My atheist child is 9mths old, how can I keep him away from bad religious influences?

Question

harvs: If you can get Muslim and Christian babies why not atheist babies?...it's disgraceful to belief-brand a baby I realise this.

Answer 1

Teach him to think for himself, and to READ!! :-)

Answer 2

Show hiim the middle path

4 Noble Truths:

1: In birth, death, sickness and all of life there is suffering.
2: The cause of suffering is desire (craving)
3: There is an end to suffering, through an end to want
4: The way to end desire is through the 8 Fold Path.

This was one of his first sermons given by the Buddha. He divided the Noble 8 Fold Path into three sections: Morality (conduct), Mastery of the Mind, and Wisdom that Purifies the Mind. The Noble 8 Fold Path that leads to a release from suffering and therefor from the cycle of rebirth and death (Buddhists belive in reincarnation) is as follows:

Sila (Morality)
1: Right Speech
2: Right Action
3: Right Livelyhood

Samadhi (Mastery of one's own mind)

4: Right Effort
5: Right Mindfulness
6: Right Concentration

Prajñā (Wisdom)

7: Right Thoughts
8: Right Understanding

By mastering the 4 Noble Truths and living the 8 Fold Path, one could clear one's heart and make way for enlightenment. Then upon death, they reach a state of Nirvana, a merging with the Universe. Each life and death cycle is a test trying to prepare us to merge with the Universe, and only by Enlightening ourselves can we be ready for release from the cycle of suffering and rebirth.

Answer 3

Lie to him his entire life about that nagging feeling he has that God is real. Tell him he learned it from society. Tell him it is just his imagination playing tricks on him.

When he feels guilty for doing wrong, tell him it's ok everybody does it, don't worry, as long as you're happy & you try to be a good person it will be ok.

Worst of all when he's feeling empty and lonely and depressed tell him he just needs to cheer up, make some friends, find a hobby, have some greater self esteem, get a girlfriend etc. anything except admitting the obvious, that he was created for a relationship with his creator who loves him.

Answer 4

It's hard, hey...there are just so many crackpots out there who want to enslave children into their wacked out beliefs and they know every trick in the book and have no scruples when it comes to using them. If you spend too much time preparing your child for the potential brainwashing they might receive, then you risk doing more harm than good. I suggest to lead by example; kids look up to their parents.

Answer 5

Don't worry.Like a true son,he shall grow to be healthy wealthy and wise like his father.Exposures to false religious influences would make him see the truth first hand and with support from you,he shall be a man of much worth.

Answer 6

Go live in Japan. Seriously that place is awesome I've been there for 6 years and the only thing most of them come close to worshiping is technology.

Answer 7

Not all religious influences are bad, in fact you should teach him the strong point and the pitfalls of religions.

Answer 8

You can do this by allowing him to make the choice for himself like you did. Teach him your beliefs and morals,

Answer 9

Whatever you believe or do not believe as the case may be, you need not be the "atheist" to your child, but the "parent"..........

Edit:
For a group of people who seem to always ride the high horse of being able to make their own choices based on "their" power of reasoning, you seem to have made your child's choice for him/her. Not a very atheistic approach to raising children. Are you supposed to be your child's "god"?

Answer 10

ok i hope i dont offend ur religion wiht all due respect, but if i do im sorry...

how can ur child be an atheist if he/she is 9 months old?...
or do u mean that ur the atheist and u want him to be an ahtiest...

well, while he is a child u can show him ur beliefs in atheism.. but dont restrict the child in exploring his/her views on the other religions.. you can tell him/her your ideas , and just show but you also must respect your child's belief if he/her is interested in another religion .

Answer 11

Lie to him his entire life about that nagging feeling he has that God is real. Tell him he learned it from society. Tell him it is just his imagination playing tricks on him.

When he feels guilty for doing wrong, tell him it's ok everybody does it, don't worry, as long as you're happy & you try to be a good person it will be ok.

Worst of all when he's feeling empty and lonely and depressed tell him he just needs to cheer up, make some friends, find a hobby, have some greater self esteem, get a girlfriend etc. anything except admitting the obvious, that he was created for a relationship with his creator who loves him.