If everyone was atheist

[Longhorn]

I would prefer you didn't, but I won't try to stop you.

Fair enough.

May I ask why?

May I ask why you would?

I mean, it's the truth, right? You don't need to teach your kids to blindly follow it.

But somehow, children who aren't indoctrinated rarely turn to religion, if ever. Why do you think that is?

[Alex K]

I don't care what you believe. Just leave the fucking kids alone.

Am I allowed to teach my kids Catholicism, as my parents taught me?

First of all, yes you are allowed to do that in all democratic countries. But should you? Depends... what does "teaching Catholicism" entail precisely?

[robvalue]

If anyone teaches their kids the facts about Christianity, then I'd say they are actually even less likely to become Christian. But teaching facts and teaching mythology as fact are two totally different things.

Teaching children critical thinking skills is vital, and all of religious thinking runs totally contrary to it. Studies have shown children who are indoctrinated into mythology have a harder time telling reality from fantasy, and are more prone to further irrational thinking and accepting ideas on poor evidence.

[loganonekenobi]

You (catholic lady) inspire me to find the courage to also post on christian debate sites. In other words if you are here in an athiest site then i should be able to handle going to the other extreme. you are awesome.
to answer the question though would be speculative at best. I see religion as a tool like anything else man has made. in that context then it is not religion that is bad but the way it is used i.e. if it were simply a means to find spirutual peace and understanding in ones life then it would be a generaly good thing. Instead what humanity has witnessed is that it is more often used as a club, wedge, or cage against others. this is general bad and the whole reason that this forum exists becuase if religion were used correctly then there would be no real need to fight it.
That said my answer would be a shakey yes only because this species has never seen a world not divided by faiths. It would be interesting to see what would happen. Clubs, wedges, and cages my still be used but the tools would no longer include unfounded claims.

[Catholic_Lady]

Fair enough.

May I ask why?

May I ask why you would?

I mean, it's the truth, right? You don't need to teach your kids to blindly follow it.

But somehow, children who aren't indoctrinated rarely turn to religion, if ever. Why do you think that is?

Yes, I believe it to be the truth, and that's the #1 reason I plan on teaching them about Jesus/etc.

I was taught about it and it has been a great thing in my life, so I want to give my children the same.

Eventually, as they become teens, they will most likely do their own soul searching and form their own opinions. At that time they will choose to either stick with the faith my husband and I taught them, or move on to something else, or nothing at all.

To answer your question, I'd say because family influences play a big role in a person's perception of things.

---

You (catholic lady) inspire me to find the courage to also post on christian debate sites.  In other words if you are here in an athiest site then i should be able to handle going to the other extreme.  you are awesome.  
to answer the question though would be speculative at best.  I see religion as a tool like anything else man has made. in that context then it is not religion that is bad but the way it is used i.e. if it were simply a means to find spirutual peace and understanding in ones life then it would be a generaly good thing.  Instead what humanity has witnessed is that it is more often used as a club, wedge, or cage against others.

Thanks for the compliment, and go for it!

Btw, I agree with the bolded!

(and atheist groups can be just as guilty of that too ;-) )

[Longhorn]

Yes, I believe it to be the truth, and that's the #1 reason I plan on teaching them about Jesus/etc.

I was taught about it and it has been a great thing in my life, so I want to give my children the same.

How do you know it's the truth? What if you're wrong?

Don't you think if it was the truth, we'd all be catholics without the need of indoctrination?

How come there are people who will never hear about jesus?

Eventually, as they become teens, they will most likely do their own soul searching and form their own opinions. At that time they will choose to either stick with the faith my husband and I taught them, or move on to something else, or nothing at all.

Nope. That's not what 'most likely' will happen. Because you'll tell them YOUR faith is the truth, period. You'll tell them there is a god, won't you? You'll already give them the conclusion you want them to reach. No need to think for themselves.

To answer your question, I'd say because family influences play a big role in a person's perception of things.

The irony

Don't you think YOUR family's influences played a big role in your 'perception of things'?


Do you honestly believe you'd be a catholic if you weren't raised catholic?

[FatAndFaithless]

You (catholic lady) inspire me to find the courage to also post on christian debate sites.  In other words if you are here in an athiest site then i should be able to handle going to the other extreme.  you are awesome.  
to answer the question though would be speculative at best.  I see religion as a tool like anything else man has made. in that context then it is not religion that is bad but the way it is used i.e. if it were simply a means to find spirutual peace and understanding in ones life then it would be a generaly good thing.  Instead what humanity has witnessed is that it is more often used as a club, wedge, or cage against others.

Thanks for the compliment, and go for it!

Btw, I agree with the bolded!

(and atheist groups can be just as guilty of that too ;-) )

They certainly can. But atheist groups don't claim to have revealed absolute truth or claim to be somehow morally superior just for being atheists.

[Catholic_Lady]

Yes, I believe it to be the truth, and that's the #1 reason I plan on teaching them about Jesus/etc.

I was taught about it and it has been a great thing in my life, so I want to give my children the same.

How do you know it's the truth? What if you're wrong?

Don't you think if it was the truth, we'd all be catholics without the need of indoctrination?

How come there are people who will never hear about jesus?

1. We've been over this question. ;-)

2. If I'm wrong, then I'm wrong. I don't think there's anything to lose.

3. Not at all.  I don't think that just because someone doesn't believe something, that it isn't true.

4. Probably because they will never be told? Lol. This is rare. The vast majority of people in civilized societies have/will.

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Eventually, as they become teens, they will most likely do their own soul searching and form their own opinions. At that time they will choose to either stick with the faith my husband and I taught them, or move on to something else, or nothing at all.

Nope. That's not what 'most likely' will happen. Because you'll tell them YOUR faith is the truth, period. You'll tell them there is a god, won't you? You'll already give them the conclusion you want them to reach. No need to think for themselves.

I will teach them what I believe. When they reach a certain age, they will most likely seek deeper reasons to believe than "just because mom and dad told me about it." They will then either choose to stick with it, or take a different road.

[Longhorn]

Don't ignore this, please.

To answer your question, I'd say because family influences play a big role in a person's perception of things.

The irony

Don't you think YOUR family's influences played a big role in your 'perception of things'?


Do you honestly believe you'd be a catholic if you weren't raised catholic?

[Catholic_Lady]

Thanks for the compliment, and go for it!

Btw, I agree with the bolded!

(and atheist groups can be just as guilty of that too ;-) )

They certainly can.  But atheist groups don't claim to have revealed absolute truth or claim to be somehow morally superior just for being atheists.

Yeah, not "revealed absolute truths", and not "morally superior."

...But some of them can still claim to be right about their position and feel superior to others who feel differently. Any and every group of humans can do this.

---

Don't ignore this, please.

The irony

Don't you think YOUR family's influences played a big role in your 'perception of things'?


Do you honestly believe you'd be a catholic if you weren't raised catholic?

I wasn't, just hadn't gotten to it yet. :-)

Yes, that's what I said lol. "Family influences can play a big role in people's perception of things." I am no different.

I'd like to think I would, but who knows. Probably not.