Atheist Children

[Craveman]

I've had a thought that's been bugging me for a while... Richard Dawkins is very much against parents raising their children in a strict religious manner. Brainwashing them from an early age to become say a Christian, Jewish, Muslim, etc. child. I absolutely agree with him on this as a child should make up their own mind once they are older and decide for themselves.

I think I can safely say that most atheists will feel the same on this matter (excuse me if I'm wrong...). So atheist parents will say that the best thing to do is to raise the child with no religious influence from the parent and then have them make up their own minds when they are older.

So here is the thing...I'm not sure if I agree with that. The key formative years of a child's life are up to the age of seven. It is natural for a child to try and please their parents so they are obviously going to take their parents' view. Isn't an atheist parent also "brainwashing" their child by exposing them to their points of view from a young age and turning them into young sceptics?

What do you think?

[Bramblepath]

It's very hard to not indoctrinate children, even if you specifically try not to. I doubt any parents would stop going to church in order that their child make up their own mind about faith. Dawkins does feel very strongly on the matter, and rightly so, because the vast, vast majority of children with theistic "go-to-church" parents are likely to spawn children of a similar nature.

In the same way, atheistic parents should definitely avoid brainwashing their child, although it is arguably easier seeing as they do not need to actively stop doing something that might affect the child (unless they take part in atheist gatherings, and the like). However it is unequivocal that they would be influenced even by the subtlest statement against God's existence.

The best way that a child can be raised is so that they naturally evaluate all information before making up their mind, rather than being drawn to a preformulated conclusion which they decide upon because of their parents.

[Dotard]

I would dare say atheist parents are not 'brainwashing' with their point of view, I would say they are merely presenting their child(ren) with facts.

[binny]

As a mother who has one grown child and one who is pretty much grown I raised them both without religion. I felt they should be free to make up their mind when they were old enough to do so. When they were little, even though we didn't talk about god or jesus or any of that crap they still believed in god. The outside world is a powerful place. Their friends believed in god and some of them went to church. They never really asked us about it and we kept our mouths shut. They both grew out of that belief, like their belief in Santa, but it took them longer to let go of Santa. He gave them stuff. God didn't do anything. I'm sure I have influenced them to some degree, but at least they both don't have delusions about the world in their heads. So atheist influencing their kids is not such a bad thing. They didn't grow up fearing they would go to hell if they touched their penis.

[tackattack]

Not all religions teach that binny and you know that. Any religious/non-religious education or indoctrination should cover the gamit and free from pressure and fear as much as possible. My son wants to be baptized at 7 and I emphatically told him no. Same with the children I teach 8-12. You should understand the why and what of more than one side before you do any of those things. I quiz my kids on the Torah, Quran and apocrapha. I try and teach as much open-mindedness through vried opinion as possible. But I still voted yes because we are nature and nurture and at that young age it's hardto help our enviornment.

[Minimalist]

"Influence" is a tough word because influence can be tacit. Xtians will do everything possible to brainwash their kids into buying the bullshit.

We have no 'holy' books, no gods to pretend to worship, no churches to gather in to feel superior to other deluded fools who do not believe in our exact vision of their invisible sky-daddy.

I raised both of my kids sans religion and both have turned out to be atheists. While we did not actively encourage them they cannot help having been influenced by our (my wife is with me on this) lack of religious observance. Kids catch on real quick when they want to.

[lukec]

I was lucky enough to have parents who I would have to call agnostic, who raised me with more or less no word on the subject- except when I came home teary from a bible camp (because that's pretty much the only kind of summer camp around here) afraid that I was going to hell. My mom simply said, "You don't have to believe in that, sweety." So that was cool.

As to the actual question of the thread, I think that definitely the parents' belief or lack thereof is going to influence their kids. However, I can't see a true believer just letting their child find their own way. It would be natural to want to "save" your child from hell or, at least ensure that they get to spend their eternity with Godorino.

[tackattack]

true believer... do you mean fundamentalist? Of course we want what's best for our kids. Some religious "true believers" believe in the here and now though and what comes after is just that an after thought. I wouldn't be crushed or bothered in the slightest if my children chose atheism or any other denomination, it's their right. I don't try and save those who don't ask to be saved.

[Amphora]

I believe that if you expose your child to various different religions, and then letting them decide what they want is a good idea.

But yes I do believe that if the parents are atheist the kids will be atheist as well.

[Shell B]

That question is impossible to answer. I tried, but there is no evidence to support any answer I may give.