Any Atheist parents teach they're kids Atheism?

[elwalvador]

Im curius to know from atheist parents with atheist kids, how do other kids at school react to your childs atheism? Do they get made fun of for being atheist, do you worry about violence towards your kid, like they killed that high school student a couple of years ago just for being Gay?

I think the only way I would teach my kid Atheism at a young age would be if I could send him to an atheist private school where he was sorounded by other atheist kids, because these religious kids who are suppose to be taught how to behave by their religious parents don't know how to behave. This is also true for most religious people, as long as they become believers and let god save them in their death beds they can always behave criminaly untill that last moment and still go to Heaven.

Atheist however don't behave criminaly because we don't believe in an after life, this is the only life we have and we're not going to waste it behind bars. I'de be willing to bet 99.99% of all people convicted of murder who are on death row right now, still believe they have now changed and let God into their lives and that he will forgive them and let them into heaven. If you believe a good reason to believe in God is because with out him there is no reason to be good, then religion has failed it doesn't stop any body from being evil, not as long as God forgives them all the time.

[Lucretius]

I'm an atheist child still in high school. Want my life story? lol

[TsiehtA Yug]

Yeah, me too.
Maybe it's just my school, but people don't really react too badly to my atheism. It's probably because it doesn't really come up much, but when it does they just say "Oh, are you an atheist?" and go on with what they were talking about.

[Lucretius]

My schools got some really religious assholes.

I had a woman try to convert me in a food court once, that was funny.

[z3n]

Personally I like this web site (http://atheism.about.com/od/atheistschildren/a/kids_raise.htm) about raising kids as atheists.

When I was in high school I was still a Christian and I had the same, but opposite worries that you had. You see I was raised thinking that nearly the whole world was full of atheists and that I would be persecuted if people found out that I was a Christian. Of course I was also strongly taught that that wasn’t allowed to keep me from sharing that I was a Christian because I should want to spread the good news and happiness of being saved. Imagine my surprise when just about everyone I talked to about it was already a Christian.

Looking back the irony was kind of cruel.

[ocmpoma]

I have two children. While I won't say that I am 'raising them atheist', I will say that I do not lie to them (not even about Santa or whether getting a cavity filled will hurt). My son, who is only eight, is pretty much an atheist (although at his young age I don't consider him sufficiently developed to make the choice with any sense of finality). My daughter, 6, says that god exists and lives in the sky - not sure where she picked that up. I have talked to both of them about the Pledge, which is the only religious-based issue I have with their school. I have told them that they don't have to say it, etc. My daughter doesn't seem to care. My son says that he sometimes doesn't say it, but he is worried that if he stops altogether, or if the other kids will find out that he doesn't believe, some of them will make fun of him. I talk with him about it periodically, and so far there hasn't been any trouble.

[Lucretius]

I have talked to both of them about the Pledge, which is the only religious-based issue I have with their school. I have told them that they don't have to say it, etc. My daughter doesn't seem to care. My son says that he sometimes doesn't say it, but he is worried that if he stops altogether, or if the other kids will find out that he doesn't believe, some of them will make fun of him. I talk with him about it periodically, and so far there hasn't been any trouble.
I never say the pledge of allegiance at school either, but it's mainly for political reasons. I do often get called a Nazi by my peers for doing so; but that's probably because I read Mein Kampf earlier in the year. My teachers asked me why I didn't stand about once, each time and then they laid off.

[ocmpoma]

My main reason for being against the pledge is also not connected to religion - it has to do with the whole idea of having children as young as 6 or 7 standing up and making such a pledge. Indeed, the ones who support are closer to fascists than are those who are against. So, even with the 'under god' bit, I'd be against the pledge in public schools.

[noblief]

In high school i was one of the only Atheist's in my school. I was in a circle of about 10-15 students who also felt the way that i did. It seemed like everyday someone knew was trying to talk to me about how i should let god into my life and how he would save me from all that i have done, god forgives all is what they used to say. eventually everyone kinda reallized that i wasnt going to change no matter what they did so i was left alone for the remainder of my high school years. My parents were always the harshest preachers that i had everyday they were the ones who would try to make me pray or try to convince me to go to church. it started to drive me crazy

[Cynical]

You don't teach your kids atheism, you just don't teach them religion and if they ever say anything about "god" then tell them that it is not true and that religion is a grandiose lie. People are born atheists and converted to theists as soon as they are old enough to ask questions. Just tell your kids to keep in the closet in school, explain to them that the fundies will be very annoying and could be dangerous and tell them to keep in the closet at school.

Oh, and never make any bunk stories like the baby-bringing stork, they stunt a child's mental development. When they ask where babies come from tell them.

[HeWhoAsks]

When they ask where babies come from tell them.
Even an age-appropriate response to where babies come from (momma's tummy) doesn't lie and doesn't create a fantasy, it responds in a manner that the child can understand. The gory details ; ) can come later when they can be put into the proper context.

Yes, the problems of living a human life are tough enough without all the extra bullsh*t.

[z3n]

if they ever say anything about "god" then tell them that it is not true and that religion is a grandiose lie.
Well that’s easy to say if both you and your spouse feel the same way. I unfortunately do not have the luxury of using such blunt methods. Not if I wish to continue a loving relationship with my wife anyways. However, I think that it’s still possible to not suppress or delude them about my position, while still respecting my wife’s beliefs. So if one of my kids asks me a question I tell them honestly what I think. And if they come back with, “But mommy says such and such”, then I say that that is what mommy believes and here is why.

