Discussion w/ a Theist RE: Premarital Sex

[bennyboy]

Education has the biggest part to play, including educating about morality and consequences. Give the kids all the facts.
But I don't see a need to wrap it up in religion. Religion is all about punishment and instilling guilt.

I'm not sure religion is all about those things. Religion is like anything else-- it can have a good effect when applied by someone with good intentions, and it can have a bad effect when applied by an asshole. For example, a very moderate Christian might take the Bible as a mixture of history and figurative language, and teach his children that the mythology is less important than accepting that we are part of a community, and that forgiveness is more important than revenge.

Atheism at its institutional worst really is indistinguishable from religion at its institutional worst. Russian and Chinese people know all about that.

With regard to sexuality, I think one could draw useful moral messages if one chose to do so: for example, that the whole family is involved in a pregnancy, and the child should consider this fact when making romantic decisions. That being said, I think American Republican fucktards with their message of religious intolerance and their guilt trips are doing their children a real disservice.