rasing a child atheist

[cmccain13]

Hello all,

This is my first post on here and have been wondering if i could get some person experience from people on how to raise a child when i am atheist. there are a few things that are gonna throw curballs into this scenario though.

1. She is not my child but i am the father figure and is dependent on me.
2. Her grandfather of her biological father is a part of an odd church, and takes her to church and prays with her anytime he has her for a weekend.
3. her mother isnt pro-religion nor atheist, she basically dosent think about any of that to the point to make a descision one way or the other.

She is three now, and i am wondering if there is anything that i should do, basically my thought is that when she is old enough to understand and coherrently think critically that i should just tell her to never take anything at face value and question everything.

Any thoughts? do i have any recourse since i am not the biological father?

Thanks in advance.

[Rev. Rye]

Hello all,

So, is that it?

[BloodyHeretic]

I think if you're to have the responsibilities of a father you should have the rights of a father. It's more important to teach children how to think anyways, rather than what to think. Teach her to think critically and rationally and see how long any religious belief lasts.

[Minimalist]

I raised my two sans religion by simply never mentioning it. Xmas was a day to get toys not to commemorate some phony story. They are both in their 30's now....never shown the slightest interest in religion...and are fine without it.

[5thHorseman]

My eldest is 15 he's an atheist, my youngest, 2, will be raised atheist.

[cmccain13]

Hello all,

So, is that it?

so sir i edited it seconds after mistakenly posting.

[frankiej]

I think it is important to no push anything on a child, they are too impressionable. If it was me I would raise a child neutral and teach it to think with logic and critically and teach them about many religions so they can make up their own mind when older.

Being 20 I don't have any children but if I did this is they way I would approach it... However, I am sure if a child of mine became a theist I would be disappointed.

[Faith No More]

As the father figure you have the rights a biological father would have raising a child. As for my son, I will not be raising him to believe one way or another. I will just teach him to think for himself, be skeptical, and to understand anything his Catholic mother teaches him is not absolute truth.