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cleanhippie

(19,705 posts)
Sat Jan 26, 2013, 01:32 PM Jan 2013

Inoculating Children Against Supernaturalism

Protecting our children from religion and its symptoms—such as dichotomous thinking, the externalization of blame, and perpetual guilt—may be one of the greatest gifts that we can bestow. Some freethinking parents feel uneasy sharing their skepticism of religion with their children for fear of committing the parental sin of childhood indoctrination. But take heart—we don’t believe in sin, remember?

As Dr. McGowen has helpfully noted on his Parenting Beyond Belief YouTube channel, there is a difference between indoctrination and parental influence. Indoctrination, he says, is the presentation of only one set of ideas, and forbidding your children to question those ideas. Influence, on the other hand, is sharing your ideas with your children, but then saying as often as you can that there are other good people who have differing opinions, and encouraging your children to inquire of those other people themselves.

Although I was raised in a largely secular family, the mere absence of religion at home was not enough to prevent me from coming down with a bad case of religion as a youth. Just as keeping kids away from communicable diseases is not enough to ensure that they will not contract the diseases, we must proactively inoculate our children against supernaturalism. We do this by exposing them to innocuous strands of religion—religion as cultural curiosity rather than as the pernicious precondition of social acceptance and survival. Religious parents have traditionally been much better than secular parents at imparting their worldview to their children. Religionists know they need to “get ‘em while their young,” before their children grow up and are able to think for themselves, diminishing the chances that they’ll buy what religions are trying to sell.

Below are a few of the books, videos, and songs that my boys, ages 8, 6, and 4, have enjoyed and that I have found useful for imparting to them a skepticism for the supernatural, a recognition of some of religions’ peculiarities, and a sense of wonder and appreciation for the natural world. These recommendations are not comprehensive, but they are a place to start.

http://parentingbeyondbelief.com/parents/?p=587
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Inoculating Children Against Supernaturalism (Original Post) cleanhippie Jan 2013 OP
My parents encouraged us Smilo Jan 2013 #1
I think that is the best approach. cleanhippie Jan 2013 #2
The problem with teaching kids your method of "how to think" is that humblebum Jan 2013 #3
My parent read me a lot of Norse and Greek mythology when I was very young, Exultant Democracy Jan 2013 #4
The distincton made in the second paragraph s key. rug Jan 2013 #5

Smilo

(1,944 posts)
1. My parents encouraged us
Sat Jan 26, 2013, 01:38 PM
Jan 2013

to explore all religions before making any decision.

It was an interesting journey.

I am now a Spiritualist - who accepts all - regardless of religion, belief and views.

cleanhippie

(19,705 posts)
2. I think that is the best approach.
Sat Jan 26, 2013, 01:48 PM
Jan 2013

Teach kids how to think, not what to think, and let them decide for themselves.

 

humblebum

(5,881 posts)
3. The problem with teaching kids your method of "how to think" is that
Sat Jan 26, 2013, 02:28 PM
Jan 2013

it is indeed a narrowly-focused method as stated may times before. It is indeed group think. Definitely not free thought as you would have us believe, but instead very exclusive as it eliminates several other types of thought.
Organized atheism has a long history of teaching people "how to think."

Exultant Democracy

(6,594 posts)
4. My parent read me a lot of Norse and Greek mythology when I was very young,
Sat Jan 26, 2013, 04:04 PM
Jan 2013

then my Dad finished the job by reading the bible. Too bad most Christians never read the bible cover to cover, its actually harder to take seriously then the pagan mythos from the same era.

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