Comments on: About http://kidswithoutreligion.wordpress.com Raising kids as independent, logical thinkers. Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:21:01 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: dam http://kidswithoutreligion.wordpress.com/about/#comment-1290 dam Mon, 11 May 2009 00:53:22 +0000 #comment-1290 How exciting! They will still be playmates--as cousins! How exciting! They will still be playmates–as cousins!

]]> By: absolutegrace http://kidswithoutreligion.wordpress.com/about/#comment-1289 absolutegrace Mon, 11 May 2009 00:48:24 +0000 #comment-1289 Thanks!! It's great to be back in touch!! Twins would be cool, but actually two of our daughters are expecting at the same time--Hope is due in July, and Joy is due in November! Yeah..we're excited!! Thanks!! It’s great to be back in touch!!

Twins would be cool, but actually two of our daughters are expecting at the same time–Hope is due in July, and Joy is due in November! Yeah..we’re excited!!

]]> By: dam http://kidswithoutreligion.wordpress.com/about/#comment-1288 dam Mon, 11 May 2009 00:38:58 +0000 #comment-1288 Well hello, Linda! It's GREAT to hear from you! I hope you are well! Congratulations on the grand-babies (twins!!). Well hello, Linda! It’s GREAT to hear from you! I hope you are well! Congratulations on the grand-babies (twins!!).

]]> By: absolutegrace http://kidswithoutreligion.wordpress.com/about/#comment-1287 absolutegrace Mon, 11 May 2009 00:14:05 +0000 #comment-1287 Hi! Me, Linda--Christian, blogger, daughter, wife for 33 years, mom of 3 girls, retired Navy Chief, traveler, gardener, painter, reader, writer, and soon to be Grandma (times 2!) Anyhow, we chatted back and forth a bit last year and I'm SOOO glad you're back to blogging! Missed you! I think of you sp often, will visit more, and will always pray (because that's just what I do :-) Take care, Linda Hi! Me, Linda–Christian, blogger, daughter, wife for 33 years, mom of 3 girls, retired Navy Chief, traveler, gardener, painter, reader, writer, and soon to be Grandma (times 2!) Anyhow, we chatted back and forth a bit last year and I’m SOOO glad you’re back to blogging! Missed you!

I think of you sp often, will visit more, and will always pray (because that’s just what I do :-) Take care, Linda

]]> By: dam http://kidswithoutreligion.wordpress.com/about/#comment-1157 dam Sun, 19 Apr 2009 22:24:39 +0000 #comment-1157 Hi Beth, Thanks for sharing. You are preaching to the choir. I think it's ashame--really ashame--that you have a sister-in-law who is so self-righteous that she doesn't see goodness. I agree that children need other kids of the same belief systems. All sorts of faiths have established youth groups for this reason. If you can find other agnostics/atheists in your town, maybe they have kids. There's a "Coalition of Reason" in the DFW area. Also, I encourage you to visit Lottie at http://lottierambleson.wordpress.com/. She's a great debater and has some salient insights into raising kids without religion. It's too bad that people can approach us on the street and talk religion, but we're seen as freaks for not beleiving. You have an audience here, though, whenever you'd like to talk! Hi Beth, Thanks for sharing. You are preaching to the choir. I think it’s ashame–really ashame–that you have a sister-in-law who is so self-righteous that she doesn’t see goodness.

I agree that children need other kids of the same belief systems. All sorts of faiths have established youth groups for this reason. If you can find other agnostics/atheists in your town, maybe they have kids. There’s a “Coalition of Reason” in the DFW area.

Also, I encourage you to visit Lottie at http://lottierambleson.wordpress.com/. She’s a great debater and has some salient insights into raising kids without religion.

It’s too bad that people can approach us on the street and talk religion, but we’re seen as freaks for not beleiving. You have an audience here, though, whenever you’d like to talk!

