My Daughter Rejects My Religion

Summary

Podcast Summary: Dr. Laura Call of the Day – Episode: "My Daughter Rejects My Religion"

Introduction

In the July 1, 2025 episode of "Dr. Laura Call of the Day", hosted by Dr. Laura Schlessinger and broadcasted exclusively on SiriusXM Triumph 111, listeners are invited to seek no-nonsense advice grounded in ethics, accountability, and personal responsibility. This episode delves into a sensitive and heartfelt topic: a mother's struggle with her adult daughter's shift in religious beliefs.

Listener's Call: Louisa's Struggle with Her Daughter's Faith

The episode opens with a call from Louisa, a long-time listener, expressing her turmoil over her 23-year-old daughter's departure from their shared Catholic faith. Louisa explains that her daughter, once a devout Catholic who participated in all sacraments, has recently embraced born-again Christianity. This shift has created tension between Louisa, her husband, and their daughter.

Timestamp [00:44]

Louisa: "I'm having my own internal struggles with my young adult daughter, 23 years old. In the last year and a half, she's turned away from the religion that she's grown up with, Catholicism having done all the sacraments and, you know, a faithful believer. And she's turned into a born again Christian. And her dad and I are kind."

Dr. Laura's Initial Guidance

Dr. Laura begins by acknowledging the positive aspects of Louisa's daughter's faith, emphasizing that she still believes in Jesus Christ and God. She advises Louisa to "leave it alone" and refrain from dictating her daughter's religious journey, as personal faith is an individual path.

Timestamp [01:20]

Dr. Laura: "The good news is that she's still believes in Jesus Christ as her savior and she still believes in God. Then leave it alone. You don't decide somebody else's religious journey."

Addressing Challenges and Communication

Louisa shares specific challenges, including her daughter's questioning of her own Catholic practices, such as the veneration of Mother Mary. Dr. Laura encourages Louisa to respond intelligently and calmly, avoiding confrontation or criticism, which could alienate her daughter further.

Timestamp [02:14]

Louisa: "Why are you worship a pagan saint which is a, you know, you will not, you know, get to the gates of heaven if you're worshiping."

Timestamp [03:22]

Dr. Laura: "You do. You just did."

Dr. Laura emphasizes the importance of not undermining each other's beliefs, suggesting that both parties recognize their differences respectfully.

Timestamp [04:14]

Dr. Laura: "I mean, if I believe that Mary is the mother of Jesus, that's as fair as you don't believe Mary is the mother of Jesus. Neither one of us has proof either way. That's why it's called Faith."

Personal Reflection and Empathy

Towards the end of the call, Dr. Laura shares a personal anecdote about her own parents' interfaith marriage, highlighting the challenges and prejudices they faced. This story serves to build empathy and understanding, illustrating that religious differences within a family are not uncommon and can be navigated with respect and communication.

Timestamp [07:10]

Dr. Laura: "My father was a nice Jewish boy from Brooklyn. He was in the army, freeing Italy from Nazis and etc. Gets me angry every time. And my mother is a nice Italian Catholic girl. They got married. The war started when they came back to America because he married her. She was a war bride... I got baptized Catholic."

Final Advice: Maintaining Connection Over Conflict

Dr. Laura concludes by reassuring Louisa that her daughter's shift in faith is not an attack but a search for personal connection in a complex world. She advises against fighting over beliefs, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a loving and open relationship to prevent further estrangement.

Timestamp [08:27]

Dr. Laura: "So don't think of her reaction as, you know, an attack on you... But if you fight with her on it, she's going to pull farther away. Don't do that."

Conclusion

This episode of "Dr. Laura Call of the Day" provides compassionate and practical advice for parents grappling with their children's evolving religious beliefs. Dr. Laura underscores the significance of respect, open communication, and maintaining familial bonds over ideological differences.

Notable Quotes:

• "You don't decide somebody else's religious journey." – Dr. Laura [01:30]
• "Neither one of us has proof either way. That's why it's called Faith." – Dr. Laura [04:15]
• "So don't think of her reaction as, you know, an attack on you... But if you fight with her on it, she's going to pull farther away." – Dr. Laura [08:27]

Further Engagement

Listeners are encouraged to connect with Dr. Laura through her social media platforms for more insights and stories. You can find her on Facebook and Instagram.

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Note: Advertisements and promotional segments were omitted from this summary to focus on the core content and discussions of the episode.

Transcript

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[Dr. Laura]

Thanks for listening to my Call of the Day podcast. You can hear my live radio program Monday through Friday from 2 to 5pm Eastern Time on Sirius XM Triumph 111. Louisa, welcome to the program.

[Louisa]

Hi Dr. Laura. It's a pleasure speaking to you, longtime listener. I just wanted to ask you. I'm having my own internal struggles with my young adult daughter, 23 years old. In the last year and a half, she's turned away from the religion that she's grown up with, Catholicism having done all the sacraments and, you know, a faithful believer. And she's turned into a born again Christian. And her dad and I are kind.

