do u believe in god?

[Midnight_Fairy]

^ I dont think you are either.

I go to many support groups in the church. If I am in the church and they have a service, I quite like to listen but I dont believe. Nothing wrong with that x

 

[RedRose]

Well I'm definitely going to be struck down- I'm considering baptising my kids in order to get them places at a good school, even though I'm an atheist and intend on raising them the same until they can decide what they want to believe, if anything.

I do feel guilty about this, and I don't know how I will be able to go through with it in practical terms, but I also feel ok about doing it because I think it will give my children the best education I'm able to give them given our circumstances and hopefully my karma debt will be repaid if I should manage to raise two valuable members of society. I also feel, and I mean this with no disrespect, that if I did piss of anyone from the church because of my actions, that it won't matter to them too much because they will just forgive me.

 

[lindseymw]

Redrose, many parents in my town do that.

The best primary school is a Catholic one. I've known many parents suddenly take up the Catholic faith just before their child is school age.

I certainly don't judge a parent for doing it. They are trying to do the best for their child. Although I do think it's a bit iffy iykwim. (Same as not being religious but getting married in a church because it looks nice in the photos)

 

[ttc_lolly]

I know people that do it to RedRose I think when it comes to schooling for your kids I wouldn't be bothered about what others thought either. If it means a better education then it's a very good idea. Not really comparable to just getting married in a church for pretty photos though it's investing in your children's education and future so that can't be wrong.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I can understand why you would do it to give your children a better education but I am not sure how I would feel about my children being in a very religious school when we were not religious at home.

xx

 

[ttc_lolly]

I suppose it depends on how deeply religious the school is. I went to a C of E school, you didn't need to be baptised or anything, but we were affiliated with the local church and would attend services there throughout the year. The lessons weren't remotely religiously based though (except R.E, but we learnt about all religions) and we weren't made to pray or anything like that! That was the best secondary school in my area, and it had children of all non/religious backgrounds attending mainly for that reason x

 

[Ozzieshunni]

I know Alex will go to a school that does have a Catholic focus, only because DH went there and I love the head teacher. I just won't send him to mass or anything I don't think Mommy being a Pagan would go over well

 

[RedRose]

I can understand why you would do it to give your children a better education but I am not sure how I would feel about my children being in a very religious school when we were not religious at home.

xx

That's a really good point.

The other thing that worries me is that I could take the space away from a child who is from a religious family, and would benefit from the school more then my child.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I dont have much experience of religious schools so I am not sure how they run/work.

My DD goes to Girls brigade and you get more points for attending church. I wont attend to get her more points though. Have asked her and she was not interested in going really so we openly say that she does not go. A few parents attend church to get the extra badge points but IMO, we dont really feel comfortable with the idea.

Sorry OT but sure you will make the right choice.

My kids school is mainly Christian based and they sing hymns now and then but they do not do RE or have church readings.

 

[Dragonfly]

Where I am they wont accept your child if they arnt christened, the one school in the area I did find was demolished and they had the excluding rule where you didnt attend assembly or religious classes every day, alienating non religions children from the class. I was shocked at how much they pray now and I went to catholic schools. I am glad at my decision to home school now.

 

[smokey]

Somthing that does confuse me (and I honestly dont mean to offend by this) is people that say they will raise their child as an athiest untill they can make their own mind up.
By raising them as a athiest you are already implanting ideas onto them of what they should and shouldnt believe in.
In terms of a athiest the general belief is there is no god so how does raising your child as a athiest help them to make their own minds up.
Isnt there little differance between a family that raise their child in a religious home with the intention of letting them make their own minds up later and a family that raise their child in a athiest home with the same intention, both are still intilling preconceptions and believe and influancing beliefs wether they mean to or not.

Maybe a agnostic upbringing would be better, "there could be a god or there may not, no one can prove either way" that way any future belief (or lack of beliefe) then truely comes from their own heart and mind rather then influance

 

[freckleonear]

Absolutely smokey, atheism is just another belief system.

 

[Dragonfly]

Somthing that does confuse me (and I honestly dont mean to offend by this) is people that say they will raise their child as an athiest untill they can make their own mind up.
By raising them as a athiest you are already implanting ideas onto them of what they should and shouldnt believe in.
In terms of a athiest the general belief is there is no god so how does raising your child as a athiest help them to make their own minds up.
Isnt there little differance between a family that raise their child in a religious home with the intention of letting them make their own minds up later and a family that raise their child in a athiest home with the same intention, both are still intilling preconceptions and believe and influancing beliefs wether they mean to or not.

Maybe a agnostic upbringing would be better, "there could be a god or there may not, no one can prove either way" that way any future belief (or lack of beliefe) then truely comes from their own heart and mind rather then influance

Not sire if that was for me but how do you know I am bringing my children up with no beliefs at all? I am teaching them about all religions its another subject they must know about. Your own belief is personal to you. I would say I am siding with agnostic, I do not believe in god, Jesus and all of that but I would like to believe in spirits. There is something there on that end. Its ok for Christians to raise children with their beliefs cant I raise mine with my own or is it because they are different I cant?

 

[Dragonfly]

Absolutely smokey, atheism is just another belief system.

belief in what?

 

[freckleonear]

Absolutely smokey, atheism is just another belief system.

belief in what?

Belief that there is no God.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

^ I dont believe in god but I wouldnt class that in itself as a religion?

 

[ttc_lolly]

I agree, just because you don't believe in a god doesn't make that a religion in itself. I know lots of people that found their faith or belief in god later on in life even though they didn't believe in anything prior to that. It hasn't made their faith or belief any weaker than those who were brought up believing, they just came into it on their own.

 

[summer rain]

It's not a religion but it is a set of beliefs or a specific strongly held belief. My mother is atheist and while she raised me with the freedom to make my own choices later in life she made sure that she bad mouthed religion and the concept of God as much as possible hoping I would follow suit. I have seen the same with many atheist parents. In my case it massively backfired, but hey xx

 

[Dragonfly]

We dont bad mouth religions in this house. But like every other subject they will learn about all religions. That is all.

I seen many religions families raise catholic children that back fired when they went atheist I am raising my children without a set religion but with knowledge of all religions. Should be interesting, I will tell them god isnt real, same way as religious people tell theirs god is real. I see no difference other than opinion and belief. Should they choose to change their minds I will accept that as many parents dont accept their children choosing other religions or any at all. It dosnt figure largely in my house at all anyway. Even as a child raised catholic in my home it wasnt. We didnt pray before meals or bed time or ever for that fact. Just in school. So if also choosing not to send my children to a catholic school when we arnt catholic is wrong so be it.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

We dont go around in our house saying God is not real. I attend Buddhism meditation sometimes, I also have strong involvement with a Christian church where I help run a support group (although I dont attend service). My best friend is Jehovah witness and my sister follows pagan festivals and we go too.

We are just a big mix of things and that how I like it. No strong views either way.