Is it ok to tell young children God doesn't exist/does exist?

[Tysonboss1]

I have a problem,

I was brought up in a family that didn't really practice any religious faith, and in general our family has always been agnostic / atheist. However in recent times my older sister has become religious. She now regularly attends a church and has enrolled her young children into a faith school.

My neices are being taught that the bible is true and the heaven and hell are real places.

So I have two main questions,

1, Is it ok, If asked for me to tell my neices that there isn't a god and heaven and hell are not real places and the bible is just stories?

and 2, On a deeper level, Is it really ok that my sister is teaching her kids that this stuff is true?

 

[prawn_86]

Re: Is it ok to tell young children God doesn't exist / does exist

1, Is it ok, If asked for me to tell my neices that there isn't a god and heaven and hell are not real places and the bible is just stories?
and 2, On a deeper level, Is it really ok that my sister is teaching her kids that this stuff is true?

Do you have proof for the part in bold? If so a lot of people would be interested

I am relatively agnostic too, but depending on the age of the kids i would say that you can just present your opinions and say that everyone has different thoughts on the matter

2. People have been doing it for thousands of years, so can't see why not, in this day and age especially teens will be able to make up their own mind with research

 

[Calliope]

Re: Is it ok to tell young children God doesn't exist / does exist

1, Is it ok, If asked for me to tell my neices that there isn't a god and heaven and hell are not real places and the bible is just stories?

I think you already know the answer. It's none of your business.

 

[Tysonboss1]

Re: Is it ok to tell young children God doesn't exist / does exist

Do you have proof for the part in bold? If so a lot of people would be interested

No, I have no proof that heaven and hell are not real, just as I have no proof the tooth fairy isn't real. However I don't believe in any of the god claims and would like to provide at least some counter weight to the large amount of mis information they are currently getting.

I am relatively agnostic too, but depending on the age of the kids i would say that you can just present your opinions and say that everyone has different thoughts on the matter

Thats kind of the question I am asking, is it ok for me to say my opinions? I definatley don't want to be part of the lie.

People have been doing it for thousands of years, so can't see why not, in this day and age especially teens will be able to make up their own mind with research

It hasn't really turned out well over that time has it ?

You would think people can make up there own mind, But even I the net there is alot of misinformation from creationists. And people that have been hard core indoctrinated just reject scientific facts, I would rather inject some doubt early on before they become complete religous robots.

 

[Trembling Hand]

Re: Is it ok to tell young children God doesn't exist / does exist

LOL The I-P stocks must be really slow!



Tell what you think. Unfortunately thats all you can do.

 

[Tysonboss1]

Re: Is it ok to tell young children God doesn't exist / does exist

I think you already know the answer. It's none of your business.

I spend alot of time around the kids and so far have narrowly avoided the question, I can't avoid it forever so it is kind of is my business.

If some one asks you a direct question, It is your business to answer truthfully is it not?

 

[Tysonboss1]

Re: Is it ok to tell young children God doesn't exist / does exist

LOL The I-P stocks must be really slow!

Oops, How did it end up there.

I was sure I put this in General topics.

 

[prawn_86]

Re: Is it ok to tell young children God doesn't exist / does exist

No, I have no proof that heaven and hell are not real

Some people would probably like that information too. I'm not saying you're right or wrong, but there are numerous dimensions outside of what humans can see/comprehend so isn't it at least possible something like that could exist in another dimension?

 

[Knobby22]

Re: Is it ok to tell young children God doesn't exist / does exist

I spend alot of time around the kids and so far have narrowly avoided the question, I can't avoid it forever so it is kind of is my business.

If some one asks you a direct question, It is your business to answer truthfully is it not?

Do your rant if you care so much, then you can be weird Uncle Ron (insert name here).
I can't see it doing them damage.

 

[Tysonboss1]

Re: Is it ok to tell young children God doesn't exist / does exist

there are numerous dimensions outside of what humans can see/comprehend so isn't it at least possible something like that could exist in another dimension?

