Godless Dave

I don't have kids myself, but most breeding atheists I know teach their kids that they, the parents, do not believe in a god or gods, but that some other people do. They leave it up to the kid to make up their own mind.

If some horrible accident happens and I have children someday, I don't plan to bring it up until they ask. When they do I'll ask them what they think, and at some point I would tell them I don't believe, and explain why I don't believe. But I won't kick them out of the house or look sad or get mad at them if they decide to believe in something religious. But I would ask them how they arrived at that belief. In short, I won't tell my kids what to believe. I would rather teach them how to think.


No, I would consider that a statement of fact. Here's the definition of "myth" from dictionary.reference.com:

Even if the Bible stories were true they would still be myths.

Demigawd

Great responses, everyone. In my childhood, I went through the scenario Motorhead describes because of the religious beliefs thrust on me at such an impressionable age. Fortunately, I had access to Western classical myths via the local library to blunt the worst aspects of it.

I feel like my indoctrination nuetered my development of critical thinking skills until I was well into adulthood. If I ever have a child, I would tell her or him that no one, past or present, knows the absolute truth. But I would also mention that thinking about existence and the whole universe, both factually and fantastically, is alot of fun.

mike_decock

You just described my childhood

I don't hold my parents "morally" responsible because they are just the product of their own brainwashing.

-Mike...

Jamie_L

The thing about children is, you have to teach them something. In some respects, all children are "brainwashed". Whatever morality we teach our young children is all "this is right, that is wrong", because at such an early age, you can't have deep, philosophical conversations with them.

If I were married to another atheist, yes, I would teach my children that religions are most likely false, and that it is most rational to conclude gods do not exist. Just as I will teach them there are no monsters in their closets, ghosts don't exist, UFOs aren't abducting people, and John Edwards does not really talk to the dead.

Since my wife is actually somewhat of a believer, my actual approach towards religion will be somewhat different.

But, though it is disturbing to see children being taught in their impressionable stages things which we believe are not true, it is hard to fault their parents for teaching them what they believe to be true. The whole notion of "letting children decide for themselves about religion" is pretty much a creation of those of us on the outside. From inside the religion, that (I can imagine) just makes no sense. If you honestly believe God is real, and that other religions (and atheism) are false, and that believing false things regarding religion imperils your earthly life and your immortal soul, then you would not be doing you job as a parent if you did not teach your children to believe your faith.

The only real solution to this problem is to convince parents that their beliefs are in error. Conincing them not to teach this faith to their children, without convincing them it is false, is tantamount to asking them to be negligent parents. Few parents will be interested in hearing that arguement.

Jamie

Ab_Normal

This is the methodology I'm following. Seems to have worked so far.