Child Indoctrination how to break

[BlackSwordsman]

So here is the back-story. I use to be a christian. Moving forward. I met this girl in college years back, she had 3-children. Hispanic family, catholic.

She wasn't very religious but her mother was.

by the time we got engaged we both lost our religion and converted to Buddhism (we do not believe in a god we follow the third school of philosophy)

But that being said the children have been heavily indoctrinated by her mother and other outside sources to the EXTREME.

my now-daughter brings up "god" all the time, saying stuff like "god healed my owy" etc.

When I told her god does not exist the look on her face would be the same if I had told her I was a martian.


How to break indoctrination?

We do not care if the children follow buddhism we would simply like them to use logic rather than fairy tales from a made up book.

[My imaginary friend is GOD]

How old are these kids? If your daughter is saying "owie," she may not be old enough to understand what you're trying to say to her. You might have to wait until she's capable of more advanced thought. You shouldn't be telling her things that contradict what other authority figures tell her that will only confuse her. You should say, "Mommy and Daddy don't believe God exists, but some people do." Let her make her own fucking decision when she's old enough to do so.

[RobbyPants]

Yeah, when she gets older, you can ask her why she believes in God. You don't have to make any negative statements on the matter. If you get her questioning her own system while simultaneously not enforcing it, you're giving her the ability to evaluate her own position and make her own decisions.

For the time being, just don't enforce the belief system and lead by good example.

[Cato]

Teach your kids how things in the world work. Teach them how to question and discover for themselves. It's never too early to teach children how to reason. Depending on their age, don't be surprised when they sometimes arrive at bizarre conclusions. At this point, attempt to help them sort it out rather than dictate a solution. The goal is to teach them how to think, not what to think.

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I almost forgot the point I was trying to make. If you do this, your children will be well prepared to challenge people who attempt to shove God on them.

[BlackSwordsman]

Teach your kids how things in the world work. Teach them how to question and discover for themselves. It's never too early to teach children how to reason. Depending on their age, don't be surprised when they sometimes arrive at bizarre conclusions. At this point, attempt to help them sort it out rather than dictate a solution. The goal is to teach them how to think, not what to think.

---

I almost forgot the point I was trying to make. If you do this, your children will be well prepared to challenge people who attempt to shove God on them.

Exactly, I told them when they are older if they wish to be religious in our house they must first study at least 4 religions. That way at the very least they have an understanding of how other cultures think and what those cultures believe.

[My imaginary friend is GOD]

An evangelical Buddhist, indoctrinating his children. GREAT.

[archangle]

So here is the back-story. I use to be a christian. Moving forward. I met this girl in college years back, she had 3-children. Hispanic family, catholic.

She wasn't very religious but her mother was.

by the time we got engaged we both lost our religion and converted to Buddhism (we do not believe in a god we follow the third school of philosophy)

But that being said the children have been heavily indoctrinated by her mother and other outside sources to the EXTREME.

my now-daughter brings up "god" all the time, saying stuff like "god healed my owy" etc.

When I told her god does not exist the look on her face would be the same if I had told her I was a martian.


How to break indoctrination?

We do not care if the children follow buddhism we would simply like them to use logic rather than fairy tales from a made up book.

wow, if they are "... indoctrinated by her mother... " I would take a long hard look in the mirror.

Do all atheist blame everything on "something else"?

[Fromper]

It sounds like the problem is that she's got one relative telling her that God does exist, and another telling her that God doesn't exist. Nobody's asking what she believes.

I rarely agree with the Christian "teach the controversy" arguments, but this is one of those times when it's appropriate. Teach her that some people believe certain things, and other people disagree, and that she'll need to think about it and come to her own conclusions. Teach her to ask questions. Teach her to evaluate evidence. Teach her HOW to think instead of WHAT to think, then sit back and and let her reach the conclusions for herself.

[BlackSwordsman]

So here is the back-story. I use to be a christian. Moving forward. I met this girl in college years back, she had 3-children. Hispanic family, catholic.

She wasn't very religious but her mother was.

by the time we got engaged we both lost our religion and converted to Buddhism (we do not believe in a god we follow the third school of philosophy)

But that being said the children have been heavily indoctrinated by her mother and other outside sources to the EXTREME.

my now-daughter brings up "god" all the time, saying stuff like "god healed my owy" etc.

When I told her god does not exist the look on her face would be the same if I had told her I was a martian.


How to break indoctrination?

We do not care if the children follow buddhism we would simply like them to use logic rather than fairy tales from a made up book.

wow, if they are "... indoctrinated by her mother... " I would take a long hard look in the mirror.

Do all atheist blame everything on "something else"?

I'm sorry that your lost or just really off. Hard look in the mirror? Shit, your right because we all share mirror like qualities and views as our parents. I come from an extremely religious christian family, I am buddhist (Athiest). My philosophy is a world apart from my families, different race, different culture, different life style. I fear your statement holds little to be desired.

My wife shares none of the catholic views of her mom, in fact she and I hold a rather strong disdain for them, her mother associates with extremists.

[ThomM]

wow, if they are "... indoctrinated by her mother... " I would take a long hard look in the mirror.

Do all atheist blame everything on "something else"?

I'm sorry that your lost or just really off. Hard look in the mirror? Shit, your right because we all share mirror like qualities and views as our parents. I come from an extremely religious christian family, I am buddhist (Athiest). My philosophy is a world apart from my families, different race, different culture, different life style. I fear your statement holds little to be desired.

My wife shares none of the catholic views of her mom, in fact she and I hold a rather strong disdain for them, her mother associates with extremists.

You still have not indicated how young the child is - and that makes a difference
It might be okay to allow a young child to believe in Santa Claus for a while - just like belief in gods - but eventually they learn that Santa is not real. And that would be a good time to explain religion and the thousands of gods claimed by people over the centuries - and they are not real either.
If the child is really young - having them read the bible would not be possible - but an older child could read the bible on the instructions that they should point out the things that cannot be true - to see it is fables and myths.