Kids & God
-
My sister-in-law told me that her 5 year old asked where we all came from and she said God created us, without going into too fine a detail, which he accepted. Although I do plan to teach my son about God, if he takes into it or not is up to him. However, when did those of you who mentioned God brought it up?
-
My sister-in-law told me that her 5 year old asked where we all came from and she said God created us, without going into too fine a detail, which he accepted. Although I do plan to teach my son about God, if he takes into it or not is up to him. However, when did those of you who mentioned God brought it up?
All their lives, really. It's part of who I am, it's reflected in my actions at least some of the time, and the other times, I try to do better. I've always sought to talk to my kids about all sorts of things as soon as seemed appropriate. I told my daughter how an electric motor worked when she was 5, because she asked me. One has to ask, if you believe in God, how is it possible that a 5 year old would not have worked that out for themselves, from the way you live and the things you do ?
Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista.
-
My sister-in-law told me that her 5 year old asked where we all came from and she said God created us, without going into too fine a detail, which he accepted. Although I do plan to teach my son about God, if he takes into it or not is up to him. However, when did those of you who mentioned God brought it up?
Do your son a favor and teach about it in his late teen age. Then it will be teaching, and not indoctrination.
-- Kein Mitleid Für Die Mehrheit
-
All their lives, really. It's part of who I am, it's reflected in my actions at least some of the time, and the other times, I try to do better. I've always sought to talk to my kids about all sorts of things as soon as seemed appropriate. I told my daughter how an electric motor worked when she was 5, because she asked me. One has to ask, if you believe in God, how is it possible that a 5 year old would not have worked that out for themselves, from the way you live and the things you do ?
Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista.
Christian Graus wrote:
It's part of who I am, it's reflected in my actions at least some of the time
And who tells you what is right and wrong? Do you judge yourself? Are you qualified to do that? I seem to recall we shouldnt judge others. Does that mean we shouldnt judge ourselves too? Seems fair since we are supposed to treat others as ourselves.
Morality is indistinguishable from social proscription
-
My sister-in-law told me that her 5 year old asked where we all came from and she said God created us, without going into too fine a detail, which he accepted. Although I do plan to teach my son about God, if he takes into it or not is up to him. However, when did those of you who mentioned God brought it up?
-
Its a shame. Kids will believe anything they are told. It would be better to give an answer that is known, such as eggs and sperm, rather than guess.
Morality is indistinguishable from social proscription
I so wanted to make a really crude joke out of this but, instead, happy new year.
-
My sister-in-law told me that her 5 year old asked where we all came from and she said God created us, without going into too fine a detail, which he accepted. Although I do plan to teach my son about God, if he takes into it or not is up to him. However, when did those of you who mentioned God brought it up?
You should have made it clear that you weren't interested in the half-baked theories of people who don't have kids. Tell your kids what you believe and act on in your daily life. That's your job as a parent.
Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface
-
Do your son a favor and teach about it in his late teen age. Then it will be teaching, and not indoctrination.
-- Kein Mitleid Für Die Mehrheit
-
Its a shame. Kids will believe anything they are told. It would be better to give an answer that is known, such as eggs and sperm, rather than guess.
Morality is indistinguishable from social proscription
-
You should have made it clear that you weren't interested in the half-baked theories of people who don't have kids. Tell your kids what you believe and act on in your daily life. That's your job as a parent.
Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface
-
Bassam Abdul-Baki wrote:
what do I tell him when he asks me where we all come from?
I'm not in position to tell you how to raise your children, but I can tell you what I would've done. I would not present my beliefs as facts. I would however explain why I believe why I hold my beliefs, and why I think they are valid. I happen to be an atheist, but I would not try to hide the fact from the child that there are other people with different opinions on how things came to be. In fact, I'm actually pretty interested in religion (the cultural aspects of it - the theology isn't what I'm after really). I wouldn't swear that I'd be completely unbiased, because then I would be lying. But I wouldn't push my beliefs as the ultimate truth, and that those who won't believe in it, will suffer for eternity. That will only cause confusion and anxiety as the child grows up. Or it could create another Adnan/Ilidiot. Who'd want that?
-- Kein Mitleid Für Die Mehrheit
-
Bassam Abdul-Baki wrote:
what do I tell him when he asks me where we all come from?
I'm not in position to tell you how to raise your children, but I can tell you what I would've done. I would not present my beliefs as facts. I would however explain why I believe why I hold my beliefs, and why I think they are valid. I happen to be an atheist, but I would not try to hide the fact from the child that there are other people with different opinions on how things came to be. In fact, I'm actually pretty interested in religion (the cultural aspects of it - the theology isn't what I'm after really). I wouldn't swear that I'd be completely unbiased, because then I would be lying. But I wouldn't push my beliefs as the ultimate truth, and that those who won't believe in it, will suffer for eternity. That will only cause confusion and anxiety as the child grows up. Or it could create another Adnan/Ilidiot. Who'd want that?
-- Kein Mitleid Für Die Mehrheit
And for teenagers, that is an excellent idea. I'm a deist in a Unitarian religion (figure that one out). I'm not trying to force religion or my faith on my kid, but explaining other beliefs and all at such a young age is not feasible when they have a short attention span and get confused easily. I'm trying to keep it short. The concept of God isn't something I wish to explain to him right now, but not telling him what I believe in is also a lie. Where do we come from is not any easy question at any age.
-
And for teenagers, that is an excellent idea. I'm a deist in a Unitarian religion (figure that one out). I'm not trying to force religion or my faith on my kid, but explaining other beliefs and all at such a young age is not feasible when they have a short attention span and get confused easily. I'm trying to keep it short. The concept of God isn't something I wish to explain to him right now, but not telling him what I believe in is also a lie. Where do we come from is not any easy question at any age.