[Dr. Laura]

Of asking ourselves, well, the good news, the good news is that she's still believes in Jesus Christ as her savior and she still believes in God.

[Louisa]

And that's, and I say that every day and I'm very grateful that.

[Dr. Laura]

Then leave it alone. Then leave it alone. Then leave it alone. You don't decide somebody else's religious journey.

[Louisa]

But then she's questioning mine.

[Dr. Laura]

And then be prepared to give answers. Then be prepared to give intelligent answers.

[Louisa]

Okay? And if she shuns away all friends that don't follow that rule.

[Dr. Laura]

Okay, Come on, come. Louisa, cut it out, cut it out. Give me an example of a question she's asked you about your beliefs. Give me an example.

[Louisa]

Why are you, why do you worship a pagan saint which is a, you know, you will not, you know, get to the gates of heaven if you're worshiping.

[Dr. Laura]

Okay, who's the pagan saint?

[Louisa]

Mother Mary.

[Dr. Laura]

Pagan?

[Louisa]

Oh, she, she believes all saints. Like with the new, you know, born again Christian, they, they don't believe in any of the saints. And I said, well, Sophia, like, I'm sorry, my daughter, I, I, you know, that's, that's Jesus's mother. Like, you know, we are, you know.

[Dr. Laura]

Okay, the answer to your question is because I don't think it's a pagan saint. I believe it is Jesus's mother. I have a different belief than you have. Okay, just answer it intelligently.

[Louisa]

Yes.

[Dr. Laura]

Okay, so give me another question. That she challenges you about.

[Louisa]

Well, we. We have to be well. And I agree with her. Like reading the Bible every day. But she reads it a lot and she recites.

[Dr. Laura]

That's not your business, ma' am. Cut it out.

[Louisa]

But she does it, too.

[Dr. Laura]

Yeah, cut it out. Stop that criticism. If she wishes to read the Bible every day. Fabulous.

[Louisa]

Yeah.

[Dr. Laura]

Why would you sniff your nose at that?

[Louisa]

I don't.

[Dr. Laura]

You do. You just did. You just did.

[Louisa]

If that's the only thing she does, I. I'm a little bit concerned sometimes, that's all.

[Dr. Laura]

Okay. Louisa, is she on drugs?

[Louisa]

No.

[Dr. Laura]

Is she hustling on a street in your city?

[Louisa]

No.

[Dr. Laura]

She's struggling right now. The best thing you can do is not fight her, but answer the questions.

[Louisa]

Okay.

[Dr. Laura]

In fact, call her when we're done and say, you know, I was thinking, I really like that you ask me questions because it challenges me.

[Louisa]

Yes. Yeah.

[Dr. Laura]

I mean, if I believe that Mary is the mother of Jesus, that's as fair as. You don't believe Mary is the mother of Jesus. Neither one of us has proof either way. That's why it's called Face.

[Louisa]

Yes.

[Dr. Laura]

So don't put me down for believing in Mary, and I won't put you down for not. It's a belief. It's your faith. That's how I want you to talk to her. Not challenge her. Not critique it. Not get so negative. That loses her. You'll lose her that way.

[Louisa]

Okay. Yeah. I appreciate that. That. Look at that. Don't want to do that.

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[Louisa]

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[Louisa]

All right.

[Dr. Laura]

And now I'll make you crazy. You want to want me to make you crazy? My father was a nice Jewish boy from Brooklyn. He was in the army. Freeing Italy from Nazis and etc. Gets me angry every time. And my mother is a nice Italian Catholic girl. They got married. The war started when they came back to America because he married her. She was a war bride. And my father's family was livid that he didn't marry a nice Jewish girl. Interestingly enough, her father, who was Catholic, had no problem with it. He said, he's a nice man as long as he's good to you. But the wars happened here, and my mother got so pissed off at constantly being harassed by my father's family that I got baptized Catholic.

[Louisa]

Okay.

[Dr. Laura]

So, you know, these things go on. The main thing is you don't want to lose your daughter.

[Louisa]

Yeah. And that belief in that faith that she has now has.

[Dr. Laura]

Has no, she's confused and wants to feel connected to something. Kids these days, young adults don't much feel connected to anything that makes sense because of all the strife socially, politically, economically. I mean, it's not like it was when I was born in 1947, in the 50s. It was quieter time. And you could believe in certain things, like if you went to college, you'd actually get a job or you'd get an education. So everything has changed. So don't think of her reaction as, you know, an attack on you. She's struggling to find something for herself. Who knows where that will end up. But if you fight with her on it, she's going to pull farther away. Don't do that. Okay. Appreciate that you called my number. 1-800-37528-72 check out my social media on Facebook and Instagram. I post stories, photos and videos seven days a week and feature some of what you've sent me, too. There's always something interesting going on there. You can find me at facebook.com drlaura and instagram.com drlauraprogram.

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