Sweet Jesus. The first “God” talk with a child.

Oink

Junior has questions after some sort of Mass in school today. No, God is not your man in the dress. Yes, God is there, no, you can’t see him.

Lawd Jesus... Take me now!

How did you Philistines and heathens of AH deal with this? I don’t have it in me.

73bc61lyohr0mu

Tell him straight out that God was invented to scare the ****e out of people, control them and take their money.

Pintman Paddy Losty

Prepare from some very smug answers where people talk about the flying spaghetti monster and the sky fairies.

JohnnyFlash

Pintman Paddy Losty wrote: »

Prepare from some very smug answers where people talk about the flying spaghetti monster and the sky fairies.

Most of them who look and act like tragic errors of natural selection, Paddy.

o1s1n

Defer to good oul Friedrich Nietzsche on this one.

One eyed Jack

Oink wrote: »

Junior has questions after some sort of Mass in school today. No, God is not your man in the dress. Yes, God is there, no, you can’t see him.

Lawd Jesus... Take me now!

How did you Philistines and heathens of AH deal with this? I don’t have it in me.

When I don’t want to entertain someone or something, I ignore it, or them. That goes double for other people :pac:

Yer Da sells Avon

Tell him that little boys who ask too many questions go to hell.

Oink

Pintman Paddy Losty wrote: »

Prepare from some very smug answers where people talk about the flying spaghetti monster and the sky fairies.

Well in fairness I’ve come to this den of iniquity on a Friday evening asking about religion so I suppose I deserve everything I get. I’m hoping someone might learn me something.

ceadaoin.

I told my daughter that some people believe in god, gave her the general gist of it and told her it's up to her whether to believe it or not. She doesnt

One eyed Jack

Oink wrote: »

Well in fairness I’ve come to this den of iniquity on a Friday evening asking about religion so I suppose I deserve everything I get. I’m hoping someone might learn me something.

Ahh ok, that’s a bit more specific. I thought you just meant how did people deal with people they didn’t want to be listening to

LirW

Mine aren't baptized, neither am I. The big kid's class had communion last year and he was the only one not doing it. Every year I have a talk after school with his class teacher and I explained where I'm coming from in the way of "Nobody in my family is Christian, there is effectively nothing I could teach him about it; his father's family are Protestants that don't practice, they're not in touch."
The agreement we came to was that he doesn't have to participate in any religious activity and spends his time doing work sheets but if he wishes to join he's free to do so.

We then had a chat at home about it, I explained that we're not religious as in nobody is baptised and that's why he isn't involved but he's free to do it and if he wishes to join the church he can do this when he's 18. He decided it bores him and he'd rather read or do worksheets.
I explained the brief story of why people believe in God in a neutral and kid-friendly way, he asked if I do and what I think, I said I don't believe in it.
It was surprisingly easy.

Ipso

Tell him Balor of the baleful eye will get him.

Snow Garden

Tell your kids that nobody really knows but that it drives people crazy not knowing.
Tell them to keep all options open until they are 18 and then figure it out for themselves.

Please make sure to tell them that limbo, purgatory and hell are all complete nonsense. Those 'teachings' are child abuse.

beejee

LirW wrote: »

Mine aren't baptized, neither am I. The big kid's class had communion last year and he was the only one not doing it. Every year I have a talk after school with his class teacher and I explained where I'm coming from in the way of "Nobody in my family is Christian, there is effectively nothing I could teach him about it; his father's family are Protestants that don't practice, they're not in touch."
The agreement we came to was that he doesn't have to participate in any religious activity and spends his time doing work sheets but if he wishes to join he's free to do so.

We then had a chat at home about it, I explained that we're not religious as in nobody is baptised and that's why he isn't involved but he's free to do it and if he wishes to join the church he can do this when he's 18. He decided it bores him and he'd rather read or do worksheets.
I explained the brief story of why people believe in God in a neutral and kid-friendly way, he asked if I do and what I think, I said I don't believe in it.
It was surprisingly easy.

Guess I'll see you and your offspring in hell, then.




















From heaven

Deebles McBeebles

Its very simple. Just sit lil' Oink on your lap and explain how God is dead and we are all on our own.

