How many of you go to church with your kids?

[Anonymous]

We attend Mass every Sunday morning with our 6mo daughter at St. Thomas More Cathedral in Arlington (and did before she was born). We have made it part of our routine and my DD responds to the music and the visual stimulation in the church. It's good for our family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"I am a Catholic and we attend Holy Trinity in Georgetown with our 2 1/2 year old son.

-we go every week
-we say prayers every night and my son can bless himself
-he enjoys saying his prayers
-my son actually likes to go to church and loves the music
-he will be enrolled in Sunday school
-we will think about a Catholic based school most likely for high school

My husband is not Catholic but agrees that this is the best way to raise our son. My husband was raised Episcopal but is very comfortable at Holy Trinity. "

How and why the fock does a 2 1/2 year kid "bless himself"?

You've never seen someone make the sign of a cross in front of themselves? Even my non-Christian self knows about that.

Yes, In the Catholic religion you start all prayers by "blessing yourself" aka making the sign of the cross.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, this thread has really degenerated. The folks who don't "believe" in anything and claim to teach and foster respect, morals, etc, seem to be the ones sh*tting all over the folks who have stated they have a faith/religion. Nice that you're all so "open" and "welcoming" to diversity that, according to you, formal religion doesn't accomodate. Doesn't appear that way from the posts on this thread.

Well said.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, this thread has really degenerated. The folks who don't "believe" in anything and claim to teach and foster respect, morals, etc, seem to be the ones sh*tting all over the folks who have stated they have a faith/religion. Nice that you're all so "open" and "welcoming" to diversity that, according to you, formal religion doesn't accomodate. Doesn't appear that way from the posts on this thread.

Well said.

Agree. Sadly, these sorts of negative posts criticizing people who make more traditional (or old-fashioned, if you will, like church attendance) lifestyle choices is very typical of DCUM. The most "liberal" among us often seem to be the most judgmental.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, this thread has really degenerated. The folks who don't "believe" in anything and claim to teach and foster respect, morals, etc, seem to be the ones sh*tting all over the folks who have stated they have a faith/religion. Nice that you're all so "open" and "welcoming" to diversity that, according to you, formal religion doesn't accomodate. Doesn't appear that way from the posts on this thread.

Well said.

Agree. Sadly, these sorts of negative posts criticizing people who make more traditional (or old-fashioned, if you will, like church attendance) lifestyle choices is very typical of DCUM. The most "liberal" among us often seem to be the most judgmental.

I'm one of the agnostic posters on this thread. I think I've been very polite.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, this thread has really degenerated. The folks who don't "believe" in anything and claim to teach and foster respect, morals, etc, seem to be the ones sh*tting all over the folks who have stated they have a faith/religion. Nice that you're all so "open" and "welcoming" to diversity that, according to you, formal religion doesn't accomodate. Doesn't appear that way from the posts on this thread.

Well said.

Agree. Sadly, these sorts of negative posts criticizing people who make more traditional (or old-fashioned, if you will, like church attendance) lifestyle choices is very typical of DCUM. The most "liberal" among us often seem to be the most judgmental.

I'm one of the agnostic posters on this thread. I think I've been very polite.

Well good for you. What type of cookie would you like?

[Anonymous]

I'm a lapsed Catholic who recently made the decision to start attending church regularly and plan on sending my child to CCD in the fall. Much of the hatred here has helped to reinforce my decision. Beyond faith itself, I believe there are many benefits to belonging to a church -- lessons in morality and ethics, sense of community, love of nature (God's creations), strength during times of adversity, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: What would one "research?"

I guess one would "research" what you are choosing, as well as what you are not choosing. The point of my post was that I have known too many people who claim to be agnostic or aethiest, not because of what it means to be either, but because they would rather not have to know what it means to have a faith or a practicing religion. It is easy to say "I don't believe in God" or "there is no God" than actually learn about faith, religion, etc., and make a conscious choice about whether to believe or not. I'm not judging it, I'm just saying that way too many people (I think) use those terms when they haven't really taken the time (and discipline necessary) to educate themselves one way or the other, and that seems like a lazy cop-out to me.

