Teaching my youngest son about God
If the guidelines set by a religion state that unbelievers of said religion will roast and suffer endless pain and torture burning in a lake of fire for eternity because they don't share the beliefs, does that make it right to teach to children?
It is if that person is teaching the same type of ideals as what is being taught by religions.
That isn't the same thing at all. People don't just read the bible to their children, they tell them that everything in the bible is true. Huge difference, don't ya think?
The contradictions of religion continue to pile up.
Our lives could be 99% imperfect, but it will never include threatening others with an eternity of hellfire and teaching it to our children.
Have you noticed that Christianity is the only religion you were taught then?
Do you also tell them that your religion states they will burn for an eternity in hellfire?
If people are telling me their god is going to send me to hell to burn for an eternity and then they tell me they love and worship this god, those people are obviously bad people.
So you cannot learn morals without the invisible super being? This the same invisible super being that will burn you in hell for not believing? I can smell the fear.
You can teach morals and the joy of giving without the threat of punishment for not doing so. Awesome that the love of God killed so many natives though. You must be very proud. And the slaves..... Wonderful. What a great god of this great nation. The only nation to have dropped an atomic bomb on a civilian population. Jesus must be very, very proud.
I pity you. Sad.
If mans society can drop a bomb on another continent, why do you blame god for that? Do you think that if people were living according to gods ways or even according to your ways that the bomb would have been dropped or would you have dropped it earlier? You talk as though you have all the answers but all i hear coming out of you is wrongness.
We can all learn morals without a super being, following god is not about obtaining morals, how can you claim to be so wise and totally miss this point? We take our good morals and we love god on top of those morals and we pick up some more, like loving our enemies, etc. something you would never do i am sure.
Teaching morals has nothing to do with the christian doctrine of hell, which i am sure you would be surprised to learn many many christians these days are turning away from that old doctrine of eternal punishment and torture forever in burning hell. But i suppose that is the trouble with believing you are the sum of all knowledge and in that you forget to research before you speak outdated non truths. If any place is a place to teach joy and love it is in the parameters of christianity.
God did kill people. ungodly people who were about 3,000 yrs from posting crap on hubpages like the athiests do on here today. so in the day you will get what you get and if you argue, god will just open up your account on the big screen and we will see the state of your heart toward god. Every word is important. This christians teach their children also.
p.s. god "smart bombed" hail onto his enemies so that more people died by the hail than by the sword".
it is us who pity the outdated, ancient info non believers hold onto of yet another christian time gone by. sad, so sad.
really sad.
I understand that this is how your fear-filled religion propagates itself and ensures an ongoing supply of soldiers, but still...
Christianity is not a religion for children. It is an adult religion that promotes hatred and wars.
I agree with Quark - In my opinion - you are abusing your child with this nonsense. Shame on you.
Who are you dressing him up for? You think god cares what clothes he is wearing? Makes you feel good though huh? Bet the neighbors are impressed with your piety.You're absolutely sure about that? Read it again. Here's just a small taste.
"Go up, my warriors, against the land of Merathaim and against the people of Pekod. Yes, march against Babylon, the land of rebels, a land that I will judge! Pursue, kill, and completely destroy them, as I have commanded you," says the LORD. "Let the battle cry be heard in the land, a shout of great destruction". (Jeremiah 50:21-22 NLT)and when america was populated all of this was done so very eloquently. The wars of britain and france were so bloodless, the incas were not slaughtered. The white people are above reproach.
you deceive yourself and others with your lies about how savage the bible is when your own history is absolutely no better and is more recent and has an atomic bomb in it, 2, in fact. and i laugh again sir.
because when i read wisdom books or poetic books or prophecy books i see huge areas where literalism is not applicable. When i read jesus parables i see metaphor not literalism.. my delusion interprets correctly.
i can assume that your literalism leaves you in the dark or confused.
Psalms 141:3 "Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips". so you think timex or rolex is hanging out by your mouth, and the door of your lips is made of what wood? or is it a screen door.
