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Is it Possible for a Devout Atheist to Teach His/Her Child about God and Do Him Justice?

Elora said:
Can I ask how long you were a minister? Your experience reminds me of what Jesus said in John 644..."No one comes to me unless the Father, who sent me, draws him"...you were definitely drawn...thanks for sharing...
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First I was a teacher, a high school resource teacher for students with serious disabilities--physical and developmental. I had become a believer a bit earlier. When I was in my mid-40s I felt the call. I began attending seminary in the summers while I still taught school. I was actually 55 when I became an assistant pastor in a Methodist Church. I retired at 70. I'm still very active. I was widowed and later married another Methodist minister. I worked a good deal with persons with disabilities. For 17 years I led church camps --one for children with developmental disabilities and one for adults.
 
Elora said:
I disagree...as I said, there is no way on God's green earth I could teach my child about atheism, except to tell him it is wrong...
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Is that attitude directed only at atheism? Could you teach your child about Judaism or Buddhism?
 
Elora said:
I say no...no more than I could teach my child about atheism and do it justice...what say you?
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That makes little sense. Atheists don’t deny the existence of religions or that many others believe in conceptual (mythical?) beings with super-powers. As an atheist, I don’t treat gods any differently than mermaids, unicorns, leprechauns or yetis. They exist as well described conceptual (mythical?) ‘beings’ usually with super-powers (to explain why they can’t be caught?), yet no physical examples of them are claimed to have been found.
 
JMR said:
Is that attitude directed only at atheism? Could you teach your child about Judaism or Buddhism?
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I would tell them it's wrong, if that's what you mean...I certainly would not lie to them and tell them it's the truth when I don't believe it is...
 
ttwtt78640 said:
Atheists don’t deny the existence of religions or that many others believe in conceptual (mythical?) beings with super-powers.
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I'm not talking about religion...I'm talking about God...there is a difference...
 
Jacksprat said:
Do people start threads on atheism? I don't think I've ever seen on this website.
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They sure know how to start threads on religion/faith/believers/God though...:sneaky:
 
Elora said:
I say no...no more than I could teach my child about atheism and do it justice...what say you?
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Why would they want to?
I mean, they could explain how religion and belief work, I suppose.

Edit: Forewarned is forearmed I suppose.
 
Elora said:

Is it Possible for a Devout Atheist to Teach His/Her Child about God and Do Him Justice?​

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of course it is, your subjective idea of "justice" is meaningless to facts and reality
Elora said:
I say no..
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and that is factually wrong
Elora said:
.no more than I any person could teach my child about atheism and do it justice...what say you?
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of course anybody could that wanted to and was honest because most importantly "atheism" doesn't need to be taught LMAO

if YOU cant do it that just your own subjective failure at it, not anything to do with anything else
 
Jacksprat said:
Why would an atheist teach a child about something he does not believe in?
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Because they truly believe in freedom of choice and would rather their child choose their own way instead of being railroaded into any given.
 
Elora said:
I'm talking about my religion incessantly...I'm talking about tree frogs with superpowers...there is no difference...
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I can also selectively edit the posts which I quote. HAND ;)
 
Elora said:
I would tell them it's wrong, if that's what you mean...I certainly would not lie to them and tell them it's the truth when I don't believe it is...
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I don't believe you are obligated to tell them it's the truth..... It's quite easy to teach children about different religions without making moral statements. If you cannot do that because of your beliefs then the answer to your OP is that you need to recognize that atheists come to their beliefs in a different way than you have come to yours.
 
Elora said:
Well, how is it possible to teach a child about a Divine Being you don't believe exists?
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Because you know the lore. I can teach my kids and grandkids about the Sihde, unicorns and dragons, in all the varieties, because I am familiar with the lore. I can teach about the Greek and Roman gods, the Egyptian and the Norse gods. I don't have to believe in them in order to know the lore. Hell many atheists are former Christians, so they most likely know the Bible well.
 
JMR said:
I don't believe you are obligated to tell them it's the truth..... It's quite easy to teach children about different religions without making moral statements. If you cannot do that because of your beliefs then the answer to your OP is that you need to recognize that atheists come to their beliefs in a different way than you have come to yours.
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I believe I am...why would I want to believe a lie...or for my kids to believe a lie?
 
Elora said:
I say no...no more than I could teach my child about atheism and do it justice...what say you?
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hell, i still can't get over your religion allowing men to rape little girls (and get away with it even though the little girls say it happened) as long as they're smart enough to say they didn't do it and pretend to repent.

that's some beyond sick shit.
 
Elora said:
I believe I am...why would I want to believe a lie...or for my kids to believe a lie?
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Because when you get right down to the nitty gritty, you don't know what is a lie. You believe you do.
 
maquiscat said:
Because you know the lore. I can teach my kids and grandkids about the Sihde, unicorns and dragons, in all the varieties, because I am familiar with the lore. I can teach about the Greek and Roman gods, the Egyptian and the Norse gods. I don't have to believe in them in order to know the lore. Hell many atheists are former Christians, so they most likely know the Bible well.
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But is that doing the matter justice? Voicing your personal beliefs or lack thereof? I don't think so...I admit, I cannot do other religions, besides Christianity, justice because I don't believe them to be true...
 
Jacksprat said:
Wrong. Thread is about a devout religious person questioning legitimacy of non-belief.
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Wrong...thread is abut a devout Christian questioning the ability of a devout atheist to teach a child about God...
 
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