about 4 days ago - 4 comments
Jesus loves you so much that he killed himself so that you would receive a mass-produced and over-simplified printed flyer.
When trying to “reach the lost” for Jesus, there are no holds barred and no pop culture topics left untouched. Anything and everything can become a preaching tool. I remember my church giving us evangelism tracts More >
about 1 week ago - 6 comments
Ah the internet. Such a font of fantastic, novel, and often useless knowledge. One of my favorite sites to read for fun is WikiHow.com. The user-created content there is often worth reading if you need some simple advice on how to handle different situations.
Some of these wiki entries apply directly to secular folks like you More >
about 1 month ago - 34 comments
Because my dear mother is worried. She came to me tonight expressing a desire to talk about “the elephant in the room” which is, apparently, my atheism. In a very polite manner, she expressed her concern:
Ever since I came out to her in October, she has been reading more godless blogs (perhaps mine… rut roh!) More >
about 2 months ago - 8 comments
What Would Jesus Do? Probably not quote himself on a weapon used to kill an enemy.
Oh the irony.
Whether they knew it or not, American soldiers have been displaying Biblical messages on their weapons. A Michigan company, Trijicon, has been inscribing New Testament verses in code on their high-powered rifle sights.
U.S. military rules specifically prohibit the More >
about 3 months ago - 6 comments
Ohhh yes, my heathen horde, I’m serving up another hot plate of my favorite dish and yours: Christian faith healers.
Check out the other parts in this series: Kerney Thomas and his magic handkerchiefs and coming next, a douche of epic proportions!
A Holy Cage Match
Now that we’ve warmed up, let me introduce Todd Bentley, a man More >
about 4 months ago - 23 comments
{See my previous post for backstory}
My mother and I decided to eat out last night. After our almost-discussion the day before, the elephant in the room was just too cumbersome. We needed to finish our talk, and I was finally–after over a year of evasion and privacy–ready to tell her.
When our hefty plates of stir More >
about 4 months ago - 20 comments
My mother is visiting for a few days as she attends a local conference. We get along well and have been talking over various topics like jobs, memories, family get-togethers, and so forth. Tonight, the conversation turned to my relationship with my Man (If you’re reading this, baby, don’t be weirded out! This is what More >
about 5 months ago - 14 comments
The delightful and thoughtful @hyumen documented the beginning of a long journey on her blog.
Well, I did it. I told my family that I am an atheist. Sort of.
After posting the results of the “Do you believe in God?” CNN poll (which strongly favored “No” at the time of its closing), a discussion about More >
about 8 months ago - 31 comments
This twitter conversation is currently in process:
Me: I think it will take at least 2 generations more to get some of the “old time fundamentalism” on the way out the door.
J: How would you contribute to get that “old time fundamentalism on the way out the door”, being a first generation ex-Christian?
Me: what can we More >
about 9 months ago - 12 comments
“Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?”
What if–instead of swearing on a bible, holy book, or other boring document–we could pinky swear? I’d even go for a “cross my heart” every once in a while.
Well, the folks over at secularpinkyswear.org have got the right idea. They’ve written More >
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about 4 months ago
That sounds like experiences I had in my youth. You are correct that they are looked upon as mostly innocuous, but I shudder at the thought now.
about 4 months ago
Wow, an excellent question. And timely for me, too – I don't know of any good way to think about this, and I'm in a similar situation that is very frustrating. I think it's unethical to indoctrinate children, but I'm also respectful of a parent's right to direct the development of their kids. What to do?
about 4 months ago
Good question that I can't answer. My daughter has her kids in a fundie Christian school and doesn't understand (or even want to discuss) why this is upsetting to me. But they ultimately are not my children, so I try not to interfere. I do, however, answer my grandchildren's questions honesty, like "Why don't you believe in God?". As far as I'm concerned, there are no "off-limits" topics. If they're old enough to ask, they'll get an age-appropriate honest response. And sometimes I'm able to ask directed questions that make them think about what they're learning (and regurgitating) from school or elsewhere.
about 4 months ago
I like that you don't censor yourself! I think it's admirable and teaches them a lot.
about 4 months ago
I had a group approach me at Subway some time ago. They were directing a young girl, who couldn’t be more than five, to lead the interaction. She sounded relatively well-rehearsed… as well-rehearsed as you could be at that age. To my credit, I was polite; I simply said, “I won’t waste any more of your time, or mine. I’m an atheist”, and they asked to say a prayer for us (I basically said ‘go right ahead’) and wandered off.
