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Do we need more Atheist books for kids?
#21
RE: Do we need more Atheist books for kids?
(November 27, 2014 at 6:31 pm)MechViking Wrote: atheism must be a big part of your identity though if you get so offended when i say it's not the only correct way of thinking.
About as big a part of my personality as the fact that I don't coon hunt. What is a big part of my personality is a sort of seething irritation when people say absurd things - particularly in service of vacant notions. Offended, though - meh, not so much.

So... no additional insights as to why teaching atheism to children would be different than teaching biology? You're not worried about the cult of biology, or that by teaching children biology we might be teaching them that this is the only correct way to think? Conversely, would you say that we ought to let people decide what to think for themselves when it comes to eating lead paint?

(I do, if anyone even wondered, think that "atheism is the only correct way to think" - as ridiculous as that phrase is, but that wouldn't really have anything to do with why your statement struck me as such a silly thing to say.)
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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#22
RE: Do we need more Atheist books for kids?
(November 27, 2014 at 7:19 pm)Rhythm Wrote:
(November 27, 2014 at 6:31 pm)MechViking Wrote: atheism must be a big part of your identity though if you get so offended when i say it's not the only correct way of thinking.
About as big a part of my personality as the fact that I don't coon hunt. What is a big part of my personality is a sort of seething irritation when people say absurd things - particularly in service of vacant notions. Offended, though - meh, not so much.

So... no additional insights as to why teaching atheism to children would be different than teaching biology? You're not worried about the cult of biology, or that by teaching children biology we might be teaching them that this is the only correct way to think?

Because atheism is just a way of looking at the world, while biology is a collection of proven observations. God is an idea. an idea like time travel, alternate realities, or reincarnation. choosing to believe these things might be true isn't a wrong decision. maybe it's a naive decision, but it's not wrong.
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#23
RE: Do we need more Atheist books for kids?
It's not really wrong to "choose to believe" some portion of biology is wrong. The choices we make about beliefs are amoral by any line of reasoning that I can muster up. That said...you think that atheism cant also be a collection of proven observations? Things like, character in books don;t escape the page, there was no flooder of worlds or planter of magical trees, no potter of human clay and no toppler of ziggurats? No flinger of lightning, no bearer of winter, etc etc etc. God may be an idea, sure (lol......I think our resident theists would disagree) but it's an idea wholly and completely in demonstrable error from it's very foundations.

If atheism is "just a way of looking at the world" (good luck with that one btw, just as silly as the initial comment) - then biology is "just a way of looking at life". You're giving pet treatment to one idea, not sure I see why.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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#24
RE: Do we need more Atheist books for kids?
Now you're just nitpicking.
I'm just saying we should promote critical thinking in children, not just teach them to not to believe in things. I think safe neutral views on god have value in discussion like deism and those beliefs shouldn't be killed to promote atheism.
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#25
RE: Do we need more Atheist books for kids?
What value does deism have, and what's a "safe neutral view" (and who decides what's allowed in that set)? I still don't see why I should be worried about a cult of atheism but not a cult of biology. Why I shouldn't tell my kid that gods aren't real if that becomes a question for them remains a mystery as well.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
Reply
#26
RE: Do we need more Atheist books for kids?
The fact that you're upset enough to argue with me when i even hint that atheism might not be the only correct answer shows that atheism can be taken too seriously. My whole point is that critical thinking skills and promoting a healthy mind are more important than just teaching atheism. Nothing else. stop looking so deeply into my posts and digging for arguments I'm not even fighting against.
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#27
RE: Do we need more Atheist books for kids?
A long list of claims and statements made and then retreated from. With the occasional "u mad bro" thrown in....sigh...lol.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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#28
RE: Do we need more Atheist books for kids?
(November 27, 2014 at 10:16 pm)MechViking Wrote: The fact that you're upset enough to argue with me when i even hint that atheism might not be the only correct answer shows that atheism can be taken too seriously. My whole point is that critical thinking skills and promoting a healthy mind are more important than just teaching atheism. Nothing else. stop looking so deeply into my posts and digging for arguments I'm not even fighting against.

You cant teach anyone to be atheist. Its either you are are you aren't. To be an atheist you accept the position there is probably no god or there isn't a god. to be a theist you accept that there is a god even when evidence doesn't support it. You learn about god from a book or imagination. but in nowhere in my entire life i have seen a book that teaches atheism.
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#29
RE: Do we need more Atheist books for kids?
(November 27, 2014 at 10:25 pm)Rhythm Wrote: A long list of claims and statements made and then retreated from. With the occasional "u mad bro" thrown in....sigh...lol.

I'm sorry if I offended you. I'm not here to make enemies. You did help me realize I do get pulled off into tangents too easily, so I appreciate your help with making me realize that.
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#30
RE: Do we need more Atheist books for kids?
(November 27, 2014 at 7:19 pm)Rhythm Wrote: So... no additional insights as to why teaching atheism to children would be different than teaching biology? You're not worried about the cult of biology, or that by teaching children biology we might be teaching them that this is the only correct way to think?

Under a certain age, children wouldn't grasp the concept of atheism. There's a difference between teaching them about nature and how it came to be and abstract concepts.

That's why I said, it's easier to put religious ideas in their heads because they play to their natural inclination to miracles and fantasy stuff. It's much harder for atheism, since it has no such things to offer. And I wouldn't even try below a certain age, since it might bore them and ultimately make them turn their backs on the concept.

Just make them ask questions. That's usually the best approach.
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