Atheists - how do you raise (or plan to raise) your kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think Christianity etc. is a good phase for children to go through, and I am happy to tolerate that - they can read kids' bibles etc.

If they still end up believing as mature adults then that is a different issue, and I would want them assessed for brain damage etc.

Is it terrible that I laughed at this and also kind of share this opinion? Good thing I don't believe in going to hell for laughing about religion!

[Anonymous]

We are raising them UU.

[Anonymous]

Question from a curious non-atheist -- what is the difference between raising them atheist and raising them as free thinkers? I've seen several references to that term on this thread but I'm not sure what it means, exactly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Question from a curious non-atheist -- what is the difference between raising them atheist and raising them as free thinkers? I've seen several references to that term on this thread but I'm not sure what it means, exactly.

Atheist PP here. I think this is the difference:

"Mommy, what happens when someone dies?"
Atheist answer: "Larla, when someone dies, we don't see them anymore because their body and mind don't work, but we have great memories of them."
Free Thinker answer: "Larla, I don't really know. Some people think that people go to a place called heaven. Other people think that people get reborn into something else. What do you think?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do you "indoctrinate" someone into atheism? There is no doctrine!

I will raise my children to think for themselves. If they want to believe a bunch of bullshit, I would be disappointed, but it is up to them.

+1

I raise my kinds to be open. To learn, and come to their own conclusions. Obviously we say that we don't believe in any gods and religions and that for some people, these phenomenon helps explain unknowns in life. But we always teach them to ask questions, and figure out things for themselves, based on their own developing logic and reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think Christianity etc. is a good phase for children to go through, and I am happy to tolerate that - they can read kids' bibles etc.

If they still end up believing as mature adults then that is a different issue, and I would want them assessed for brain damage etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Question from a curious non-atheist -- what is the difference between raising them atheist and raising them as free thinkers? I've seen several references to that term on this thread but I'm not sure what it means, exactly.

Atheist PP here. I think this is the difference:

"Mommy, what happens when someone dies?"
Atheist answer: "Larla, when someone dies, we don't see them anymore because their body and mind don't work, but we have great memories of them."
Free Thinker answer: "Larla, I don't really know. Some people think that people go to a place called heaven. Other people think that people get reborn into something else. What do you think?"

why would you tell them what "some people" think, and not what you think. very odd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think Christianity etc. is a good phase for children to go through, and I am happy to tolerate that - they can read kids' bibles etc.

If they still end up believing as mature adults then that is a different issue, and I would want them assessed for brain damage etc.

Is it terrible that I laughed at this and also kind of share this opinion? Good thing I don't believe in going to hell for laughing about religion!

Me too. And I send my kids to Sunday School for cultural reasons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Question from a curious non-atheist -- what is the difference between raising them atheist and raising them as free thinkers? I've seen several references to that term on this thread but I'm not sure what it means, exactly.

Atheist PP here. I think this is the difference:

"Mommy, what happens when someone dies?"
Atheist answer: "Larla, when someone dies, we don't see them anymore because their body and mind don't work, but we have great memories of them."
Free Thinker answer: "Larla, I don't really know. Some people think that people go to a place called heaven. Other people think that people get reborn into something else. What do you think?"

why would you tell them what "some people" think, and not what you think. very odd.

Because I don't necessarily want her to think exactly like me?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Question from a curious non-atheist -- what is the difference between raising them atheist and raising them as free thinkers? I've seen several references to that term on this thread but I'm not sure what it means, exactly.

Atheist PP here. I think this is the difference:

"Mommy, what happens when someone dies?"
Atheist answer: "Larla, when someone dies, we don't see them anymore because their body and mind don't work, but we have great memories of them."
Free Thinker answer: "Larla, I don't really know. Some people think that people go to a place called heaven. Other people think that people get reborn into something else. What do you think?"

why would you tell them what "some people" think, and not what you think. very odd.

Because I don't necessarily want her to think exactly like me?

Or because you don't necessarily know?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Question from a curious non-atheist -- what is the difference between raising them atheist and raising them as free thinkers? I've seen several references to that term on this thread but I'm not sure what it means, exactly.

Atheist PP here. I think this is the difference:

"Mommy, what happens when someone dies?"
Atheist answer: "Larla, when someone dies, we don't see them anymore because their body and mind don't work, but we have great memories of them."
Free Thinker answer: "Larla, I don't really know. Some people think that people go to a place called heaven. Other people think that people get reborn into something else. What do you think?"

why would you tell them what "some people" think, and not what you think. very odd.

Because I don't necessarily want her to think exactly like me?

Or because you don't necessarily know?

Maybe because nobody knows? Not the pp, but I'd rather raise my kids to always ask questions and make their own conclusions, than just blindly follow what they're told is "truth."

[Anonymous]

Of course I want kids to make their own decisions. But that is different from refusing to tell the what you yourself believe. That is just weird tome.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:By the way, you know that atheists still have morals and values, right? That do unto others and love thy neighbor and honor thy father and mother are not "Christian" or religious values?

Actually, they sort of are. Before the Ten Commandments, there wasn't a lot of that going on. The notions have been secularized, but they're rooted in religion.

My own belief is that the Bible is actually a handbook for civility that was written with the stories about God to capture imaginations. Much of the Jewish dietary laws, for example, look like a way to communicate basic food hygeine. The Ten Commandments largely are just common sense guidelines for civility, etc.

So, secular humanism may not be God-based but its principles are certainly derived from religious teachings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:By the way, you know that atheists still have morals and values, right? That do unto others and love thy neighbor and honor thy father and mother are not "Christian" or religious values?

Actually, they sort of are. Before the Ten Commandments, there wasn't a lot of that going on. The notions have been secularized, but they're rooted in religion.

My own belief is that the Bible is actually a handbook for civility that was written with the stories about God to capture imaginations. Much of the Jewish dietary laws, for example, look like a way to communicate basic food hygeine. The Ten Commandments largely are just common sense guidelines for civility, etc.

So, secular humanism may not be God-based but its principles are certainly derived from religious teachings.

Are you serious? You really believe that before The Ten Commandments, nobody realized it was bad to steal? To murder? Nobody thought about respecting their parents? Being monogamous? Are you out of your mind?

[Anonymous]

Religions, from the earliest belief systems, were invented to codify common sense practices of morality, hygiene, etc, to make it easier for unlettered and ignorant peoples (99.9% of the population apart from modern times) to live healthier and more stable lives. They were the first repository and mass dissemination of knowledge/rules.

Now of course that purpose is longer relevant, but people still derive emotional and cultural stability through faith and ritual.