The existence of God

[Russ]

Originally Posted by DRZ400

Brianwashing takes time and the young are very susceptible to it especially from someone the trust.

Are the believers brianwashing your children just as they were brainwashed as a child..... yes.

That is the proverbial bull brown-stuff. You have no idea of my childhood.

Should I bring my child up the way I think is best or the way YOU think is best? No point in you even considering that question for more than a nano-second.

You have no idea what I teach my child. You have no idea how I or she sees the world. I make no apologies for bringing her up in Christianity. Many parents don't even bother with any sort of morals or principles.

[dilli-theclaw]

When my boy asks / asked (as he has done on occasion) about God and the bible, I tell him what I think and he tells me what he's taught at school.

Anyway he will have to make his own mind up when he's older.

Luckily his RE at school is covering a lot of different religions and has several visits to different places or worship.

[Jimmy-J]

Originally Posted by Russ B

Should I bring my child up the way I think is best or the way YOU think is best?

Are you bringing your child up the way you think is best or the way God tells you is best?

[Russ]

Originally Posted by Product 13

Are you bringing your child up the way you think is best or the way God tells you is best?

The way I think is best.

[Saaf_laandon_mo]

Originally Posted by roadwolf

WHY?? if your god exists then why the constant reminders? surely he will show himself to your daughter. Atheists don't have to remind their children every day that there is no god.

Why is she reminded every day? a) because she shes either me or her mum pray every day, and b) since the age of 2 she has been going to nursery and reception faith based establishments.

Athiests dont have to remind their children that there is no God? Their own actions i.e believing that there is no god is what the child sees every day from their parents. So there is a valid argument that they are reminded everyday from their parents that there is no god. If you never pray, never acknowledge the existent of God, then it could be argued that your children will believe that there is no God. If we are talking about actions 'brainwashing' kids, then my actions of making my daughter aware of God or a daily basis is equal to your brainwashing of your child by making her aware on a daily basis that God does not exist.

Do you see where Im coming from?

As for God showing himself to my daughter if he wanted to, I believe that there are signs of God in everyday life on a daily basis. You just need faith to believe that, and that is what I'm hoping my daughter gets. I cannot guarantee she will be a muslim in later years, I cannot guarantee that she will pray, there have been huge periods of times (years) when I have not prayed as much as I should, but I see nothing wrong in instilling religious beliefs in her from now. She can make her choices later on, but at least she will have the ability to balance her choices up.

[Russ]

Originally Posted by Saaf_laandon_mo

I cannot guarantee she will be a muslim in later years, I cannot guarantee that she will pray, there have been huge periods of times (years) when I have not prayed as much as I should, but I see nothing wrong in instilling religious beliefs in her from now. She can make her choices later on, but at least she will have the ability to balance her choices up.

Who'd have thunk it, a Christian and a Muslim agreeing on so many things...

[danielf]

Originally Posted by Saaf_laandon_mo

<snip>

Athiests dont have to remind their children that there is no God? Their own actions i.e believing that there is no god is what the child sees every day from their parents. So there is a valid argument that they are reminded everyday from their parents that there is no god. <snip>

I think that's a bit of an odd argument. Not telling you kid there is a God and telling your kid there is no God are decidedly different, in particular when it is debatable there is a God.

[Saaf_laandon_mo]

Originally Posted by danielf

I think that's a bit of an odd argument. Not telling you kid there is a God and telling your kid there is no God are decidedly different, in particular when it is debatable there is a God.

What I'm trying to say as a believer in God I will tell my kid there is a god. Further more my kid has demonstrated a believe in God based on my actions. In a similar way an athiest's actions would more than likely instill a belief into their child that there is no God.

My daughter 'supports' Chelsea. She knows nothing about football, but she boos when Man Utd & Liverpool come on, and she chants all night when Chelsea are playing. I don't have to tell her that CHelsea are the best team in the premiership -albeit a little unlucky this season , she just knows it from watching her dad watch football.

I believe in God so I won't tell my daughter there might not be a God. Why should I be accused of brainwashing her because I believe in something. You(not you specifically but Im talking generally here) might not believe in God, so you wont tell your kid that God might exist.

