Atheists-What would you tell a dying child who does not yet grasp the idea?

Question

of evolution and has only heard briefly about god from others when he asks you will he be going to heaven?

Just for the record unpope, I am an atheist and I do have a child.

Answer 1

I would lie, without hesitation, and comprehensively. I would say or do what ever would comfort a dieing child.

Atheism isn't some ideal, it is just a realistic evaluation of the facts. In that it is pragmatic to be realistic, atheism makes sense. When and where it would cause harm, then what sense is there in clinging to its primacy? The welfare of a child far outweighs any sense of philosophical constancy I might personally feel.

God is the ultimate bedtime story for a dieing child, "Go to sleep, and when you wake everything will be fine". It is such a comforting lie that I am not surprised it has lasted the ages.

PS: What a bunch of winnies!

Answer 2

I am not an atheist but rather an agnostic, however, I think that atheism is not synonymous with cruelty. First, I would not tell a child that he or she was dying, but I think that there comes a point that the child realizes that such is the situation. If confronted with that situation due to questions initiated by the child, I would endeavor to discover what the child believes follows death and to reinforce those beliefs, if, in fact, I could, being overcome by grief as I imagine I might be when faced with the inevitable death of my child. If a child is dying, those who love him or her owe it to the child to support it in the most loving ways possible.

Answer 3

If the child had been reared on the idea that heaven exists and "good children go to heaven," I would assure him that he had nothing to worry about and would shortly be in a most wondrous and peaceful place. The deathbed of a child is not the place to philosophize. It would be unthinkably inhumane to upset a dying child with truths which many adults find it difficult to deal with in the best of times.

But if the child had not been brought up with the notion of an afterlife, I would not pretend to have answers I do not. I would tell him that being dead is like sleeping and reassure him that it won't be painful or frightening.

Answer 4

evolution has nothing to do with it.
i would not like to a dying child, i don't what THAT on my karma or conscience.
I'd say that i have no idea, that i have no idea what heaven is and that nobody has come back to tell us about those places. I'd say it's a place invented by people who are afraid of adventures, but wherever he goes, will be an adventure and he'll enjoy it. then i'd try to make the child enjoy whatever time is left as much as possible.

Answer 5

I am not an atheist but I believe the only person that should be telling the child anything would be the child's parents. And in my experience many parents have a change of faith when faced with such an unbelievably painful situation.

Answer 6

Probably a child who is not old enough to grasp the concept of religion is probably not able to grasp the concept of death. Therefore i would not say anything but i would do my best to make them smile and laugh up until the very end.

Answer 7

I'd lie to him and talk about heaven. One's death bed is no place for arguing semantics.

Becoming at peace with the concept of death takes DECADES if not more.

I would seek to comfort the child in any possible way.

Answer 8

I'm not an atheist but I do believe that we sleep in the grave until the resurrection.
I would tell the child that the will be going to sleep soon and that Jesus is going to be waking them up in the morning.
I would tell them what a wonderful day they will have after they wake. Eating breakfast (what ever they want) with Jesus. Playing all day.

Answer 9

I would tell him what would help make him feel better without lying: "If anyone at all goes to heaven, you would go too. But nobody really knows for sure where we go after we die, if anywhere at all. It might just be like falling asleep without dreaming."

Answer 10

I don't know, but that's a bit like asking would you tell the parent of a dead sinner (of whatever type) their child has gone to hell. Irrespective of what you believe, you would still try to protect the other person's feelings and show some common decency.