Religion

Thirties Child

(543 posts)

34. I raised our four without religion.

Fri Apr 20, 2018, 12:37 PM

Apr 2018

I'd been terrified by hellfire and damnation and wanted to protect them. I took them to UU for several years, introduced reincarnation when I discovered it when they were 10, 8, 6, 2. Here's how they turned out.

Athiest
Catholic
Metaphysics
No interest, one way or the other. Attended Methodist Church for a year of so in early adolescence; nothing stuck.

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"I want to raise my daughter without religion. She wants to go to church. What should I do?" [View all] trotsky Apr 2018 OP

I vote let her do as she pleases.. raising a child who is confident in their OWN choices is more samnsara Apr 2018 #1

To me it sounds like this isn't something the child necessarily *wants* to do. trotsky Apr 2018 #5

A 7 year old needs guidance. Mariana Apr 2018 #9

I was not religious but I allowed my children to attend church & youth groups dameatball Apr 2018 #2

We find our own path. Eyeball_Kid Apr 2018 #3

Let her go to church and decide for herself. The Velveteen Ocelot Apr 2018 #4

Do you think she wants to go because she is curious Cuthbert Allgood Apr 2018 #12

Maybe the kid should be taken to a variety of church services and other religious ceremonies The Velveteen Ocelot Apr 2018 #13

That I have no problem with (though, I agree she might be a little young). Cuthbert Allgood Apr 2018 #15

Exactly.. LakeArenal Apr 2018 #25

As an atheist myself I have encouraged my 26 year old daughter to go to church. elocs Apr 2018 #6

I personally took both my children to church on multiple occasions. trotsky Apr 2018 #7

That's the key. YOU took them. Mariana Apr 2018 #10

This has been an interesting experiment in religious privilege so far. trotsky Apr 2018 #11

How different would the responses be Mariana Apr 2018 #14

I agree w/ you, this is a form of child abuse, but if she insists, go w/ her and be there for her... SWBTATTReg Apr 2018 #8

Absolutely. trotsky Apr 2018 #18

There's lots of other reasons not to allow this in schools Major Nikon Apr 2018 #27

The problem is you have people who teach their own children to aggressively proselytize Major Nikon Apr 2018 #26

Maybe Mom should start really teaching the kid Mariana Apr 2018 #16

I read this book to my kids. trotsky Apr 2018 #19

The best thing to teach your children is the knowledge and skill to think for themselves Major Nikon Apr 2018 #23

Not all churches are the same jes06c Apr 2018 #17

When I was a child we lived in Europe and my Dad dragged the whole family procon Apr 2018 #20

Imagine how it would be received if Muslim mosques were proselytizing in public schools Major Nikon Apr 2018 #21

As usual, it depends. MineralMan Apr 2018 #22

Allow her to go. guillaumeb Apr 2018 #24

Go with her. Listen to the sermons. Give her your interpretation. LuvLoogie Apr 2018 #28

Take her to a different church every Sunday/Saturday TheDebbieDee Apr 2018 #29

This. We are an atheist family and raised our son that way -- we generally attended Nay Apr 2018 #39

let her go to church. My kids were turned off of religion by going to church and demigoddess Apr 2018 #30

My answer... Mike Nelson Apr 2018 #31

This is the right answer. trotsky Apr 2018 #36

Thank you... Mike Nelson Apr 2018 #42

LOL trotsky Apr 2018 #43

Dude! Show a Little Hubris, Won't You? MineralMan Apr 2018 #44

Try a UU congregation - Unitarian Universalist. 3catwoman3 Apr 2018 #32

Let her find her own way with or without religion. Lil Missy Apr 2018 #33

She's 7, and is being recruited by a fundie family. Mom should take charge of this. nt Nay Apr 2018 #40

I raised our four without religion. Thirties Child Apr 2018 #34

Let her go and don't make a big deal about it ebbie15644 Apr 2018 #35

Let her go to perhaps a fire-and-brimstone church where she will be told... trotsky Apr 2018 #37

What could possibly go wrong? Major Nikon Apr 2018 #38

schools are heavily infested with christian terrorists and bullies. threatening kids with msongs Apr 2018 #41