]]> By: Beth http://kidswithoutreligion.wordpress.com/about/#comment-1155 Beth Sun, 19 Apr 2009 20:13:08 +0000 #comment-1155 I can understand the not talking about it. We've always advised our children to keep their views private and try to understand different people have different ways to find answers in life--that we can't judge. I guess I worry about the depression that could come from the sense of isolation. David above says "I think you misunderstand faith". I would agree that there is so much beyond comprehension (not just abstract concepts like faith but also surrounding realities like sounds and colors beyond our human range of perception. We are so very small, such a sliver of the universe. I find it hard to comprehend how humans came to the decision that they and they alone were made in the image of a conscience being who created all of existence. As I said, much beyond our comprehension), but there are also misunderstandings that come from closed minds, and how does one open the minds of others when one doesn't even feel comfortable speaking out loud? I don't even want to "convert" anyone, so much as just be heard out. I know there are open minded Christians, and closed minded Christians, open minded and closed minded people of all faiths, good and bad people of all faiths. But if we know it is wrong to assume all Muslims are bad (I hope we all agree that's a whopping falsehood), then why is it we assume atheists are immoral, or hostile, or, I'm not sure what all (something bad enough that my sister-in-law thinks that my husband and I and our three, [unbaptised] children are going to toil forever on the lake of fire in the pit of eternal darkness--no matter how many abandoned children I have comforted, no matter how many cold I have clothed, or hungry I have fed). Are we truly a country with liberty and justice for all if there are children in schools everywhere, good children, kind and loyal friends, kids with compassion who remain silent because they have been worn down by persecution for their beliefs? I am happy to discuss my atheism, in fact, I really enjoy a good theological debate, but I also fear people will make assumptions about my values or moral compass or mental state, and so, find myself, like so many atheists, simply leaving it out of conversations and deleting it from my identity. I can live with some degree of injustice, but shouldn't I do something to create a more just world for my children? I can understand the not talking about it. We’ve always advised our children to keep their views private and try to understand different people have different ways to find answers in life–that we can’t judge. I guess I worry about the depression that could come from the sense of isolation. David above says “I think you misunderstand faith”. I would agree that there is so much beyond comprehension (not just abstract concepts like faith but also surrounding realities like sounds and colors beyond our human range of perception. We are so very small, such a sliver of the universe. I find it hard to comprehend how humans came to the decision that they and they alone were made in the image of a conscience being who created all of existence. As I said, much beyond our comprehension), but there are also misunderstandings that come from closed minds, and how does one open the minds of others when one doesn’t even feel comfortable speaking out loud? I don’t even want to “convert” anyone, so much as just be heard out. I know there are open minded Christians, and closed minded Christians, open minded and closed minded people of all faiths, good and bad people of all faiths. But if we know it is wrong to assume all Muslims are bad (I hope we all agree that’s a whopping falsehood), then why is it we assume atheists are immoral, or hostile, or, I’m not sure what all (something bad enough that my sister-in-law thinks that my husband and I and our three, [unbaptised] children are going to toil forever on the lake of fire in the pit of eternal darkness–no matter how many abandoned children I have comforted, no matter how many cold I have clothed, or hungry I have fed). Are we truly a country with liberty and justice for all if there are children in schools everywhere, good children, kind and loyal friends, kids with compassion who remain silent because they have been worn down by persecution for their beliefs? I am happy to discuss my atheism, in fact, I really enjoy a good theological debate, but I also fear people will make assumptions about my values or moral compass or mental state, and so, find myself, like so many atheists, simply leaving it out of conversations and deleting it from my identity. I can live with some degree of injustice, but shouldn’t I do something to create a more just world for my children?

]]> By: dam http://kidswithoutreligion.wordpress.com/about/#comment-1154 dam Sun, 19 Apr 2009 12:31:00 +0000 #comment-1154 I'm in TX, too. I don't know of any support groups for kids who are on the fringe. My son takes a lot of grief at school because of his views. He no longer talks about it. There are a few extremists who believe in the creationist theories. They disrupt science class. He used to argue with them about it, but he learned that you cannot argue with people who are not thinking rationally. I’m in TX, too. I don’t know of any support groups for kids who are on the fringe. My son takes a lot of grief at school because of his views. He no longer talks about it. There are a few extremists who believe in the creationist theories. They disrupt science class. He used to argue with them about it, but he learned that you cannot argue with people who are not thinking rationally.

