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How would you answer this for a reasonably mature 12 year old? I would like to cover different reasons, not just my gut reaction which is usually a thought like "I don't believe there is a man in the sky who helps football players make touchdowns but it's 'god's will' that a 5 year old die of cancer."
How would you answer this for a reasonably mature 12 year old? I would like to cover different reasons, not just my gut reaction which is usually a thought like "I don't believe there is a man in the sky who helps football players make touchdowns but it's 'god's will' that a 5 year old die of cancer."
Just something like "I don't see enough evidence for it. Everything we see appears to be the result of natural processes. We understand a lot about how nature works through science and our knowledge is expanding all the time". Just be honest about it really and offer a mature response yourself. By the age of 12, most children can handle the same sort of answer you would offer to an adult.
Just something like "I don't see enough evidence for it. Everything we see appears to be the result of natural processes. We understand a lot about how nature works through science and our knowledge is expanding all the time". Just be honest about it really and offer a mature response yourself. By the age of 12, most children can handle the same sort of answer you would offer to an adult.
He told me about how he used to go to church as a child, but then in school he started learning about history. He read the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Odyssey and the Iliad, learned about Greek and Roman mythology, Far East mythology, and about religions in history all around the world, all very different. And it became obvious to him through his reading that religion was just this thing that people create to fill a need within them, and that everyone creates it a little different. For some people, what they create is beautiful and gives their lives purpose and meaning, and for others it gives them reason to control others and do harm. But in the end, all religion is just a creation of man.
How would you answer this for a reasonably mature 12 year old? I would like to cover different reasons, not just my gut reaction which is usually a thought like "I don't believe there is a man in the sky who helps football players make touchdowns but it's 'god's will' that a 5 year old die of cancer."
Actually that is an honest and relatable thought, I don't think there's anything wrong with giving it as an answer. You don't have to audit your thoughts to that extent.
Depending on their age, what their parents believe and are teaching them this can be a really touchy subject.
Having said that, I summarize the truth - I used to believe and some things happened that made me have doubts and trying to resolve those only led to further doubts and finally disbelief. Oddly enough, one of the things that happened was one of my own children at about age 11 or so telling me he didn't believe anymore and didn't want to believe because "if there is a god I hate him" after the death of my in-laws in a fairly short span of time. Both had short but extremely painful hospital stays prior to passing and he was having none of this "everything happens for a reason" talk. I could not will myself to tell him what I did not believe whole heartedly myself.
I bought this colorful book years ago to read/talk to my grandkids but never did. Maybe I bought it for myself. They are pretty grown up now and not sure how much they believe.
There is no blanket answer. Who is the kid? How are you connected to them? How long have you known them? How well do you know the adults in their lives? What, if anything, do you know about their religious background?
It's silly to think there is a simple answer.
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