i'm an atheist and i want to know if i should send my kids to church?

Question

i havent always been an atheist i did at one point believe in a higher power i want my kids to choose for themselves what religion they want to be should i send them to church my husband says yes he is a believer what do you think ????

Answer 1

Children may have a narrow view of the life we have made, but they have a better concept of who they are and where they came from. They understand total love and acceptance. You teach them that as their parent. You love them no matter what.

So what biblical teachings are going to shock them? That if they don't follow the laws and accept Jesus they aren't making it to heaven? Now that is just opposite of what they already know and understand about love. God is love. Our morals are written on our hearts and our laws are of our society and government.

Do your children have a soul that is loved by God, or does that only happen when they accept Jesus? What age is it that they turn from innocent babes to responsible enough to be scared into belief? Funny how the bible doesn't touch this subject, not even once.

We teach them about sin, and now they have sin consciousness. They have just eaten from the tree of knowledge. Then we say Jesus died for their sins, but they still have to repent.

Jesus fulfilled the law, which included the requirement to believe. It is done. Anything you think you have to do to gain favour with God is only self righteousness and ego.

What if you teach them they are one with God and with everyone else? That they are inseparable from God. That God loves them no matter what and He has given them a good spirit to know how to help people? That they have the power to create a great life? Imagine the possibilities. Imagine how they will not be stifled when they have no fear. When they are free to be and to live and to love.

This is what Jesus was trying to prove, that the law only disqualifies but grace and peace makes us all accepted and equal.

Answer 2

This is something I think you and your husband
have to decide for yourselves. My father was a
minister and I was hauled to church quite regularly
until my late teens. I am now an agnostic/atheist.
About the only reason I can see for exposing a
child to religion is that it so permeates our culture
that someone totally ignorant of it will miss a lot
when reading and seeing other aspects of life
such as art. Children are susceptible to the
brain-washing of religion, but they vary in their
susceptibility. I never did really believe in it, I
just had it poured into my mind by my environment.
When I began really thinking about it, it quickly
began to seem unbelievable, and the older I get
the less I understand how anyone can take it
seriously. (I am now retired.)
If a child is well-balanced and thoughtful the church
may not be able to harm him. Someone once said
going to church doesn't make you a Christian any
more than going to the garage makes you a car.

Answer 3

I think you should send your child to sunday school at least for a few weeks, maybe even try different religions, or churches. If your kid is having fun then they can go, but if they are not then don't force them. Forcing a child to go to church just makes it a chore and will not help a child grow. When your child asks you questions, you should answer honestly, about how you believe different than the church and that is ok, many people have different beliefs. I do not believe in god, and much of my evidence comes from going to church. It also helps me make arguements and use people's own book against them, having a basic fundamental understanding of the bible or any religous book will help a person understand situations better, even if they don't believe.

Answer 4

Don't send them to just one church. Do some reasearch on some local denominations of all kinds and have your children attend a different church every week. Also, educate your children on the religions of the world, not just the major ones. Including non-traditional spiritual groups. This way, they will really have the power of choice.
Educate them in philosophy and science.
As children, many adults were never given choices as to what religion to adhere to or what church to go to as children. Give your children the gift of choice and show them that all spiritual belief systems and practices have beneficial aspects. Allow them to create their own beliefs. All you can do is present them with many available choices.
A bonus is that they will always have an open-mind & they will be more tolerable of all religions. In this world, we need that!

Good Luck!

Answer 5

There are social and cultural advantages to taking your kids (not sending) to church. A church family is a ready made network of people who are going to help keep track of what your kids are doing. Going to church with other kids gives your kids a social advantage in that there is some expectation that you are going to be nice to the kids you go to church with.

Depending upon your community, there may be advantages to belonging to a church that have nothing to do with religion. I once was approved for a personal loan from a bank that I would probably not have qualified for without knowing the bank vice-president from church.

There just isn't a mutually supportive network of athiests and agnostics that I've ever seen. So, even though I'm a scientist and there is one part of me that seriously questions the existence of God, I saw the advantages to going to church with my kids.

Answer 6

No, you definitely should not send your children to church. You have seen sense so you should help your children to see it too. By all means let your kids participate in religious education in school, but don't send them to church. When they're older and they can think for themselves, then they can do whatever they like with regards to religion, but for now don't let the church brainwash them.

"We are the Christians, you will be assimilated..."

Answer 7

I think it depends more on what religion.
I'm a recovering Catholic myself. I still believe in God, and Jesus, but I just don't believe in all the fire and brimstone.
For years I was afraid of the dark because I thought the devil was going to get me for doing something bad. (I was like 5) I'm still afraid of the dark sometimes. because yes, I do have premarital sex.. and I've been divorced and the whole Catholic guilt thing gets to me...
I don't think any kid should be subjected to the mind f*k the church pulls on you.
If your husband does want to teach them religion, he should start with the pleasant books of the bible.. like Joseph's multicolored coat and the story of Christmas...
Depending on how old they are, you have to ask, "what are they getting out of it?"
I think even atheists can get something out of going to church "Kinda like group therapy" But only if the guy is really relating to everyone, not just preaching down to people--especially when they don't have experience in your life..
Yep, I got issues...

Answer 8

My Dad is and Atheists he would not allow for me to attend church. He said that I would decide for myself when I was older and not able to be brain washed.

This did not sit too well with my Mother's family. My grand father was a Deacon. When I was with them I would go to church.

When I became an adult I started to study different religions to see if I believed in any of them. I love my Dad for giving me the right to make my own choice.

Answer 9

Sending your child to church will NOT be allowing them to choose their own beleifs. It will be forcing your (or your husband's) beleifs on them. And thats not right. Remember why you are no longer a believer....was it because of what you were told you MUST ACCEPT as fact, or perish in enternal damnation? Do you want to expose your children to that??

I saw a pic in todays paper - a 4 year old girl wearing a bandana saying that Allah is the only true God, and anyone who disagrees should be killed...and she was carrying a toy Uzi... This is what happens when you force your religious philosophies on your children....

Answer 10

I think you should allow them to choose for themselves. I used to be a believer as well. I came to my own decision and am now an Atheist too. (glad to meet you : )
I would hope that your husband also wants your children to believe for themselves too. What I mean is, expose them to both views so they can make a decision for themselves. If any one side is the only side they learn from, then off course their learning base will be one sided.
I am for pro choice ;)