Melissa Joan Hart told her 6-year-old son that only people who believe in Jesus are 'good' and p

• Melissa Joan Hart recently discussed her Christianity on the podcast "Journeys of Faith with Paula Faris."
• The former "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" star said she warned her 6-year-old son about non-Christians before he switched from a Christian preschool to a traditional school.
• "We don't know if these people are good people. We don't know if they believe in Jesus," she said. "And he really took the Jesus part to heart."
• She also said she had "heated" conversations with a Jewish boy's mother after he became friends with her son.
• Some people are calling her remarks anti-Semitic or otherwise generally offensive against people of non-Christian religions.

Melissa Joan Hart recently told her 6-year-old son to be wary of people who don't believe in Jesus, which has sparked backlash online.

The former "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" star discussed her Christianity on a new episode of the podcast "Journeys of Faith with Paula Faris."

'We don't know if people believe in Jesus, so we don't know their character'

Hart said she warned her son, whom she raises as a Presbyterian Christian, about people from other faiths before he switched from a Christian preschool to a traditional school.

"We don't know if these people are good people. We don't know if they believe in Jesus," she said, as reported by USA Today. "And he really took the Jesus part to heart."

After Hart's son made friends with a Jewish boy, he asked his mother, "If you're Jewish, how do you get to heaven?"

Our Christmas Eve family picture! ☃️☃️☃️☃️ Forgot to post it since the power went out about 20 mins later and we spent the night in the dark trying to prep for Christmas morning! It was a memorable Christmas to say the least! Hope you are having a wonderful #BoxingDay and still enjoying your gifts!!

A post shared by Melissa Joan Hart (@melissajoanhart) on Dec 26, 2018 at 8:16am PSTDec 26, 2018 at 8:16am PST

Hart said she had some "heated" discussions with the Jewish boy's mother after their children reached sixth grade: "Some problems came out of that," she said, but did not elaborate. 

Hart said that she reflected upon the warning she gave her son, but did not say whether she regretted it or not.

"When the mom called me with a problem in sixth grade I was like well, 'Do I regret telling my son that we don't know if people believe in Jesus, so we don't know their character?'" she told Faris. "'Is that a wrong thing to say? Did I set my son on the wrong path or was that the right thing to say and I should defend that?''

Critics are calling the story anti-Semetic and offensive 

Many critics online blasted Hart for being anti-Semetic because "her specific example was involving a Jewish child."

Others criticized Hart more generally for suggesting that anyone who's not a Christian cannot be a good person.

Psychologists recommend for parents to approach religion 'with a curious and respectful attitude'

Hart, who has previously said it's "scary" to be a Christian in Hollywood, also told Faris she stressed the importance of "respecting each other's beliefs and listening to each other" after she spoke with her son's friend's mother.

How to speak with children about religion is not an uncommon parenting decision. Psychologist Wendy Mogel told Parents that it's important to approach discussions about religion with children from a place of understanding, respect, and tolerance.

"With different theologies leading to different practices and celebrations, it's an education for kids, as long as parents can approach it with a curious and respectful attitude instead of saying, 'Our way is right and their way is wrong,'" Mogel, who has a background in Judaism, told Parents.

"You also need to say to your child that all religions have things about them that are great, and we celebrate that because it's part of who we are and who other people are," psychologist Susan Bartell also told Parents.

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