re: Deleted...

I don't have kids but I am an atheist. I had no clue who Jesus was until I was about 6 years old. Like I literally had never even heard the name before that. My mom never talked about religion but we were allowed to go to church with friends and stuff. I was always very uncomfortable with it. When I was about 10 my mom told me she was an atheist. I was agnostic up until I was about 20, and then I veered more toward atheism.

I do not want to present religion as an option to my kids because I 100% believe it is all a bunch of bullsmurf made up by man. That to me would be the same as encouraging a belief in unicorns and fairies and dragons. Sure it may be "fun" to believe for a while, but in the end we all know those things don't exist, so why encourage children to believe in them? My SO is an atheist as well. We will not be taking our children to church or any of that. I will inform them of what different religions believe but I will always teach them that these things are false/not true and they shouldn't believe in such silly lies.

We are an agnostic family. If religion comes up in the near future I will explain the gist of what I know about the idea of every religion but explain that that is not something we believe in or follow. I will sway my children's minds into my beliefs but I wouldn't be upset if (when old/mature enough to make a conscious decision) they decided to seek out religion.

Quoting Tarynosaurus Rex:" I don't have kids but I am an atheist. I had no clue who Jesus was until I was about 6 years old. Like ... [snip!] ... believe but I will always teach them that these things are false/not true and they shouldn't believe in such silly lies."

I couldn't agree more.

Quoting Masturkate TTC:" I couldn't agree more."

 

Unfortunately SO's family is very religious and I'm just not looking forward to their reaction when they find out we are not planning to take our kids to church or have anything to do with religion. My parents aren't religious at all, so my side won't be an issue.

Quoting Tarynosaurus Rex:"   Unfortunately SO's family is very religious and I'm just not looking forward to their reaction when ... [snip!] ... take our kids to church or have anything to do with religion. My parents aren't religious at all, so my side won't be an issue."

Same here completely! My family isn't religious at all. Mostly atheists with a few agnostics here and there. SO is an atheist but his family is SUPER religious. Like poofs in the hair, denim skirt wearing Pentecostals o_o. They don't even know we're atheists, his mother does but the rest of his family I'm sure just assumes we're Christians like them. It's going to be interesting when that moment comes.

Quoting Masturkate TTC:" Same here completely! My family isn't religious at all. Mostly atheists with a few agnostics here and ... [snip!] ... the rest of his family I'm sure just assumes we're Christians like them. It's going to be interesting when that moment comes."

SO's family doesn't know either! He went to private school his whole life, and even since living in Houston (which he only moved here in May) he has gone to Joel Osteen's church with his aunt and uncle once so as not to rock the boat lol. They're really hardcore about it. His mom and dad didn't let him celebrate Halloween as a kid because it's "the Devil's holiday"...lol. So so glad he is an atheist! But I don't want his family blaming it on me when they find out...cuz he was atheist before he met me.

Quoting Tarynosaurus Rex:" SO's family doesn't know either! He went to private school his whole life, and even since living in ... [snip!] ... glad he is an atheist! But I don't want his family blaming it on me when they find out...cuz he was atheist before he met me."

It's always saddening to hear about more atheists in the closet.  

It is hard to say what my childrens religious beliefs are, because there are so damn many in our family.

I identify as a Poly-Theist Unitarian Universalist. I believe in Higher Powers, but dont buy into dogma. I was raised Christian, but started following Wiccca/Paganism in my teens. I love Jesus, but dont buy into the Jesus is the only way and you swill go to hell otherwise. I married into a Jewish family. I believe that all paths are valid, and whatever your beleifs are, thats what you will find.

As for my kids, well, right now they go to Christian church services and youth groups, and they are kind of aware of my Wiccan Pagan tendencies, they also know a lot about Judaism. Who knows? We are a mish-mash of religious beliefs!

I'm Norse Paganist/Spiritualist and SO is agnostic. Our son is only 20 months old so he has no idea about anything at this stage. Undoubtedly he's going to learn about religion since our country has no separation of church and state, and also because my dad is pentacostal. When it comes to other religions we'll teach him about all the major ones and as many of the smaller ones as we can.

Quoting The Master:" I'm Norse Paganist/Spiritualist and SO is agnostic. Our son is only 20 months old so he has no idea about ... [snip!] ... When it comes to other religions we'll teach him about all the major ones and as many of the smaller ones as we can."

Me too  

Quoting Leisurely Duchess:" It's always saddening to hear about more atheists in the closet.  "

I think he'll come out to them about it eventually, but he has only been atheist for about 2-3 years so he wants to wait a while longer so his parents don't just think it's a phase or something.

I guess you can say that I am an Atheist. I don't believe in any higher power, the whole idea just sounds silly to me. Our son is 3, he has no idea who Jesus or God is, but I know one day he will begin to ask questions since DH's family is full of Southern Baptists and my family is full of many different denominations.


Since we are "without God" and were living in the Bible Belt, I began putting a lot of pressure on myself to figure out the best way to explain my lack of beliefs to DS and how to answer his questions when he begins asking. To the point where I was kind of driving myself crazy over something that was never a major part of my life before moving in with my in-laws. I guess it's because they said grace every time we sat down for dinner and my FIL would constantly speak of the "Good Lord", I don't know. My son always asks me "What's that?" and points to random things around him, during our trip to visit my family we passed a lot of churches so I would tell him what they were. I guess just in the past 2 weeks I've decided to just roll with it and be honest. If DS gets to the point where he wants to go to church I will take him, if he comes to me with questions I will sit down and give him the best answer I can along with my personal beliefs, and ask him what he believes. I want him to choose his own path, but I know that my beliefs will most likely influence him a great deal. My biggest fear isn't DH and I, it is my in-laws. Since we do not believe in anything we do not talk about religion, nor do we care what anyone believes in. My FIL will not speak to DH because he believes that DH is an Atheist (my husband won't say exactly what he is or isn't). I don't want my son to grow up like DH did. My husband didn't come out to tell anyone about his beliefs until just recently in fear that his family would disown him.