Via 3quarksdaily, I was exposed to this article that gave me a little food for thought. "Atheism and Children."
I found it especially interesting in that I'm in the process of raising a young son with my wife. I've given no small amount of thought to what sort of religious / spiritual / ecumenical or other upbringing we ought to provide to our child. The short answer I've come up with is: none at all. We haven't had him baptized and aren't going to. Frankly, I don't intend to make any promises to any religions on his behalf for as long as he lives. Or, for as long as I live would be a better way to phrase that. And for many of the same reasons that are made in the linked article.
Though I don't hold to some of the author's views as strongly as she does. I don't, for instance, consider myself to be an atheist. I believe very strongly in God. In some Supreme Mover that had an initial hand in the creation of all I take in around me. This is not a god that is defined by any religion based here on Earth. Keeping in mind my minimal exposure to various terrestrial religions, I find them all to be fear-based and therefore inherently flawed; and to be avoided.
I have a deep and abiding respect and, not nearly often enough, overwhelming awe for the universe in which I abide. It is the ALL of it that I worship and respect. To me, God isn't some benign deity who sits enthroned on high and watches over his flock and takes an Almighty Hand in affairs when it suits him. To me, she simply IS ALL THAT IS. And to attempt to define her in any other way would simply be too restrictive. That's my perspective. That's why I think that the phrase "I am..." is just about the most powerful there is. But be careful: by declaring what you are, you are also declaring what you are not.
I'm reminded of a favourite quote from Star Wars; which leads me to believe I'm on the right path here, since everything of any importance can be thusly related: "Luke, you'll find that many of the Truths we cling to depend greatly on our point of view."
So, my wife and I don't really intend to give our son any sort of religious upbringing at all. Certainly not in the traditional sense. Nor any of our future children. Not that I regret having been lured to Sunday mass with the promise of ice cream for most of the years of my own childhood. It's partly from having walked that particular path that I know all the better it's not the same one I want to stroll with my children. There is as much and more that I think can be learned from a wide-eyed wonder of the natural world than can ever be gleaned or gagged-down from religion. And there's no sprinkling of Fear that needs to be lapped up alongside.
I'd rather my son read Shakespeare than the Bible. (Not that I can claim to have read the bible from cover to cover. I had a picture bible when I was younger; basically a 1,000 page comic book. My favourite sections were the stories of Noah's Ark, King David, and Sampson and Delilah. Apparently, 55% of American Christians believe Joan of Arc to be a direct descendant of Noah.) I don't think there has ever been a person better able to express the human condition than dear old Bill. I'd rather my son have a go at trying to understand relativity than make any sense out of the book of Genesis.
The only part of the article I took any real exception to was where the author was giving advice on what to do if you're not religiously-inclined. One section ended: "...or move to Canada if you can stay awake." But other than that, solidly written.
I took some (misplaced) pride in my early days at university in my ability to quaff a glass of beer followed immediately by a bottle in almost exactly ten seconds. My throat's gotten a little more constrictive since then. Common sense wormed its way in there too. Just because there's a crowd cheering you on in a particular feat, doesn't mean it's the best thing to do for yourself.
Great post! I linked to the Tsunami before and after pictures then today I came back to look around a little more and found this.
I don't think religion is necessarily a bad thing; it's just that churches have ruined it. Spirituality is probably better than religion. Think of it as something to be explored not something that gives you answers.
Posted by: Lynn S | Friday, 04 February 2005 at 07:50 AM