Atheist:how would you feel if your son/daughter started to believe in god?

Question

i know as a woman who strongly believes in god i would feel sad and upset if my child stopped believing in god.
so i want to know how a atheist would feel if their child started to believe in god

Answer 1

Sincerely speaking I would be very happy for him or her. Believers are happier than us

Answer 2

I'd feel just fine, because I've raised my children to be critical thinkers who can make decisions for themselves. If they decide that Christianity, Buddhism, Wicca, Satanism, Hinduism, Sufism, what have you is what they need to help their lives be complete and fulfilled, then they should persue it.

Why would you be sad and upset that your child is happy, healthy, productive and fulfilled? The concept of hell is adopted from other religions anyway, used by the church to scare people into attending in the 11th century - and it stuck. Basic church history there.

The only hell is the absence of god's presence, and Atheists don't believe in a god anyway. Simple as that.

Answer 3

If you have a bible, read the story about the prodigal son... For a person, who had the world in the palm in his hand, the only constant he had left was the love of his father. With God, when all you have left is God, God is all you need... unconditional love is difficult to come by in this day... Clear your mind of all the loser, negative thoughts and listen for the quiet voice of God... it will take a couple of tries, but He will speak... not always in a voice but sometimes in emotions... impressions... pictures... Your dad did what he felt he had to do to survive... depression is a form of mental illness that is difficult to quantify... the fact that he stepped up and did SOMETHING speaks volumes... Honor your dad by respecting his decision... you don't have to follow his path... choose your own... if it leads you to a house of worship, fine... utilize the pastoral staff to address your depression... There are many competent secular help groups that are able to assist if you decide to take that direction. No insult here... but my prayers are with you now... and always

Answer 4

The same way I would feel if they told me they were gay. I would support and love them no matter what. We would have to have an understanding that I wouldn't want to be preached to, but other than that, you have to let your kids do what makes them happy. If you want your kids to respect you, you have to respect them too. I would respect any choice my kids made, as long as it didn't physically hurt them. There's nothing to be sad or upset about. Your kids are only kids for a short time, and then they grow up and leave. If you want to lose them forever, you force things that make them unhappy on them. If belief in a god or gods makes my babies happy, then so be it.

Answer 5

I guess that's the difference between atheists and believers. If my children believed God I would allow them the opportunity to explore it further. I wouldn't try to impose my opinion and force them into my own thinking and that is what every single answer on this thread has said (except St. Mike who decided to preach to us). Interesting, huh?

Answer 6

As an agnostic that would be fine. They are free to believe whatever they like. A better question for religious people is will it be O.K. for your sons/daughters to not believe or a better way to put it, not know and are completely satisfied with not knowing?

Answer 7

Personally, it would depend on the child's age.

If my son/daughter was young and decided he/she liked the idea of God, then I'd just tell him/her that it's rather controversial and to stay open to any possible evidence that might prove/disprove God.

If my child was older and more capable of reasoning and noticing evidence, I would just require him/her to inform me of why he/she decided that particular religion. I might ask him/her to expand his/her reading choices to those against his/her beliefs in order to keep close-mindedness from overtaking him/her, but, in the end, I think it would be his/her own decision to make, as long as he/she is properly informed.

Answer 8

I wouldn't be upset, I'd just be happy that they found something that could be their path to happiness. If they feel that some religion is the right path for them, then that's all good, as long as they don't try to push their religion me.

Answer 9

I wouldn't be upset at all. It's their choice, after all. I might teach them my beliefs, but it's ultimately up to them to choose to believe. I can't force them to. All I can do is teach them my beliefs, let them explore other beliefs, teach them to be respectful that others aren't the same, and let them choose.

I wouldn't be angry if they chose to be Christian, not at all. It's their choice and I'd know that they were taught to be respectful regardless of their faith. I'd only be upset if they were disrespectful to me and that has nothing to do with what we believe, but how we treat each other.

Answer 10

I will not support their choice if it involves showing hatred to other people in any form. For example, I will not support my daughter if she decided her gay Auntie should no longer be welcome in our home.

As long as my kids arrive at their conclusions using their hearts and their minds I will support their choice of faith.

I will not compromise my own to do so, however.

Thus far my daughter, the eldest of my children, has the makings of a fine atheist.

.

Answer 11

I believe an atheist would try to understand why and probably make an attempt to explain to their child what they believe. Parents expect their child to follow them and when they don't it always comes as a shock.