Raising a Free-Thinking Child - The Thinking Atheist Radio Podcast #19

(Also available on iTunes, and on BlogTalkRadio http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thethinkingatheist/2011/03/12/raising-a-free-thi...)

It's common for the religious to bring up their children in church, to teach them The Commandments, to establish what they call biblical morality, and to inherit the worldview of the parents. But what about families with an atheist/agnostic worldview? How are free-thinkers raising their children, and with what results? Your calls. Your emails.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• atheist
• atheism
• agnostic
• free-thinker
• raising children
• parenting
• skeptic

[ThoughtsofTHATmom]

Why the assumption that Christians who pray aren't doing anything? Perhaps that's how you approached your life, but many Christians pray AND act. Many. They don't "congratulate" themselves for praying. They just do it...and they act. They are not mutually exclusive.

[TheThinkingAtheist]

@ThoughtsofTHATmom If they act...why pray?

[zeldaofarel]

I get the Jewish culture thing. It's like being a Hungarian for me.

[polishguy994]

@TheThinkingAtheist Because its a tradition of the Christian religion.

[judoyodan]

I remember that Star Trek episode where Kirk said that "the one(god) is sufficient."

It has always bothered me.

[kram83au]

islam ,making christianity look good. lol

[kram83au]

islam ,making christianity look good. lol

[hldemi]

@RatherCynical Well made point .I agree . I would however argue that Atheism is actually "not having a belief" because i doubt, based on empirical evidence (which I consider to be primary epistemological criteria for defining what is truth ) that do not support the whole god hypothesis . So It is based on knowledge .It is a belief based on knowledge while theism is NOT .Agnostics simply find those lack of supporting evidence not enough to make a stand which I find rather not practical .

[RatherCynical]

@hldemi I should have clarified; Agnosticism/Gnosticism refers to the level of knowledge the individual proclaims, whereas Atheism/Theism/Deism refers to individual belief. It has been under some dispute on what atheism actually entails - whether it's simply a disbelief in God(s), or whether it involves the denial of God(s)' existence.

I think newborns fall under the category of irreligious more than theist/atheist, since those entail actually having a belief as opposed to being undecided.

[hldemi]

@RatherCynical Agnosticism refers to lack of knowledge upon which you choose not to choose side of the coin . But being born atheist is ridiculous since you are not even familiar with the whole aspect of concept of god in order to reject It. Actually I agree with your point . Well made . Irreligious is better term for newborn . It is however closer to agnosticism than atheism . Or irunreligious hahahaha :D