351. Richard Dawkins on The Big Questions

Comment #118513 by Podaar on January 30, 2008 at 6:13 pm

It is the responsibility of the parents to ensure that their children are included in family life whilst allowing them the freedom to consider their own potential religiosity when they are ready to do so.

Agreed.

This philosophy has actually worked out quite well for me. My wife and I have raised our five children without religion in our home. We have all types of books on history, different religions, philosophy and criticism. We have even encouraged our children to give "church going" a try and even offered to take them. Five children and only one religious child (our oldest) who doesn't appear to be all that serious about it—she seems to crave the community part of religion not dogma.

What we worry about is how to provide the same opportunity to our three granddaughters?! How do we combat the dogma they learn in Sunday school without alienating our daughter and son-in-law? So far the only approach we've come up with is, carefully. :)

352. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #117831 by Podaar on January 29, 2008 at 6:42 pm

Spinoza said:

But it really does scare and annoy me that with larger numbers, atheism will inevitably have to deal with a lack of intellectual rigour amongst the majority its proponents.

*gag*

I see no difference between this attitude and the attitudes of Mormon's down the road who would say, "But it really does scare and annoy me that with larger numbers, Mormonism will inevitably have to deal with a lack of theological knowledge amongst the majority its proponents."

Do we, the unwashed, that feel it's simply enough to reject 'superstitious nonsense' when we hear it, need to stay away from such lofty labels as Atheist? Do we have anything valuable to offer to the debate between the religious and irreligious? Or should we go back into the shadows of society and stop poisoning the conversation that is above our understanding?

--P