I have to wonder, though, if they send the young child to forestall an angry reaction. If it were just adults, I’m sure people wouldn’t take kindly to these preachers interrupting their meals… but a kid is flameproof. Even if the diners get mad at the adults, they won’t do anything about it with the kid there…
about 4 months ago
Agreed. Perhaps it's a sympathy play. Like you won't cuss them out if a kids around.
about 4 months ago
Come and read the posts at The End of Hereditary Religion and join my facebook group. We are grappling with precisely this kind of issue.
http://www.endhereditaryreligion.com
http://groups.to/theendofhereditaryreligion/ (facebook group)
Dale McGowan is a great source of advice for secular parents, which is what we are striving for in place of religious hegemony.
about 4 months ago
Thank you, I should check it out more often!
about 4 months ago
you know, it's hard to argue against this. i mean i'm sure some of my relatives think i'm evil for teaching my daughter how i think the bible and other religions are wrong. and i don't want anyone butting in on the way i'm raising my daughter.
about 4 months ago
Well it is child abuse. It doesn't really matter that parents intentions are only to help the child and they think their doing the right thing, but you know what they say about good intentions. And obviously some of them are using children as a shield to prevent from strangers just shutting the door, and that I find disgusting.
As for a gift, telescope is a perfect gift. I cannot imagine anyone not being in awe after looking up to the skies.
about 4 months ago
You have to stay out of it – everyone has the privilege of raising their children the way they want to. Just answer honestly if she asks you questions as she grows up.
about 4 months ago
I wonder if door to door evangelizing could potentially be a good thing for kids who are in very religious households since it exposes them to people who disagree with their parents' beliefs. If parents are sheltering their kids from such opinions then door to door evangelizing might be their only access to them.
about 4 months ago
That's a point of view I hadn't really considered. You may be right!
about 4 months ago
After growing up in a very conservative christian home I was determined to raise my kids to think. Staples in my house include the books Maybe Yes, Maybe No by Dan Barker, and Bill Nye's Big Blast of Science. We also own quite a few seasons of Myth Busters. Funny enough my boys 4 and 11 love watching them like most kids watch Sponge Bob. I don't think many parents give their kids enough credit to love being engaged in such things.
My sons are taught to be courteous during prayers when over at the grandparents, but they think it is weird. They are not allowed to go to church, I don't want them to think it is ok or fun (like VBS). I think that is what keeps the cycle going is the indoctrination of children. Believers grow up sheltered in it. Education is Christianity's worst enemy. If people go to college at my parents church it is usually to their christian universities. Once I stepped out of the "box" I couldn't believe how foolish what I was taught (about everything) really was.
I feel sorry for your niece being programed to believe she is nothing without Jesus, that in no way promotes a healthy self esteem. And the guilt she will feel toward sex (her body in general). Dreams and desires are "selfish" if they come before church, husband and children. It is sick. But she has you. A woman that is happy and healthy (and cool) without Jesus and that will make a big impression on her.
about 4 months ago
I appreciate you sharing what it's like in your family. I hope my nieces will see just how freeing and okay it is to think for yourself–even if it's different than mom and dad.
about 4 months ago
You are teaching your children to be skeptical about matters of faith (since you feel that exposure to church or VBS would be harmful). Conservative Christians teach their children to not be skeptical about matters of faith. Neither really seems to be the same as encouraging free inquiry. "Indoctrination" is a heavy-duty word — but isn't the same thing going on in both cases, whatever you want to call it?
about 4 months ago
I am teaching my children to be skeptical about everything. Christianity just happens to be what this post is about. "Indoctrination" is teaching someone to accept doctrines uncritically. How is teaching your child to Think indoctrinating them? Christians are not teaching their children to be critical thinkers (think court cases against evolution). But my children know what christianity is about, that seems a little one sided. That is what I am talking about in regards to sheltering their children – indoctrinating them.
about 4 months ago
I would recommend http://www.scientificsonline.com. As someone that grew up without getting to learn about astronomy and science as much as doctrines and bible stories, this website has caught my attention so much. This coming from a girl who came to the conclusion that dinosaurs actually were real when she was oh, 22 or so. I feel like I've learned so much in such a short amount of time since opening my eyes to the possibility that I should be questioning instead of accepting. This site has a ton of great things to open up a child's mind to look deeper for answers.
about 4 months ago
"It makes me sad, but I know I have to mind my manners and not say anything."
That sentiment would never stop an evangelical from butting in and lecturing someone raising their children in a secular way.
As for gifts, I'd say things like brain teasers and puzzles that make you use logic and deduction to solve them – anything that forces you to think.