Will you raise your children as Atheists?

[The Grand Nudger]

Busy teaching them to be human beings, frankly. If they ask me whether there's a god or whether I believe I'll just say no - does that count as "raising kids as atheists"? If so..the bar is set pretty low....what with it being nothing more than not lying to them...lol.

[c172]

I have low tolerance for kids. However, if I wanted kids, I would do my best not to ridicule Christians, since it was over that point mostly that I decided to leave the Unitarian Universalists. I would also make sure academics were first, at all times (and would hope that school would also be a good social focal point with clubs and sports). I would be more of a hard ass on sciences than other courses, but none of it is a waste, imho.

I went to all private schools in high school. 4 high schools in 3 states. The two bigger ones had athletics and other social things, the other two did not. I would probably do more research into public schools, although I greatly respect my mother's concern that I get smaller classes. It's just that I don't think publics are absolute [redacted] for having those opportunities.

[Simon Moon]

I would raise them to be critical thinkers, not as atheists. Let them make up their own minds.

Maybe some comparative religions, when they are old enough to understand.

Teach them about all religions and you inoculate them. Teach them one religion and you indoctrinate them.

[Chad32]

I wouldn't take them to church, and when someone starts talking about Jesus I'd tell my kid what I thought about it. I can imagine myself have two kids, who heard about Jesus taking everyone else's sin.

"So you're ok with an innocent person being brutally murdered for other people's bad deeds?"

"Sure!"

"Ok from now on when you do something bad, I'll punish him, and when he does something bad, I'll punish you. Sound fair?"

"...."

Of course my house might get destroyed in the process of one child wanting to see the other get in trouble, but that's a risk I'm willing to take.

One thing about my childhood is that I was never pressured with the hellfire and brimstone that other people were. So you bet your bottom dollar if someone tries to preach that to my kid, I'm going to have a talk with them.

I wouldn't stress atheism, but chances are good they will become atheists if they don't live in a religious household. My sister is still religious, but our parents neer stood in the way of our grandmother taking us to church, so it was always a 50/50 thing.

[Exian]

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I always tell myself I won't say to my daughter "Christianity is wrong!", but we stumbled upon an instance where I had to do just that. We were gaving a discussion about evolution and the way it propagates, and she must have recognized that this is in contention with the Adam and Eve story (she learned from her grandparents). After a long pause, she asked me if Adam and Eve were real, and I straight up told her they were not, and explained how it was impossible.

I kind of laughed and thought to myself, "Well, so much for not telling her Christianity is wrong."

The hard part was wording it in such a way as to save face for the people she respects who believe that sort of thing.

---

That would be the problem with questions huh? We ended up there pretty fast. The other early kid question was, "who made god?"

For all the worrying I do about when to teach her what, she usually lets me know when she's ready with her precise questions. I've noticed with her that, more than half the time, my being a good parent depends on my awareness of my need to be her parent. That need can sometimes get in the way, much like ego, I guess.

I think kids come ready-made with questions and skeptical minds. In my experience, it has been less about teaching them to think critically, and more about allowing them to do what comes naturally; which is wonder about damn near everything. They're in more danger of being taught not to ask through "keeping them in their place", than needing to be taught to ask.

Of course, each kid is different. I'm only speaking of my own experience with my daughter and my niece and nephews.

[Jenny A]

That would be the problem with questions huh? We ended up there pretty fast. The other early kid question was, "who made god?"

For all the worrying I do about when to teach her what, she usually lets me know when she's ready with her precise questions. I've noticed with her that, more than half the time, my being a good parent depends on my awareness of my need to be her parent. That need can sometimes get in the way, much like ego, I guess.

I think kids come ready-made with questions and skeptical minds. In my experience, it has been less about teaching them to think critically, and more about allowing them to do what comes naturally; which is wonder about damn near everything. They're in more danger of being taught not to ask through "keeping them in their place", than needing to be taught to ask.

Of course, each kid is different. I'm only speaking of my own experience with my daughter and my niece and nephews.

They do come with questions, just not always the same questions.

[Alex K]

I'll raise them with an emphasis on critical thinking and curiosity, and as much science as I can get away with before they start hating me . If they then decide to become religious, I'll have something to tease them about
Raising them explicitely atheist sounds like a bad idea, it kind of goes counter all the other more important ideals.

I realize some of you may already have children, and I'd rather not edit the title with every grammar possibility.

If you are to have children, will you raise them as an Atheist? I think If I have children, I'm not going to raise them with the bullshit of Christianity, but I'm not going to force Atheism on my child, I'll teach him evolution and science, but I won't tell him that some magical man in the sky created the universe, what about you?

[Jackalope]

My son lives with his mother, who is a Christian and is raising him as such, over my objections.

In my interactions with him, I stress that it's my desire that he choose his own path, and
no matter what he chooses, I will love him for it. If he asks, I'm happy to share my views, as well as share my love of science.

I don't approve of what his mother is doing, but I would never attempt to drive a wedge between him and his mother.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I raised my son to be a thinker. He's an atheist of his own accord. His mother was Catholic when he was born (she's since converted to Buddhism-lite), and I had already been an atheist for 16 years -- so we agreed that neither of us could indoctrinate him, and that we each were entitled to tell him our true and exact views if he asked.

CD, so sorry to hear how your ex- is disregarding your wishes, but I applaud you for doing the right thing and not trying to undermine or damage their relationship. That takes a hell of a lot of internal discipline and selflessness.

[robvalue]

I'm never having children (for an abundance of reasons) but if I did, I'd do what just about everyone else has already said Teach them how to think.

Unlike religion, atheism does not need implanting in a young defenceless mind. No child is going to suddenly come to the conclusion that the christian God is real, unless that is heavily suggested. They may decide that they feel there is some sort of "god". I have no problem with that idea anyhow, I find it rather pointless, but harmless. Just a sort of placeholder for a lack of knowledge. It's connecting the dots between that vague notion and specific ridiculous dogmatic teachings which is child abuse.

So yeah, they are born atheist, or certainly not theists. And I'd be confident they'd remain that way with no pressure from me.

But sorry, no kids, I hate the FUCKERS. Noisy little shits.