Religeous Interference

I read in facebook about a parent who’s child was “baptized” in a river by  religious grandparents without permission. This is gross interference and should not be tolerated. Obviously there were many comments of people who were outraged and rightly so. Some of the more outrageous comments were obviously sarcastic and not to be taken seriously but expressed the understandable severe reaction of people. The parent asked for advice how to handle this. I want to add my opinion though I am not a psychologist. Over the years I have seen families torn apart about religious  differences. I would talk calmly to the grandparents after cooling down for a while and not break off relations, after all they are convinced that they ”saved” a soul and they cannot be convinced otherwise.  You can asked them politely not to push religion on your child but, even if they promise, they will probably try to do it again, since they have this tremendous fear of eternal hellfire and they want to save their grandchild from that.  You also don’t want your child to be deprived from contact with the grandparents. The solution, in my humble opinion, is to educate your child. Indicate that the grandparents were wrong but they meant well. Explain carefully, why some people never grow up enough to disbelief the stories they were told as a child. Make the child feel more mature, by stating that belief in Santa  Claus is another example  of  myth that we finally reject.  Explain that many people believe in different Gods or in Astrology, flying saucers,  alien abductions and many other fantasies because they fear the future and they find false comfort in believing in the non-existing supernatural. Tell the child not to argue with the grandparent but tolerate their opinion and realize that they have this belief because they fear the future and need this belief to face it, but that secure, well read and educated people don’t need it. Explain that religious education means to become familiar with other beliefs and opinions that will show that the beliefs differ so much from each other that it proves to be totally inconsistent and therefor can not be true.  Remember children at any age will understand more than we “adults” give them credit for. Education is the key here, not rejection and al1eniation of people, who have a different way of looking at life. Comments please.