Christianity too far.

@dfollin (24146)
United States
June 25, 2007 8:10pm CST
Iam watching "Wife Swap".And two woman,1 christian and 1 athiest woman swap places.The christian family goes a bit too far.The husband works outside the home,ok that's normal.The kids go to public school,which is ok,except it's not for my daughter,I homeschool.That's besides the point.The christian girls have chores,but the son doesn't.According to them the bible say's no male people are to cook or clean only work outside the home.And the girls are not allowed to talk to boys till they are sixteen.And non of the kids are allowed to go out the house unless it's school and church.They cannot call and talk to friends,have friends over,go shopping,the movies,nothing.They do not trust her because she is fourteen.All fourteen year olds can not be trusted they only have hormones.They can only wear pant's,not skirts or shorts because their legs would show.The christian woman is at the athiest home,where the athist woman has a homebased business and her husband works part time in real estate,clean's the house,because he likes too.The christian woman told the atheist children they had to believe in God.And the atheist father said it is find if you say what you believe ,but you cannot make my children christians.And the christian mother said yes,all you do is tell them to be christians.And the athiest mother spent between $900- $2,000 a month getting tatoos.And she even admitted it was much.Not that Iam taking up for her,but she was at least bending a little.Her youngest son wanted a set of drums and the christian woman got them for him and she had the kids write a christian song.Which was good.And was great for her to spread the word,but you cannot force someone to believe it in their hearts.She also taught the athiest kids to clean.Which was good too.It never hurts to learn anything.What do you think?
4 people like this
18 responses
@Katagiri (426)
• Brazil
26 Jun 07
You know? I hate fanatics... anyone can have the Religion he/she wants to but can't force others onto it. No Religion is right and no Religion is wrong. Humans made the Religions so, they're like the humans, with good and bad things.
@MrNiceGuy (4141)
• United States
26 Jun 07
Have you heard of the Amish?
@dfollin (24146)
• United States
26 Jun 07
Yes,but these people were not them.They were a black couple.But that's how they were acting,huh?
@dfollin (24146)
• United States
27 Jun 07
But,these christians let their kids us the computer,watch tv,etc.She monitored their TV,which is normal.But,she stood right over each childs shoulder and read their emails,everyone of them!She picked out their clothes they were to wear each day.These were not little kids,the oldest was 14,the other daughter is 12 and the son is 8.
• United States
27 Jun 07
Now that you say that, MrNiceGuy, it does sound more like Amish than Christian, however, they would never subject themselves to such nonsense as television. My fiance was Amish for several years and taught school among them - grades 1 through 8. One of his grown sons remains Amish. Again, I think it was all "scripted" for television and the purpose of "entertainment".
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
26 Jun 07
well i guess they dont know my hubby...we are born again christians and we divide the house work quite evenly...hubby and i work outside of the house and he does all (yes, i said ALL) the cooking and i do all the laundry related stuff...we both clean the house (along with our girls - they do dishes every night!!) we figure we are 'team' and it takes a team to make a house a home!
@dfollin (24146)
• United States
27 Jun 07
Good for you all.My husband would work outside the home and come home and clean,not because I didn't do a good enough job,ut because he wanted to help.He was hyper too,I think that had something to do with it.
@Mshell (62)
• United States
26 Jun 07
I saw it last night too. I thought both the Christian woman and the Athiest dad...and the Christian dad were pushing their points too far. I was amazed that the Christian dad had such a fit because his son was having to clean a toilet..he even said it was "women's work"--Don't know about anyone else here, but if a man can sit on it, he can clean it! I was equally as shocked at how the athiest dad refused to follow her rules and then when he had to do the extra task because he wouldn't follow the rules, he bashed it and then threw the bible away. It was very disrespectful to the christian mom and the other onlookers. I was very glad to see that in the end, everyone accepted their wrongs and wanted to make a change to better their lives. I love a happy ending!
@dfollin (24146)
• United States
26 Jun 07
Yep the ending was great.I didnot like how the athiest father acted.The athiest mother was pretty good about following rules and even taking suggestion's.The christian family's rules were unlike us or any other christian family that I know.
• India
26 Jun 07
i think the principles of every religion are the same . that woman not allowed outside,men only should work and all.but with time every thing changed , people trying to spread their religion all over ,forcing people to convert..... i dont think its a good work. people should convert according to their will not by force.i like my religion , but i cant force others to love it too.we made the religion .
@dfollin (24146)
• United States
27 Jun 07
There is nothing wrong with talking to someone about your religion in the hope's that they would convert to it.But you can not make anyone truthfully in their hearts believe whatever you believe unless they want to.It's their choice.
• United States
26 Jun 07
I saw a couple minutes of that show while flipping through the channels during dinner. The christian family seemed to be pretty fanatic and I thought this entire show went a bit overboard. I never liked the "forcing your beliefs" thing of this show; come to think of it, I never liked reality shows in general.
@dfollin (24146)
• United States
27 Jun 07
The show did go over board and no you can not force your belief's,you can spread the word about them,but you cannot make someone believe what you believe unless they want to.
@Tanya8 (1733)
• Canada
26 Jun 07
I'm an atheist whose kids KNOW how to clean :) Those kind of shows only work if they put freakishly opposite families together, but unfortunately they end up reinforcing negative stereotypes. The reality is that, if my Christian friend across the street and I swapped places for a week, there wouldn't be enough differences to make the show interesting. We have the same discipline styles; the same kinds of expectations of our kids, and the same kind of daily routines.
@dfollin (24146)
• United States
26 Jun 07
Iam christian.I know,just our religions are different.And our schedules are a little different because we get up to go to church on Sunday and you don't.I have never seen a christian like that.