Psalms 141:7 "Our bones are scattered at the grave's mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth" and of course the grave has a mouth. Is it wearing lipstick or would that be infering too much.
literally, have a nice day watch out it doesn't rain cats and dogs.
Data are for the period December 1, 1941, through December 31, 1946, when hostilities were officially terminated by presidential proclamation, Number serving from December 1, 1941, through August 31, 1945, were: Total 14,903,213; Army 10,420,000; Navy 3,883,520; and Marine Corps 599,693
war of 1812, vietnam war, gulf war, slaughter of north american indians and the aztec race.
yah sure the white race is above reproach
just because your wars are more recent doesnt make them better even if there are 2, count em 2 atomic bombs in it.
what a lot of rant you do put out.If you sat in your chair with duct tape over your..... fingers. there would be 33% less conflict
you are not the mirror you are the problem
Let me introduce you to irony Not likely! There are plenty of other sane people to fill any gap Mark leaves.
This is wonderful. Remember, though, that we can teach our children all the curriculum in the world of Jesus Christ and His teachings, but it's all fruitless without daily showing the works of that teaching in our lives. Walking the walk build a greater foundation than just knowing the walk. In fact some of the greatest hypocrites in the world are those who profess all the knowledge in the world on faith, yet in public and/or private fail to implement those teachings into their lives. They become as ships without anchor in the storm. However, couple together the knowledge of the gospel and "how" it applies to one's life in the eyes and understanding of a child, that child will be a great asset and power in the years to come.
You say "the only way to heaven"...uh, do you know how that makes you sound? LOL! That is absolutely an utterly preposterous proposal of divine poppycock!
- sneakorocksolidposted 15 years ago
0Hey Winter! Good job! Just answer the questions don't elaborate they'll come back to you when they need more info!
Just love'um to death! Never,ever is there too much love! It is fine to teach him about God , we teach our children and there isn't anything wrong with it all. There are parents who teach there children that there is not a God, that they can make choices but that is what makes it a beautiful place to be. Just let him know when he his older that there are those who do not believe and that is o.k. , he has to just worry about himself amd let God do the rest.
Would you stop being so naughty
You know it is o.k. if you do not bring your children up to judge others there won't me so many sour pussy's that walk the earth. But - the if you bring them up not to think for themselves you have the opposite. All that love the Kristians show to their fellow man is hard to stomach.
It's for your own good......- have a good night. Im outta here, off to further discuss important things, like boobs.
Is it okay to teach children about other gods and other religions and then ask them to make a choice? Or, are their choices limited to the parents religion only?
Our children currently are Christian however we have been teaching them about other religions. If they choose to become another religion or a person who only believes in scientific theory when they get older that certainly would not make us love them any less. Although I strongly believe in Christianity it does not mean our children will as they get older and if they choose not to attend church with us, I would also understand. We are only trying to give them tools to be cordial and well mannered citizens and bring them up the best that we can. The same applies for non-believer parents to they do all that they can to bring them up but when they become adults or old enough to understand it should be there choice on which direction they should take.
We don't teach our children that others are evil please do not place me in that category of Christians that is certainly not appropriate. Do I condemn you and what you teach your children? Nope! So who is the person with more integrity? I am.
I seriously doubt that. I have not taught my kids that any one god exists, you have. I have not taught them that this god created the universe, you have. I have not taught them that this god will send them to hell if they don't worship and obey him, you have.
Are you starting to notice the glaring contradictions of how we teach our children?
Entirely agree! It's amazing. Over the past year I have been working diligently to reach out to the religious community in our area. I've developed a close friendship with a Catholic Priest who, last week, invited my LDS congregation to his Good Friday Services. He even asked me to speak at the service. That was a first in the state of Iowa - a Mormon speaking at a Good Friday service in a Catholic church. It was wonderful! All this proves that, although extremely painful at times, the walls of pride can be breached and bridges can be formed to other peoples and other faiths. All you need to do is affirm a common ground or foundation upon which you both subscribe - and start building. For us, it's the belief in Jesus Christ as our Savior. All else are appendages to that, but as long as you hold to that one foundation you can have fruitful relations with other faiths.
