RE: Being an Atheist parent in a Christian land
September 5, 2011 at 7:23 pm
(This post was last modified: September 5, 2011 at 7:25 pm by Erinome.)
(September 5, 2011 at 5:10 pm)salty Wrote: Children trust their parents to give them an accurate view of things religious and moral. You say you explain things in a way that your children can understand and help them choose for themselves, then you show them a verse in the bible about dashing the heads of children on stones. If you were truly being fair, perhaps you would share the verses that you exposed your children to with their father and he would counter with something like this: "Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perserveres." 1Corinthians 6-7.
What is the reason for encouraging a 4 year old to demand proof? Does your 4 year old have the ability to define proof? Won't the child come and ask you what proof means and see if the answer that was given to them, would satisfy you? Adults know that children are easily impressionable, they copy our speech without knowing what it means before they can choose between right and wrong. Wouldn't it be fair to ask that your children not be taken to church until they are old enough to decide if they wanted to attend church? My mother never planted any religion in my mind as the best, as I discovered the religions she allowed me to ask questions, then she gave me her reasons for her belief. I admired my mother therefore I wanted to become more like her. Will your children admire you when they learn from someone else they love and respect that you scared them away from the bible, for the sake of your own beliefs and not because you actually wanted them to choose?
What is fair for the children? What is the best way to make sure they are not forced to believe if they don't want to? And shouldn't you let them believe if they do want to?
Yes, my daughter knows what it means to prove something. I conducted a crude, but simple lesson for them about evidence earlier this year. I told them to turn around, and when they were turned, I place an old treasure troll doll on the table and took a picture with my phone, then quickly hid the doll out of sight. When they turned around, I told them that there had just been a pink haired troll on the table, and being taught to be skeptical, they didn't believe me. So I showed them the picture and then had a discussion about evidence.
Children are not incapable of being taught such concepts, but it requires teaching them. The reason for encouraging them to demand proof is so they're not just willing to accept whatever load of crap they're given by anyone.
I didn't scare them away from the bible, the bible itself repels them. Until I was 19, I never knew there were such atrocities in the bible, and I will never forget how sick I felt after reading Deuteronomy. I was pissed that I had been raised to believe that the bible was a guide for life, when in fact, it is a book of blood in the name of god. How could my mother lie to me?
Why does teaching of morals, love, and respect have to come from that book? I am a moral person, as are many atheists, and we are moral because we want to be moral. I would never lead in the massacre of towns full of women and children, but Moses did- in the name of God. I think it's safe to say we're all better people without morals like that.
I do not insist that they are to believe one way or another. By instilling in them skepticism, and nurturing their critical thinking skills, they will one day be able to find their own path, based upon questioning and a gathering of facts. Do I think they will be atheists? Probably. Is that bad? Hell no.
They're very kind, very loving children, just not eaters of bull.
The last thing Christian parents want is for their children to be critical thinkers.
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