Potential-Monke

Let them know it's but 1 of many religions, and they can make their mind up if they want to be religious when they're older. Or tell them it's a load of shite.

Outlaw Pete

Tell them that people are nuts to believe there's a man that lives in the sky with a big beard who sent his son to Earth to turn water into wine.

Right before you tell them there's man in the North Pole with a big beard who delivers two billion gifts to children on the birthday of that little boy who turned water into wine.

beejee

Potential-Monke wrote: »

Let them know it's but 1 of many religions, and they can make their mind up if they want to be religious when they're older. Or tell them it's a load of shite.

Considering that the average adult can barely comprehend the complexities of these philosophical positions in life, its hardly a good idea to tell a child to "make their own mind up"

Based on what? Their entire existential being should be predicated on a few sentences from an incoherent baboon?

Best thing is to say nothing at all or pass it off as best as possible, allow their own natural observations to evolve and shape their reality at least until adulthood, and then you can have an actual conversation. Or not, as the case may be!

Another view is that anyone (child or adult) who can be persuaded to alter life-changing perception over the space of a cup of tea, permanently...well, they probably weren't going to be up to much anyway :P

Hobosan

Children are experts at infering the meaning of words without prompting or citing dictionary definitions.

It needs no explanation. The more the word God is used, the longer the show goes on. That's all there is to it.

We could spice things up by adding a few more Gods again, like in the old days. Make a sacrifice to the God of Intel to keep our computers running smoothly. I know plenty who'd buy that.

the beer revolu

OP, just explain it as you believe it to be, in a kid friendly way.

If you don't believe in a god, why instill it in your child?

circadian

Hobosan wrote: »

Children are experts at infering the meaning of words without prompting or citing dictionary definitions.

It needs no explanation. The more the word God is used, the longer the show goes on. That's all there is to it.

We could spice things up by adding a few more Gods again, like in the old days. Make a sacrifice to the God of Intel to keep our computers running smoothly. I know plenty who'd buy that.

I worship at the new Altar of AMD.

Hobosan

circadian wrote: »

I worship at the new Altar of AMD.

Ryzen is a sodomite. Ripe for backdoor installations.

howamidifferent

I told my four kids when they asked about god, "which one", there are over 3000? Doesn't seem likely to be true to me but make your own mind up. They think it's all bs.

circadian

Show him this


https://youtu.be/fgg2tpUVbXQ

The concept of the universe will blow his mind and the realisation that no God would allow pan pipes to be ever invented.

mikemac2

Snow Garden wrote: »

Please make sure to tell them that limbo, purgatory and hell are all complete nonsense. Those 'teachings' are child abuse.

Haven’t you heard? They got rid of limbo in 2007

beejee

mikemac2 wrote: »

Haven’t you heard? They got rid of limbo in 2007

And the government brought it back last year to tackle the housing crisis. Haven't you heard?

eviltwin

This is why my youngest goes to an ET. I hated these questions from my eldest. I've always tried to keep it simple, some people believe in this, some believe in that and others don't believe in anything. It should be as easy as that but when your six year old comes home and says mammy and daddy are going to hell it's a bit annoying.

listermint

start with all the greek gods and show him Clash of the Titans


Be cool man

beejee

eviltwin wrote: »

This is why my youngest goes to an ET. I hated these questions from my eldest. I've always tried to keep it simple, some people believe in this, some believe in that and others don't believe in anything. It should be as easy as that but when your six year old comes home and says mammy and daddy are going to hell it's a bit annoying.

What does "educate together" mean? Together with whom?

Potential-Monke

beejee wrote: »

Considering that the average adult can barely comprehend the complexities of these philosophical positions in life, its hardly a good idea to tell a child to "make their own mind up"

Which is why I said 'if they want to be religious when they're older' after that.

Thelonious Monk

As someone who grew up in a non religious household, unless my Dad's Buddhism counts, this Catholic thing in Ireland has always seemed so silly to me. I was that odd kid who didn't go to religion class or make his communion. Why is your kid going to mass in this day and age?
Not really fair on a kid to be subject to religious dogma. Especially an organisation that routinely hid paedos and moves them around!
Also I hate when religion comes up on this thread and anyone who says religion and Catholics are ridiculous they're called out for trying to be edgy. It's not being edgy, it's common sense!