Is it possible that things could exist in other dimensions ? I guess it is, But I don't think the other dimensions are likely to be heaven and hell as we have a religous understanding of them and I don't think it is likely to have a supernatural god decideing which one we go to.

Just because something could possibly exist, does not mean we should teach it to kids as fact.

No one has proof of these dimensions, So we shouldn't teach it as fact and threaten that if they don't believe you they will go to the bad dimension.

 

[againsthegrain]

Re: Is it ok to tell young children God doesn't exist / does exist

Is it possible that things could exist in other dimensions ? I guess it is, But I don't think the other dimensions are likely to be heaven and hell as we have a religous understanding of them and I don't think it is likely to have a supernatural god decideing which one we go to.

Just because something could possibly exist, does not mean we should teach it to kids as fact.

No one has proof of these dimensions, So we shouldn't teach it as fact and threaten that if they don't believe you they will go to the bad dimension.

Tell them the truth before its too late and they turn into total religious fanatics! .... there is a bubble

 

[Tysonboss1]

Re: Is it ok to tell young children God doesn't exist / does exist

Do your rant if you care so much, .

Rant?

I think you misunderstood me.

I was talking out answering direct questions.

 

[burglar]

Re: Is it ok to tell young children God doesn't exist / does exist

Is it possible that things could exist in other dimensions ? I guess it is, But I don't think the other dimensions are likely to be heaven and hell as we have a religous understanding of them and I don't think it is likely to have a supernatural god decideing which one we go to.

Just because something could possibly exist, does not mean we should teach it to kids as fact.

No one has proof of these dimensions, So we shouldn't teach it as fact and threaten that if they don't believe you they will go to the bad dimension.

Hi TB1,

It doesn't have to be you!

They may figure it out.
They may hear it from the other weird uncle. Haha, just kidding!

George Carlin "I used to be Irish Catholic. Now I’m an American ”” you know, you grow."

 

[Joules MM1]

Re: Is it ok to tell young children God doesn't exist / does exist

Some people would probably like that information too.

most people whom come to this neck of the woods are asking the same questions, a deep questions.....is this thread inline with what Joe wanted to see, that is, more chatting about Aussie stocks....... ??

maybe this series of posts could be moved ?

 

[Julia]

Re: Is it ok to tell young children God doesn't exist / does exist

Rant?

I think you misunderstood me.

I was talking out answering direct questions.

I don't see the question as a rant at all, but rather the genuine concern of an uncle, unhappy at seeing little kids indoctrinated into a belief that they will go to hell if they do bad stuff, and only go to heaven if they believe literally in creationism, the Bible etc.

If it were me, I'd try to continue evading direct comment because it's probably not right for you to directly contradict the parental teachings.
Someone above (sorry, forget who it was now) suggested you should just say that people have all sorts of different views about God, and leave it at that. I agree.
(Much as I'd want to say "oh, that's all bulls...t".)

 

[Joules MM1]

Re: Is it ok to tell young children God doesn't exist / does exist

I have a problem,

the reverse is true.....you have a great opportunity.....enquire how they feel about the ideas handed to them......do they see you any differently after taking on these "other" ideas....your job is to merely assist them in building a freedom of thought, not to imprison them with "facts" .......ask them questions that allow them to express how they feel and how the ideas affect them......you can guide them into using ideas that they feel benefit them, make it practical, ask how can they use these ideas day to day ......faith is not about a single person outside of the believer, faith is about taking a course of action and sticking until the goal is achieved, make the questions have a tangible aspect.....make all the questions so that the answers are positive and you know exactly what positive is on a day to day basis.....none of this theoretical mumbo stuff it confuses kids.....they can come back to actuality if they go on a tangent when you ask them to question the practical value of what theyve been told.......teach them to enquire......atheists and ardent religious folks should have the greatest conversations......really

 

[Tysonboss1]

Re: Is it ok to tell young children God doesn't exist / does exist

If it were me, I'd try to continue evading direct comment because it's probably not right for you to directly contradict the parental teachings.
Someone above (sorry, forget who it was now) suggested you should just say that people have all sorts of different views about God, and leave it at that. I agree.
(Much as I'd want to say "oh, that's all bulls...t".)

