people get roped into something where you can understand its evil from an outside perspective. And then, when you learn how cults get people to join them, you're quick to think, 'Surely I wouldn't fall for those tricks,' but then you think about it a little harder and realize if a few things in your life had been different, it wouldn't be long before you found yourself entrenched in a cult, preaching the word of a made up God fed to you by your corrupt leader. It could send a shiver down anyone's spine.

Even though cults are so widely recognized in the media, it's rare to know someone who is a part of one. Maybe you met someone in college who escaped. Maybe you wandered into the Church of Scientology just to see what all the hullabaloo was about. But you never think it could happen to you. That's what happened to one woman whose mother is suddenly preaching her 'new religion' to her young daughter. Should she keep her daughter away from her mom? Or will this be a passing phase? Read on to find out.


 

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    "AITAH for Falling Out with My Mom After Finding Out She’s Preaching Her New Religion to My Daughter?"

    I (32F) am a single mom to my amazing 7-year-old daughter. For a bit of context, my mom (59F) has always been a bit of a free spirit. She's the type of person who goes all in on whatever new thing she's into like crystals, yoga retreats, you name it. But recently, she joined this really intense religious group, and things have gotten... weird.
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    At first, I didn't say much about it. She seemed happy, and I figured it was one of her phases. She's always been like this she'll go all out for a year or two, then lose interest. I just let her do her thing. But lately, she's been talking about this religion a lot. Like, constantly bringing it up in conversations with me, even when it's not relevant. I shrugged it off because, honestly, I didn't want to argue with her.
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    The problem started with my daughter. My mom babysits for me sometimes when I'm working late, and my daughter loves. spending time with her grandma. I thought it was all good crafts, baking cookies, the usual grandma stuff. But last week, my daughter came home and started saying some really strange things. Stuff like, "Grandma said we have to prepare for the end times" and "Only the chosen people will be safe."
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    I was like... what?? I asked her where she heard that, and she said, "Grandma talks to me about it all the time. She reads me stories and tells me what will happen to people who don't believe."
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    Y'all, I saw red. I called my mom right away and asked her what the h I she was doing. She didn't even deny it! She said she was just "sharing her beliefs" and that she was "helping" my daughter by teaching her the truth. I told her that was completely unacceptable, and she got super defensive, saying I was "trying to silence her" and "keeping my daughter's soul in danger."
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    I lost it. I told her that she was crossing a major boundary and that I wouldn't let her see my daughter anymore if she couldn't keep her religion to herself. She basically said she couldn't make that promise because her faith is "too important."
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    Now, half my family is mad at me. My brother is on my side and thinks Mom's gone off the deep end, but some of my aunts and cousins are saying I'm being too harsh and that I'm "punishing her for her beliefs."
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    But like, I'm not banning her religion or telling her she can't practice it. I just don't want her indoctrinating my kid! My daughter is 7 she doesn't even know what any of this stuff means yet!
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    So now, I feel stuck. My mom won't back down, and I can't trust her to babysit anymore. Am I overreacting here? Should I have handled it differently? AITAH?
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    Here's what Reddit had to say about Grandma's "new religion"

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    NTA! Keep you daughter on distance from your mom for the moment stuff like this can get out of control quickly specially where religion is involved!
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    NTA. Your mom crossed a major boundary by trying to indoctrinate your 7-year-old. Sharing beliefs is one thing, but telling a child scary, end-times stuff is completely inappropriate. You're doing the right thing by protecting your daughter's mental and emotional well-being. Stand firm your kid comes first, and anyone who doesn't respect that isn't entitled to access to her.
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    Not the a h le at all. Protecting your kid from being indoctrinated, especially at such a young age, is completely valid.
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    Your mom crossed a major boundary, and her refusal to respect your parenting choices leaves you no choice but to step in. If her beliefs are too "important" for her to keep to herself, then she's prioritizing them over your boundaries as a parent. Stay firm-you're doing the right thing for your daughter.
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    You're definitely not overreacting! You have every right to protect your daughter from being pushed into something she's too young to understand. Your mom crossed a serious boundary by teaching her things like that, especially without your consent.
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    Wait til she finds out about Fan Fiction...

    Religion should be a personal choice, and your daughter is too young to be exposed to these intense ideas. Honestly, if she can't respect your wishes, it's her problem, not yours. You're just being a good mom.
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    I think, absolutely considering your daughter is only 7, the a h le in this story is your mom. A grandma to a 7 year old is someone with cookies and milk and hugs and warm socks!
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    You're definitely not the AH here. It's your responsibility to protect your daughter from anything that could be harmful or confusing for her, especially when she's so young. Your mom crossed a huge boundary by teaching your daughter about her religious views without your consent, especially in a way that could be unsettling or scary for a child. You've
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    scary for a child. You've made it clear that your daughter isn't old enough to process that kind of information, and you're just trying to make sure she's not exposed to things that might affect her well-being. It's not about silencing anyone's beliefs, it's about setting boundaries to protect your kid.
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    Your mom's response was super defensive, and it seems like she's not respecting your role as a parent. If she can't respect your wishes regarding your daughter's upbringing, it makes sense that you'd pull back from letting her babysit. You're doing the right thing by standing firm. for your child, and it's a shame your family doesn't see it that way. You're not overreacting at all-you're being a good mom.
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    You gave her an out: She can still see your daughter if she doesn't preach. She refused to respect that. I'm OK with this.
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    NTA. This is indoctrination, brainwashing, and ab e. She's clearly comfortable crossing boundaries, and I'm sure this is one among many. Don't let her be around your child unsupervised. She's not to be trusted.
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    "End times?" And "Only the chosen will be safe?" That's is some Jonestown type cult sh keep your kid away from this woman.
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    My grandma just yelled at me when I spilled my milk!

    NTA. Your mom can prep for the end times on her own time, but turning babysitting into a doomsday sermon is a hard no. Grandma privileges don't include scaring a 7- year-old into thinking she needs a survival kit for the apocalypse.
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    I suggest a book to read. Cultish: the language of fanaticism. The writers father belonged to a cult religion and got out later. But it interviews various people from many different cults. It explains how they pull you in and keep you.
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    Hey, OP. I grew up with a mother who believed this sort of stuff. I grew up fighting the belief that the world would end in my immediate future and that I would not get a chance to live my whole life. Added to this, my mother would often tell me that things I did, liked, or supported were bad and that the devil was influencing me.
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    It really messed me up. I was reckless and got into dangerous situations because I thought I was going to di soon anyway, had a hard time focusing on school for years, developed panic attacks, etc. I spent years working on getting over the panic and depre son from that. I used tv shows like Supernatural and Lucifer to desensitize myself to biblical names so I could hear them without feeling nauseous and shaky.
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    have long-term emotional, mental, and physical issues from stress.
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    Please don't let your kid go through this. Just because someone believes this stuff doesn't make them malicious. My mother loved me a lot, but she was too damaged to realize how her damage was affecting me until years later. Your mother
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    until years later. Your mother is too close to her beliefs to be objective, and your daughter is too young to know how. You must hold the boundaries for what is acceptable to tell her. You cannot force your mother to abide by them - only encourage her to do so and hold them if she does not.
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cult family drama aita religion mother grandma reddit story family daughter Reddit
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