Much needed advice. I need more atheist friends.

[Sejanus]

However, when it comes to explaining to the child that, like every other human being, he was born sentenced to death, that's the tricky part. "mother, why do people die, and, will I die too?".

All of a sudden, science no longer cuts it. It just doesn't. WHY? Because the child will ask you, if his days are counted, why go to school? Why struggle? Towards what end? And it's a legitimate question. You are asking the child to sacrifice 20% of his life going to school, rather than playing in the yard and enjoying his minuscule life span just like any other creature on Earth.

The mother then says, if you don't go to school, you will be a nobody. Child replies, Al Pacino and John Travolta never finished high-school and they are more important people then you mom with a P.HD in God knows what. Then the mother tells the child, you have to go to school because everyone else goes there, child replies, am I a lamb?

How do you know the way that conversation will play out?
Why do you think the only way to answer the question of the meaning of one's life leads to suicidal tendencies?
Since when does atheism = nihilism?
Is your head completely engulfed by your colon or just partially?

Why not just tell the child the meaning in his life is determined by him and only him.

[Ksa]

How do you know the way that conversation will play out?

You're asking too many difficult questions, I only have time to answer a few for now:

Are you familiar with the Schrodinger's cat concept? Until you open the box, you cannot know the outcome, correct? So, while the box is closed, the cat is? Alive AND dead at the same time. 2 options, both occur at the same time while the box is closed. Denying one at the cost of the other is wrong, both options are AS real.

Same here. The conversation can turn out in an infinity of ways, including my way, and until you have the conversation, all ways occur at the same time, must I stress, including my way so technically, I am not wrong for making that assumption outside the conversation. It is a possibility that occurs as we speak. Speaking it does not make it more probable, it only stresses its reality.

Why do you think the only way to answer the question of the meaning of one's life leads to suicidal tendencies?

Because the child does not have the mental capacity to understand the truth and the child will mistaken the truth for something darker in a failed attempt to put the pieces together.

Since when does atheism = nihilism?

Nowhere do I state such a thing. I was speaking through the mouth of a child who's dopamine cycle was not altered by endless schooling and work hours. Humans are genetically programmed to adapt to misery. If the brain of a 6 y.o. child experienced your adult reality it would feel like a naloxone injection due to the lack of adaptation of the brain to aggressive outside stimuli.

I was only stressing the fact that children should be left out of adult business because they do not have the mental strength to deal with it properly.

[dangSHAYNAdang]

By

Atheists have a difficult mission, because when you remove religion, a big gap is left. An existential gap. Children don't have the necessary wisdom to fill the gap entirely, so they look towards you to fill it. It is a great responsibility that cannot be dodged. You chose the hard way, so you have to be ready.

I would make it sound like an exciting challenge, saying: "Honey, every human being wants to become immortal through scientific advances. Make no mistake, every human so far ended up dead, giving their lives towards progress and scientific advances, but where they have failed, you will succeed."

It is the truth, and justifies everything, going to school, struggling etc.

Better then some bullshit Adam and Eve story lol. Read the rest of my previous post and you will understand what I mean. Parents like you are not you, they are parents in your SITUATION. You mistook SITUATION for BELIEFS. You thought I meant parents who believe like you.

I did read your entire post. The first time I replied actually. I can honestly say that you must not have children, or have not seriously thought about this subject enough. That's why your first post pissed me off a tad bit.
I would never speak to my son that way, nor would he ask those sorts of questions. He would most likely never look at life the way you described.
I do not and will not raise my son with that type of negativity.
You talk as if atheism is a depressive fill for the lack of religion that would be there. And I don't see any positive pointers in your jibber jabber.
Like really, I don't see where your absolute point is.

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http://www.atheistrepublic.com/blog/make...st-parents

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There are also informative books for me to read to my child

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There will be no hole if there was never something there to make a hole.

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Logic reason and science will occupy that space..

[Ksa]

Ok, sister, when you make allegations or ask questions about something I said, please quote the phrase you are talking about or else I can't help you. If you quote the exact phrase from my post and ask a question about it, I shall answer all your questions.

