Posts by LittleToe

for those that are new we have done this for the last few years, what it involves is that those who want to join in will post to this thread and then pm me their name and address.

i will then collate the names and addresses and assign everyone a person to buy a gift for.

LittleToe

I missed this thread, with being around so little these days.

You can throw my name into the hat, too

73

Is it POOR PARENTING to raise a child into a religious faith?

by nicolaou in

or, by the same token, to raise a child to be atheist?

surely we should teach our children how to think, not what to think.

equip them with the mental tools they need to be able to work things out for themselves.

LittleToe

Nic:

My only point was to question the parental path taken by some to define their child a particular way - Protestant or Catholic, Atheist or Muslim. The labels are not important, the question is whether or not a child should have a label applied to him or not. I say not.

Ermmm, no it wasn't. Maybe you need to re-read your original post as your memory appears to have failed you overnight

I encourage my children to ask questions, lots of them! Perhaps it's the Greek blood in our family but the debates that rage over the dinner table are sometimes extraordinary and I love it.

Scots love it too. Its not just a Greek thang

If my daughter decided to 'accept Christ' I know she will have done it after a lot of thought and consideration. It would give us a lot to talk about for sure and I'd still respect and love her. It's unlikely though.

If there's one sure thing its the propesity for children to surprise their parents. Good luck with that one

Straw man argument Ross?

Nope. The conversation moved on while you were sleeping

Children should be exposed to influences from all sides, carefully.

Agreed.

I'm only saying that shutting their minds off to the possibilities of being something other than what we want for them may indeed be poor parenting.

Also agreed. But I would suggest that's a completely different proposition from your original post and thread title. Cheers

73

Is it POOR PARENTING to raise a child into a religious faith?

by nicolaou in

or, by the same token, to raise a child to be atheist?

surely we should teach our children how to think, not what to think.

equip them with the mental tools they need to be able to work things out for themselves.

These last two examples, from Susan and Terry, would highlight my point. Its possible to raise a child well with or without religion. Of course the reverse is also true. This would be why I believe that this issue is not a touchstone as to whether or not someone is a GOOD parent.

73

Is it POOR PARENTING to raise a child into a religious faith?

by nicolaou in

or, by the same token, to raise a child to be atheist?

surely we should teach our children how to think, not what to think.

equip them with the mental tools they need to be able to work things out for themselves.

LittleToe

I also think we're arrived on a similar page

I'm not suggesting for one moment that the only way to raise a child to become a healthy adult has to include a religous faith. I'm merely stating that if someone chooses to do so then it doesn't constitute an act of POOR parenting. Similarly I wouldn't dare to suppose that raising a child in an atheistic manner constitutes an act of POOR parenting.

I believe that the main thing a child requires is some level of consistency. Unfortunately that's not an easy proposition for any parent, though most genuinely strive to provide it. Even ours did!

I am, however, of the opinion that its difficult reconciling a position where an individual denigrates sectarianism while in the next breath applauds removing all exposure to religion from a child's upbringing. It just appears to be another face of intolerant exclusivitism, from my perspective. Besides, I can't help but think that it disadvantages a child to miss out on a significant segment of the rich cultural tapestry that every country possesses (from the West through to the Far East).

Just my 2p, night night

10

Religious Fundamentalism 101

by nvrgnbk in

jw
friends

planning a career in online christian fundamentalist apologetics?

how about the exciting world of young-earth creationism?

witnessing to, and debating with, atheists and other hellbound unsaved sinners on the internet can be hard work, so you need to familiarise yourself with the tried and tested methods used by fundies all around the world.

LittleToe

I'm no fundamentalist, however I had to smile at the irony of this, given your post:

To take the wind out of your opponent's sails, reply to the smallest query with pages and pages of text. Ideally, you should spend a couple of hours writing this yourself, but if you don't have the time cut-and-paste relevant (or, if possible, irrelevant) information from other ~~Christian~~ websites or resources.

73

Is it POOR PARENTING to raise a child into a religious faith?

by nicolaou in

or, by the same token, to raise a child to be atheist?

surely we should teach our children how to think, not what to think.

equip them with the mental tools they need to be able to work things out for themselves.

LittleToe

HtA:I already have, throughout my posts on this thread and in that last post. At the very least its a framework of reference. It makes some sense to the chaos that is life (and death). Whether or not its the framework of choice for you is another matter. Nonetheless each and every religion attempts to do so.

As someone who works in the health sector and with a particular focus on mental health its something that I'm acutely aware of. It is used and in some cases abused, but in many cases it is efficacious. That isn't to say that folks with no religous beliefs are disadvantaged (I'm not making that claim) but many people find benefit from it, especially in terminally ill situations. It gives an approach to face life that is fostered in childhood and lasts a lifetime.

One of the advantages of it is that it is simple to employ and has a rich body of stories to suit most every situation. As humans we thrive on stories. They help us relate to concepts, from childhood to the grave.

You'll note that thusfar I've avoided broaching the subject of spirituality and whether or not the Divine is a reality. That's another subject entirely.

21

It's almost, in a few weeks, beginning to look a lot like Christmas

by erynw in

jw
friends

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/snowglobe

LittleToe

Hehehe.

I can't believe how fast this year has gone!!! With just about another seven weeks to go Christmas is far too close!

73

Is it POOR PARENTING to raise a child into a religious faith?

by nicolaou in

or, by the same token, to raise a child to be atheist?

surely we should teach our children how to think, not what to think.

equip them with the mental tools they need to be able to work things out for themselves.

LittleToe

HtA:Are you referring to the benefits of a religous upbringing?

Its a framework of reference, a tool. Like all tools some are better than others. However, back to the theme of the thread, IMHO it doesn't make someone a POOR parent for choosing that particular tool.