It takes an ideology like religion to give people a reason to pull the trigger, etc.
Not all ideologies are wrong, some ideologies don't work, or cause more harm than good, or just don't follow with reality. It is our place as humans to find the ones that benefit us rather than embrace the ones that hinder.
While I mostly agree with you, I don't agree that qwark not be allowed to attack someones ideals with other ideals, that my friend, is why we are all here.
We all need to detach ourselves from our beliefs in order to place them in front of us for discussion, criticism, and yes, even for an attack. There's no reason to worry about it, they're just words on a screen.
I don't remember exactly who said it, but it was referenced in regards to the ACLU and it's defense in not allowing hate speech to be censored. I'll try to paraphrase:
"The only way to combat hate speech is with more speech."While I can see how you were offended by Marks comments, I must insist that Mark did state quite emphatically, your "beliefs" are garbage and that those beliefs harbor hate mongering and are divisive. The comments were not made towards you personally, but instead towards the beliefs. And, while I think it is most certainly a harsh attack on those beliefs, Mark has every right to say so as he is attacking the ideology and not the person, imho.
Yes, the "beliefs" - that is exactly what I said. If he were attacking the person, he would have called them stupid or fat or ugly or some such thing that attacks the person.
If the most important thing in my life, as you say, is a god who will send everyone who doesn't love and obey them to a lake of hellfire to suffer utter torment for an eternity, then yes, you are free to attack what is most definitely garbage.
Please do, I'd be happy to show you otherwise.
Well.... unless you are in favor of the indoctrination - in which case = Perfectly OK to generalize.
Hypocrite.Oh - you are only arguing against NEGATIVE generalizations? Well in that case.....
Sure - all Nazis were innocent. Sure. Nazism good.
What is the ratio here? The inquisition and the child abuse? How many good kristinas make the last 2000 years of war ok?
You would much rather I?........
Not that you are telling me how to live or anything.....
Keep tellin' ya. Do unto others? OK - will do.
It sure seem like you are and did.
I do not mean to misrepresent you. But it is what it is.
I'm sure your temper just got the best of you at that moment, and maybe you don't fully realize what your post comes across as saying.
To me- you were calling him a Liar. Maybe you should calm down before you write in the heat of the moment. Why? Because as we all know now, you sincerely didn't mean for it to come across that way. Good for you. However it did.
Maybe for once you could recount your verbiage, and apologize for the offensive tone of your post. Since you clearly state that you were not calling him a liar.
Just a grown up thought.
Yes. And I believe with zeal.
But my beliefs in Christ is consumed in the way he lived his life. Spreading love, compassion and joy. I believe in God. I believe in a Creator. But I also believe in evolution, reincarnation, and many more things. I think the key to heaven is somewhere in the realms of Buddhism. I also don't think Christ is the only ticket to heaven. I further believe, that my beautiful Atheist son Zachary Charles, will be in the front of the "Heaven only" line, and I somewhere in the back.
Why?
As I said before, I'm much more flawed in my way of thinking. I'm religious, so of course I'm judgmental, cold hearted or less compassionate, egotistical, selfish, and sometimes incredibly short sighted. Where he is not. He is accountable to only himself. And somehow, that makes him feel easier in his own skin and comfortable with the world.
I do not judge people based off their religious faith. I judge people for their merit and character. That is why I'm so hard on Christians, and people of "faith." I'm constantly judging them period. Why? 90% of my fellow flock are really hateful people. I prejudice against hateful people.
That is another one of my flaws. Zach isn't prejudice against anything or anyone.
If something has impacted your life so profoundly in a negative manner, make them accountable. Use your "god given" resources to fight crime and evil. If it takes an Atheist lawyer to get that accomplish, well I say smart thinking and well done.
Use your resources. No matter what, as I see it we are all God's children. And........! There is a reason, all of us are stuck here together and that reason is to learn.
Learn and do something about the crimes committed against you.
