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I'm atheist and so is my ex-wife. She and her current husband are more militantly atheist than I am, so I am always telling my kids that people who believe in God can still be cool and we should try not to hurt anyone's feelings.
Is it possible god doesn't exist?
Why do the neighbors believe in different god (or religion)?
How long (what age) do I have to go to church?
Are we [this religion] just because gramma/grandpa were and their parents were, etc?
What's the difference between believing and knowing?
Any other interesting (or difficult) questions they've asked? How did you answer them?
My parents told me God is a myth. And I will tell this to my children.
1. Is it possible god doesn't exist?
2. Why do the neighbors believe in different god (or religion)?
3. How long (what age) do I have to go to church?
4. Are we [this religion] just because gramma/grandpa were and their parents were, etc?
5. What's the difference between believing and knowing?
Any other interesting (or difficult) questions they've asked? How did you answer them?
Answer them honestly and according to your beliefs.
1. and 2. If you are certain about God, go ahead and say that No, it isn't possible he doesn't exist - but also say that many people do not believe the same way because the kind of proof they want doesn't exist, or for other reasons.
3. For me, belief would be more important than church attendance, which for many people is just a religious duty or a social thing. Ask yourself what the purpose of going to church is - for you and for the kids - before you answer the kids on this one. If you believe the Bible, investigate what it says. If your kids are old enough, encourage them to do the same.
4. Are you? Communicate to the children why this is important in your life.
A parent having trouble with honest answers needs to ask himself/herself the questions first. What are the honest answers for you? Are you satisfied with them?
It is interesting to me the number of atheists who speak up in a thread like this. I am one, and will encourage my children to be atheist, but through education and science, not through forced dogma that I believe to be true....
I'm still really amazed at the god-less group showing up in this thread. Usually, these kinds of discussions get dominated by the turbo-believers. Kudos.
I'll probably just say something alone the lines of 'some people believe in God, like Mummi and Pappa and other people don't and that I don't know'
I'm not raising her to believe in God and I will be putting her in the ethics class in school rather than the Lutheran religion class but she'll hear all that stuff from her grandparents.
I once tried to explain to my son why we celebrate Eater and Christmas. I tried to explain the background behind it. We don't go to church and we don't ever talk about religion, Christianity, God. We just live an everyday life like most Americans but religion is not a part of our everyday life.
So when I once tried to explain for my son why Easter and Christmas is celebrated, it was purely for educational reasons. The first thing my son says is " Who is Jesus"?
It made me feel bad. I think that he should know about these things. But how do I teach him without preaching it to him?
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