If your child...

[brewer]

Julie Andrews could have shown less skin I guess, but it was a delightful movie all the same!

I liked her better in SOB. She get fucked up and she shows a nice rack of perky tits. unk!unk! Ahhh, the hills were certainly alive!

[Simon Moon]

I am not a hit and run POE, don't you dare call me that!!!

Interesting. You people are more tolerant than I would have guessed.

Heck even Catholic parents don't want their sons to become priests these days..

Of course.

Because we actually understand what love means. Not the divisive, exclusionary version of most religions.

[Ivan Denisovich]

This is an interesting philosophical quesition. Atheists/secularists pride themselves on being tolerant/openminded. This question may challenge that presumption.

Let's say you and your atheist spouse/signficant other raise a child. One day, when he/she is about 10-12 (or whatever age I guess) one day he/she comes to you and says "Mom/Dad, I know what I want to be. I want to be a Catholic priest/monk/nun. Im really sure it's what I want. Well?"

In some crazy hypothetical future, if your child expressed an interest in taking Catholic holy orders.. how would you respond?

Would you affirm atheist jr.'s calling, or try to talk them out of it, for their own prosperity/safety?

I would respond with laugh. Also being priest or monk does not require faith, it easily could be a job for those without decency or in second case for people who long for soltitude, or some measure of it in any case.

Seriously though. Why should I care? I get that this would be my child, but who I am to choose for him/her? Freedom of choice is something that I value, so it would be hypocritical of me to deny it to my own progeny.

[Jenny A]

I wouldn't be very worried if one of my girls wanted to be a priest. I don't think they take girls.

Seriously, but both of my children have at one time or another looked into religion with varying degrees of seriousness at various times. They've come back out a little more atheist than I am, for the simple reason that they haven't been raised christian. However, in the unlikely event they became catholic, and so catholic that they wished to be nuns, I'd be sad because contact between those in and out of orders is often limited and my girls have great potential outside of the church. I'd advise strongly against. I certainly wouldn't provide financial support for the decision. But they'd still be my girls.

[FebruaryOfReason]

As we are talking hypothetically, I would say that if my kids were asking in any other age but this one, they should definitely go into the church. There, they could earn a load of money for doing nothing and always claim unquestioned obedience, have their pick of the nubile wenches with no prospect of ever being held to account, drink like fish and never have to do an honest days work in their lives.

But as we're talking about this day and age, I wouldn't press them strongly. At 10 - 12, what kids want to be is very fluid, and trying to talk them out of anything is likely to be counterproductive.

[The Grand Nudger]

I'll give the kid two choices.  Head dashed on a rock, or eaten by a she-bear.

[BrokenQuill92]

I wouldn't like, I might even be a little upset but my child would be free to make their own choices.

[abaris]

I am not a hit and run POE, don't you dare call me that!!!

You're quite right. You're a shit and run troll.

[comet]

This is an interesting philosophical quesition. Atheists/secularists pride themselves on being tolerant/openminded. This question may challenge that presumption.

Let's say you and your atheist spouse/signficant other raise a child. One day, when he/she is about 10-12 (or whatever age I guess) one day he/she comes to you and says "Mom/Dad, I know what I want to be. I want to be a Catholic priest/monk/nun. Im really sure it's what I want. Well?"

In some crazy hypothetical future, if your child expressed an interest in taking Catholic holy orders.. how would you respond?

Would you affirm atheist jr.'s calling, or try to talk them out of it, for their own prosperity/safety?

of course some atheists think "we" have the real truth and the true clarity logic and reason.  They are the fundies of the group. all groups have them.  We in the middle don't have to be like that.  The omni-dude of religion does not exist.  that really what defines us.  Or we doon't like having beliefs put in our face, err wait a min, most normal believers don't that either.  

There is no other way to slice this pizza cake.  fundies are azzholes no matter what they believe in, even if its their lack of belief they believe in.  the rest of us don't have to be.

the first thing to look for is why do people hate when it is past normal dislike.  You will find abuse, addiction, and mental illness in the center.  ex-fundy narcissist that can't blame themselves or parents  are included in the "mentals" group.  If they become self aware they can over com it.  But that takes honesty.

don't relpy, its a lesson, not a debate.