Church???? That's not God. That's not Christ. Christ over turned the money changer tables. He hated evil and crimes. Follow in his footsteps. When you think about it, Christ slept and hung around a lot of Atheists himself.Thank you. Thank you so very much.
I do love my boy. He is such a good kid. He has really been through a lot in his lifetime. Alot. But man, he is a good boy. Kind, soft spoken, strong willed, smart....... oh I could go on all day. When I pray for him, I ask God to never let something corrupt his spirit. He is who he is.
He is a very well rounded, healthy teenager. It does not get any better than that you know. Isn't that what most Christian, Jewish, Muslims, or what have you, mothers pray for? You know it is.
God bless, and thank you for your kind words.
Oh the irony "Your beliefs are garbage. Hate mongering," blah,blah,blah.... You need a mirror
See hon..., attack my{as in I} beliefs, and I generally try to then lead by example. I use to attack back, and for what??? I looked like a bumbling idiot, preaching hate, and spinning out of control.
Attack back??????
Are you trying to look like a bubbling, Christian idiot, hell bent on spreading brimstone and fire?
No.
But you are...........
Take a step back. Look at the posts honestly. Declare that you are finished with this line of thinking. Tell us that your focus has gotten off course. I'm sure someone will respond with a snide comment. But ignore it. Start another post calmly stating that, "I do have the right to raise my child as I see fit." If someone then asks you, "By lying to them?" Answer, "NO. By helping them to see the way."
Calmly, slowly and in God's image.
It matters not if people think your stupid for believing, or whatever. What matters is that you are true to yourself. That is all that matters. And frankly my friend, Mark Knowles, Qwark, Beelzedad, Me and others are being very true to themselves. So why aren't YOU?
Don't go, stay and argue, but try to argue your principles by conducting yourself in that manner. Food for thought.
But God doesn't exist. We all know you think you are going to live forever and anyone who does not believe the nonsense you believe is going to be obliterated, but if they believed the garbage you believe, they could go to the LOLOLO "party with Jesus." LOLOL
Sorry - that one was sooooo funny.
You are quite mistaken about that, the parents never did ascertain anything to be the truth, they were taught as children to believe it, just as their parents were taught and their parents before them. No one actually thought about anything, they were just told to believe it.
No, it doesn't. Like most other things, there are exceptions to the rules. The vast majority of believers follow that model.
Of course, when drilled down further, it is usually found that people such as yourself did in fact grow up in a religious environment and returned to their faith later in life.Hi SirDent, when children interact with each other, the subject of god does come up as do the subjects of those other areas you refer. Many of those topics though are quite unfamiliar to most kids, but the subject of religion has been around them their whole lives and talked about on a regular basis, going to Sunday school and church on a regular basis reinforces and adds to that knowledge, while those other topics usually are not discussed anywhere near as often.
Kids will usually repeat what they hear.
yet you responded to it emphatically.
Seems sensitive more than rational from your mention as well.
How Ism of you.
- SirDentposted 15 years ago0
There is no free will in believing whatever someone tells you to believe, parents or not.
That is entirely not true, Jerami. Please don't lie. Thanks.
Jerami, I would like to make something crystal clear, no offense is intended.
I don't expect, ask, demand or beg anyone to believe as I do. I can only offer what I understand and what I observe of the world around me.
So, please don't suggest I have ever done such a thing to you or anyone else. Many thanks for your attention in this matter.
Sincerely,
B
I've been trying to see the sense in that but it fails me. Where is the sense in that?
That's probably the worst thing you could teach a child.The worst thing you can teach a child is that he evolved from a sludge pond or from monkeys.
I do believe some atheists may truly believe they evolved from apes because they act like them-
Nowhere in the forums have I said or even implied that I am better than anyone else. Anytime Jesus or God is mentioned atheists take the high ground and make remarks like calling us self righteous and condescending.
How hard is it to understand that I say it is God who is the ultimate authority and not me. It's not hard! I can say it. It is Gd who is the ultimate authority and not me! He is an excellent designer of evolution!
You can validate your feelings that there is a higher power out there and in you that cares for you while being open to advances in science.
