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RE: So my nieces are being raised christian...
November 21, 2013 at 1:36 pm
Don't bring it up. Their parents have a reasonable expectation that you're not going to try to de-convert their children when they're not around. If they ask, don't lie. When it does come up, report the conversation to their parents. It's important that they don't feel you're undermining them behind their backs, you don't want them to hear about the conversation from the kids first.
And your brother and sister should already know you're an atheist if you're contemplating explaining it to their children.
Take the high road all the way.
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RE: So my nieces are being raised christian...
November 21, 2013 at 1:39 pm
(November 21, 2013 at 1:36 pm)Mister Agenda Wrote: Don't bring it up. Their parents have a reasonable expectation that you're not going to try to de-convert their children when they're not around. If they ask, don't lie. When it does come up, report the conversation to their parents. It's important that they don't feel you're undermining them behind their backs, you don't want them to hear about the conversation from the kids first.
And your brother and sister should already know you're an atheist if you're contemplating explaining it to their children.
Take the high road all the way.
That sounds fair. They do know I'm an atheist. I've come out to all my immediate family members.
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RE: So my nieces are being raised christian...
November 21, 2013 at 1:53 pm
I hope it went well! If your siblings have concerns, they should bring them up, it's not all on you (although you should act as if it is).
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RE: So my nieces are being raised christian...
November 21, 2013 at 2:02 pm
(This post was last modified: November 21, 2013 at 2:02 pm by henryp.)
The level of christianity matters. Are they 'be nice to people, and show up to church a couple times a year, and maybe pray from time to time christian?' Or 'the bible is a literal text, God hates Fags christian?'
The first really isn't much different than most atheists. The second, a little conversion is probably in order. But if you say they aren't crazy, it's not really something to be worried about.
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RE: So my nieces are being raised christian...
November 21, 2013 at 3:16 pm
They're steady church goers. I'm not sure what they think of gays specifically. I think my sister teaches sunday school. I haven't asked what exactly they believ, besides that they don't believe in a literal lake of fire.
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RE: So my nieces are being raised christian...
November 22, 2013 at 5:27 am
(November 21, 2013 at 12:43 pm)Chad32 Wrote: I'm an atheist, but my sister and her brother are religious. They're not extremists, but I still kind of want to let my nieces know that not everyone believes the bible is the infallible word of anyone. I don't know if they're planning to completely shut them off from anyone saying otherwise, but I know that's my grandmother's way of dealing with naysayers. I have been told it's not my place to teach them life lessons, though this was in context to the way they try to play games.
I certainly don't plan to keep it a secret that I'm atheist, but they're not my kids and I figure as long as they're not volatile to othr people then it may be fine. Extremism is the real problem here.
What would you guys do in this situation?
Actually, I'm in the same situation as you. My sister and my brother-in-law are somewhat religious, especially because of his mother, who is an ardent Christian. My nephews (age 5, 4, 4) all believe at the moment (because of their grandmother), that Christianity is the way to go. I have decided not to interfere, and since they haven't asked me on my stance. I have let the matter pass until they start asking me what I think. Instead I present them with fascinating tidbits about the world (we watch BBC's 'Life', search YouTube for how Daphnia looks under the microscope etc.) and make sure that I answer all the questions I can. Though I'm biased, I can say that they are smart guys and I hope that their thirst for knowledge and inquisitive nature will help them make their own decisions and come to their own conclusions. I want to give them tools, not ideology.
When I was young, there was a god with infinite power protecting me. Is there anyone else who felt that way? And was sure about it? but the first time I fell in love, I was thrown down - or maybe I broke free - and I bade farewell to God and became human. Now I don't have God's protection, and I walk on the ground without wings, but I don't regret this hardship. I want to live as a person. -Arina Tanemura
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RE: So my nieces are being raised christian...
November 22, 2013 at 5:42 am
My nieces were raised by my psychotic elder sister, their spouse-abusing father, and a set of 'naturalistic' native grandparents...
One of them ended up damn like me. Can't wait to meet her girlfriend (looking to the future, yo)! 
One of them ended up supremely aggressive and violent and angry, like my younger sister.
That just leaves her third child then, who likes to help puppies 'breathe' by holding them under the water. So... she's gonna be like my elder sister, assuming pattern follows, yeah?
Please give me a home where cloud buffalo roam
Where the dear and the strangers can play
Where sometimes is heard a discouraging word
But the skies are not stormy all day
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