non-christians, atheists, what would you do if your children came church..?

Question

non-christians, atheists, what would you do (lets say that you are married) if your beloved children went to church and accepted Christ, and go home and tell you to believe in Jesus passionately?

Answer 1

I would ask when they started to TELL me (or anyone else) to do something, because that's not my way or (normally) their way. Then I would ask what made them abandon the principle of proof over belief. Next I would check they whether they were drugged. Finally I would consult references on brainwashing.

Answer 2

Probably the same things as a christian couple would do if their children attended an atheist gathering and came home telling them that there is no god, and that they need to passionately disbelieve gods.

Can you imagine that?

No, I think that I would react better. I would ask my child what makes him/her believe that and then ask further why they felt that others need to believe the same thing. In order to get at the root cause of the problem, one must ask clarifying questions. If I raised my children correctly, they will ask these questions themselves.

Answer 3

Talk to them about it.

Discuss , at a level appropriate for their age, the reasons why they now believe and why I do not.

If they wanted to keep believing, then that is their decision. I will keep talking when they want but I am not going to browbeat them into an opinion.


Both of my kids have been to church with their friends. One is too young to really decide, the other thinks that religion is just plain silly. Both are smart enough that they will make their own decisions and not just blindly follow me or their friends.

Answer 4

We've had this discussion. I told him that I don't believe the same way that Christians do. I told him that it's okay for him to believe that way if he wants to, but that means it's also okay for me to believe the way I want to.

It's a moot point, though. So not church going folks here, even the Christian ones. We'll do Easter service with grandma if we're in town. And yes, I even go. It's fascinating from a sociological standpoint.

Answer 5

I would accept their choice. My children have always been free to seek out and accept any religious or non religious belief they wish to have..

What dogma or lack there of my children may believe is far less important than their happiness and the fact that they are a productive member of society..

Answer 6

When I have children, they will be free to explore and choose whatever religion or lack thereof they want. Spirituality is a very personal thing and I would not have the right to coerce them into agreeing with me. However, there would be no evangelizing in my home. I find it disrespectful.

Answer 7

Support them in their committment. Protect them from the actual Christians - Christ is one thing, the people who claim to follow him are not at all like him.

Answer 8

I've got plenty of friends who are Christians and I admire who they are and how devout they are in thier faith. I wouldn't mind if my child became a Christian. If that path was where their heart would take them, it would be fine with me. As long as they can respect other people's beliefs, I don't care what religion they would practice.

Answer 9

If I had children, I'd be accepting of their new-found beliefs, but I wouldn't let them try to convert me. I'd raise them to accept others, even if they don't agree with the other person's opinion.

Answer 10

I let my children go to church with their friends.

If they became believers, I'd feel sad, but I'd love them. I would not say anything negative about their beliefs, but I would make sure they chose them out of good reasons and not out of fear.