Would you teach your children religion?

[The Grim Squeaker]

Will you (or have you) taught your children some form of religion even if you don't really believe in it yourself? (Bible myths as opposed to evolution for example).

This question is aimed at the atheists here (Me among them) especially .

Personally despite being an atheist, I intend to tell my children bible tales when they're young and show them jewish religion as well as having the circumsized.
I intend to teach them the bible stories as fables, or bed time stories, not as a literal truth (In other words, the same Way I learned bible in a jewish school or read it for fun at home), as a way of showing them some part of jewish culture (If they want to be religous, they'd better be educated as science understanding, relatively secular jews than as a bloody christian or muslin [No offense meant, it's a racial history thing]), I also want them to understand why we'll be having a funny talk and candles whenever we visit our friends on sunday and why my wife prays for the health of the family before lighting the candles.

Feel free to ask questions of anyone psoting here, this is supposed to be a discussion, I feel like setting down my emotional reasons in stone as more rationalized decisions.

[mr friendly guy]

Well I don't have any kids. But on the principle I wouldn't mind "teaching" it if I acknowledge it as the same level of reality as Greek myth or marvel comics, and also as a form of entertainment (kids need to be entertained after all).

Of course, while I found Greek myths somewhat interesting read, I highly doubt the Bible would that as an entertaining read (something to do with all that preaching and entire chapters devoted to geneaologies tend to do that).

[The Grim Squeaker]

Of course, while I found Greek myths somewhat interesting read, I highly doubt the Bible would that as an entertaining read (something to do with all that preaching and entire chapters devoted to geneaologies tend to do that).

The abridged version is more interesting (I loved the stories of the ten commandments/plagues).

[Lord of the Abyss]

No, never, under no circumstances. I regard religion as one of the greatest evils in human history, and I consider it inherently malignant and destructive. I would no more teach my ( or any ) child religion than I would teach them racism or torture techniques.

[The Grim Squeaker]

No, never, under no circumstances. I regard religion as one of the greatest evils in human history, and I consider it inherently malignant and destructive. I would no more teach my ( or any ) child religion than I would teach them racism or torture techniques.

"Devils advocate mode=on"
So you'd prefer they learn about racism from one of their friends dad who talks about "those" kind of people?, or from a friend who might laugh at those stupid blacks?

[darthdavid]

1) No. I will teach any kids that I may or may not eventually have about religion, but I will not indoctrinate them.
2) I don't pretend to run your life but you should really reconsider your circumscision stance. I'm not going to get into a debate about it unless you choose to though, because it's been covered so many times and it always starts a flame war.

[The Grim Squeaker]

2)I know, I was in the last part of that debate, it's a family/history thing, frankly I intennd to do it to establish my son as a jew, he doesn't need to wear a yarmulk or eat kosher (I have'nt done those since I was 6 and I wanted to eat kosher, my parents never bothered with it).
Still, I suggest that this subject be kept away from this thread to avoid HOS'ing it.
1) My intent precisely, you can find moral tales there and better the devil you know (Well god )

[wautd]

Option 1 for me. Nothing wrong with teaching religious crap in kindergarden and keeping the real facts untill highschool or so.
One of the things that made me reject religion is simply because I learned about it in class. It didn't take much to start questioning the fairytales, contradictions or downright evil things in the bible.
I think I've turned out allright

[wautd]

Offcourse, much depends on how religion is being thaught. It's pretty secular in Belgium but I'm sure religious class will be a lot different in the US

[Lord of the Abyss]

No, never, under no circumstances. I regard religion as one of the greatest evils in human history, and I consider it inherently malignant and destructive. I would no more teach my ( or any ) child religion than I would teach them racism or torture techniques.

"Devils advocate mode=on"
So you'd prefer they learn about racism from one of their friends dad who talks about "those" kind of people?, or from a friend who might laugh at those stupid blacks?

I didn't mean I wouldn't teach them about racism, I meant I wouldn't teach them to be racists.

[Ford Prefect]

Any religion I teach will be kept to the whole "Praise be to the Emperor" kind of thing. It's no more fictional than any other religion, and can't do that much harm to have the kiddies believe in a vicious psychic warrior with a grand plan for humanity.

[El Moose Monstero]

No, my parents didn't force it on me, so I won't force it on anyone else. I trust the UK Religious Education in schools to do it's job and teach them about the intricacies of different religion, if they've got any questions, I'll try and answer them.

[Dalton]

Never. My kids will be taught that they have their own minds and can think for themselves. I will, however, teach them about other religions.

[Erik von Nein]

I wouldn't teach them religion, but I would, as others have said, teach them about religion and it's impacts in the world. Hopefully I'll be able to teach them critical thinking skills (Hell, the schools aren't) and all that good jazz. If they happen to become religious then I'll state my thoughts on the matter and be done with it.

