October 30th, 2007 by Jemaleddin Cole

Lately I’ve been talking here on the blog about my problems being an atheist dealing with our religious society. And I’ve been hearing  something surprising (to me) from other atheist parents: they don’t mind their children being religious.

In fact, columnists from both Salon and Slate recently answered the same letter about this topic. A father  whose daughter is being brought up in an evangelical church by her mother wondered how to deal with his daughter’s fear that he’s going to hell. Coincidentally, they both gave him the same advice: go to church with her.

This strikes me as crazy. I can’t imagine Baptists telling their child that they’d be happy to go with them to a meeting of atheists. Heck, I really can’t imagine any Muslim being cool with their child’s interest in Vishnu, Ganesh or Kali. Why are people that are convinced that all religions are wrong so much more open-minded than people that think that one religion is right?

Personally, I’m against my children going to church for the same reason that I worry about autistic kids being given useless treatments:  even if they aren’t harmed, they’re wasting time that could be better put to use doing something worthwhile. Every minute that a kid spends learning about the fanciful goings-on of the book of Genesis is a minute they aren’t spending learning about something that actually happened. Every minute they’re singing about how Jesus loves them, they could be playing a game, learning a musical instrument, or reading a book. And every penny they put in the offering plate could be going to a charity that isn’t spreading religion.

I’m not saying that church will hurt them - or even them make them Christian (see exhibit a: me) - just that if I firmly believe that it’s a waste of time, why wouldn’t I discourage them?

9 Responses to “A little too accepting”

1. Surprisingly, I have very little problem with our kids going to church if they choose. Even with being an agnostic pagan with atheist tendencies, I decided long ago to let the kids decide for themselves which religious road they want to follow.

   While I let them know full well what my beliefs are and how I feel about organized religion, I will leave their beliefs up to them.

   That being said, I will also do my best to keep them from being duped by charlatans like Falwell, Baker, and any of the other assorted snake-oil salesman that are inly interested in fleecing them of their money and common sense.

   Hmm, where was I going with this? Oh yeah, I like pie!

   — jerry October 30th, 2007 at 12:20 pm #

2. Itching for debate fodder, eh….

   Well you won’t trap me, cleverest heathen!

   What’s the opposite of a bible thumper, anyway?

   — CanadiensFan October 30th, 2007 at 12:31 pm #

3. What’s the opposite of a bible thumper, anyway?

   An educated individual.

   — jerry October 30th, 2007 at 1:11 pm #

4. @Jerry, I was going to say “a human” but whatever.

   @CF: It’s not so much that I’m looking to debate as I’m trying to understand the motivation for folks like Jerry or Sara. I wouldn’t encourage my kids to watch Steven Seagal movies, study phrenology or learn Feng Shui because THEY’RE ALL CRAP. Why would religion be any different?

   Besides, aren’t people supposed to outgrow imaginary friends by 7 or 8? ;-)

   — Jemaleddin October 30th, 2007 at 1:38 pm #

5. I wouldn’t encourage my kids to watch Steven Seagal movies

   Dude! Why you gotta throw Seagal under the bus???

   — jerry October 30th, 2007 at 3:08 pm #

6. Listen, if he would have stopped after Under Siege, we wouldn’t have a problem. But no, he had to go and make On Deadly Ground, little knowing that by breaking his 3-word-title streak, he was heading for disaster.

   — Jemaleddin October 30th, 2007 at 3:19 pm #

7. Are you trying to “understand the motivation”, or have you already concluded that it’s a waste of time? Being too analytical and logical to grasp such an intangible concept as “faith” without picking it apart by fact and reason is an impossibility for many. But with faith, or spiritual beliefs, you can’t use such arguments. They’ll lose every time to a strong believer.

   I think that if it doesn’t hurt anyone, it’s not a waste of time. I’ve seen it hold a person together when nothing else would.

   And if you are saying that parents who don’t believe in (a) God should teach their children the same, I don’t necessarily disagree - I just think that you walk a fine line of being a reflection of a bible thumper, but to the opposite extreme. Preaching the opposite things, but ultimately being the same, each thinking they are right. That’s why I think a lot of parents choose to leave the area open for a child to decide when they’re older.

   — CanadiensFan October 31st, 2007 at 7:45 am #

8. PS. Steven Seagal is HOT.

   — CanadiensFan October 31st, 2007 at 7:46 am #

9. And your post script invalidates any point you made in your previous response. Sorry, them’s the brakes, lady.

   — Jemaleddin October 31st, 2007 at 2:09 pm #