Mickeroo

beejee wrote: »

What does "educate together" mean? Together with whom?

With other children who attend the school.

Fritzbox

Nathalie Short Guitar wrote: »

Tell him straight out that God was invented to scare the ****e out of people, control them and take their money.

That's probably not true though. Were you there when God was invented?

Paddy Cow

Pintman Paddy Losty wrote: »

Prepare from some very smug answers where people talk about the flying spaghetti monster and the sky fairies.

I prefer the term sky Daddy.

jaykay74

Fritzbox wrote: »

That's probably not true though. Were you there when God was invented?

Which one ?

Fritzbox

jaykay74 wrote: »

Which one ?

But there must have been a first one? All these Gods didn't arrive at the same time, did they?

beejee

Mickeroo wrote: »

With other children who attend the school.

As opposed to all the other schools in the country???

topper75

Nathalie Short Guitar wrote: »

... was invented to scare the ****e out of people, control them and take their money.

Yeah but then the kid will move on to ask about global warming or Brexit stuff and you find yourself in an endless game of whack-a-mole.

Gregor Samsa

beejee wrote: »

What does "educate together" mean? Together with whom?

Together with children from various religious backgrounds. But you know this. Let’s skip to the bit where you make your point.

beejee

Gregor Samsa wrote: »

Together with children from various religious backgrounds. But you know this. Let’s skip to the bit where you make your point.

So, the poster I quoted originally, is sending his child to a school for many religions, to avoid questions of religion?

That's sounds like the wrong choice to me.

Paddy Cow

beejee wrote: »

So, the poster I quoted originally, is sending his child to a school for many religions, to avoid questions of religion?

That's sounds like the wrong choice to me.

No religion is taught, hence educate together. It's more inclusive than Catholic schools were non Catholics have to sit out religion classes and not take part in communion.

Gregor Samsa

beejee wrote: »

So, the poster I quoted originally, is sending his child to a school for many religions, to avoid questions of religion?

That's sounds like the wrong choice to me.

Yeah, ET schools have students from many religious backgrounds in them, but they don’t teach religion in school. So it’s a perfectly fine choice for people who either don’t want to teach their children religion, or who want to do the teaching about religion themselves. This suits a lot of people, religious and non religious.

Maybe you misunderstood what ET schools were about?

beejee

Paddy Cow wrote: »

No religion is taught, hence educate together. It's more inclusive than Catholic schools were non Catholics have to sit out religion classes and not take part in communion.

So its a school for people of many religions, but where no religion is taught.

And I think it would be fair to say that some other non-Catholic religions are far more extreme in their beliefs.

So, whether the non-religious school for all religions that doesn't teach religion...may not officially teach or instruct upon religion, the child is going to be surrounded by fellow students from more "hardcore" religions, with a huge amount of contradiction.

So to go back to the point, it would appear that these educate together schools would be the poorest choice if a parent wanted to avoid religious questioning from their children.

Unless the stated purpose of these schools is a load of hogwash, of course, and it means something else entirely.

Gregor Samsa

beejee wrote: »

So its a school for people of many religions, but where no religion is taught.

And I think it would be fair to say that some other non-Catholic religions are far more extreme in their beliefs.

So, whether the non-religious school for all religions that doesn't teach religion...may not officially teach or instruct upon religion, the child is going to be surrounded by fellow students from more "hardcore" religions, with a huge amount of contradiction.

So to go back to the point, it would appear that these educate together schools would be the poorest choice if a parent wanted to avoid religious questioning from their children.

Unless the stated purpose of these schools is a load of hogwash, of course, and it means something else entirely.

I guess some people think that being around people of other religions isn’t a big deal. Maybe you think differently, your point isn’t very clear.

Edit: oh sorry, I see your point at the end. ET is hogwash. Fair enough. I guess it’s the best choice that people currently have for separating religious education from academic education, for whatever reason they would want to do that.

beejee

Gregor Samsa wrote: »

I guess some people think that being around people of other religions isn’t a big deal. Maybe you think differently, your point isn’t very clear.

So being around different religions isn't a big deal. But being around one religion is a big deal.

