Atheists: What would you say to a dying child who asks you if they'll go to heaven?

[Jehanne]

Otter Van Kitkaboodle IV
As a nurse I can't really "answer" that question. Instead, I would have to state, "that's a question for your parents".


Are you the head nurse?

Death is very sad; pretending that it is something else is even sadder.

[paulpablo]

It depends on the situation.

At the most extreme end, if the child is literally going to be dead in a minute or two, and it's clearly indoctrinated, and no one else was at hand to comfort it... sure, I'd say it's going to heaven.

Other than that, I'd have to know what the circumstances were, and how I became involved in the situation. Best guess I'd try and say as little as possible and just be comforting.

Pretty much this but I'd probably first ask if they like the idea of heaven. When I was young the idea of heaven scared me because foreverness scares me anyway.

At a very very young age though I wasnt worried about that.

I'd say if they believe in it and they like it tell them they're going there. Treat them to a McDonald's or whatever else they want. A child size dose of MDMA.

[HappySkeptic]

Assume the child is very young, somewhere in the range of 4-8, perhaps? Their parents are religious. They're worried about hell. What will your response be?

I've been involved in this exact situation, only reversed.  It was my nephew.  The parents were atheists, and I was the Christian at the time.

I don't know what they told him.  I wasn't going to ask.  I presume it was a "the pain will be over soon" sort of thing.  He had developmental issues, and I don't know if he even really understood death.

Your situation isn't the time to change anyone's beliefs.  The value of "the honest truth" is so that someone can live their life in a way that matches their understanding about the ultimate purpose of life.  If there isn't any time to live that truth, there is no point in giving it to them.  It is too late.

I have to say that that situation is the most painful that any adult can encounter.  The best response is to not be a jerk.

[DodosAreDead]

Your situation isn't the time to change anyone's beliefs.  The value of "the honest truth" is so that someone can live their life in a way that matches their understanding about the ultimate purpose of life.  If there isn't any time to live that truth, there is no point in giving it to them.  It is too late.

Exactly my thoughts. I'm a little surprised that so many people on this thread say they would probably tell them the truth but in a nice way.

[Fake Messiah]

What it seems to me is that it's not the child that needs consolation but parents. It's much harder on parents.

[unfogged]

Assume the child is very young, somewhere in the range of 4-8, perhaps? Their parents are religious. They're worried about hell. What will your response be?

I would probably tell them that I believe there will be no more pain or fear and that nothing they've done makes them deserve to be punished in any way. If they are really scared and need a comforting delusion to ease their mind then I'll have no problem lying to them about things being beautiful and peaceful after they die and that they'll be seeing their friends and parents again. Telling a scared, dying child that they will simply cease to be would help nobody and only make their last hours worse and that would be cruel and unnecessary. I also would not be blunt with the family since they'd already be suffering with grief and I' not interested in making that worse; I'd be less willing to lie but wouldn't be confrontational either.

The same would actually be true for anybody that is nearing death and is scared. The best thing I can do for that person is to try to help them stay calm so they can die peacefully. I want to end the nonsense that is religion but truing to take it away from a dying person doesn't help that goal.

[Dmitry1983]

If you are an atheist then just don't have kids. Problem solved

[unfogged]

If you are an atheist then just don't have kids. Problem solved

The problem isn't with atheist's kids, the problem is with kids who have been indoctrinated to believe they deserve eternal torment just by being human and who are terrified that they haven't met the standards that will keep them out of hell. The problem is with parents that pray over their kids and just reinforce this disgusting dogma.

[Mister Agenda]

If you are an atheist then just don't have kids. Problem solved

If you don't want your kids to ever be in a situation where an atheist is the last person that comforts them, then just don't have kids. Problem solved.

[Dmitry1983]

If you are an atheist then just don't have kids. Problem solved

The problem isn't with atheist's kids, the problem is with kids who have been indoctrinated to believe they deserve eternal torment just by being human and who are terrified that they haven't met the standards that will keep them out of hell.  The problem is with parents that pray over their kids and just reinforce this disgusting dogma.

Most children of atheists become theists.