Growing up in an irreligious household.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Rogan Josh
There is nothing wrong with telling her about Jesus and the bible, or about what atheists believe, but you shouldn't order her to believe one thing or the other.

Atheists do not believe [in the existence of one or more gods], that's the whole point.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
Raising your child catholic or any established church community, has a lot of social and economic benefits - better education, a moral reference point or framework, a community of parents like yourself to back you up and socialise with, freebies like access to holiday houses

So does joining many non-religious groups or communities.

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
I do like going to church with my kids, its fun. I feel proud.

Proud to brainwash your kids? Dreadful!

[Starchild]

You could launch Sophie directly into the philosophical side of religion. Such wonderful titles are available such as "Baby Augustine and the Problem of Suffering" or "My First Theodicy" and the ever popular "Bobby stole my Barbie or How I realised the existence of sin proved the unknowable nature of the divine".

[Asher]

Originally posted by monolith94
Asher, your whole "resentful and bitter surface concealing an emotionally vulnerable core" thing isn't working out too good in this thread. Instead, you're beginning to sound like an athiest ann coulter.

Ad hominems here we come.

Resentful and bitter? Yes. Emotionally vulnerable? Hell no.

Churches and religion have made my life way harder than it has to be, and for no good reason. I have a right to be bitter and resentful, and to believe parents shouldn't force faith down their children's throats. Maybe they don't comprehend what faith means.

[SlowwHand]

Re: Growing up in an irreligious household.

[QUOTE] Originally posted by JohnT
My wife and I were discussing religious education in regards to our 2 year old daughter and, well, we have a dilemma:

We aren't really religious. At all.

We both were raised Catholic (her family was more devout than mine, but then, most families are more devout than mine) and, like many kids, drifted away as we got older.


1) Why did you ask this at a notoriously Atheist site?
2) Why not give her the chance her parents had?

[Asher]

Everyone has a chance, you don't need to indoctrinate them with it unless it's so unbelievable that that would be the only way.

[SlowwHand]

Thank you, Asher.
Your flippant attitude about a child's eternal future is supremely indicative of my point.

Let me ask this, John.
At any point in your lives, have you and/or your wife been saved?
If yes, how will you feel if you spend eternity with God, and your Blessing burns ?
That's assuming that God is truly merciful, and forgives you for not providing her a choice/chance.

[Asher]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
Thank you, Asher.
Your flippant attitude about a child's eternal future is supremely indicative of my point.

It's mine that's the flippant attitude? My belief is the child needs to decide for itself.

You're the one that asserts that she should be "given the same chance" her parents were (raised religiously).

I don't even think you put thought into it, it's just knee-jerk. Quite a flippant attitude, really, for a child's eternal future.

I also fail to see one can't believe in a higher being without going to church and reading the bible, etc. Seems like a scheme for the church to gain power and money more than anything else.

[MikeH]

Re: Re: Growing up in an irreligious household.

Originally posted by SlowwHand 1) Why did you ask this at a notoriously Atheist site?
2) Why not give her the chance her parents had?

Compared to the UK this is a relatively religious site.

[Starchild]

All assuming, of course, that the possibility of an eternal future is actual there instead of oblivion. Or that the Christians have it right and it's not actually the Jews that have the One True Faith. Or the Muslims. Or the Hindus. Or the worshippers of the Cult of Amun-Ra, Lord of the Two Egypts.

[SlowwHand]

Starchild, yo labor under a misconception.
All those you name believe in God.
That's what we're talking here.

If you want to believe in God, and at the same time believe Yogi Damned Bear was a prophet, feel free.

[SpencerH]

JohnT, dont you live in the south?

If thats so, there may be advantages to not raising Sophie as a catholic. She wont be seen as the 'spawn of satan' by the baptists. My children are 'irreligious' and their lack of beliefs are at least tolerated here to some extent.

[Asher]

SlowwHand, you labour under a misconception.
All those he named believed in different Gods. Some religions believe in multiple Gods, not one. Others believe some guy in a weird cape handing out coolaid is God, others believe that a race of aliens are our creators.

So what's the point? Some people believe in 0 Gods, others 1 God, others 12 Gods. Big deal.

What rational explanation do you have for saying he should raise her to believe in 1 or more Gods, rather than letting her decide for herself?

[SlowwHand]

I'm not Baptist, or Catholic.

[Evil Knevil]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

He's also been passed over for promotion twice since converting... his workplace is quite hostile to it.

Well, if he's in the US, then he may have a pretty good Title VII claim against his workplace.

Sadly he's in good old Blighty. Canadian citizen though.

He's obviously looked into his employment rights, but since there are no pieces of paper saying "Bryan was passed over because he's an infidel Moon-stone worshipper", it gets quite difficult to point the finger. Maybe it's something to do with taking Friday afternoons off. Maybe it's just common prejudice. He says people at work are wary of him sometimes. Apparently when he first converted, people were coming to his cubicle and asking him things like:

"So, whats the deal with being a Muslim?"
"I'll pray for you..."

It's like that thing from the Simpsons where Homer choses love over money for Maggie and they all crowd round at work...

"Awww, you said his head was the size of a baseball!"