Raising Your Child as an Atheist.

[Barb]

You are condemning your child to a horrible reincarnation by raising him a Christian.

All good parents raise their children to follow the Noble Eightfold Path to Enlightenment.

The Buddha was a deadbeat dad who left his wife and infant son to be raised by his parents so he could go out into the woods and gaze at his navel.

I'm not saying nothing, I'm just saying.

WHO defines "right thoughts?" It's subjective. I did a survey of Eastern religions, and liked the Shinto best. Pretty little shrines, appropriate to the blessing asked for, and no "voice" quoted by others to say whatever they want him to.

That's a complete misunderstanding of the Buddha's path.

That wasn't an attempt to understand the Buddhist path. It was, however, an entirely accurate rendition of his early history.

 

[Barb]

The Buddha was a deadbeat dad who left his wife and infant son to be raised by his parents so he could go out into the woods and gaze at his navel.

<sarcasm>

And Jesus was a closeted homosexual who pretended to be God so he could leach off the earnings of his 12 sex slaves.

</sarcasm>

No big deal to me, I like the guy, but I'm not a religious person, and the whole virgin birth thing strikes me as questionable, and painful to boot.

 

[uscitizen]

Note that if you are a Christian it is a sin not to raise your child up in the church.....

 

[Gadawg73]

Just a repackaged "do we raise the kid Jewish or Baptist" question.
And folks wonder why "traditional" denominations are losing folks by the busloads and nondenominational open door churches that rent empty retail space with no trillion dollar building fund are growing like wild fire.

 

[Madeline]

How does abstaining from immunizations endanger children?

Here's a short list of the diseases children are routinely vaccinated against in the US:

Hepatitus B, diptheria, pertussis, tentanus, rolavirus, polio, flu, measles, mumps, rubella, and on and on.

When a child is not vaccinated he or she is vulnerable to these diseases. Most can be deadly and many can maim for life. That child is also a public health threat to anyone in the community who may lack anti-bodies. This may include adults as well as children.

For the most part I disagree. I was vaccinated for most of those diseases, but I've nver taken a flu shot. Never gotten the flu either. Some parent's don't trust the pharmaceutical companies that make those vaccines. When this swine flu hysteria bullcrap came out, I refused to take the shot, didn't catch swine flu or any flu for that matter. I'm one of those people who doesn't like taking drugs, unless it's totally natural like marijuana. Some have legitimate religious grievances with vaccines.

We can debate the rights of parents to withhold vaccines from their children, but it seems like a hijack of this thread. Wanna start a new one?

 

[amrchaos]

Are you condemning you child because of your beliefs? Would it not be better to let him or her experience religion on their own, without influence from the parents.

I do not have kids.

Even so, I think I would raise them up Methodist until they are 12. I know, I know. But I was jus thinking,how much fun it would be to teach them Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, spirits and angels then to turn his/her entire world totally upside down during puberty?

 

[Sky Dancer]

The Buddha was a deadbeat dad who left his wife and infant son to be raised by his parents so he could go out into the woods and gaze at his navel.

I'm not saying nothing, I'm just saying.

WHO defines "right thoughts?" It's subjective. I did a survey of Eastern religions, and liked the Shinto best. Pretty little shrines, appropriate to the blessing asked for, and no "voice" quoted by others to say whatever they want him to.

That's a complete misunderstanding of the Buddha's path.

That wasn't an attempt to understand the Buddhist path. It was, however, an entirely accurate rendition of his early history.

The spin you added that the Buddha was a 'deadbeat dad' is not a accurate rendition of the history of Shakamuni Buddha. The Buddha did leave his wife and child to pursue enlightenment. Yasodhara, the Buddha's wife, although grieving for her loss, understood and respected the Buddha's decision and chose to take up her own spiritual discipline in his absence. The Buddha's only son, Rahula, ordained as a monk and studied meditation under his father achieving the level of arhat. Yasodhara, the Buddha's wife ordained as a nun and is considered a Buddhist saint.

You're applying twenty first century concepts to an event that occurred 2500 years ago.

 

[Newby]

It'd be hard to imagine anything more private than how to raise a child with respect to religious (or not) beliefs. As long as the parent does not endanger the child (e.g., handling snakes, not getting vaccinated, etc.) I don't care what you teach them to believe.

As for Creationism, it is religion, not science. Don't afflict all of the kids in a public school with the nonsense you choose to believe.

You seem like a reasonable person, and I'm sorry to see you insult people for what they believe. Very sad.