]]> By: Beth http://kidswithoutreligion.wordpress.com/about/#comment-1148 Beth Sat, 18 Apr 2009 23:47:36 +0000 #comment-1148 Was up until close to midnight with my ten year old son who has run out of patience with the God crowd. He has always felt comfortable being himself (and rather a nerd, at that, I must say--tucks the shirts in and pulls his shorts halfway up his ribcage.) I fear adolesence could bring him a world of hurt (doesn't every mother?). He is commited to his atheism (well, he is a bit attached to the Norse gods, but I told him Hitler and Wagner kind of messed that one up). He really lost it at that point and wanted to know why Nazism reflects poorly on Norse Gods seeing as how Hitler was Christian. I told him it was as illogical as most things human, but do a google search for your random Norse god and sooner or later you wind up on a white sepratist site. We have raised all our children on the mythologies of many cultures, though, I have to admit, I have been slow to teach them the Christian Mythology. If only the D'Aulieres had done a book on The Christian Mythology. I suppose I have to stop being a lazy Mommy and start putting it together myself. Knowledge is power. But I'm thinking my kid needs a support group of other kids who don't believe in God. He's feeling so lonely (we're in the Bible Belt, alas--in fact the very state of idiot Governor Good Hair who suggested sucession last week. We must look like such yahoos down here.) At any rate, glad to find your site. Any suggestions on how to carve a place for kids of atheists to feel a sense of community? Was up until close to midnight with my ten year old son who has run out of patience with the God crowd. He has always felt comfortable being himself (and rather a nerd, at that, I must say–tucks the shirts in and pulls his shorts halfway up his ribcage.) I fear adolesence could bring him a world of hurt (doesn’t every mother?). He is commited to his atheism (well, he is a bit attached to the Norse gods, but I told him Hitler and Wagner kind of messed that one up). He really lost it at that point and wanted to know why Nazism reflects poorly on Norse Gods seeing as how Hitler was Christian. I told him it was as illogical as most things human, but do a google search for your random Norse god and sooner or later you wind up on a white sepratist site. We have raised all our children on the mythologies of many cultures, though, I have to admit, I have been slow to teach them the Christian Mythology. If only the D’Aulieres had done a book on The Christian Mythology. I suppose I have to stop being a lazy Mommy and start putting it together myself. Knowledge is power. But I’m thinking my kid needs a support group of other kids who don’t believe in God. He’s feeling so lonely (we’re in the Bible Belt, alas–in fact the very state of idiot Governor Good Hair who suggested sucession last week. We must look like such yahoos down here.) At any rate, glad to find your site. Any suggestions on how to carve a place for kids of atheists to feel a sense of community?

]]> By: David http://kidswithoutreligion.wordpress.com/about/#comment-1032 David Fri, 27 Mar 2009 21:52:04 +0000 #comment-1032 You're welcome to put my comment wherever you like. I think you misunderstand what faith is, and I wonder about your being raised a Catholic (what era? the faith was taught differently than it is now...) Do you believe that the Catholic Church was and is a hindrance to science and technology? To learning and human rights? Do you believe in a First Cause? Faith is not a blind leap. Real faith is never opposed to reason. Reason prepares us for faith and helps us to see the reasonableness of faith. Faith is not a blind leap, but is based on knowledge of and trust in God's authority. Faith does not opposed understanding, but rather enlightens it. Faith yields and reveals truth, exposing reason to ultimate truth and stirring reason beyond its isolation to ogtain truth, beauty and goodness. You’re welcome to put my comment wherever you like.

I think you misunderstand what faith is, and I wonder about your being raised a Catholic (what era? the faith was taught differently than it is now…) Do you believe that the Catholic Church was and is a hindrance to science and technology? To learning and human rights?

Do you believe in a First Cause?

Faith is not a blind leap.

Real faith is never opposed to reason. Reason prepares us for faith and helps us to see the reasonableness of faith. Faith is not a blind leap, but is based on knowledge of and trust in God’s authority. Faith does not opposed understanding, but rather enlightens it. Faith yields and reveals truth, exposing reason to ultimate truth and stirring reason beyond its isolation to ogtain truth, beauty and goodness.

]]> By: dam http://kidswithoutreligion.wordpress.com/about/#comment-1014 dam Fri, 27 Mar 2009 02:43:48 +0000 #comment-1014 Hello David. I was raised Catholic and my mother remains so. My kids are exposed to religion, both here and at their father's home--he is Baptist. My kids have read a lot of the King James bible. We have several bibles here, books on mythology, books on the history of religion, atheism, science and religion...you name it. "Putting your faith in God" is, in my opinion, a way of abdicating your rationale. It is leaving important decisions to time, luck and other people. You can see you and I look at theworld differently. I'd like to post your comment on the front of this blog since there are other readers (both Christian and not) who can comment better than me. If you don't want it there, let me know, and I'll remove it. Thank you for taking the time to write. Hello David. I was raised Catholic and my mother remains so. My kids are exposed to religion, both here and at their father’s home–he is Baptist.

My kids have read a lot of the King James bible. We have several bibles here, books on mythology, books on the history of religion, atheism, science and religion…you name it.

“Putting your faith in God” is, in my opinion, a way of abdicating your rationale. It is leaving important decisions to time, luck and other people.

You can see you and I look at theworld differently. I’d like to post your comment on the front of this blog since there are other readers (both Christian and not) who can comment better than me. If you don’t want it there, let me know, and I’ll remove it.

Thank you for taking the time to write.

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