-
Christian Graus wrote:
It's part of who I am, it's reflected in my actions at least some of the time
And who tells you what is right and wrong? Do you judge yourself? Are you qualified to do that? I seem to recall we shouldnt judge others. Does that mean we shouldnt judge ourselves too? Seems fair since we are supposed to treat others as ourselves.
Morality is indistinguishable from social proscription
fat_boy wrote:
And who tells you what is right and wrong? Do you judge yourself? Are you qualified to do that?
The Bible tells me what God wants me to be, and everyone either lives according to no rules, or judges themselves, as to if we have lived up to the standards we choose to set.
fat_boy wrote:
seem to recall we shouldnt judge others.
Yes, if you take half a verse and ignore it's context, then Jesus said not to judge anyone.
fat_boy wrote:
Does that mean we shouldnt judge ourselves too?
I am always disappointed when people fail to even read the Bible, yet try to tie people in knots with it. Jesus said we need to judge using God's requirements rather than our own, if you read it properly. And yes, that applies to ourselves as well as others.
Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista.
-
Do your son a favor and teach about it in his late teen age. Then it will be teaching, and not indoctrination.
-- Kein Mitleid Für Die Mehrheit
This is plain dumb. Sorry, but a parent has no choice but to raise a child with a belief system. You're asking him to pretend to be an atheist for 15 years. Hell, you're essentially asking him to BECOME an atheist, because kids learn far more from what they see their parents DO, than what they choose to SAY.
Jörgen Sigvardsson wrote:
Then it will be teaching, and not indoctrination.
Telling kids there is no God is indoctrinating them to atheism. There's no difference.
Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista.
-
Bassam Abdul-Baki wrote:
what do I tell him when he asks me where we all come from?
I'm not in position to tell you how to raise your children, but I can tell you what I would've done. I would not present my beliefs as facts. I would however explain why I believe why I hold my beliefs, and why I think they are valid. I happen to be an atheist, but I would not try to hide the fact from the child that there are other people with different opinions on how things came to be. In fact, I'm actually pretty interested in religion (the cultural aspects of it - the theology isn't what I'm after really). I wouldn't swear that I'd be completely unbiased, because then I would be lying. But I wouldn't push my beliefs as the ultimate truth, and that those who won't believe in it, will suffer for eternity. That will only cause confusion and anxiety as the child grows up. Or it could create another Adnan/Ilidiot. Who'd want that?
-- Kein Mitleid Für Die Mehrheit
Jörgen Sigvardsson wrote:
I would not present my beliefs as facts. I would however explain why I believe why I hold my beliefs, and why I think they are valid.
how is this possible ? I *think* what you mean is saying 'I believe there is a God because' rather that 'there's a god, don't ask why or you will go to hell, right ? Well, the former is surely more effective, as a form of indoctrination ? I mean, if you want to use those emotionally loaded terms ? I would say anyone who does the latter is both stupid, and probably doesn't know what they believe and why themselves.
Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista.
-
You should have made it clear that you weren't interested in the half-baked theories of people who don't have kids. Tell your kids what you believe and act on in your daily life. That's your job as a parent.
Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface
A 5 for the only sensible answer on this thread.
Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista.
-
Its a shame. Kids will believe anything they are told. It would be better to give an answer that is known, such as eggs and sperm, rather than guess.
Morality is indistinguishable from social proscription
In all honesty though what do we truly know? I certainly believe that what you stated is correct, but I've never spent the time to actually go in and study in depth what is actually going on. Even if I were to do so I would be going in based on what others have said before me and using instruments that others have built and that I have to trust work correctly and so on and so forth. The only things that we can truly know is what our senses and experience tell us and even that can be deceptive or at times completely wrong. Ultimately it comes down to a matter of trust. Do I believe that this person is telling me the truth? Do I believe that they know what they are talking about?
fat_boy wrote:
Morality is indistinguishable from social proscription
If there is no god then you are completely correct in this. There is nothing wrong with mass murder. There is nothing wrong with torturing people for fun. The only things in life are avoiding pain and pleasing ourselves. We are simply organic pain collectors racing toward oblivion. Of course this makes an assumption that there is no god.
Some people sail through life on a bed of roses like a knife slicing through butter.
-
fat_boy wrote:
And who tells you what is right and wrong? Do you judge yourself? Are you qualified to do that?
The Bible tells me what God wants me to be, and everyone either lives according to no rules, or judges themselves, as to if we have lived up to the standards we choose to set.
fat_boy wrote:
seem to recall we shouldnt judge others.
Yes, if you take half a verse and ignore it's context, then Jesus said not to judge anyone.
fat_boy wrote:
Does that mean we shouldnt judge ourselves too?
I am always disappointed when people fail to even read the Bible, yet try to tie people in knots with it. Jesus said we need to judge using God's requirements rather than our own, if you read it properly. And yes, that applies to ourselves as well as others.
Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista.
I decided to give you a five because it is so rare to actually meet someone that reads the Bible rather than just skimming it or taking what their pastor/preacher/reverend/etc said.
Some people sail through life on a bed of roses like a knife slicing through butter.
-
I so wanted to make a really crude joke out of this but, instead, happy new year.
digital man wrote:
I so wanted to make a really crude joke out of this but ...
Go ahead, this is the soapbox. :-D
Simply Elegant Designs JimmyRopes Designs
Think inside the box! ProActive Secure Systems
I'm on-line therefore I am. JimmyRopes