Atheists. Its time to turn the spotlight on you.

[KaiRai]

I went through 11 years of Catholic school and never really cared for it much. I only ever went to church when forced and the two fingers down the throat trick didn't buy me out of it....

Saying that, I'd probably be disappointed if my children were religious.

 

[neoman10]

I'm actually considering going Catholic because that the protestant church seems to corrupt and I think Atheism is the religion of corruption (Please do not yell at me please, I just think that atheism was created by some guy who didn't want to pay his tithe...or a communist, you can say what you want and I knew many atheist, all of them nice people, but the were all materialistic and immoral, so blame my life experiences)

 

[MagnetoHydroDynamics]

The raising of my kids will probably be biased by Science and Atheism.

But, hell, most of the western world is christian (you might call yourself Atheist but think about society and religion for a while), it's not like we're suddenly non-religious.

 

[katsa5]

So bottom line; you given up too much to care. *Shrug*
I'm six pages down the line, so I don't think what I would have to say matters much. But children will imitate their parents, that's been true for as long as Humans have been around. If you're a Fence-Straddler, so will they. I would imagine that Atheists-raised can go either way. But surprises will always happen. Even the 'Meanest Woman in the World' (she was the lady that became known that after taking prayer out of school, I'll look up her name later.) had a son become a minister.

 

[Spacelord]

I don't really know how to answer all of this. Not because I don't know how I would raise my hypothetical children, but because I don't really understand the questions asked. How many of you what? I don't fucking know. There are as many schools of thought as there are people.

 

[robinkom]

I'm Agnostic and I hate extremes. I was raised Maronite Catholic. I did the Holy Communion thing and whole nine but I never really cared. I all I knew was I was 10 or 11 years old and had to sit in some stuff church basement for an hour or two, hearing about some Jewish guy that got the shit kicked out of him and rose from the dead somehow a few days later. Sounds more like H.P.Lovecraft in retrospect. I wonder if Cthulu had a hand in parting the Red Sea (fuck you, it was funny to me).

There is no "black and white" in the world, there is no absolute right and wrong. Life is purely shades of gray, the concepts of good and evil vary from culture to culture.

In the fictional situation that I was Muslim and was raised to believe in killing in the name Allah was the right thing to do, I'd definitely question whether or not my parents were completely right in the head. Beliefs like this, in any religion, are so archaic and primitive that I wonder if Man has truly evolved at all (subtle pun in there).

Bottom line is, my kids can believe whatever they want, but I WILL instill the ideal of questioning our existence and the universe. If we don't ask questions, we never learn. Is there a God? I don't know. I'm not really looking. Is there other life in the galaxy? Maybe. It would be fascinating to meet them... as long as they're non-violent. Are there other planes of existence and reality? Do spirits walk between these realities? It's a slippery slope, but damned if it's not intriguing.

One should be more concerned with just being a good person and treating your fellow men and women with respect and equality and not about which God they pray to. If we could come together in this way, we would make the world better for all.

I can even be friendly with Fundamentalist Christians and Hardcore Atheists, just don't start trumpeting your beliefs in an attempt to convert or ridicule me. You'll find me walking away very quickly.

 

[hobo_welf]

Atheists are assholes who are too scared to believe in something. It's not really a surprise that they mostly belong to the younger generation. Most younger kids think that their lives are so hard that there couldn't possibly be a god.

Mostly it's because their parents gave them everything and since they never had to work, they took it all for granted and started to believe that their simple lives were the most difficult things imaginable.

 

[captainwolfos]

When in my younger days in school, we were mostly pushed to the side of Christianity.

Being a mix of whatever religion I agree with, I think this is a bit stupid, but I rolled with it. However I have been told I questioned it a lot considering the only thing I asked during my younger days was 'how does this work' and after a certain age 'because God made it so' became old and not a valid answer.

Also, my mother is seriously anti religion and thinks all relious dogma is a load of bullshit, so that might be to blame.

But either way, you'll find all, particularly primary schools and under, will semi enforce religion onto kids. Have you never heard of the case of the school which disallowed kids to read Harry Potter because it had magic and didn't necessarily uphold the ideal of 'good versus evil, good always wins'?

