Nicole Althaus: Religion runs deeper than you might think. You realise this at the latest when the need for rituals suddenly arises again with your own children. In view of your husband's religious fatigue, I assume that your children are not baptised and that you will forego further church rituals. Conversely, saying grace, which is primarily an expression of gratitude, will not kill your husband. The first sentence does not necessarily have to begin with «Dear God».
Tonia von Gunten: I consider it a valuable task for parents to pass on to their children the values that seem important to them. Do what you think is right! As long as everyone in the family is allowed to express their own opinion, everything is fine: you want to pray at the table - your husband doesn't want to. So pray! What else would interest me? What do the children want?
Peter Schneider: Your husband's idea that you can avoid influencing your children with due caution is downright cute. And the new panic of unbelievers against any kind of piety is almost on a par with the old panic of believers against God. So: if saying grace is important to you, then pray with your children. Your husband, for his part, can remain sourly silent and thus play his part in neutralising the counter-influence to which he is entitled as the person entitled to influence. And in twenty years' time, you will see who has won.
This text was originally published in German and was automatically translated using artificial intelligence. Please let us know if the text is incorrect or misleading: feedback@fritzundfraenzi.ch
