etceterae

I'm not talking about Christians hating on Muslims, or Sikhs hating on Hindus. I'm talking about all religions in general hating on atheists.

A few days ago, my best friend (who contributes to my blog, teensonparenting.blogspot.com) gave me what I admit was at first an amusing phone call. He’s a deeply religious Protestant that believes in Creationism and nearly every word/rule in the Bible (not the outdated ones like stoning adulterers). He goes to church an average of nine hours a week. Meanwhile, I’m an atheist, secular, and believe that Jesus existed, but was not the son of a deity called “God” (I am not one of those insane atheists that raid churches and scoff at the Pope, who incidentally is a person I respect). In case you’re wondering, my bf and I very easily get around our religious differences by promising we won’t try to convert each other =]

Anyway - my friend called me after school, laughing his head off. Apparently, he had just finished talking to his grandmother, who is 100x more religious than he is. She was appalled to find out that her grandson’s best friend was an atheist, and forbade him to talk to me ever again. My best friend had apparently muttered some excuse, hung up, and burst out laughing before he called me.

“She says you’re a bad influence on ‘my good Christian soul’,” he told me, amused. “Apparently, you’re corrupting me because of your lack of religion - and therefore, lack of values.”

At first I thought this was funny, but then I realized that the views of my best friend’s grandmother was not at all uncommon. A Mormon friend once remarked to me, “I can’t believe you’re an atheist, but you’re so nice!”

I have noticed that a lot of you believe in the Christian God (from various comments and such). I don’t suggest that any of you have engendered any discrimination in your children against atheists, but I’m curious as to what you have told them about atheistic beliefs. Do you tell them we tear up Bibles? Do you tell them we think religious people are misguided? Do you tell them we eat babies and burn churches? Okay, just kidding there.

Meagerly, for our behalf, I would like to say that morals and religion are not the same thing and a person can have one without the other (The Code of Hammurabi is an atheistic moral code from ancient times, the first recorded law system of sorts).

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HappyMomma

Very good post.

I have actually lied about being a Christian simply to avoid having to deal with "A Pagan???! What?"

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The quickest way for a parent to get a child's attention is to sit down and look comfortable.
~Lane Olinghouse

musicmom

I used to not believe and even said I was an athiest. If you claim to be an athiest but have laws then you are in some sort of organized religion. As far as I know athiests do not believe any of it.
I was once there but since then had life experiences and once I turned myself over to God wonderful things began to happen. I fought it for years. I would say I was atheist because I was scared to admit I was lost. God has a way of finding you.
As for what I teach my children, I don't. If they were to meet someone who said "I don't believe in God" they would just feel sorry for you and pray for you.
Being an athiest is just being empty, no real goal, no reward, just exsisting. I was there.

I saw my babies born and only a God could do that! It was a miracle in itself.

hwnorth

not gonna touch this one as its yet another religious thread ...

etceterae ... I agree with what your saying ... discrimination between religion is huge ... hypocritical at the least ... hypochristianity I think it was quoted as

Skyburning

I disagree.

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HappyMomma

that makes me sad

I don't understand why a person cannot be considered a happy and fulfilled person simply because they do not subscribe to a particular theology.

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The quickest way for a parent to get a child's attention is to sit down and look comfortable.
~Lane Olinghouse

Skyburning

I don't understand it either. It confuses me that I have to be "lost" or otherwise defective to not subscribe to a belief.

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hwnorth

I find it interesting that the people with the least amount of religion are seemingly the most tolerant and non judgmental of other religions.

There are a couple north american religions that dont seem to tolerate anything but their own, yet teach acceptance of all ...

ZionsRodeVos

Allow me to give a brief background about myself before I comment on what you have said.

I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, often called Mormon. I go to church on a regular basis (every Sunday unless I or my children are sick) with my 4 children. I am a primary teacher there and teach children between the ages of 5 to 8 years old. I was raised in this religion and served a mission for 2 years in the Dominican Republic.

I do my best to respect everyones beliefs and accept everyone for who they are. I do not feel sorry for a person simply because they don't believe as I do and I don't teach my own children nor the children in my primary class to feel sorry for a person just because they don't believe in God or because their beliefs are different. I have taught my children that everyone is free to believe what they want.

To be honest I haven't really focused on teaching my children about other specific beliefs so I really don't know what they would think, say, or do if they encountered someone who didn't believe in God. Although, thinking about it some more, if someone who didn't believe in God tried to tell my children there was no God my children would most likely argue with them that there is a God.

I will not tell my children to not be friends with someone just because they don't believe in God. I will make comments and suggestions to my children about their friends based on what their friends say and do not based on what they believe.

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Robert

Dadu2004

Speaking from a Christian perspective (that's my beliefs): I find it interesting that a self-proclaimed Christian would discriminate against anyone no matter race, sex, creed, etc. It goes against what the Bible teaches. It's the foundation of "hate the sin, not the sinner." God is love. God is not hate or discrimination. If you, your children, or anyone close to you have experienced discrimination at the hands of a Christian, I am deeply embarassed, and say that person isn't practicing the faith in which they claim to embrace. There is so much in God's teachings about love, that there is no room for doubt. "Love Thy Neighbor as yourself". "Love eachother as Christ loved the church". And the list goes on... God's teachings do NOT say: "Love They Neighbor if he believes in me", or "Love eachother if they share your same beliefs."

My daughter is only 4, so we've not had deep religious discussions. However, I won't be teaching her that Aetheists tear up Bibles, hate God, and are empty, soulless people. I won't be teaching her that Muslims blow up buildings, Jews despise Christ, and Buddhists worship a short, fat guy. If I did this, wouldn't I be going against that which I profess?

I will teach my daughter that everyone holds worth, everyone deserves love and respect, and everyone is God's creatures no matter if they are different in any way. I believe that is what God teaches and that is what God wants.

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