Atheist and Christians :What would you do?

Question

Atheist: What would you do if your children decided to believe in God and to embrace Christianity?

Christians: What would you do if after all you taught your children they decided God doesn't exsist?

Obviously this is hypothetical question...IF you don't have children ...just pretend.

It is nice to see so many open minded people.

Daniel...I am not closed minded...It is a question from my perspective.

JP - Well said!

eantaelor - It might hugh?

Tash N - I am the same way except I am from a family of non-believers and I chose to follow God. You should look into other religions. You might find one you like. Best of Luck!

Rxadzam - I will pray for your brother.

Answer 1

Freedom of religion is why we're Americans in the first place.

Teach your children the right and wrong things.
Tell there is or there isn't a God.

Then let them go and find some of the answers themselves.

Some you'll agree with, some not.

Just know that this is their decisions - Just like the decisions you made that made your parents smile or frown.

Force your teaching to your child, and they'll resent you for a very long time.

Answer 2

I was raised Mormon and am now an atheist. I started questioning what I was being taught when I was 12 years old, which is around the time children begin to have abstract and critical thinking. It took at least 10 years before I was able to "undo" most of the subtle effects of what I was taught during the time that I hadn't yet developed the ability to think critically.

I have a 18 month old daughter. I'm determined to raise her so that she is able to think rationally. If for some reason she is drawn to religion I hope she'll want to discuss religious belief with me. I know religious people that I respect and admire. They are smart enough to understand that the Bible can't be literally true and are open-minded to modern science. If my daughter ended up like them, I would have no regrets. I would be very disappointed if she somehow became a religous fundamentalist who rejects science.

Answer 3

I'm a Christian, and honestly, it would break my heart if my daughter grew up and decided God doesn't exist. I can't force her to believe anything, but I would be upset if she became Atheist. I would still love her, but I would pray that God would change her heart. My brothers and I were all raised by Christian parents. One brother and I have continued on in the Christian faith, and are both raising our children in Christian churches. Our oldest brother has decided that God doesn't exist and that our parents were horrible to him when he was younger. He also has abonded both of his children (they're now being raised by their mother and step-father) Needless to say, family get-togethers are awkward. He used to claim to be a Christian....not sure what is really going on in his head. At times, he'll talk about God and heaven like it exists, but then sometimes he says he doesn't believe in anything that he was taught as a child. He seems very confused...

Answer 4

I'm an Atheist, but went to a roman catholic primary school. Then i was very influenced by my friends and really wanted to believe in God, and really wanted to be christened etc. because I was not. I think that it is their own decision. I would be happy for them if they found a God that they could believe in, because sometimes, if I am sad, I wish I did believe, and sometimes end up telling God - even though I know (believe strongly) that there is no-one listening to my distraught cries. everybody cries at some point right!?! So I would be happy either way because if they did believe - I would envy their belief - because you can't make yourself believe in things, it just doesn't work and sometimes having someone who is always there to turn to would be great. If they did not believe I would also be happy, because they shared my view.

Answer 5

Good question. I can answer it easily because I haven't faced that situation, so my answer is admittedly, hypothetical. As a Christian parent, I can say I would love my kids no matter what. I would pray for them, just like I do now; and I would try to live out my Christian faith in a genuine way. So, in theory, not much would change. In practice I might find myself getting more "preachy" which probably wouldn't be helpful, but it is kind of a natural response that parents possess.

Answer 6

I don't have children, and I'm not an atheist, so I'll just pretend both!

1. If my children decided to embrace Christianity, I'd try to be happy for them, if they were happier that way.
2. If my children decided God didn't exist, I'd show them to the wikipedia article on "Pascal's Wager" and tell them that it may not be logical for them to change their minds, but it's a good idea nonetheless.

Answer 7

I am an atheist that is raising her children as Christians. It's a tradition thing. They both know I do not believe in Jesus as a savior and that I don't believe in God. They, however, do believe and that is fine with me as long as they are accepting that everyone has different beliefs. I am doing this because I feel it is difficult to raise kids and the Church and my family's religious tradition gives them grounding. It did me for a long time, but I just don't believe it anymore.

Answer 8

I am neither Christian or Atheist, but I can answer anyway. I believe that religion should be a completely internal decision within one person. If my children believe differently that's fine with me. I wish all children could grow up in a similar situation.

Answer 9

If I were an athiest then I would just think they were wasting there time but that would be their choice.

I am a christian and I feel that a relationship with god is very personal and is different for everyone but it is also a personal choice that each individual has to make. They would have to find it on their own. I could not and would not push it on them.

Answer 10

All I can do as a parent is instill the beliefs and build a foundation for them to continue building on. If they chose to go away from what I taught them then I will respect their wishes but I will pray to god to bring them back to the fold. But not in front of their face. I would not try to push it back on them.