 

[Newby]

My mother use to say it like this: "because it's my ******* house".

When children pay bills, rent, car notes, mortgages and buy their own food and clothes then they can decide what the Hell they believe for themselves. Until then if the cost of having a parent that loves you enough to pay your got-dayum snotty asses phone bills, put a roof over your head, put clothes on your back, food in front of you to eat, work their asses off everyday, pay taxes, stay up with your ungrateful behinds when your sick, and help you finish projects for school at the last minute is that you have to go to church once or twice a week and sit through a sermon my goodness freaking DEAL with it.

Wow, now i understand you a little better and I'm sorry you had a shitty childhood. It sounds like why your mother I'm sure loved you she looked upon her motherly duties as something she had to do but not wanting to do it.

Not putting your mother down for my mom I bet makes Mommy Dearest look like a saint but I just wanted to say so often people have kids when they are not ready, and therefore many times they go about raising them as a Chore instead of looking at it differently.

What the Hell are you talking about?

What is wrong with people? Seriously.

My mother just doesn't raise her children to do whatever the Hell they please in her house. No, we could not cuss at her in public. No we didn't get to "decide" if we went to church or not, just like we didn't decide to take baths, brush our teeth, and go to school.

There were somethings I could not do in my house. There were some things I had to do in my house. I had to do chores. I had to clean. I had to bring home good grades. And I HAD to go to church. She went to work, paid the bills, took care of me when I was sick, while she suffered from heart disease, and still does.

There was ORDER and peace in that house, because we knew our role as children and she knew her role as a parent.

I sat in a church with a suit on every Sunday. Three hours, no air conditioning in central Mississippi, Mt Zion Apostolic Faith Church. I'm no where near as religious as she is and I'm not apostolic anymore I'm Seventh Day Adventist and attend a Shabbat Class at a WCG church instead of church on Sunday. She's fine with it. She grew up far more structured then I did. Her father was the son of a Pentecostal preacher. Her parents woke up every morning at 4 in the am and all of her 14 brothers and sisters had to study the Bible with them and pray before going to school.

You can mock that way of life and call it indoctrination all you want but it taught me and her both structure, discipline, responsibility, love and compassion for family, and respect for adults, tradition, and authority. I'm not saying you have to be religious to teach those values to your children, but letting your children do whatever the Hell they please does not teach them discipline. And to accuse parents who take their children to church of somehow brainwashing their children is bullshit. Period.

 

[blu]

Are you condemning you child because of your beliefs? Would it not be better to let him or her experience religion on their own, without influence from the parents.

you don't raise your child as an atheist, you just let them determine their own beliefs without indoctrinating them

 

[blu]

Are you condemning you child because of your beliefs? Would it not be better to let him or her experience religion on their own, without influence from the parents.

a good question for every parent who takes their child to any given church, synagogue, blood sacrifice, or other ceremony or service

yep. we are teaching my step son the historical importance and impact of major religions, but none of hte spirtual stuff. let them find their own god and path

 

[blu]

It'd be hard to imagine anything more private than how to raise a child with respect to religious (or not) beliefs. As long as the parent does not endanger the child (e.g., handling snakes, not getting vaccinated, etc.) I don't care what you teach them to believe.

As for Creationism, it is religion, not science. Don't afflict all of the kids in a public school with the nonsense you choose to believe.

How does abstaining from immunizations endanger children?

the gov says you need it duh! just like all those people who died without the swine flu shot!

 

[blu]

Think you might be going just a *tad* overboard here?

No.

all people should have the right to decide for themselves.

nobody should be brainwashing their children into embracing illogical and irrational beliefs and fears.

when it comes to "creationism" v "evolution" MOST cons seem to believe that children should be exposed to BOTH sides and then allowed to decide for themselves...

why not expose ALL children to all sides of EVERY issue and let them decide for themselves...

pot smoking v drug war
sex before marriage v abstinance
religion v atheism
homosexual rights v antigay bigotry

---------------

from your own personal perspective...

would you prefer to have been brainwashed into being whatever religion your parents are
or
to have been given th eopportunity to thinkn and decide for yourself?

My mother use to say it like this: "because it's my ******* house".

