Atheist how would you feel?

Question

If you had a child that was messing up their lives, drugs or whatever. And they turned to God and started staightening out their lives. Of corse you would be happy because you love them. But what else would you feel? disapointed that it took God or just grateful?

How is that being close minded? I just asked a question.

Answer 1

If Christ came down off the crucifix and kissed an atheist on the cheek, they would still not believe, they are hardcore skeptics.

Jesus is the truth, the way and the life!

"Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One"

(Shema Yisrael Adonai eloheinu Adonai ehad)

Answer 2

To me, (a non-believer), love for my kid would be stronger than my own convictions about the origins of the universe. I may not believe in an actual god, but if my kid was in trouble and I hadn't been able to reach them, to help them, and something else could, I'd be one hundred percent grateful, whether it was another person, a church, a personal understanding of god or whatever. It wouldn't make me believe that what the church said was necessarily true, but I'd support my kid in whatever helped them get their life on track. Once the healing was done, time would tell whether they felt genuinely and continually moved by the idea or "presence" of something higher than themselves, or whether they just needed that particular sensation at that difficult time. I'd always be grateful, and I'd always be prepared to say so, without feeling the need to believe in the literal truth of any church's preaching. Good people are good people, inside a church or out of it. If they helped my child, they'd have a friend as long as there was breath in me.

Answer 3

See, I'm not as close-minded as you.

I will completely support my children in whatever they want to believe. Judaism, Muslim, Mormon, Wiccan...it doesn't matter to me. I won't force my children to believe what I believe simply because I think it's right.

If my child was having those problems, and that was something that helped them move past them, then more power to it. I will support her no matter what. However, that won't make me change my beliefs. I would probably just think that it gave her somewhere to go (i.e. church, prayer, whatever) to get her mind off things. I won't ever believe that a god "helped" her.

I would be happy that she was helped. Of course, I believe that I would have stepped in LONG before that ever became a problem. I was raised in a non-religious household, and I actually became a Christian at the age of 12 until about 17. My parents never discouraged this. They actually encouraged me to learn as much as I could.

There is nothing wrong with religion...as long as my child knows that I would never convert, and that they should respect ALL religions.

Answer 4

I would be glad that they have found their own path. I am fine with whatever religions my children choose to explore.

I find religion to be a useful support in times of need. People have answers (realistic or not) and a large support network is easily accessible. Often, what the person really needs is just a serious change. I would imagine that any kid of mine who turned to religion in a time of need would discard it once again when they got back on track. It would just be a fad. But if not, that's their choice.

Answer 5

That's a good question. Extra points to you for asking something NEW and in a respectful manner.

I don't have kids, but I think I would be disappointed. I would consider that they were trading one ill for another. Granted religion is probably better than drugs, but ..... it would also depend on HOW religious they got, and even which one. I'd be less concerned if they joined up with some pagan religion, or even one of those non-denom types. If they went christian, or especially if they went all fundy, I'd be worried.

Answer 6

I am not-religious, not anti-religious. There's a difference. I have always acknowledged and respected that faith can be a powerful force in the lives of believers. I am not ashamed of those friends and family members I now have who are religious, so I can't imagine being ashamed of my own child for choosing to follow a similar path. I would support him on his spiritual journey, trusting that the lessons I have taught him about not being afraid to ask questions and accepting that "what works for one person may not work for all" will not be forgotten. I would want him to be a good person, religious or not. I wouldn't want him to end up a bigot, of course, so it would be my duty as a parent to try to encourage him to be like the religious people I admire without robbing him of the freedom to follow his own path.

Answer 7

>> And they turned to God and started staightening out their lives.

I'd be proud they straightened out their lives on their own. You see, god is an idea. A bad one in my opinion, but still an idea. You'll notice that in your posed question, my child still straightened themselves out by themselves. Clearly, god didn't take them off the drugs, because god doesn't actually exist. They did it themselves.

My child is free to pick whatever beliefs they wish - I don't believe in indoctrinating children to what I believe in. They have to discover their world on their own. I'm just there to provide them with the skills to make the right decisions - I'm sure they'll be just fine. After all, they already start out with what I believe in - no god. It's up to them to take it from there.

Answer 8

I would be happy that they were happy and on a straighter path. My opinion would be that my son/daughter was too weak to handle his/her life independently. Which is fine, but that would be a little disapointing, not that I would be disapointed in my child, but in myself.

But I don't have any kids, so I have no idea how I would feel.

Answer 9

My children are free to find the way that is best for them. I won't take it too hard if they turn to religion, I've been there, and understand it. If it helped them with a drug problem, no issue here. I'm not going to give them grief for feeling or believing differently than I do.

Answer 10

I don't think my children would do that because they are brought up to question things. If someone says something to them, they won't accept it without investigating it and coming to their own conclusion.

If they had considered it logically, and found that they believed in God, that would be fine. If their belief was helping them, that would be fine also.

I am inclined to think though, that they would turn to their loving and supportive family first.

Answer 11

I will always find joy in the joy of my children. I am not an atheist, but I don't believe the bible is the truth or the word of God.
I would be disappointed I guess that my children didn't have inner strength, that they were gullible or needy enough to believe in a cruel fairy tale as absolute truth.