Question for everyone - atheists/agnostics/theists?

Question

What's your opinion on this?
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060721/NEWS01/607210412

Answer 1

That's cool. Wish I could have gone when I was a kid. *pout*

Answer 2

First, let's separate religion from the "supernatural" (psychics, mediums, ESP, etc.) These campers are being taught to think critically and to examine irrationality using the tools of logic. Every child should learn critical thinking.

The issue has nothing to do with belief or persuasion. These kids are already agnostics or atheists. Like any minority, they can face a lot of pressure from a society that is largely Christian. Here they learn how to defend their beliefs.

Faith is belief in the absence of proof. As Aquinas pointed out, it is a “gift.” It is not a choice we can make. Some of us have this gift, others do not. Some who began without it acquire it later in life. Wherever it originates, it cannot be invoked. Those who believe in God have no right to condemn those who do not.

Answer 3

I think it's kind of stupid really, I mean, I don't live in America, but do ALL of the other summer camps have a religious bias? That's the only way that this one would be any good, personally I'd prefer a camp where the emphasis was on having fun, and not sitting around learning stuff as if it was a contiuation of school.

Answer 4

this is stupid : with this, atheism becomes almost a religion...

With this, if you're atheist, you'll send your kids to this atheist camp and they'll be stuffed with other people's beliefs ("campers tackle serious discussions of atheistic, agnostic and deist philosophies. They learn about famous figures - such as Charles Darwin and Carl Sagan - who shared a disbelief in a supreme being who oversees humanity.") just like religious camps do, only not the same beliefs...

Give your kids a break! They don't have to be seperated in atheists and religious like that! In france, we simply don't care whether someone is a believer or not : it's only in the states parents brainwash their kids to believe just like they do.

Let them decide for themselves what to believe or not to believe. It's their lives, not yours. Thir choices, not yours. Their beliefs, not yours.

Until I see a religious+atheist camp where religion is NOT DISCUSSED in the states, I will keep believing that usa is beyond hope.

Answer 5

I think it is good to share beliefs: believing there is no god and believing in no organised religion are beliefs in themselves. The only true believers in God have had an intimate experience with It (Him or Her), or have found the connectedness of every life cell, like Buddhism. The followers, worshippers, blind faithed fellowships believe in their religion more than a supreme, all-knowing presence, so this camp would actually develop some very revolutionary people who might one day end the pain & suffering so many "religious" people have caused!
I think they should allow intelligent believers of religion to participate, in porportion to the non-believers so they can share their knowledge so that all can be as free as "Hensley Akiboh, 18, from Indianapolis, said his family "used to be Christian, but we became more free-thinking."

Answer 6

looks interesting - for years we've han bible camps, now we have atheism camps. this is a step towards a more balanced system, rather than theism being taught in churches etc. and atheism being only a rejection of the church system.

so i say it's good, just so long as it's not teaching that theists are "wrong" etc., which is too far

Answer 7

Who cares? Let them do whatever they wanna do! I'm a Muslim and happy in my religion, and I AM a free thinker! My religion doesn't prevent it! Atheists and agnostics think that religious people are not "Free thinkers". Did belief in God become "restricted thinking". They have the right to not believe and I do have the right to believe!

Answer 8

It's interesting to speculate on the reporter's (or editor's) reasons for throwing in the final paragraph.

And I hope those kids had a wonderful time at camp.

Answer 9

Sounds great!

Uh, would the person who said "Atheists and agnostics think that religious people are not "Free thinkers"" stop yowling? Like hell we do. Nice broad brush, that.

Answer 10

with the aid of fact of circumstances from final year my relatives got here up with funds and present vouchers to assist me out, and that i felt extra suitable than happy this year with purely a short hint of what exchange into previous.