Comments on: The God Post http://www.spudballoo.com/2009/10/the-god-post/ Spudballoo's random witterings Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:12:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Glenn Kachmar http://www.spudballoo.com/2009/10/the-god-post/comment-page-1/#comment-3250 Glenn Kachmar Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:30:45 +0000 http://www.spudballoo.com/?p=942#comment-3250 I found this post through Julie (http://julochka.blogspot.com/) and was very interested to read it. Good for you for asking the question about what to say to a four year old. I am an atheist, but spent half of my life in the church. I was a sunday school teacher, youth group leader, teacher in two different christian schools and a youth pastor (more or less). I pretty much drank the cool-aid, but I was never able to turn my brain off* (*required). I think that you should wait until your son is about 15 or 16 and then teach him what a number of different religions preach and don't fail to mention that there are many agnostics and atheists. Let him come to a decision himself ONCE HE IS OLD ENOUGH TO THINK RATIONALLY AND ANALYZE BELIEFS BASED ON EVIDENCE. Little children are so important to churches because if they can get them young, they are indoctrinated for life. So please, for the love of freedom in thinking, wait until he is truly old enough to think rationally and then have this conversation with him. Glenn In case you or anyone else is interested, here is a link to my deconversion story: http://glennkachmar.blogspot.com/2008/03/deconversion-story.html I found this post through Julie (http://julochka.blogspot.com/) and was very interested to read it.

Good for you for asking the question about what to say to a four year old.

I am an atheist, but spent half of my life in the church. I was a sunday school teacher, youth group leader, teacher in two different christian schools and a youth pastor (more or less). I pretty much drank the cool-aid, but I was never able to turn my brain off* (*required).

I think that you should wait until your son is about 15 or 16 and then teach him what a number of different religions preach and don’t fail to mention that there are many agnostics and atheists. Let him come to a decision himself ONCE HE IS OLD ENOUGH TO THINK RATIONALLY AND ANALYZE BELIEFS BASED ON EVIDENCE. Little children are so important to churches because if they can get them young, they are indoctrinated for life. So please, for the love of freedom in thinking, wait until he is truly old enough to think rationally and then have this conversation with him.

Glenn

In case you or anyone else is interested, here is a link to my deconversion story: http://glennkachmar.blogspot.com/2008/03/deconversion-story.html

]]> By: Amber http://www.spudballoo.com/2009/10/the-god-post/comment-page-1/#comment-2855 Amber Fri, 23 Oct 2009 23:13:52 +0000 http://www.spudballoo.com/?p=942#comment-2855 I have a gift for you and the boys. You will love it and the boys will love it, and you will find it very helpful. I'll put it in the post as soon as I can. I have a gift for you and the boys. You will love it and the boys will love it, and you will find it very helpful. I’ll put it in the post as soon as I can.

]]> By: julochka http://www.spudballoo.com/2009/10/the-god-post/comment-page-1/#comment-2796 julochka Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:28:28 +0000 http://www.spudballoo.com/?p=942#comment-2796 issue way too big to offer good advice...but i'm thinking i'd say, go for those cakes, honey! they look like they came from Dod him/herself. divine. heavenly. such things could undoubtedly make one believe. issue way too big to offer good advice…but i’m thinking i’d say, go for those cakes, honey! they look like they came from Dod him/herself. divine. heavenly. such things could undoubtedly make one believe.

]]> By: Kristina http://www.spudballoo.com/2009/10/the-god-post/comment-page-1/#comment-2763 Kristina Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:02:30 +0000 http://www.spudballoo.com/?p=942#comment-2763 wow, that's a big subject to tackle. I don't think my parents ever talked about god with me, at least not when I was a kid. I think you did a good job with it, talking honestly about it. k xxx wow, that’s a big subject to tackle. I don’t think my parents ever talked about god with me, at least not when I was a kid. I think you did a good job with it, talking honestly about it.
k xxx

]]> By: Sara http://www.spudballoo.com/2009/10/the-god-post/comment-page-1/#comment-2762 Sara Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:49:18 +0000 http://www.spudballoo.com/?p=942#comment-2762 Hmmm... I know what I believe but I'm not sure what it's called really. I'm not an atheist because I do believe in something bigger than us. But I think it's something we couldn't possibly comprehend and it's not concerned with the fiddling details of our lives or most of what we do. I guess it's as much a "mother nature" as God. The kids' dad is an atheist, an aunt is Baptist, 4 aunts are somewhere in the middle and Grammy is Catholic. So they get a bit of everything from family. Anyway, so far I've only spoken with my 8 year old about it because the kids at school are talking about it and he wanted to know from me if his friend had it wrong. I explained that different people believe different things. I explained what his dad believes, what I believe, and what some of the bigger religions believe. So far he is taking dad's views (staunch atheist) and then he looked at me like "is that okay?" to which I told him that he can believe anything he wants about it and don't let anyone tell him otherwise. And that he's also entitled to change his mind later if he wants to. I try to give my kids all sides and then I'll let them make up their own minds as they grow. Hmmm… I know what I believe but I’m not sure what it’s called really. I’m not an atheist because I do believe in something bigger than us. But I think it’s something we couldn’t possibly comprehend and it’s not concerned with the fiddling details of our lives or most of what we do. I guess it’s as much a “mother nature” as God. The kids’ dad is an atheist, an aunt is Baptist, 4 aunts are somewhere in the middle and Grammy is Catholic. So they get a bit of everything from family.

Anyway, so far I’ve only spoken with my 8 year old about it because the kids at school are talking about it and he wanted to know from me if his friend had it wrong. I explained that different people believe different things. I explained what his dad believes, what I believe, and what some of the bigger religions believe. So far he is taking dad’s views (staunch atheist) and then he looked at me like “is that okay?” to which I told him that he can believe anything he wants about it and don’t let anyone tell him otherwise. And that he’s also entitled to change his mind later if he wants to. I try to give my kids all sides and then I’ll let them make up their own minds as they grow.

