Hello everyone!

Cellar Atheist
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Hello everyone!

Hey there!

Just a fellow atheist from YouTube.  I heard about the site and came by to see all the great discussions going on.

I'm a former Christian, as many are, and dipped a bit into Taoism, a very nature-based philosophy.  But my scepticism got the best of me, so here I am.

I have to warn everyone though that I'm commiting one of the ultimate atheist 'sins'.  I'm allowing my children to be raised Catholic.  It helps me to sugar-coat difficult topics like death.  Once they reach teenage years, however, I'll be setting them straight once the questions about God roll in, as I'm sure they will.

Looking forward to some awesome debates! Smiling

The mind, once expanded to the dimensions of larger ideas, never returns to its original size. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes


American Atheist
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Welcome!Will you let

Welcome!

Will you teach them about evolution?


Cellar Atheist
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Absolutely, they're big

Absolutely, they're big dinosaur fans.  Laughing


BGH
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Welcome, though I think I

Welcome, though I think I disagree with sugar coating death. My son is 13, he has a pretty good head on his shoulders and I never felt the need to sugar coat the end. Rather I used the fact that death is final to emphasize how important life is and to make the most of your time here.


Cellar Atheist
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Yeah, I understand that

Yeah, I understand that isn't the way I should present it, but my kids are 9 and 7 right now.  We just recently had a family friend die of an embolism.  Of course I COULD tell them that she is gone forever, but i'd rather just tell them she's in heaven.  And I do front that statement with 'Some people believe....'

Once they're old enough to understand death, I will be supplying the proper info.  If thats wrong, I guess I just don't know how to handle it better.

The mind, once expanded to the dimensions of larger ideas, never returns to its original size. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes


BGH
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Cellar Atheist

Cellar Atheist wrote:

Yeah, I understand that isn't the way I should present it, but my kids are 9 and 7 right now. We just recently had a family friend die of an embolism. Of course I COULD tell them that she is gone forever, but i'd rather just tell them she's in heaven. And I do front that statement with 'Some people believe....'

Once they're old enough to understand death, I will be supplying the proper info. If thats wrong, I guess I just don't know how to handle it better.

Ultimately you must do what you feel is right for your family. I am not nessacarily saying your wrong, just that we disagree. Which is okay. 


Susan
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Welcome Cellar Atheist! I'm

Welcome Cellar Atheist!

I'm sorry to hear about your friend.  That's tough for anyone and especially hard to explain to children who haven't experienced anything like that previously.

But isn't it great that Atheists are free to discuss and disagree and not have to follow one "rule book"? 

We're glad you're here and look forward to having you participate. 

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Jacob Cordingley
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Welcome to the RRS. I hope

Welcome to the RRS. I hope when you say raising them Catholic you mean it in the same way as raising them to believe in Father Christmas (or Santa as you yanks call him). It's fair enough to be honest, as long as you set them straight in a few years time. I disagree, but as has been said, we all disagree on most subjects, except evolution and the non-existence of God.  


Cellar Atheist
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Yep, thats pretty much how

Yep, thats pretty much how I'm handling it and thats the way I was able to convince myself it was OK.  They believe in Santa and the tooth fairy, why not let them believe in God?

My daughter actually asked me today if there was a 'puppy heaven'.  I told her no one knows for sure and if any one tells her that there definitely is, then they are just guessing.  She just turned 7, so I don't mind telling her a little white lie here and there. Eye-wink

The mind, once expanded to the dimensions of larger ideas, never returns to its original size. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes


Cellar Atheist
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Yep, thats pretty much how

Oops, PHP error. Sad


JCE
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Welcome! I have one child

Welcome! I have one child that is a theist (she is 18 - searching for identity, etc.). The one thing I continually ask her is to keep her mind open and evaluate what she is being told. She originally got involved with it for the fellowship - the church she attends has a large following so many of her friends go there and naturally she wants to be part of the group. College starts this fall, though so I have a sneaking suspicion things will change - for the better!

I think you are doing the right thing by maintaining a balance with the information they receive. You are the best judge of deciding what they can handle and when.