Personally I think that view is flawed, because, no; good doesn't always win.

 

[Lord Thodin]

Ill raise my kids with the same scope of religion that was given to me. That a higher being may or may not exist. Society determines whats right and whats wrong, not a wonderful world of "do right so you may enter". Dont put down others beliefs because they dont match your own. I will not take you to church, but if you wish I will get you a form of holy text. Thats about it. I was given the choices. As a kid I hated church cause it was so boring. I went twice. I never believed in a God because the world he was monitoring never got better when i acted accordingly. Also i always thought it a tad retarded that I was to be punished for the misdoings of my predecessors. I was exposed to a lot of holy texts, as they handed small bibles, and other things of the like to the children that walked home from my middle school as I did. We normally stole the boxes and flung the small books around for fun. THATS how I want my child to be raised.

 

[ben---neb]

That is a mystery along with why God created humans even though he knew they were going to fall into sin and he would have to sacifrice his son. But then "God's way are not our ways and his thoughts are not our thoughts" You forget about the incredible gap between our intelligence and mental capacity and God's.

Basically, we can't understand because we're too weak and feeble. But just think, God went ahead depite knowing that so many of the human race would never acknowledge him, that 's some pretty awesome love for us.

Haha yeah, Just like how he made people that he knew would be sexually attracted to the same gender, but then demanding that it be a sin and wrong, thats some mean and backstabbing love right there, "Hey you like this don't you? yeah? Well you can't have it, ner ner ne ner ner!"

Sigh, wrong he made man to be attracted to woman and visa and versa. However, when Adam and Eve sinned as perfect representatives of the entire human race then sin entered the world. Sin perverts all that was good and perfect about the world. This includes sexual sin. Therefore sex outside marriage, adultery and homosexuality (I refuse to single one out they are all as bad as each other) all exist in this world.

If sin had not entered the world man wold not feel sexually attarcted to man or woman to woman.

What is true is that the standard of morality God set for all humanity is impossible for anyone to achieve. We will all fail to live up to the laws and commandments he gave us. Therefore, that is why Jesus had to die for our sins. He took our place and allowed God to forgive all those that repent and believe.

Preaching over for the day.

 

[Skeleon]

Atheists are assholes who are too scared to believe in something.

Atheists might say religious folk are too scared to accept their existence isn't endless.

Flinging insults and weak conclusions at one another won't solve anything.

 

[hobo_welf]

So what you're saying is that where you put your penis determines if you'll go to heaven or hell?

Because if that's the case, I wouldn't want to be in heaven anyway.

I amend my previous statement. There are two reasons there are so many atheists nowadays, and the second is because you Catholics are a bunch of judgmental, elitist fucks.

 

[BiscuitTrouser]

Il tell them exactly how Christianty was started and il tell them about all the religions with their various stories and let them decide. AS an athiest il be tempted not to do this (i am NOT doing the santa facade, im not building a web of lies for my kids) but i think its best if i do. Il try to leave out as much propaganda as possible and tell it from a neutral standpoint. Children however are confused little beings and i suppose until its old enough to reason properly with everything i say they will be agnostic. I wont mind iether way. However i feel bad because i know i will never be able to humor their beliefs, its just who i am. Il accept them and love them but i will never play along or let my child try to convert me or take me to church.

This does raise the question doesnt it.

"Dad why dont you believe in god, i do"
"I just dont think its thr truth"
"But it says you will burn in hell and suffer, i dont want that to happen to you, you should believe in god"
"SIGH"

I can imagine this playing out and dammit do i hope it never happens. It works 2 ways people.
And secretly i would be happier if my children were athiests, im not sure why i just would.

 

[hobo_welf]

Atheists are assholes who are too scared to believe in something.

Atheists might say religious folk are too scared to accept their existence isn't endless.

Flinging insults and weak conclusions at one another won't solve anything.

You don't have to be religious to believe in something.

 

[Skeleon]

You don't have to be religious to believe in something.

Yes. There are spiritual atheists.
Let me make it clearer:
Atheists who don't believe in an afterlife of any kind might say religious and spiritual folk are too scared to accept their existence isn't endless.