The entire planet is teeming with evidence to suggest we did evolve from a "sludge pond" and from primates, and nothing but a single book written in the Bronze Age by ignorant shepherds as the only source of discrepancy.
It's a no brainer.
Do apes believe in gods?To whom do you teach her to say thanks?
And do you really believe humans descended from apes, as Mark does?
(He may have. His behavior is very animal-like! LOL).
I just cannot fathom why anyone would EVER believe we literally came from apes!
Plus, I don't see anyone's brains evolving! Matter of fact, our whole physical system deteriorates as we age. And each human child goes through the same process; not some "evolution"!
"Plus, I don't see anyone's brains evolving! Matter of fact, our whole physical system deteriorates as we age. And each human child goes through the same process; not some "evolution"!"
I see you are not aware of neuro-plasticity.
recommended readings are Spark by Ratey and The Brain That Changes Itself.
It actually evolve during your lifetime depending on your choices. So, if you are always choosing to be sad, your happy receptors will shrink. Your kid will then inherit this trait. and so on and so forth.Brenda - I don't hate you. Pity yes, hatred no. I do hate your ridiculous beliefs though.
Oh sorry - was that you showing me love?
Ape. Do you like bananas by any chance? They are not a sin you know - like divorce.Of course you do. No - you are free to eat them like all the other apes.
Yes.
Allow me to introduce you to "irony."
- Brenda Durhamposted 15 years ago0
OK, I have to admit, it is not self explanatory to the fundies at any level.
I cannot deny that having been a religionist helped me to see the hypocrisy, megalomania and self importance by referred power that props these fundies up.
Studying the bible thoroughly from cover to cover was enlightening. The more I learnt the less I believed!
Well you see a myth is what it is... mythical. It does not need to be refuted even as it is not real in any sense other than a fear based response in the case of religious myths.
The theories and postulations put forward for the "evolution myth" are not myths at all.
They are not all right, they are fallible and refutable as they must be to meet the muster of scientific method.
As well as the application of the said method, much scientific evidence for evolution cuts across the other sciences like medicine, which is now a huge science.
If any of the postulations won't fit all of the other scientific models they are abandoned.
Now apply the same rigour to religious belief and you have no case at all.
No proof, no evidence, it can't be subjected to scientific method or peer based scrutiny, is not refutable, in other words it is myth. I hope that helps.
Could you please go through this book and point out the myths? Thanks.
http://www.literature.org/authors/darwi … f-species/Hello David!! Are you still trying to find those myths in evolution or did you give up?
The beginning of what? Please clarify and then point out the myth.
No - he stands a very good chance of hating you for it. Do not listen to these religionists who are incapable of becoming wonderful respectful compassionate people because they think a god is telling them that people who do not share their nonsensical ethical system (which they do not follow) are evil, sinful deviants destined tio burn in hell.
Instead - teach him about reality and encourage him to develop a system of morals and ethics that actually he wants to follow because it is the right thing to do - not because he will be burned in hell forever if he does not.
Do not limit his thinking to this small minded religious clap trap. Child abuse is what that is.judging judging judging.... how do you know the future.. "he stands a good chance of hating you for it". Obviously you think christians are miserable
you couldn't be farther from the truth.
The people who do not share their beliefs are sure mouthy about it antagonistic opinionated rude insulting
How about ALSO teaching them about reality and encourage the child to live in a society etc.. what makes you think these things are gone out the window.
You do not even know if she is teaching hell.
This is not child abuse half as much as your post is abusive to this adult.
If you cannot imagine the joy and happiness that christianity brings with its knowledge of a loving, supportive, kind, compassionate god then please fail to bring your negativity as the only truth there is. I found your post to be pompous and rude.
- askpowersposted 14 years ago0
One believes his faith will some day cure him of his blindness while the other believes his blindness will cure him of his faith.
Sorry, but theists do not admit to that, they believe absolutely in one answer, which is the epitome of a closed mind.
An atheist entertains all possibilities and alternatives, but also uses their brain to think about them as opposed to just accepting them.
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