Good advice J,

It is a topic that I am torn over though, I do not want to cause any rift in the family, hence why I have avoided it so far. But I really, really hate the idea of openly aggreeing that their religious teaching are correct.

Also I feel that they are missing some of the beautiful wonders of this planet, when at the zoo I would have loved to point out some wonderful adaptions animals have made and introduce ideas such as natural selection, but my hands were tied, the old answer off "thats just the way giraffes were made" had to come out.

 

[Tysonboss1]

Re: Is it ok to tell young children God doesn't exist / does exist

the reverse is true.....you have a great opportunity.....enquire how they feel about the ideas handed to them......do they see you any differently after taking on these "other" ideas....your job is to merely assist them in building a freedom of thought, not to imprison them with "facts" .......ask them questions that allow them to express how they feel and how the ideas affect them......you can guide them into using ideas that they feel benefit them, make it practical, ask how can they use these ideas day to day ......faith is not about a single person outside of the believer, faith is about taking a course of action and sticking until the goal is achieved, make the questions have a tangible aspect.....make all the questions so that the answers are positive and you know exactly what positive is on a day to day basis.....none of this theoretical mumbo stuff it confuses kids.....they can come back to actuality if they go on a tangent when you ask them to question the practical value of what theyve been told.......teach them to enquire......atheists and ardent religious folks should have the greatest conversations......really

Thanks

 

[Gringotts Bank]

Re: Is it ok to tell young children God doesn't exist / does exist

I have a problem,

I was brought up in a family that didn't really practice any religious faith, and in general our family has always been agnostic / atheist. However in recent times my older sister has become religious. She now regularly attends a church and has enrolled her young children into a faith school.

My neices are being taught that the bible is true and the heaven and hell are real places.

So I have two main questions,

1, Is it ok, If asked for me to tell my neices that there isn't a god and heaven and hell are not real places and the bible is just stories?

and 2, On a deeper level, Is it really ok that my sister is teaching her kids that this stuff is true?

1. What kid would ask his/her uncle that sort of thing?! They'd be too busy enjoying themselves to even consider such a question. But I think what you're saying is "is it ok to start a heated debate at the family gathering". I think it's ok, but not with the kids there. Subjecting them to anti-religious rants is just as bad as subjecting them to religious rants. And don't expect to
enjoy your meal...

If you really want to do the debate properly, you need to understand your topic. Maybe pick ten books from this list of hundreds [ http://www.adherents.com/adh_influbooks.html ] and start reading. Shouldn't take long! Remember that ancient spiritual texts are full of allegory and metaphor, and that makes them very hard to understand and open to gross misinterpretation. Luckily there are plenty of clever authors/translators who have done that job. Even if you wanted just a broad brush understanding of something and you read the "Idiots Guide to Religion X", that would be better than going into the debate knowing nothing at all.

The point is, when you start to investigate you realize how hard it is to even get started. There's so much 'bathwater' that it's easy to throw the 'baby' out right from the outset. Keep in mind that most the the world's most brilliant, talented, wise and insightful men have had some sort of religious and/or spiritual leanings.

It's not just about reading though, because facts and knowledge don't count for anything in this game. All the most useful spiritual literature encourages actual practice, which, if you strip away the cultural overlay, dogma and hoo-haa, boils down to this: learn how to silence the voice in your head. Do it any way you like. Some people have managed this through extreme exercise, some through fasting, drug use, prayer, meditation, dance... Lots of ways. If you can, you will be blown away by what happens.

If you want a quick and easy way to understand the theory, try Chopra's 'How to Know God'.
If you want a quick and dirty taste of what practice feels like, drop a huge dose of acid or DMT. (not recommended because of the high risks)
If you want to go straight to the most brilliant **** on this topic, try Jed McKenna's books or Adyashanti (for the gentler approach), or Richard Rose (for very detailed practical instructions).
If you just want to have a good argument (nothing wrong with that), call your sister and set up a dinner!

 

[moXJO]

Did you discuss with them if Santa exists or not