]]> By: Muddling Along Mummy http://www.spudballoo.com/2009/10/the-god-post/comment-page-1/#comment-2761 Muddling Along Mummy Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:46:55 +0000 http://www.spudballoo.com/?p=942#comment-2761 I wish I knew the answer - we have a similar problem to you, Mr Muddling is a VERY committed non believer and I'm a bit of a wooly catholic who does take Toddlergirl to church but hasn't yet had to talk through any of it Hoping that you can find the answers here and I can borrow it ! I wish I knew the answer – we have a similar problem to you, Mr Muddling is a VERY committed non believer and I’m a bit of a wooly catholic who does take Toddlergirl to church but hasn’t yet had to talk through any of it

Hoping that you can find the answers here and I can borrow it !

]]> By: spudballoo http://www.spudballoo.com/2009/10/the-god-post/comment-page-1/#comment-2759 spudballoo Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:50:08 +0000 http://www.spudballoo.com/?p=942#comment-2759 Thanks everyone...very interesting, and so good to know I'm not alone! I think Otin you are quite right. Why deprive them of the opportunity of faith, and they can make up their minds later. I do hope MrSpud is reading this so I don't have to bother having the conversation with him. He can just read his life plan right here ;-) x Thanks everyone…very interesting, and so good to know I’m not alone! I think Otin you are quite right. Why deprive them of the opportunity of faith, and they can make up their minds later.

I do hope MrSpud is reading this so I don’t have to bother having the conversation with him. He can just read his life plan right here ;-) x

]]> By: marion http://www.spudballoo.com/2009/10/the-god-post/comment-page-1/#comment-2755 marion Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:37:24 +0000 http://www.spudballoo.com/?p=942#comment-2755 I just wrote about this, too! It's a hard question sounds like you are in a good struggle with it. I go to church and make my daughter go too. Now that she is nine, it's hard and she puts up a protest. The reasons I want her to go are to experience gratitude, community, hope and love. For us, that happens in the presence of church. For others, that happens in the woods or on a beach. Whether or not we get dunked, we're all part of God's family - the trees, the pigs, the farm, the children, the cupcakes! All of it. How you define God and how you define family is up to you! I just wrote about this, too! It’s a hard question sounds like you are in a good struggle with it.

I go to church and make my daughter go too. Now that she is nine, it’s hard and she puts up a protest. The reasons I want her to go are to experience gratitude, community, hope and love. For us, that happens in the presence of church. For others, that happens in the woods or on a beach.

Whether or not we get dunked, we’re all part of God’s family – the trees, the pigs, the farm, the children, the cupcakes! All of it. How you define God and how you define family is up to you!

]]> By: Sister AliBongo http://www.spudballoo.com/2009/10/the-god-post/comment-page-1/#comment-2753 Sister AliBongo Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:34:06 +0000 http://www.spudballoo.com/?p=942#comment-2753 OK my darling the answer is simple, join the Methodists. I was raised Anglican (may as well have been Catholic) and Steve didn't go to church at all, his family are kind of Baptists but not really. We both had a lot of unanswered questions and knew we wanted to teach the girls so that they could make up their own minds. There is a big methodist church here in town and a lot of my friends already were attending so slowly but surely we attended and listened and learned. We started with an Alpha class, you know that Brit guy Nick whatsisname???? Anyway the girls now go to Sunday School, they still mix up stuff about God and Santa and we just muddle along but we like it. Don't worry about it, they will still learn the God stuff in school over there unlike here so you'll at least have some help with the basic stuff, and nativity plays are the cutest!!!!! OK my darling the answer is simple, join the Methodists.
I was raised Anglican (may as well have been Catholic) and Steve didn’t go to church at all, his family are kind of Baptists but not really.
We both had a lot of unanswered questions and knew we wanted to teach the girls so that they could make up their own minds. There is a big methodist church here in town and a lot of my friends already were attending so slowly but surely we attended and listened and learned. We started with an Alpha class, you know that Brit guy Nick whatsisname???? Anyway the girls now go to Sunday School, they still mix up stuff about God and Santa and we just muddle along but we like it. Don’t worry about it, they will still learn the God stuff in school over there unlike here so you’ll at least have some help with the basic stuff, and nativity plays are the cutest!!!!!

]]> By: Lisa http://www.spudballoo.com/2009/10/the-god-post/comment-page-1/#comment-2749 Lisa Mon, 19 Oct 2009 07:52:41 +0000 http://www.spudballoo.com/?p=942#comment-2749 phew,this is a bit of a whopper isnt it? I agree with some of the others...be honest, and tell him what you think, what others think, and let him decide over time where he stands. little men can be amazingly astute at times! For me one of the most important aspects of religion (well, from the sort of mixed-bag religion of my own creating, that I choose to follow ) is that we should try to be good and kind throughout our lives, and to accept when we are not and say sorry.. What I remember as a child, is loving the stories of miracles and a time long ago....maybe you could find a couple of light reading ones at the library? good luck there Spud! xxx phew,this is a bit of a whopper isnt it? I agree with some of the others…be honest, and tell him what you think, what others think, and let him decide over time where he stands. little men can be amazingly astute at times! For me one of the most important aspects of religion (well, from the sort of mixed-bag religion of my own creating, that I choose to follow ) is that we should try to be good and kind throughout our lives, and to accept when we are not and say sorry.. What I remember as a child, is loving the stories of miracles and a time long ago….maybe you could find a couple of light reading ones at the library?

good luck there Spud!
xxx

]]>