How do I answer this?

I noticed that instead of really addressing the OP's question the two of you have gone for bully boy tactics? It's really sad that you need to argue you perspective by beating up on others to win.

Nope, I addressed the OP's question...

I'm sorry you missed it...

Here it is, in case you need help finding it:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Originally posted by Mynaeris
I noticed that instead of really addressing the OP's question the two of you have gone for bully boy tactics? It's really sad that you need to argue you perspective by beating up on others to win.

Is it really productive to engage in ad-hominem arguments?

It must be wonderful being so superior to people with different beliefs. My religion teaches me tolerance rather than condemnation. we also live longer, probably because we don't have to be p*ssed off all the time.

reply to post by Mynaeris

we also live longer, probably because we don't have to be p*ssed off all the time.

The cost of going through life with the blinders off is apparently too high for you...


You have made the right decision...

reply to post by Mynaeris


Show me some statistics on that...

and again, you're engaging in ad hominem...

But you're probably right... there's no way I can claim the moral high ground... Morality is a product of religion right?

Oh wait... maybe not...

www.timesonline.co.uk...

reply to post by VIKINGANT


You could make something up or tell him the truth.

If you make something up ,he may end up like one of the adults in this video:

I actually corresponded with Frans de Waal. He is a very impressive person. I think your argument falls apart when you assume that morality is the sole propewrty of religious people. I don't think any truly religious person would assert such a preposterous suggestion. However your aggression towards my belief would definitely make you less moral than the chimps in prof de waal's research.

reply to post by Mynaeris


I make no such assumptions... in fact I believe the opposite... morality is an instinctual evolutionary trait.

I make the assumption that most believers believe this, well, because if you look at the boards here... they usually state they do.

I have no aggression toward your beliefs. I just don't feel the need to treat them with kid gloves.

It was actually you who showed aggression, and claimed offense at what GW and I were stating.

As far as not respecting your beliefs being akin to having lesser morals... there you go again on ad hominem.

In the best interest of keeping the OP's thread from getting destroyed further, I will be refraining from further off topic comment... If you would like to continue this conversation, than just start a thread and tell me where its at.

To the OP: Sorry about the slight derailment... I'm pulling out now so maybe it can return to the topic at hand. Apologies again!

Time Magazine dated February 23:

Here's what's surprising: a growing body of scientific evidence suggests that faith may indeed bring us health. People who attend religious services do have a lower risk of dying in any one year than people who don't attend. People who believe in a loving God fare better after a diagnosis of illness than people who believe in a punitive God. No less a killer than AIDS will back off at least a bit when it's hit with a double-barreled blast of belief. "Even accounting for medications," says Dr. Gail Ironson, a professor of psychiatry and psychology at the University of Miami who studies HIV and religious belief, "spirituality predicts for better disease control."

If belief in a pill can be so powerful, belief in God and the teachings of religion — which touch devout people at a far more profound level than mere pharmacology — ought to be even more so. One way to test this is simply to study the health of regular churchgoers. Social demographer Robert Hummer of the University of Texas has been following a population of subjects since 1992, and his results are hard to argue with. Those who never attend religious services have twice the risk of dying over the next eight years as people who attend once a week. People who fall somewhere between no churchgoing and weekly churchgoing also fall somewhere between in terms of mortality.

Is this what you call a non-ad hominem attack?

Originally posted by nj2day
reply to post by Mynaeris

 

It might be too late for you to think for yourself... but brainwashing children into this nonsense isn't a matter to be taken lightly...

Originally posted by Good Wolf
Yeah that's a good point. Why is he at a Christian school?

The short answer to this is that I am a christian in a christian society that has public schools that are no longer allowed to teach the basics of christianity and no longer promote Christmas and Easter for fear of offending others.
In a Christian school he can learn the fundamentals and work out for himself what is right and wrong.
But this is another discussion for another time.
I know this kinda answers my own question in a way, but there is a fine line that I tread in answering him with too many specifics.

reply to post by Mynaeris

You cannot compare old testament Bible stories with the Tooth Fairy or Santa. TF and Santa are indeed a part of childhood and is fun for adults as well. (Not to mention handy bribary tools) but to teach chapter one of Genesis as being the one and only possible way is as outdated, or moreso, than the earth being the centre of the solar system.

Oops I didn't want o post here. Please ignore delete etc.


