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Atheist Parenting Guide
October 4, 2014 at 7:09 pm
(This post was last modified: October 4, 2014 at 7:11 pm by freedeepthink.)
I am an atheist parent of two girls: a seven year old and an infant. My first daughter was baptized at the Catholic Church before I was an informed atheist, but I am no longer willing to have my daughters participate in any religious activities, i.e. contributing to the brainwashing of children. A couple of my oldest daughters friends go to a Christian School and innocently mentioned God a couple of times.
I haven't discussed religion with her yet, other than to tell her that all different poeple believe all sorts of interesting things. However, I am beginning to consider ways to address the subject with her so she is prepared to cope with belief/faith questions from others.
My wife is an atheist too, but less informed than myself on the subject. Her family is catholic and my family is Lutheran. We haven't come out as an atheists to either family or most friends for that matter. That is another topic...or is it? We live in a Southern California beach community that is pretty open minded so I don't expect to be ostracized from the community if we did come out as atheists.
Are you an atheist parent or were/are you a child of atheist parents that has deal with these issue and what were the outcomes? Any suggestions?
Thanks!
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RE: Atheist Parenting Guide
October 4, 2014 at 8:34 pm
I would reccomend teaching them how to think rather than what to think. Teach them critical thinking skills, how to analyse sources of evidence, how to think about things.
'The more I learn about people the more I like my dog'- Mark Twain
'You can have all the faith you want in spirits, and the afterlife, and heaven and hell, but when it comes to this world, don't be an idiot. Cause you can tell me you put your faith in God to put you through the day, but when it comes time to cross the road, I know you look both ways.' - Dr House
“Young earth creationism is essentially the position that all of modern science, 90% of living scientists and 98% of living biologists, all major university biology departments, every major science journal, the American Academy of Sciences, and every major science organization in the world, are all wrong regarding the origins and development of life….but one particular tribe of uneducated, bronze aged, goat herders got it exactly right.” - Chuck Easttom
"If my good friend Doctor Gasparri speaks badly of my mother, he can expect to get punched.....You cannot provoke. You cannot insult the faith of others. You cannot make fun of the faith of others. There is a limit." - Pope Francis on freedom of speech
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RE: Atheist Parenting Guide
October 4, 2014 at 8:39 pm
Don't take your respective 'roles' too seriously. "Parent" and "Child" are one - your answers are in your awareness of this 
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RE: Atheist Parenting Guide
October 4, 2014 at 8:43 pm
I have these same concerns. So far, I have just been leaving religion out of it. When she was born, and until about age 5, I considered myself a Christian, at that time I thought I would teach her about all the different options and let her decide. Now, that makes me cringe. Teaching her useful methods for thinking has been obvious, but I would be interested in suggestions for how to handle the tough questions with her (my kid).
I can't remember where this verse is from, I think it got removed from canon:
"I don't hang around with mostly men because I'm gay. It's because men are better than women. Better trained, better equipped...better. Just better! I'm not gay."
For context, this is the previous verse:
"Hi Jesus" -robvalue
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RE: Atheist Parenting Guide
October 4, 2014 at 8:56 pm
When my daughter is old enough, I plan to talk what religions all over the world believe in. This way she will not have the impression that everyone believes in a specific doctrine.
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RE: Atheist Parenting Guide
October 4, 2014 at 9:52 pm
(This post was last modified: October 4, 2014 at 9:52 pm by Jenny A.)
I have two daughters 15, and 17. Both my folks and and my husband's are quite religious. His sister and family are rapture ready.
We have received many Christian storybooks and a few religious based toys over the years which we've let the kids have. When the girls were very young we treated the storybooks a little like fairytales, which is what they are. We let their grandparents take them to church when they visited and they've been to church groups with friends.
When the kids told us about what others at school believed we talked about how we were raised and what we believed. We discussed what grandparents believed too.
The girls are both atheist. Information without indoctrination worked just fine.
If there is a god, I want to believe that there is a god. If there is not a god, I want to believe that there is no god.
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RE: Atheist Parenting Guide
October 4, 2014 at 10:00 pm
Thanks Jenny. That eases my mind a bit.
I can't remember where this verse is from, I think it got removed from canon:
"I don't hang around with mostly men because I'm gay. It's because men are better than women. Better trained, better equipped...better. Just better! I'm not gay."
For context, this is the previous verse:
"Hi Jesus" -robvalue
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RE: Atheist Parenting Guide
October 4, 2014 at 10:16 pm
(October 4, 2014 at 10:00 pm)Exian Wrote: Thanks Jenny. That eases my mind a bit.
You'll do just fine.
If there is a god, I want to believe that there is a god. If there is not a god, I want to believe that there is no god.
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RE: Atheist Parenting Guide
October 5, 2014 at 12:36 am
(October 4, 2014 at 8:34 pm)Bad Wolf Wrote: I would reccomend teaching them how to think rather than what to think. Teach them critical thinking skills, how to analyse sources of evidence, how to think about things.
^This!^
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RE: Atheist Parenting Guide
October 5, 2014 at 9:50 am
I think you should let them find out their faiths/beliefs in their own time, don't pressurise or stop them from doing things, (apart from illegal activities)
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