Heres How Atheist Parents Raise Their Children

[NeoGreen]

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2017/07/20/heres-how-atheist-parents-raise-their-children/

Here’s How Atheist Parents Raise Their Children
July 20, 2017 by Hemant Mehta

Drew McCoy, a YouTuber at Genetically Modified Skeptic, just released an excellent video, in which he spoke with two directors from Camp Quest Texas about how they raise freethinking children and teach kids about religion.

Some of the questions he poses to them include: Aren’t they just indoctrinating kids into atheism? What are the challenges they face as atheist parents? And how do they encourage critical thinking at Camp Quest?

There was a time when resources for non-religious parents were nowhere to be found. But it’s really incredible to see this kind of advice on YouTube, through books, and on websites.

My favorite quote in the video (at about the 3:50 mark): "We don't teach our children what to think, we try to teach them how to think."

[ExciteBike66]

1. "Arent they just indoctrinating kids into atheism? "

I thought that was a funny question, considering how atheism is really a lack of "doctrine". Convincing kids to become atheists is really more of a "de-indoctrination".

[sinkingfeeling]

2. And taking kids to Sunday school before they can walk, isn't indoctrinating

kids into religion?

[SwissTony]

3. We didn't bring our kids up as "atheist".

We never went to church, but some of our kids' friends did. Our kids would ask about this and I'd explain that some people believed in one or more gods, but we didn't. I also explained that other people believed in different gods and that 2000 years ago, people believed in gods who basically no-one believes in now. But they were not put under pressure to not believe.

My oldest daughter was invited by one of her friends to attend a couple of church services. We said it was up to her. She went to two and decided it wasn't for her.

I don't even know if my kids would describe themselves as "atheist". To the best of my knowledge, none of them are believers, none take their kids to church etc. It appears to be a non-issue to them.

We live in The Netherlands, so attitudes towards religion are not what I'd call extreme. Yeah, there are a couple of old-fashioned cult like groups (e.g. women shouldn't vote), but I rarely, if ever, get asked what my religion is.