This still doesn't answer the question of what I would research to make sure that I am confident in my disbelief in capital G god. You have decided that the non-believers you know are lazy, and haven't bothered to educate themselves. In your view, what type of research and education would suffice? We're talking about what is essentially a fundamental faith in something that is supernatural - it can neither be proven or disprove. There's nothing to research - you either believe in it or you don't. Or maybe you think we should just shop around for a religion that we can sign up for? Honestly, this seems disingenuous. Or maybe there's medical or psychiatric evidence that not-believing is harmful to my overall well-being? Nope.

Most atheists and agnostics I know had a religious upbringing, and would not consider a life time of religious instruction behind their decision as "lazy." Of those people, too many feel betrayed by the hypocrisy of the religion they were raised with. My own mom started looking into the history of the bible because she was a strong believer and it was something that interested her. She was really shocked by what she discovered. Now in her 60s she started describing herself agnostic after feeling lied to her whole life.

From where I sit, religious people seem like the ones who take what they've been taught at face value, and don't spend enough of time researching what it is that they really believe, the history and cultural context of those beliefs, and the atrocities that have been committed throughout history on behalf of those beliefs. I wouldn't really care except that Christians spend a lot of time trying to convince other people to join them, and disparaging those who don't sign up.

[Anonymous]

To the OP-- I was raised going to a UU church and I really enjoyed "Sunday school" there. That said, I now consider myself an atheist and do not plan on attending church with or without my children. There are a lot of differing opinions out there-- I think the best we can do is educate our children on the different religions and let them choose whether they would like to practice one or another. I don't think any of us know if one is "right" or "wrong" and don't believe I should teach my children of that, either.

I am a BIG fan of Joseph Campbell's "The Power of Myth"- which I will recommend to my kids when they are old enough.

[Anonymous]

I struggle with this everyday of my life lately. Both my husband and I were brought up Catholic, he went as far to attend parochial schools. We have yet to take our 2 year old to church but have weekly discussions as to when this will happen. I want to have faith but have a difficult time believing in God-it seems so far fetched to me. Was the idea of God created to somehow help us deal with death and the unknown-so that we believe in some sort of after life? It seems to me that God and death go together. My intention is not to offend anyone. However, there have been times in my life when I needed help and surprisingly, I got what I needed to go on, just weird stuff and I equate those happenings with God or at least want to. So-I'm a torn individual. I would not want my son to ask me when he's older, who is God? Ultimately it's his decision to have faith or not, but I feel it's our responsibility to expose him to Catholism. I guess I sound like a hypocrite.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"I find it offensive when any religious person acts like I need to be reverent towards a god that I believe does not exist. If I came to you and told you that I had an imaginary friend who required reverence, what would your reaction be? "

LOL!!!

I agree 100%.

I like it when people get all excited because their imaginary friend loves them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"I find it offensive when any religious person acts like I need to be reverent towards a god that I believe does not exist. If I came to you and told you that I had an imaginary friend who required reverence, what would your reaction be? "

LOL!!!

I agree 100%.

I like it when people get all excited because their imaginary friend loves them.

So sad, and kinda pathetic. You don't have to agree, like it, or whatever. Get over yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a lapsed Catholic who recently made the decision to start attending church regularly and plan on sending my child to CCD in the fall. Much of the hatred here has helped to reinforce my decision. Beyond faith itself, I believe there are many benefits to belonging to a church -- lessons in morality and ethics, sense of community, love of nature (God's creations), strength during times of adversity, etc.

Could not agree more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a lapsed Catholic who recently made the decision to start attending church regularly and plan on sending my child to CCD in the fall. Much of the hatred here has helped to reinforce my decision. Beyond faith itself, I believe there are many benefits to belonging to a church -- lessons in morality and ethics, sense of community, love of nature (God's creations), strength during times of adversity, etc.

Could not agree more.

Of course there are PLENTY of other ways to get these benefits. Church isn't the only way.

[Anonymous]

One of the PP atheists here. I just wanted to comment that my decision to not believe is not a cop out. I was raised evangelical Christian, went to a Christian schools, have read the bible in its entirety, have read some of the other religious books and have taken a few college classes on other religions. I find religion fascinating and take the time to learn about it, I just can't bring myself to believe in any of it.