yguy

Most kids who fall prey to cults don't do so in the space of a few hours. If the kid talks about such an attraction openly, the parent can deal with it at that time. If the kid hides it, any parent worth his/her salt will know it and eyeball the kid until he comes clean.

I just don't like the idea of stuffing kid's heads full of information they will mostly find useless in life.

Miss Piggy

Depends on what you mean by "exposing them to organized spirituality". Of course, you should not force them to go to a church or sunday school, if they don't want to. But you should tell them about different religions, if they are curious. Don't hide your atheism, but don't bash religions or religious people either; don't force them to your ideology, if they want to be religious.

I think that the best way to make your children become atheists is to show, that there are lots of religions and they all claim to be the only true one. ("There are many things that science does not explain - therefore, *my* religion is true" - I've seen both Christians and Sikhs using this same argument...)

When I was a child, I was exposed to many different mythologies - ancient Greek gods, Native American folk stories etc. So learned that there are many religions, not just Christianity with its biblical stories.

Besides, not all children like religion. When I was exposed to Christianity as a four-year-old (in kindergarten, because my home was entirely secular), I began to think that its doctrines and rituals were weird and unattractive

Nowhere357

I agree with you post.

Buddhism does not claim to be the only path - one of many things I repect about it. What the Buddha says about organized religion is truly enlightening.



YGUY: I wish my parents had exposed me the the fact that Christianity is not the only word. Our culture is saturated with it - freethought is the innoculation. IMO. And the sooner the better.

sodium

You could expose them to Greek and Roman Mythology. This has a number of benefits,

1) The stories tend to be interesting and entertaining.
2) It helps impart an understanding that the vast majority can believe a religion that is not in fact true.
3) It makes them skeptical of obvious mythology.
4) When they're older, it will help them to do crossword puzzles.

Norse and Egyptian are good too.

yguy

Why would anyone want to do that?

Miss Piggy

Why not?

I think that most atheists are not as eager to indoctrinate their children as many religious people are, but IMHO all parents hope (even if they don't admit it) that their kids adopt their ideology or at least don't become very rebellious towards it.

yguy

Don't steal, don't murder, don't bear false witness, etc.. Even most atheists don't have a problem with such rules. What more ideology does anyone need?

Starboy

doubting_thomas, you and your kids have a wonderful opportunity not afforded most religious families. You and your kids can experience and understand a wide variety of religions. Learn about their traditions and practices without any fear of excommunication. Rather than view your atheism as a lack of the benefits of religion you can view it as way to know and experience many religions. Once your kids see that they all preach similar things yet deny the validity of other religions they will get the message loud and clear that supernatural religious concepts are a load of nonsense.

Starboy

lpetrich

Except for all the extra baggage that most religions/ideology come with.

Also, forbidding murder, theft, and false accusations are not specific to any one religion/ideology, and it is a false accusation to imply that they are.

I much prefer to consider the teachings of the Athenian lawgiver Solon:

1. Trust good character more than promises.
2. Do not speak falsely.
3. Do good things.
4. Do not be hasty in making friends, but do not abandon them once made.
5. Learn to obey before you command.
6. When giving advice, do not recommend what is most pleasing, but what is most useful.
7. Make reason your supreme commander.
8. Do not associate with people who do bad things.
9. Honor the gods.
10. Have regard for your parents.

Except for #9, perhaps.

doubting_thomas

wow, sparked more discussion then I thought it would.

I did not mean to say that I want my children to be atheist. I want them to be free to believe whatever it is that makes sense to them, be it Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Wicca or any of the nameless other religions out there, even atheism. The point it, I want it to be her decision, not mine. I know what it is like to have religion crammed down your throat.

I think that was a very insightful response, and exactly what kind of thing I am looking for.

This is not a subject that I devote that much thought to anymore, and this whole thing is forcing me to re-address issues that I am not completely comfortable with, so I thank you all again.