Anyway, it amounts to the same thing: Insults and weak conclusions still don't help, no matter who poses them.
It might be fear that inspires some people's faith. It might be some other form of conviction or something different altogether.
Generalization isn't the right way.

 

[bladeofdarkness]

answers in quote

"Inspired" by the Right of parents to force their religion on their children thread. I feel its time to turn the tables.

Try answering the question.

Atheists

Do Atheist parents have the right to force Atheism on their children?
Atheism isnt a THING
it cant be forced anymore then i can tell my children "dont believe in the tooth fairy"

How many of you will raise your child not to belive in a god?
how many christiains raise their children to believe in allah ?

How many of you will raise your child with knowledge of God? (Without making fun of it while you teach it.)
how many christiains raise their children raise their children with the knowledge of Buddha/shinto/hindu, without laughing at it

How many of you will take your children to church?
how many christiains take their children to synagogues ?

How many of you will raise your children to make their own decission, like you had?
not TEACHING them WHAT to decide is enough, after that, let them choose what they want

How many think that your child will be Atheist?
in all probablity yes
convincing someone who isnt 5 years old about how mythological creatures are real is harder

Let's be honest. No matter what you do, your child will almost certainly be Athist. Because thats the house hold they grew up in. So did you think you forced it on them?

*Btw, I do hate Religious threads, but Im kinda pissd at the one sidedness of that other thread*

Since people appear to be blind, or have never been children.

[HEADING=2]Its a child, it cannot choose its own religion. Stop saying that. It can when its a teen, but how many 5 year old converts do you know?[/h2

convert implies it used to believe in ONE thing, and then started to believe another
children who are raised to believe in something from day one, are RAISED in their own religion
they dont convert to it
children dont know about the world, and relay on their parents to teach them
if the parents teach them that there IS a god, then thats what they believe

and your basic assumption is false, because it implies that Christianity is the "right" religion
you have countless different types of religions
if you insist that a child must learn about them, then you must insist that they learn about ALL of them

 

[aruki]

Sigh, wrong he made man to be attracted to woman and visa and versa. However, when Adam and Eve sinned as perfect representatives of the entire human race then sin entered the world. Sin perverts all that was good and perfect about the world. This includes sexual sin. Therefore sex outside marriage, adultery and homosexuality (I refuse to single one out they are all as bad as each other) all exist in this world.

If sin had not entered the world man wold not feel sexually attarcted to man or woman to woman.

What is true is that the standard of morality God set for all humanity is impossible for anyone to achieve. We will all fail to live up to the laws and commandments he gave us. Therefore, that is why Jesus had to die for our sins. He took our place and allowed God to forgive all those that repent and believe.

Preaching over for the day.

So what you're saying is that god got pissed off with his 'creation' which he didn't make perfect? (and if god is infact perfect then he would know they would do this) THEN he continues to punish 'his creations' that didn't even know of the original 2 or probably have no care for them in the first place?

Does anyone else see the huge flaw in this?

It basically boils down to this:

Assuming there is indeed a god, he is either,
(a) Perfect, in which he created his humans to have flaws, to be able to be gay, or even going back to what ben said, corruptable (adam and eve) and knew that it would happen this way (to be perfect you would have to always know the outcome.) In which case being gay isn't a 'sin' (unless he is actually a vindictive entity who likes to cause us to suffer.)

or

(b) He is not perfect, in which case he is an entity which may have started the ball rolling or created us, to which we should be thankful, but not worth devoting our very existance to.

Either way, if you look back to when the bible and the 10 commandments came out, IF followed, would create a peaceful place to live without fear. Reguardless of where it came from. (Tho some of its alittle odd)

 

[Elf Defiler Korgan]

There is one point I just have to concede. I could not raise a child and teach them about religion without taking the piss. Monty Python jokes, standing back and looking at the hilarious assumptions and beliefs, the feuds, the rabid nature of belief, the extremely low status of women according to the good old Monotheistic God. It's too funny a subject not to make light of it. See George Carlin for more. Or the Thirty Years' War if you have a black sense of humour.