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Originally posted by AfterInfinity
reply to post by RedParrotHead
It's easy for an atheist parent to allow their children to dabble in spirituality.
It's not easy for a spiritual parent to allow their children to refrain from spirituality.
An atheist parent will think it doesn't matter, they'll learn eventually. Kind of like drugs and bad music. A spiritual parent will fear for the soul of their child.
So yes, an atheist parent has a lot less to fear in letting their child have free reign as regards religion, because they have a lot less to lose. Sure, they might never be able to discuss the topic, but life is full of stuff like that. And really, if a parent can't love their child despite the child's beliefs, then they never should have had children.
Like most things in life, your spirituality is something that needs guidance and nurturing. You don't just go out and pick up a bible and call it good. It's not something you go and do in the privacy of your bedroom; it's a way of life. Something you ARE, not something you do. So to suggest that these kids are being given a "choice" is preposterous. They have no choice; they are surrounded by atheism in their household and in schools.
Saying they have a choice would be like saying they can choose to go to Harvard just because it's there yet they have no tuition. Furthermore, it's a parent's job to make choices for our children; that's why they're children. To suggest prepubescent kids are capable of making that "choice" is naive at best and dangerous at worst.
Originally posted by axslinger
I'm mildly amused how most of these replies are along the lines of, "Oh, it's so good of you that you didn't push your views on them and are allowing them to explore their own beliefs...". Lets look at the reality.
First of all, those kids are, in all likelihood, going to grow up to be atheist/heathens. Period. Why? Because the basic foundation is formed by the time kids are 8 years old. Many of their values and expectations are set. Now, how exactly is a child, from birth to 8 years of age, going to "explore" spirituality, Christianity, Sunday School, Church on Sunday, etc? Should they hitch hike? Take Dial-a-Ride? It's clear the parent isn't going to facilitate it.
Like most things in life, your spirituality is something that needs guidance and nurturing. You don't just go out and pick up a bible and call it good. It's not something you go and do in the privacy of your bedroom; it's a way of life. Something you ARE, not something you do. So to suggest that these kids are being given a "choice" is preposterous. They have no choice; they are surrounded by atheism in their household and in schools.
Saying they have a choice would be like saying they can choose to go to Harvard just because it's there yet they have no tuition. Furthermore, it's a parent's job to make choices for our children; that's why they're children. To suggest prepubescent kids are capable of making that "choice" is naive at best and dangerous at worst.edit on 8-9-2012 by axslinger because: (no reason given)edit on 8-9-2012 by axslinger because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by lonewolf19792000
Sit back and let your kids make their own decision. No one can force someone to believe in God/Jesus, you can't even come to him on your own, he has to draw you to him. I grew up in a "christian" home, and my dad was a royal bastard 6.5 days a week and abusive enough to drive me away from wanting anything to do with Jesus. I spent the next 14 years (ran away from home at 17) as an agnostic, trying all kinds of different religions, then fell into ancient astronaught theory and towards the end gave up and became atheist. The hate and rage from my upbringing caused me to persecute christians because i figured if my dad was a royal asshat and a hypocrite all christians had to be and if i had to be a hypocrite to be a christian then i didn't want to be a christian, so i made war on them and the hatred and anger festered in me and poisoned by soul. I got to the point to where i was going to blow my brains out because i could find no peace, nothing could make the pain, hate and anger go. I threw drugs, alcohol and sex addiction at it and nothing filled that empty hole. I just wanted to die and get it done with.
Statistically christian homes raise more atheists and atheist homes raise more christians, damned if i know why it's the opposite except to say christian homes tend to breed rebelliousness within their children because they chaffe at all the rules and children see the hypocrisy of their parents when those parents do not live the life Christ commanded and it's a huge turnoff. My dad would always throw that "do as i say and not as i do" at me (as if that really works ) whenever i'd see him showing his ass, which was on a daily basis. Anyways, i remembered from my sunday school classes that Jesus is a healer and he can fix anything, and all i wanted was to find some peace from the never ending hell that was my life. That was 2 years ago and now i am a christian. I guess i had to live in hell for my entire life (31 years old at that time) to realize i didn't want to spend forever in hell. You wouldn't understand the roads i walked down unless you had been there yourself, but all that hell led me back to Jesus. I did alot of things i couldn't forgive myself for, things i couldn't take back while in the throws of my rage. Only one option offered total redemption and the chance to say i'm sorry to the people i hurt in my life. I can't take back the things i said or did, but Jesus will wipe those memories from our minds and there will be no more tears. That's what i want, no more tears.edit on 8-9-2012 by lonewolf19792000 because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by axslinger
I'm mildly amused how most of these replies are along the lines of, "Oh, it's so good of you that you didn't push your views on them and are allowing them to explore their own beliefs...". Lets look at the reality.
First of all, those kids are, in all likelihood, going to grow up to be atheist/heathens. Period. Why? Because the basic foundation is formed by the time kids are 8 years old. Many of their values and expectations are set. Now, how exactly is a child, from birth to 8 years of age, going to "explore" spirituality, Christianity, Sunday School, Church on Sunday, etc? Should they hitch hike? Take Dial-a-Ride? It's clear the parent isn't going to facilitate it.
Like most things in life, your spirituality is something that needs guidance and nurturing. You don't just go out and pick up a bible and call it good. It's not something you go and do in the privacy of your bedroom; it's a way of life. Something you ARE, not something you do. So to suggest that these kids are being given a "choice" is preposterous. They have no choice; they are surrounded by atheism in their household and in schools.
Saying they have a choice would be like saying they can choose to go to Harvard just because it's there yet they have no tuition. Furthermore, it's a parent's job to make choices for our children; that's why they're children. To suggest prepubescent kids are capable of making that "choice" is naive at best and dangerous at worst.edit on 8-9-2012 by axslinger because: (no reason given)edit on 8-9-2012 by axslinger because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by RedParrotHead
So, now I have kids and don't want them to feel like I'm forcing my beliefs on them. They frequently ask questions about god and such and I try to always say thing like "many people believe so-and-so...I believe so-and-so ...etc." But how can I be impartial when I can't find a logical answer to their questions? For example...
"Dad, how did that guy on the boat keep tigers and alligators alive for 40 days? Don't they eat zebras?"
Without and answer I looked online and found this answer on a www.answersingenesis.org... a site aimed at kids:
One possible answer to your question is that God could have miraculously stopped animals from eating each other. There is another possibility. We know that before sin, animals only ate vegetation. By the time of the Flood, a number of animals may have become vicious because of the effects of sin. But we notice today that even with animals like wolves—which are of the dog kind—there are other dogs that are not vicious. So God could have chosen the more friendly ones to represent a kind. God could also have supernaturally caused the animals to hibernate much of the time.
So, it was either vegetarian tigers or magic? How can I tell my kids people believe things like this without telling them that those people are delusional? If I send them to a priest (which isn't happening) I'm afraid they will get the same answer I did when my mom sat me with one with my questions..."put logic aside and have faith, we can never understand fully, trust in God..." in other words "just believe what I say, because that's way it is"edit on 9/7/2012 by RedParrotHead because: (no reason given)
O man of Shurrupak, son of Ubara-Tutu; tear down
your house and build a boat, abandon possessions and look for life, despise worldly goods and save
your soul alive. Tear down your house, I say, and build a boat. These are the measurements of the
barque [boat] as you shall build her: let her beam equal her length, let her deck be roofed like the
vault that covers the abyss; then take up into the boat the seed of all living creatures.”
I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the
breath of life from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall die. But I will establish my
covenant with you; and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives
with you. And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep
them alive with you; they shall be male and female.