From what you said, you have a very negative perception of reality or else you wouldn't perceive someone describing reality as a negative person. Do you know that if your serotonin levels drop by a substantial amount you will crumble on the floor in an excruciating migraine pain at the nearest logical thought that goes through your head? I am not being a negative person, I am describing reality. Yes, a river of natural painkillers rinses your brain at all times to make your existence bearable. This is reality, it is not a depressive thought. I like it. Why don't you? It is how we function for Christ's sake.

Do you know that the motivation you got to write your last post is removing your typing accuracy, and if the motivation would have been very big, your fingers would have started to shake? The more pleasure you take in doing something, the less accurate and efficient you are at it. Do you know how dopamine is reuptaken and how it flows in your brain or do you believe God made man in his image?

Being afraid of exploring the unknown is not being mentally sane, nor does it mean thinking positive, and doing the opposite is not being depressive, it's being enlightened. Religion was made, among other political motivations, because the majority of the population thought that describing reality in its bare coldness was a depressive, negative thought. People needed a good story to shield them from the nature of reality that you are rejecting at this very moment.

Are you an atheist?

[dangSHAYNAdang]

Look, Ksa. You must be confused. I'm pretty sure I can, and every other atheist in this thread can agree with you on why religion was made and the human brain works.
How am I rejecting reality exactly?
So look, brother, I don't know what argument you are trying to make here, but I am atheist. I was simply asking for opinions on being an atheist parent and dealing with public schools surrounded by religion.

[Ksa]

Look, Ksa. You must be confused. I'm pretty sure I can, and every other atheist in this thread can agree with you on why religion was made and the human brain works.
How am I rejecting reality exactly?
So look, brother, I don't know what argument you are trying to make here, but I am atheist. I was simply asking for opinions on being an atheist parent and dealing with public schools surrounded by religion.

Ok let's start over ^.^ You said here, I quote (I put in bold the important statements so it's easy for you to follow through):

I did read your entire post. The first time I replied actually. I can honestly say that you must not have children, or have not seriously thought about this subject enough. That's why your first post pissed me off a tad bit.
I would never speak to my son that way, nor would he ask those sorts of questions. He would most likely never look at life the way you described.
I do not and will not raise my son with that type of negativity.
You talk as if atheism is a depressive fill for the lack of religion that would be there. And I don't see any positive pointers in your jibber jabber.
Like really, I don't see where your absolute point is.

I am not the best analyst, there are far better people on this site at it but I was trying to describe reality. Then you go no! That's negative? What is? Do you have a calculator with you? You send your son to school at the age of 6, if he's lucky he's out when he's 22 as an university graduate. Now do 22 minus 6 and divide the answer by the average life expectancy in your country. That's the percentage I mention. 20%. It is math, math cannot be negative. It is only your perception sister.

You see, what is the problem with religion? It's a story, it's not real. Then I talk to you about what's real and you go NO that's negative and depressive, I would never address my son that way. So what you're trying to do is replace a good story with another good story. How is that progress? Might as well have faith and recite the Qur'an, since that story will beat any story you can come up with.

The point sister, as atheists is not to come up with good stories, it's to come up with truth, with reality, at the right time, when people are old enough to understand.

[dangSHAYNAdang]

Unfortunately I am on my phone laying in bed, so this is a real pain in my ass to type and get my entire point across.
No where did I say I would tell stories to my son. Santa and the Easter bunny, so far has been and will be my only story telling.
Now I never disagreed with you about school and how it consumes a good bit of our lives. But unfortunately, that's how this world works. I'm not disagreeing with what you say, yes, life and all its endless goals are depressing and all just end in decay.
The link that I previously shared has a few books that I plan on introducing to my son as he gets older. They are in no way "stories"
By the way, my son will be starting school at 4. Lol.
I really think we have read each other wrong here.

[Brakeman]

Welcome. Atheism is easy to grow, just teach your child to see the wonderful world in detail, and to try to understand science and how the world works. It is attention to detail that will insulate him from the religious hucksters, as all of their tools are diversion, smoke, and mirrors.

[Sejanus]

You're asking too many difficult questions, I only have time to answer a few for now:

But you missed the most important one.

[dangSHAYNAdang]

Welcome. Atheism is easy to grow, just teach your child to see the wonderful world in detail, and to try to understand science and how the world works. It is attention to detail that will insulate him from the religious hucksters, as all of their tools are diversion, smoke, and mirrors.

Thank you. I will do my best at this.