Where's the difference between not telling someone that something might exist just because it's debateable as opposed to telling someone something might exist even tho it is debateable.

[roadwolf]

Originally Posted by danielf

I think that's a bit of an odd argument. Not telling you kid there is a God and telling your kid there is no God are decidedly different, in particular when it is debatable there is a God.

Nothing odd about it if it's debatable that there is a god, then it's just as debatable that there isn't. SAAF I think your confusing atheists with heathens, I don't believe in god, my children were never christened, gave them the option to decide when they were old enough. But they were still taught respect for others and there property, not all atheists are scutters from council estates.

[Gary L]

Originally Posted by Russ B

No, that's what I believe too.

You're not sorry that she feels that unless she has God in her life she will go to hell?

In the film she tells people that even a little white lie means that you're going to hell. if you get killed by a car and you never asked for forgiveness before you step out in front of the car, you're going to hell.

She said a few times that it's a scary thought of going to hell for eternity. that is why she is so screwed up in the head for, because someone has taught her that she is a bad person and she is going to hell.

[Saaf_laandon_mo]

Originally Posted by roadwolf

Nothing odd about it if it's debatable that there is a god, then it's just as debatable that there isn't. SAAF I think your confusing atheists with heathens, I don't believe in god, my children were never christened, gave them the option to decide when they were old enough. But they were still taught respect for others and there property, not all atheists are scutters from council estates.

I define an athiest as someone not believing in God. I do not believe that all athiests do not respect religion, or do not respect someone's believe in God.

I do believe that there are athiests who do not discuss the possibility that God does exist with their children, in the same way that there are religious people who do not discuss the possibility that God might not exist.

I just dont see the point in using extreme examples to chastise each other with.

---------- Post added at 16:25 ---------- Previous post was at 16:20 ----------

Originally Posted by Gary L

You're not sorry that she feels that unless she has God in her life she will go to hell?

In the film she tells people that even a little white lie means that you're going to hell. if you get killed by a car and you never asked for forgiveness before you step out in front of the car, you're going to hell.

She said a few times that it's a scary thought of going to hell for eternity. that is why she is so screwed up in the head for, because someone has taught her that she is a bad person and she is going to hell.

I personally think there are didfferent ways to teach children about religion. From what I understand about this case, is that her family taught her in a pretty extreme way - only going by some of the posts I've read on here so far.

I would never tell anyone (especially a child) that a little white lie is going to make them go to hell. There are other ways of encouraging children to stop telling white lies. There are some parents who beat their kids if they tell them a white lie, whilst others explain why you shouldn't. Extreme parenting exist in all forms and backgrounds, not just religiously.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by DRZ400

Brianwashing takes time and the young are very susceptible to it especially from someone the trust.

Are the believers brianwashing your children just as they were brainwashed as a child..... yes.

Could you be made to believe the world was flat ... yes.

Can you be made to believe in a invisible man who floats in the sky ... yes.

You can be made to passionately believe in ANYTHING even when faced with the impossibility of it all.

Including the belief that it is all impossible..

[DRZ400]

Originally Posted by Gary L

She said a few times that it's a scary thought of going to hell for eternity. that is why she is so screwed up in the head for, because someone has taught her that she is a bad person and she is going to hell.

It's child abuse.

She has had religion drilled into her by her sick father from such an early that she has become emotionally unstable / terrified of a mythical being.

And for anyone to argue that they're 'teaching' their children about religion .. They didn't ask for it and you ARE brainwashing them.

Originally Posted by DRZ400

It's child abuse.

She has had religion drilled into her by her sick father from such an early that she has become emotionally unstable / terrified of a mythical being.

And for anyone to argue that they're 'teaching' their children about religion .. They didn't ask for it and you ARE brainwashing them.

I'd be very careful about where you are going with this line...

Originally Posted by DRZ400

It's child abuse.

She has had religion drilled into her by her sick father from such an early that she has become emotionally unstable / terrified of a mythical being.

And for anyone to argue that they're 'teaching' their children about religion .. They didn't ask for it and you ARE brainwashing them.

Well, it took you long enough to get to the point. Transference, perhaps? Come on, why don't you tell us what's really bugging you?