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Deborah Mitchell remembers the time, when her boys were younger, and another mom asked her about her religious beliefs. Mitchell was raised Catholic but moved away from religion in her early 20s. She told the other mother that she didn’t go to church and didn’t even really believe in God. Then, she says, the recruiting started. “She used to call my house and tell me she was praying for me. She’d leave me messages and leave cards in my mailbox with scripture,” Mitchell says. “I do realize that she meant well, but at the same time, I know my views were seen as wrong. I needed to be ‘saved.’”
Then there are the comments from strangers. Last year, Phillips said she and her daughter were at a birthday party when a tornado warning sounded. “We were all in the basement keeping safe. A little girl was saying baby Jesus will keep us safe. My daughter asked who Jesus was. The rest of the time was spent hearing ‘I'll pray for you sweetie, we can take you to church with us if you want,’” Phillips told CNN.
I understand why people need God. I understand why people need heaven. It is terrifying to think that we are all alone in this universe, that one day we—along with the children we love so much—will cease to exist. The idea of God and an afterlife gives many of us structure, community and hope. I do not want religion to go away. I only want religion to be kept at home or in church where it belongs. It’s a personal effect, like a toothbrush or a pair of shoes. It’s not something to be used or worn by strangers. I want my children to be free not to believe and to know that our schools and our government will make decisions based on what is logical, just and fair—not on what they believe an imaginary God wants.
Originally posted by randomname
right when this woman starting to speak like she was the spokesman for all humanity, she started to do the same thing she accused the other mom of doing, preaching her beliefs.
she was probably oblivious to her hypocrisy.
there is no way this woman can claim that heaven doesn't exist. she probably doesn't even know how to change a tire.
Originally posted by NewAgeMan
reply to post by captaintyinknots
I think it's better for atheist parents not to project their own beliefs upon their own children, and instead remain neutral and allow their children to freely choose for themselves what to believe or not to believe and if there IS a God, wouldn't they be doing their own children quite the disservice to so bias them so as to exclude faith in God as a possibility.
Originally posted by NewAgeMan
reply to post by captaintyinknots
I think it's better for atheist parents not to project their own beliefs upon their own children, and instead remain neutral and allow their children to freely choose for themselves what to believe or not to believe and if there IS a God, wouldn't they be doing their own children quite the disservice to so bias them so as to exclude faith in God as a possibility.
The second area of concern is the rightists’ view that American morals are being eroded by what they call "secular humanism." They engage in caricatures of this type of humanism, and their attacks indicate no realization that Christian humanism has long been a significant expression of Christianity. Christian humanism, the humanism of some other faiths (especially Judaism), nontheistic religious humanism, and secular humanism have much in common in their commitment to moral values. Usually one finds among all four humanisms greater moral sensitivity about problems of justice and peace, about reconciliation between races and nations, than one finds in the Moral Majority.
Originally posted by NewAgeMan
To be taught of a loving God, as evidenced by the creation and our own inclusion, isn't harmful. But to be taught that we live in a Godless, and purposeless and meaningless universe, alone in a material world might not be so helpful if it's not based in reality whereby love is the reason for creation. [
the truth is that we don't know the whole truth
Originally posted by captaintyinknots
reply to post by NewAgeMan
We dont know if there is a "god' at all. Its no more wrong to push religious beliefs on kids than it is to push the idea that there is no god.
To say otherwise is truly hypocritical, and a fine example of the EXACT point of this article. Atheists are expected to not speak about the fact that they are atheists, even to their own children. But if you believe in god, then its all good to not only push it onto your own kids, but others' kids also.