[edit on 18-2-2009 by Mynaeris]

The best advice I can give on something like this is to remember that your son is only 7. Around the age of 6 and 7, children are still in the innocent stage of life because most still belive in santa and the easter bunny.

Just remember his age and tell him what you that would be a good enough answer that he would accept for now at the age of 7.

I'd suggest providing him with the theories and opinions of both sides, and let him make up his own mind. If you are not sure, just be honest with him. A large problem with many people today is they take such hard stances on things and the entirety of their faith may rely on false information. It's unfortunate that so many christians still maintain that the earth MUST be no more than 10000 years old, just as it is sad that so many scientist maintain that global warming is man made. I think people need to keep an open mind and not put all their eggs in one basket. As a christian i've run into many false doctrines and beliefs presented as evidence of the bible, from ivan panin to the bible code. It really hurts when you put so much weight on matters that end up proving to be false, and it makes you look like gullible fool. I think the best thing you can do is always try to inform yourself on both sides of the argument. I've been let down so many times trusting people or things as fact that turn out to be false, i'm starting to learn pretty much everyone has an agenda or is biased towards something. There is of course a great deal of evidence for evolution, but their is a great deal of evidence of the historicity of the bible. The internet is full of garbage, but at least you can search out the truth of the batter for yourself.

Acts 17:10And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.

11These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

www.christiananswers.net...
www.biblehistory.net...
www.talkorigins.org...

reply to post by VIKINGANT


Actually... subjecting them to total immersion in a belief system is not going to help them make their own decisions... Its actually instilling the beliefs into them pretty firmly.

The schools will teach the warped facts and twisted history that religious schools of every denomination are guilty of peddling.

Now, it actually becomes more difficult for them to stray away from the beliefs they will be taught in this school. If, by some chance, they happen to make the decision to leave the faith, it will be a much more traumatic experience for them, because the church and christians will not be around for support... Everything they thought they new about the world will not be the same... and its akin to trying to deprogram a seasoned cult member... Very difficult, if possible at all... Often resulting in visits to a therapist.

If you are doubful, I submit for reference an internet support forum that I used to frequent... www.exchristian.net. Since leaving the church means leaving your support system behind, that website is specifically designed and maintained by ex-christians who have decided to leave the faith and want to help others... the stories you will hear regarding those bought up in schools such as that, are horrific... most of the time, in these scenarios, the individual you knew before they left the faith is not the same person you will know afterwards... and you may feel like you lost your child.

With that being said, I believe you are also sadly mistaken about the society you live in. Just stating that you believe its a christian society, alienates and marginalizes the 25% who don't identify with one of the major christian faiths. this is a big chunk of people to ignore and cast to the side.

However, that aside, your decision to have your child in a christian school so they have the right to "choose" what religion they want to be in... is either misguided or untruthful, either way you look at it...

[edit on 18-2-2009 by nj2day]

Vikingant,

If I were to ask you the exact same question your son did, how would you answer me? You could tell your son your answer and that answer is your opinion and if that is not satisfactory for him, then you can tell him that someday he will find the answers that are satisfactory to him.

reply to post by Mynaeris


I for one liked your post. You did a good job. You did answer the op's question.

The ops son goes to a Christian school which he is probably expected to learn about their beliefs.

Sometimes when we want the best education for our children we send them to places where the beliefs my differ from our own.

As a parent I don't force my beliefs on my children. I let them and encourage them to explore all beliefs and find the one that fits for them.

As for Santa, the easter bunny..I think they are good our children learn to believe in what is unseen.

I'm truely glad I don't have to live in a world where I'm forced to only believe in what I can see or I'd be very depressed looking around at what the world is like today and many of the people in it.

I really have sympathy for those that can't believe in what they can't see.

You know I've never seen a billion dollars I wonder what it looks likes? Does it really exist or are those people lying to us that there is such a thing as a billion dollars

reply to post by napayshni57


Thanks.

You raise a really important question about believing in that which you can't or haven't seen. Who doesn't believe in love? Yet we believe it is real because we have felt it.

reply to post by nj2day


Your not quite right on that one.

One of my parents was a pentacostal minister when I was growing up.

I don't know how much more immersed one can be in religious training than living with it 24/7.

I've never been the herd animal but the stray in the pack.

I'm a spiritualist far different from the pentacostal up bringing. I will tell you this if I had someone like you ranting about people I cared for YOU sir would of been more apt to send me into believeing just like the church wants you to believe.

You will drive more people towards what you are trying to get them away from with your approach.