When children pay bills, rent, car notes, mortgages and buy their own food and clothes then they can decide what the Hell they believe for themselves. Until then if the cost of having a parent that loves you enough to pay your got-dayum snotty asses phone bills, put a roof over your head, put clothes on your back, food in front of you to eat, work their asses off everyday, pay taxes, stay up with your ungrateful behinds when your sick, and help you finish projects for school at the last minute is that you have to go to church once or twice a week and sit through a sermon my goodness freaking DEAL with it.

kids would have more time for projects, works, and hobbies if they didn't have to waste time involved in their parent's fairy tales

 

[blu]

My mother use to say it like this: "because it's my ******* house".

When children pay bills, rent, car notes, mortgages and buy their own food and clothes then they can decide what the Hell they believe for themselves. Until then if the cost of having a parent that loves you enough to pay your got-dayum snotty asses phone bills, put a roof over your head, put clothes on your back, food in front of you to eat, work their asses off everyday, pay taxes, stay up with your ungrateful behinds when your sick, and help you finish projects for school at the last minute is that you have to go to church once or twice a week and sit through a sermon my goodness freaking DEAL with it.

bull shit.

No, what's bullshit is accusing parents who take their children to church of brainwashing their children.

what do you call 'do this or you will burn in hell'?

 

[blu]

My mother use to say it like this: "because it's my ******* house".

When children pay bills, rent, car notes, mortgages and buy their own food and clothes then they can decide what the Hell they believe for themselves. Until then if the cost of having a parent that loves you enough to pay your got-dayum snotty asses phone bills, put a roof over your head, put clothes on your back, food in front of you to eat, work their asses off everyday, pay taxes, stay up with your ungrateful behinds when your sick, and help you finish projects for school at the last minute is that you have to go to church once or twice a week and sit through a sermon my goodness freaking DEAL with it.

bull shit.

do you let your kids do whatever the **** they want.....

nice fallacy. you don't need fire and brimstone to be moral

 

[blu]

No.

all people should have the right to decide for themselves.

nobody should be brainwashing their children into embracing illogical and irrational beliefs and fears.

when it comes to "creationism" v "evolution" MOST cons seem to believe that children should be exposed to BOTH sides and then allowed to decide for themselves...

why not expose ALL children to all sides of EVERY issue and let them decide for themselves...

pot smoking v drug war
sex before marriage v abstinance
religion v atheism
homosexual rights v antigay bigotry

---------------

from your own personal perspective...

would you prefer to have been brainwashed into being whatever religion your parents are
or
to have been given th eopportunity to thinkn and decide for yourself?

My mother use to say it like this: "because it's my ******* house".

When children pay bills, rent, car notes, mortgages and buy their own food and clothes then they can decide what the Hell they believe for themselves. Until then if the cost of having a parent that loves you enough to pay your got-dayum snotty asses phone bills, put a roof over your head, put clothes on your back, food in front of you to eat, work their asses off everyday, pay taxes, stay up with your ungrateful behinds when your sick, and help you finish projects for school at the last minute is that you have to go to church once or twice a week and sit through a sermon my goodness freaking DEAL with it.

I cannot believe any Mississippi lady curses out her children like this. But the sentiment is almost universal..."Because I said so."

"because i said so" is the universal mantra of lazy parents who really just want to be authoritarians

 

[blu]

btw people should read through this old topic I made:

http://www.usmessageboard.com/relig...-is-the-proper-age-to-introduce-religion.html

very relvant and got some good replies/discussion

 

[blu]

Are you condemning you child because of your beliefs? Would it not be better to let him or her experience religion on their own, without influence from the parents.

no

why do you want to raise a sheep exactly?

 

[blu]

Are you condemning you child because of your beliefs? Would it not be better to let him or her experience religion on their own, without influence from the parents.

How many Christian parents would allow their kids to on their own investigate atheism or other paths of spiritual practice like Buddhism without their parental influence? Is parental influence a form of condemnation for a child's spirit?

I accidently stumbled upon an episode of reba a few months ago

her son announced he didn't believe in god

reba threw a BIG KN HISSY FIT!

she was NOT GOING TO ALLOW him the right to decide for himself


god damn it....he was GOING TO BELIEVE OR ELSE!!!

parents like that should be shot on the spot

 

[blu]

And you're not getting a head start by automatically referring to it as "brainwashing", and "illogical"?

Did you ever stop to think that people believe what they do for reasons only *they* know, and which, quite frankly, are nobody elses business?

Hate to break it to you, cupcake, but I've stood on *both* sides of the coin.

How's about you just live, and let live without being insulting?

Just sayin...

I don't think so.

indoctrinating little children into FEARING a deranged god IS brianwashing.

And that's any of your business how?

nice dodge