tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3559910.post139408537398371709..comments2024-02-17T19:58:47.311-05:00Comments on Textuality: My Christian WifeLarry Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14642725101009530480noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3559910.post-45386166275420495762010-10-21T09:53:44.530-04:002010-10-21T09:53:44.530-04:00I get your take.. live and let live, don't be ...I get your take.. live and let live, don't be defined by your differences, etc.<br /><br />but I would like to know how your wife can put up with you. Isn't your influence on the kids extremely dangerous? They have MAYBE a decent father to gain from you for a few decades, and their eternal souls to lose.Rambamnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3559910.post-49739986625863598242010-10-21T09:49:56.334-04:002010-10-21T09:49:56.334-04:00My wife and I are both atheists and former theists...My wife and I are both atheists and former theists. We don't have any kids.<br /><br />I grew up in an orthodox Jewish environment and was force-fed that entire theistic outlook. I would come to intellectually reject it as an adult. I still get worked up about it all though. It's hard to undo everything I was taught at such an impressionable age. Theists shamelessly indoctrinate because, well because they think their right and the ends justify the means.<br /><br />Your kids probably aren't being indoctrinated in such a severe way if they are already showing signs of skepticism. Nevertheless, I would think that they will be convinced of some false ideas that will be hard to unconvince them of it they are getting a consistent religious message and only a passive counterpoint from you.<br /><br />Still, passive or not, knowing your dad doesn't believe the stuff is huge. When young kids have both of their parents saying something is true, they are sure to believe it.Rambamnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3559910.post-43290450694771129122010-10-20T16:36:58.051-04:002010-10-20T16:36:58.051-04:00Hugo = Belgian Atheist, I was messing with Google&...Hugo = Belgian Atheist, I was messing with Google's profile a little ;)Belgian Atheisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16345805085417893178noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3559910.post-58349841362890506002010-10-20T13:42:33.023-04:002010-10-20T13:42:33.023-04:00I saw your comments on the other blog too and agre...I saw your comments on the other blog too and agree with you. One little blog post cannot tell the whole story (and neither can one comment)<br />It is always best to choose what works anyway, perhaps I'm more outspoken because I feel I can be because my wife is actually not really religious at all (again she'd probably disagree but that's how I'm seeing it)<br />I wholeheartedly agree with the independent thinking skills, way more important than countering a few stories :-)Belgian Atheisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16345805085417893178noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3559910.post-67934060048927636402010-10-20T09:36:59.040-04:002010-10-20T09:36:59.040-04:00Hugo,
I've thought a lot about whether I shou...Hugo,<br /><br />I've thought a lot about whether I should be more proactive in debunking religious tales like Noah's Ark, Jonah, the resurrection, angels/devils, and others. My feeling is that it's not a battle I need to fight right now.<br /><br />I certainly don't pretend to be a believer, but I have not been outspoken to my kids because their intellects are already doing the work of identifying contradictions between religion and reality. When my kids come up against these contradictions, we talk about what they're seeing and what the possible solutions are.<br /><br />As the children get older, they will not only be able to reach their own conclusions, but they'll have tools to do it. These tools include the problem-solving skills we discuss and practice as well as my library and the internet.<br /><br />I'm training my kids to be independent thinkers and focused on their own flourishing. Atheism or religion is just one aspect of their lives that they need to work out.Larry Tannerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14642725101009530480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3559910.post-66905573650280884722010-10-20T06:18:00.256-04:002010-10-20T06:18:00.256-04:00I added this comment to your guest post at the Mem...I added this comment to your guest post at the Meming of Life blog<br /><br />Very interesting post.<br />I’d really love to read your wife’s perspective too, I hope she’ll do it.<br />I agree with many points you make, I’m in a similar situation (though I’d call my wife only nominally catholic, she would probably disagree)<br />But I do agree with citizensmith and gordongoblin about your kids, our (still very young) kids don’t regularly go to church but they are in a catholic school and more religion on my wife’s side of the family.<br />This makes that I am more proactive about my atheism, both in reaction to the early indoctrination that is going on but I’ll also talk about skepticism and atheism with them unprovoked, religion does it so I do it too (in the nicest most gentle way like comparing the jesus/angel stories to other fairy tales and having books and tales about other religions and instilling a scientific mind, how do you know it’s true?) and I’ll also always be straight with them by saying that I do not believe it (not always adding that others, like mom, do)Belgian Atheisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16345805085417893178noreply@blogger.com