Atheist with children, this one is for you...?

Question

Would you allow your child to go to church if they wanted to? If they believe in God, would you try to talk them out of it, or let them form their own beliefs?

Pikachu- Yes, i would allow my children to believe whatever they want. I do not force them to go to church.

** Dojoman, there you go assuming you know what I believe. I am not brainwashed, I believe in the love of God. I do not agree with everything a church stands for or teaches. I believe what parts I choose to. I do not believe that athiests are bad people, nor do I elieve that you must have believe in God to be a good person.

Answer 1

As an Atheist mother of one when my son talks about church and God I tell him what I know. I think it is his option to go to church or not and I will love him no matter what. I think it is ignorant when parents try to push their believes on young impressionable children. It will only make the children worse off. Hope this helps: )

Answer 2

I was raised Christian, and became an atheist as an adult. So it would be hypocritical of me to prevent my children from going to church or worshipping God. I wouldn't try to talk them out of it, either. That's a personal belief, and should only be decided by the individual. What I will do, however, is show them that you don't HAVE to believe in God to be a good person, and I'll talk to them about it when they ask me questions. My children go to Vacation Bible School every summer, and went to a Christian preschool which taught them all about Jesus and God. So I'm already living up to what I said I'd do.

Answer 3

Persons with children, parents out there this one is for you? Regardless of your religion would you allow your child to either practice a different religion than yourself or become an atheist? If they truly believe in (insert god here) or that all gods are impossible would you try to talk them out of it or would you allow them to form their own belief?

Regardless of my personal belief I feel confident in answering this question. Parents the world over pretty much raise their kids the same way exposing them to the groups of people, organizations and ideas that they find comfortable, safe or appealing. Kids are exposed to what their parents believe frequently and often and about half the time their kids find something else more appealing comforting or safe for themselves. I don't think (setting the idea of force aside for a moment) that any person can disallow a thought in anyone Else's mind no matter how hard they try so I've pretty much accepted that no matter how much Catholic indoctrination my kids get like me they will get to decide for themselves how they wish to live their lives when they reach adulthood.

Answer 4

I'm sure many of the atheists truly believe what they're saying about letting their children form their own beliefs but they may not have actually had to face the situation. Madelyn Murray O'Hare sent her son into the churches as a spy and he not only became a believer but a preacher. She never spoke to him again.

Answer 5

I Thank goodness my kids seem intrigued by Buddha. I surely hope this continues. And, yes, I buy my son coloring books and children's level reading about Buddha and I let him keep his head shaved because he thinks the monks are so cool. He's about to be eight, so naturally, the martial arts realm of study fascinates him as well, so I have enrolled him in afterschool beginner's kung fu. I hope he sticks with Buddha. I also bought a Buddha for the house, mainly for him, so he can burn his incense and "meditate". LOL. So cute. My baby girl just likes the statue and the pretty colors, she's only 18 months.


I'm a spiritual Atheist.

Answer 6

I view churches as cult meeting places. I believe parents should have the right to censor what their children are exposed to. That being said, I would not allow my children to be on the meeting grounds of cults any more than I would allow them to go over to a pedophile's house. While a pedophile is usually viewed as a sexual predator, church people are viewed by me as predators of the mind. There will be no brainwashing of my children. I intend to raise free thinkers. If they choose to go to church once they are grown, that is entirely up to them.

Answer 7

We do not have children yet. But we've talked about this-our kids will be given honest answers to any question they have. If they would like to go to a church, temple, mosque, etc...I will take them and find leaders of that religion who can answer their questions (as they would be more informed than I, obviously). My husband and I will again, obviously, inform our children of what we think and why. I'm sure the grandparents will bring the kidlets to their churches (Catholic and Church of England...errr, ok, the Church of England one wouldn't be often). I really can't imagine one of my kids coming to me one day and saying "hey, mom, I'm going to become Mormon"...but hell, i'm sure my parents didn't plan on me becoming an atheist when i was five.

Answer 8

I would let them form their own beliefs. If they wanted to go to church, I would let them. The only thing I would be insistent upon, is that they study up on the beliefs of more than one religion, as well as study IN DETAIL all the beliefs of the religion they are showing interest in. I don't want them to take up something as serious as that in ignorance. I want them to be fully aware as to what they are getting into.

Answer 9

I let mine form their own beliefs, but I try to teach them to think analytically and to understand all sides of a question before forming an opinion.

I would not encourage them to continue going to church, but I wouldn't discourage them either. If they chose a religion I'd definitely impress on them that morality should not be the basis for law nor should law seek to enforce a given morality.

Answer 10

I believe we've all got the right to make decisions about faith for ourselves. I wouldn't prevent my children from going in they wanted to; however, like Chippy, I would encourage them to keep an open mind.

I don't have kids, but I would love to someday -- and although I wouldn't take them to church, temple, etc ... I wouldn't force my ideas on them, either.