how would one explain this to a 10 year old ?
2006-11-16 05:44:19 · 41 answers · asked by insenergy 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Why even burden his tender little mind with such trivial distinctions?
2006-11-16 05:45:30 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 3⤋
An atheist does not believe in a higher being. It can be shunned in some areas and there are a lot more atheists present than is recorded, and apparently more atheists than Jews.
Unfortunately it is a belief that is not accepted, even though a good proportion of the people with such beliefs are intellects or free-thinkers, who do not rely on blind faith.
Cracking book on this would be the God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. Will make some true believers of a higher being start to doubt, and bring a smile onto the faces of those who are already atheists.
I'll also point out that it is very narrow-minded of those who are adamant that their religion is right and no other can be to judge others. Atheists are usually tolerant of religions (even though in reality they seem pretty absurd) but the author of the above book still believes such books as the bible, no matter how ficticious should be used as literary in schools and places of education
2006-11-16 05:55:55 · answer #2 · answered by Article 82 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Perhaps you can put in such like words as The Encyclopedia Americana explains it this way: “Sometimes atheism refers simply to the practical rejection or ignoring of God,”
Also for this reason, The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary gives the following second definition of “atheist”: “A person who denies God morally; a godless person.”
2006-11-16 08:51:12 · answer #3 · answered by jvitne 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One who does not believe in the existence of God or Gods. It's as simple as that. For a child to understand what an atheist is, they must first be taught the concept of God in an unbiased way.
2006-11-16 05:50:01 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
An atheist is one of two things:
1) A normal person before they come to believe in a god or gods.
2) A person who once believed in a god or gods but no longer believes.
2006-11-16 05:50:53 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
One who doesn't believe in a higher power or God.
Then the problem comes in that the child doesn't understand why...but that's a Pandora's box when explaining it to children.
I understand this question very well as I am Pagan...have two children living with my ex-wife who is Christian. They're too young for this discussion yet, but I will be having it in the next few years as I slowly introduce them to theories outside what they have been told to believe.
2006-11-16 05:50:46 · answer #6 · answered by Gwydyon 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Well, I was raised an atheist. I remember asking them about God, and their response was 'If there is a god, why is there war? ...or poverty?'.
To me, the world is full a beautiful blend of order and chaos, so it can't be completely random. There must be some sort of creator; it seems too paradoxical to say that the universe created itself. Of course, you could then raise the point who created god?
Perhaps god is infinite.
2006-11-16 05:56:18 · answer #7 · answered by slaga 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the scary thing about your question is that at 10 yrs, they're already convinced that god exists.
They figure out quite early that isn't really a tooth fairy/mouse.
They figure out that Santa Claus is just a result of an advertising campaign run by the Coca-Cola company.
but most of them never take the final step and realise the truth about jc - as spelled out in Greg Lake's "I believe in Father Christmas" - most people think it's a carol - LISTEN TO THE LYRIC.
2006-11-16 05:50:13 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Well I also have young children. And my answer to them, providing you believe in God, that is. An atheist is an anti-christ. Anybody who denies God the Heavenly Father or his Son our Savior is the anti-christ. Anybody against God is anti-christ. They follow the devil. Atheist say they do not worship the devil, they believe in nothing. Just because you are not bowing to satan does not mean you do not follow him the devil hates God. When we bow to God we defeat the devil. Heck even the devil believes in God, so it is sad that all these "smart" people can not accept God. To believe in nothing is a sad life.
2006-11-16 05:52:03 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
An atheist is a person whom doesn't believe in the concept of there being a higher power, they don't believe there is a god. A personal observation on this is that most athiests are usually Scientists or Academics who think that the existence of a god is absurd.
2006-11-16 05:48:46 · answer #10 · answered by Mr Sarcastic 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
doesnt believe in god or heaven. That we were created by accident, and someone didnt make us.
But I think it may be far too young to start talking theology with a 10 year olds. And I also hope you do not push atheism or religion onto him/her as its wrong. He/she should make their won mind up
2006-11-16 16:05:21 · answer #11 · answered by mark_gg_daniels 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