@coferbox (298)
• United States
27 Jun 07
I don't watch this show very often, only now and then. But I did watch this episode. I thought both women went a little far. You feel the Christian mother went to far and you may be right, but I think the atheist mother mother crossed a line when she took all the religious items out of the house. It really upset one of the daughters. Just as the Christian mother didn't have a right to force her beliefs on the other family the atheist mother didn't have a right to try to take beliefs away. Both mothers had a right to express their opinions - that is what the show is about. But I thought both mothers in this case went a little overboard. I don't know where in the bible the Christian couple thinks it states men are not to cook and clean. There are several examples in the bible of men who cooked. By not teaching their son to do simple household choices they are creating a helpless person who wouldn't be able to take care of himself if he had to.
• United States
26 Jun 07
I too hate fanatics. I think it's funny this woman thinks, "YOU MUST BELIEVE IN GOD" will turn anyone into a believer. These people are hilarious in my opinion. They live in their little bubble too much and don't realize that are different, and they will always be different. Unfortunately they don't realize either they were put here to "save" other people. That's not their job. I wish they'd just shut up sometimes.
@dfollin (24146)
• United States
26 Jun 07
Iam a christian and we (my church family) simply spreads the word of the bible.And that's the way it was when I was growing up thesame with that church and other churches I have gone to as an adult.We also know that You can not tell someone how to feel.This family was none like I have never seen.
• United States
27 Jun 07
It sounds faked and drummed up to me for the purpose of entertainment. I have known families similar to the Christian family described, and their deep faith alone would NEVER allow them to be a part of something that would put them before others (in the spotlight of television), and to even think of "swapping partners" (even if they knew it was not in ALL ways) would be sinful. Those families that I know who live this way would never even watch a show like that to know it even existed, let alone apply to participate in it. Must have been an interesting show. I am not Christian but I don't watch those reality shows. I think most of the time they serve no purpose other than turning our brains to hamburger.
@cmw4562 (239)
• United States
26 Jun 07
my feeling is that people have the freedom to believe whatever religion they so choose. So long as they do not infringe on my personal space. I do believe that everyone should pick and choose to worship as they feel is right for them. When someone is standing outside the mall or supermarket shoving flyers about some religion in your face, I flatly decline them. I never have allowed for anyone to try to determine how I should practice religion. And by the by, it never hurts for kids to learn how to clean and do laundry, because when they leave the nest, they gotta do it for themselves!
• United States
26 Jun 07
You know half the time I think these shows are fake. I'm very Christian myself, but I have never once met anyone that would impose their beliefs on others, and prevent their children for socializing with others. I mean I'm sure there are people like that around, but I don't believe these people are true Christian as no one is supposed to go shoving their beliefs down someone else's throat. If it's real though, the Christian mother needs have herself checked out STAT. This is why religious folks have such a bad rep! Lol.
@dfollin (24146)
• United States
26 Jun 07
Iam a christian.When I was growing up in a methodist church I never saw that.We had neighbors that were morman,a little different,but not like that.As an adult I went to a Disciples of Christ church and now in my second baptist church.I know lutheran's who aren't that way either.I have NEVER seen anyone like that.
@castleghost (1304)
• United States
26 Jun 07
Shows like "Wife Swap" take things to the extreme. They look for people who are not only opposites but they make sure that these people are fanatics about their beliefs. I am even sure that part of what goes on is staged so that they have some good clips to keep people interested in the show. We watched this episode last night. I had to laugh when I heard about the "mans law". I would like to see their son when he grows up and moves out.
@coferbox (298)
• United States
27 Jun 07
I think I agree with you about part of it being staged. When the little boy stopped the Christian mom and asked 'why do I have to pray to a god I don't believe in?' it just looked forced to me and not something a kid that age would think to say. They might say they didn't want to pray but I don't think that question is something they would think to ask on their own.
@agnescav (566)
• United States
26 Jun 07
Wife Swap goes really far to find those nuts. The first season was good..maybe that was trading spouses. It was wealthy people and people with not so much money. Then when they did a whole season with different races and last year it was fanatical Christians with fanatical non-believers. I think I watched three of them. But these people apply to be on these shows so they want to make spectacles of themselves.
@magikrose (5429)
• United States
26 Jun 07
Iam very familiar with the show and I love the fact that they take families that are completely opposite eachother and in a way put them together and make them live the life of the other side. I agree it is great to learn new things but I dont agreewith forcing someone to believe in something if they dont want to. Learing about it by choice is 1 thing but being forced to learn it is another.
@shestalou (293)
• Canada
26 Jun 07
The only thing about those reality shows is they try to capture the worst of each other for ratings, thats why they do complete opposites to get arise out of each other, did you notice the athiest and christians seemed to the extreme.
• India
26 Jun 07
hi this is 21 st generation and in this generation i doesnot feel that this all still every one is going to follow... and the rules to be needed before that we have to look after the stomach... if every thing is available to the person .. thereby it is not necessary to work any where... but according to the generation changes.. we must changes the habituation and the rules to be followed.. and remember well.. god did not keep the rules for human being.. to be proud the human people have kept all this rules... and do not live for rules.. and live for the right...
• United States
26 Jun 07
I am glad I was not raised in either family. Yes, there is all kinds of believers and unbeliever but these people are the extreme examples as no body would like to see a boring reality show about boring normal people. We all like to the the "train wrecks:" and "crazies" who are so abnormal that it makes good television. This is why we like to watch "demolation derby" or "professional wrestling" its fake...but its good tv..these people are all dysfunctional at best..but everyone likes to see a circus..the clowns..etc etc