That seems to be the crux of it. And it doesn't make sense.

Why would a person dislike their child to be surrounded by a, by all accounts, relatively mild religion but prefer a surrounding of relatively hardcore religions instead?

Specific teaching or not, that's the environmental choice you are choosing for the child.

So in truth, are these educate together schools not really about educating together, but about seeking an atheistic/agnostic environment? (An environment, I may add, that is LESS likely to achieve that aim)

eviltwin

beejee wrote: »

So, the poster I quoted originally, is sending his child to a school for many religions, to avoid questions of religion?

That's sounds like the wrong choice to me.

What's wrong with it?

I've no problem with my children learning about religion - which they do in educate together - but I'm not religious so why would I want my child being indoctrinated into the Catholic faith? Would it be "wrong" in your opinion to refuse to send my child to a Jewish or Islamic school too or is that okay because they aren't Catholicism?

beejee

Gregor Samsa wrote: »

I guess some people think that being around people of other religions isn’t a big deal. Maybe you think differently, your point isn’t very clear.

Edit: oh sorry, I see your point at the end. ET is hogwash. Fair enough. I guess it’s the best choice that people currently have for separating religious education from academic education, for whatever reason they would want to do that.

I see your edit now. Yes, that's my point.

But further to that point, by trying to evade ALL religion, by purposefully sending your child to a school of, probably, more hardcore multiple religions....this is the worst choice you could make?

Gregor Samsa

beejee wrote: »

So being around different religions isn't a big deal. But being around one religion is a big deal.

That seems to be the crux of it. And it doesn't make sense.

Why would a person dislike their child to be surrounded by a, by all accounts, relatively mild religion but prefer a surrounding of relatively hardcore religions instead?

Specific teaching or not, that's the environmental choice you are choosing for the child.

So in truth, are these educate together schools not really about educating together, but about seeking an atheistic/agnostic environment? (An environment, I may add, that is LESS likely to achieve that aim)

I think the bit you’re missing is the difference between being surrounded by people of a religion (or many religions), and being taught a specific religion.

beejee

eviltwin wrote: »

What's wrong with it?

I've no problem with my children learning about religion - which they do in educate together - but I'm not religious so why would I want my child being indoctrinated into the Catholic faith? Would it be "wrong" in your opinion to refuse to send my child to a Jewish or Islamic school too or is that okay because they aren't Catholicism?

But other posters were just saying that these schools purposefully do NOT teach religion. The whole thing sounds like a mess.

Last question I'll raise and I have to go. You might refuse to send your child to an Islamic school, but considering the supposed ethos of educate together schools, aren't you far more likely to be surrounded by Islamic families there....rather than elsewhere (considering there are few actual 100% Islamic schools)?

My whole point hinges on the extremes of different religions, and that if you want to avoid religion, then surely avoiding the more hardcore religions is a better direction.

Anyway good luck, im off

One eyed Jack

beejee wrote: »

I see your edit now. Yes, that's my point.

But further to that point, by trying to evade ALL religion, by purposefully sending your child to a school of, probably, more hardcore multiple religions....this is the worst choice you could make?

It really doesn’t get more hardcore than being able to make one religion the raison d’etre of the school, as opposed to a school where many religions are barely touched upon and the children get minimum exposure to each religion, whereas the children in the religious ethos school? The school is completely focused on indoctrination in a religious education in an environment specifically designed for the purpose.

I do see what you mean though, that the child could pick up on the ideas of many religions as opposed to just one, making a number of different ideas much more difficult to work against than just the one single idea. It sounds good in theory, but people are going to believe what they want to believe, and children are no different in that respect.

A parent could drive themselves demented trying to work the ideas out of their children that they don’t like, but that often tends to have the opposite effect :pac:

beejee

Gregor Samsa wrote: »

I think the bit you’re missing is the difference between being surrounded by people of a religion (or many religions), and being taught a specific religion.

Im not missing it at all.

If anything, its a childs peers that are far more influential than any teacher. If you want to avoid religious questions from your child, there wont be a more confusing place than a pile of people believing 50 different things, with a thousand different customs. And, again, being more likely hardcore religions, the peers will probably follow them more tightly and express their rigid beliefs around your child.

Ah whatever :P