[Imperial Overlord]

My parents told me stories about Santa Claus, Greek Myth, Norse Myth, and Biblical Myth when I was little. The Greeks and Norse had the better stories (heroes and monsters) and I branched out from there. I never considered Christian beliefs to be anything but stories and God was an asshole to boot. At least the Greeks and Norse didn't pretend that their asshole gods were suppossed to be good, which was an additional turn off. Worked on my brother as well. I'll probably do something similar.

[The Guid]

Up until 12 my child will be under my care religously but after 12 I'm letting him or her make their own decisions. If the future spouse has a different religion I'd go for alternate religions up until 12 (week by week) with them again, deciding for themselves at 12.

[NecronLord]

Personally despite being an atheist, I intend to tell my children bible tales when they're young and show them jewish religion as well as having the circumsized.

I'm sorry, remind me again, why do you want to mutilate your children's genitals?

[wautd]

Personally despite being an atheist, I intend to tell my children bible tales when they're young and show them jewish religion as well as having the circumsized.

I'm sorry, remind me again, why do you want to mutilate your children's genitals?

For the sake of tradition duh. Don't question tradition. Tradition is Good

[The Grim Squeaker]

Personally despite being an atheist, I intend to tell my children bible tales when they're young and show them jewish religion as well as having the circumsized.

I'm sorry, remind me again, why do you want to mutilate your children's genitals?

For the sake of tradition duh. Don't question tradition. Tradition is Good

Because it is a mark of them being jews, I have to say that I have not seen a difference, last time I read it circumcision can prevent inflamation (A type of infection in the cut off skin) .
The fact is if all my family from my grandparents side was killed over them being jews, I intend to maintain that, I'll be the first to admit that it's irrational but I am adamant on it.
If they become interested in our familys history (Tracing back to the chief rabbi inn the Ottoman empire at it's peak) Then I want them to know that they are a part of that family and tradition.

-----
My parents told me stories about Santa Claus, Greek Myth, Norse Myth, and Biblical Myth when I was little. The Greeks and Norse had the better stories (heroes and monsters) and I branched out from there. I never considered Christian beliefs to be anything but stories and God was an asshole to boot

Same here, I never even though of the stories as myhts, always as fables.
Odysseus was my childhood hero due to a comic of the odysey being one of my favorite books beside Discworld and Lotr/Hobbit/Pratchett.

[Surlethe]

I'm Catholic, so I'll be raising my children Catholic (unless I marry across religions, which is possible; in that case, we will work out a compromise). I will not, however, indoctrinate them; I also, more importantly, will teach them to use their minds and think, and if that leads them away from Catholicism, so be it.

[nickolay1]

Because it is a mark of them being jews, I have to say that I have not seen a difference, last time I read it circumcision can prevent inflamation (A type of infection in the cut off skin) .

Damn right! Last time I read it, amputating all four limbs can prevent some of the most common types of bone fractures.

[Rye]

Will you (or have you) taught your children some form of religion even if you don't really believe in it yourself? (Bible myths as opposed to evolution for example).

Fuck no. I won't lie to them about Santa either, I'll teach them that other people have imaginary friends or are lied to, and they get very emotional about it, so to be sensitive about the subject.

Personally despite being an atheist, I intend to tell my children bible tales when they're young and show them jewish religion as well as having the circumsized.

That's really quite terrible. Repeating stories isn't so bad, so long as you make sure you instill a sense of what's real and what's fiction, but circumciciosn is child abuse. "Hey, I'll just slice some of your skin off, because you're a jew, yaaaaaaay!" Fuck judaism, it's not worth a single dead baby through circumcision.

(If they want to be religous, they'd better be educated as science understanding, relatively secular jews than as a bloody christian or muslin [No offense meant, it's a racial history thing])

Yeah, if there's something this world needs more of, it's religious intolerance.

I also want them to understand why we'll be having a funny talk and candles whenever we visit our friends on sunday and why my wife prays for the health of the family before lighting the candles.

Feel free to ask questions of anyone psoting here, this is supposed to be a discussion, I feel like setting down my emotional reasons in stone as more rationalized decisions.

Most of it is superfluous at best, and child abuse at worst.

[wautd]

Nothing wrong with teaching the "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you."- concept by the use of fairytales. That's the stuff that sells to kids. Just make sure they learn some critical thinking when they grown older and how religion can be abused when you take religion as 100% Truth

Incidently, Greek mythology rocks. The fact you can make a good, fun movie about Greek mythology proves that (can't recall a fun Christian movie)

[Ace Pace]

If I have kids, I suppose I'll be teaching them about religion when we vist relatives, with explanations, if I'll be living in Israel, I'll trust the education system to make my kid an atheist in no time.

That said, I intend by the time he is 11 or so to have a chat and explain this religion buisness from start to finsh and let him make up his own mind.

One thing for sure, no mutilation, sorry, he can live with being a unique person in Israel if thats what it takes for his penis to work properly.

[Rye]

I think ancient mythology isn't really the best beginnign material, I think modern day mythology, like spiderman and xmen cartoons would be a better place to start.