Will my kids probably end up being Christian? Probably at least for a while. It’s easy for young children to accept the notion of God, especially since they’re usually not told all of the not-so-good stuff of the Bible, but just the warm gushy stuff. As they get older my strongest desire is that they have good critical thinking skills and the ability to properly evaluate information as it comes to them. Maybe they’ll grow out of being a Christian, and maybe they won’t, but I’m certainly not going to try to push or delude them in any direction. Because if I do, then I think that I would be no better then the religious fundamentalism that I despise so much.

[PanAtheist]

then I say that that is what mommy believes and here is why.
I shall never mate with a religious person.

Religious folk ABUSE the word "belief".
(And in popular speech, applying the term "believers" to religious folk is an ABUSE of that word)
They are NOT believers.

They are practitioners.
They practise a disregard of reason (in response to a certain stimuli), in favour of BEING AS IF (thinking and acting and living as if) an insanity-that-is-occuring-around-them is simply NOT HAPPENING.

The-insanity-that-is-occuring-around-them is the phenomena that is the insane part of what is called "religious practise", and is something that they have been thrown into (by people or events) at some time in their lives.

And THAT phenomena-of-insanity is the "certain stimulus", to which they have come to always respond to by ignoring it's existence, and BEING TOTALLY AS IF, what is going on around them, is actually A+ Sanity, Goodness, and Haleness. Heh!

Here, above, I have described the very meme of religion!
This is it!

Religion is a
"Somebody-Elses-Problem" Frenzy /
Rave /
Brain-Hanging-Out-of-One's-Head Orgy of Reckless-Abandon-of-Reason


Tell THAT to your children!!!!!
:-)

[HeWhoAsks]

Religion is a
"Somebody-Elses-Problem" Frenzy /
Rave /
Brain-Hanging-Out-of-One's-Head Orgy of Reckless-Abandon-of-Reason


Tell THAT to your children!!!!!
:-)
Please tell us how you *really* feel about religion. :lol:

[z3n]

I shall never mate with a religious person.
Yeah, well I married and had children with my wife before I de-converted, so the point is pretty moot in my case. I’m not going to hold her beliefs against her, and she doesn’t really hold my atheism against me, so I guess its working out all right. We still occasionally have issues that come up, but we love and care for each other enough that we work hard to settle them.

Awwww….okay so enough gushy crap. :P

Tell THAT to your children!!!!!
I probably will, or at least something to that effect, once they get older.

No offence, but I don’t want them to start being overly cynical at too young of an age.

Please tell us how you *really* feel about religion. :lol:
I agree. Please don’t feel like you have to hold back or anything. :D

[Lurker]

No offence, but I don’t want them to start being overly cynical at too young of an age.
As opposed to being overly cynical at an older age?!? :/

[God, my arse]

Im curius to know from atheist parents with atheist kids, how do other kids at school react to your childs atheism? Do they get made fun of for being atheist, do you worry about violence towards your kid, like they killed that high school student a couple of years ago just for being Gay?

I think the only way I would teach my kid Atheism at a young age would be if I could send him to an atheist private school where he was sorounded by other atheist kids, because these religious kids who are suppose to be taught how to behave by their religious parents don't know how to behave. This is also true for most religious people, as long as they become believers and let god save them in their death beds they can always behave criminaly untill that last moment and still go to Heaven.

Atheist however don't behave criminaly because we don't believe in an after life, this is the only life we have and we're not going to waste it behind bars. I'de be willing to bet 99.99% of all people convicted of murder who are on death row right now, still believe they have now changed and let God into their lives and that he will forgive them and let them into heaven. If you believe a good reason to believe in God is because with out him there is no reason to be good, then religion has failed it doesn't stop any body from being evil, not as long as God forgives them all the time.
Ha! You believe that People would be attack someone because they are atheist if anything it is the opposite well at least the school I go to. Yes there are a whole lot of christian preachers here but we make the feel unwelcome and below us. I only hope that once I graduate the tradition of psychological warfare on christian evangelists continues.

[Rhinoqulous]

Well, it appears you hail from down under, but here in the upper mid-west of the US of A, we have some very conservative christian communities. Hell, back in '97 when we had some crazy flooding, there was an editorial in the Forum (the only major newspaper in this area) every day about the how floods were a punishment from God. Many blamed homosexuals, wiccan's, and atheists in the community for bringing down God's wrath. The recant school shootings in Red Lake, MN (two hours from where I live) prompted an editorial that implied that the teaching of evolution (http://in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=86892&section=Opinion) was a cause for the tragedy. This is not an atheist (or homosexual, or any non-christian religion, or non-white even) friendly area of the country. I don't have any children, but I would imagine it would be a very hard to explain atheism as opposed to theism, especially in uber-conservitive areas such as this.

Rhinoq

[z3n]

As opposed to being overly cynical at an older age?!? :/
*sigh* No lurker, it was kind of meant as a joke. :rolleyes: And what I was trying to get at is that I don’t think its good to teach children to much cynicism because then they’ll probably end up growing up to be overly cynical. Some cynicism can be good to keep them from being to gullible, but being overly cynical will just make it where they don’t trust anybody.

There, does that clear it up enough for you?

[Lurker]

As opposed to being overly cynical at an older age?!? :/
*sigh* No lurker, it was kind of meant as a joke. :rolleyes: And what I was trying to get at is that I don’t think its good to teach children to much cynicism because then they’ll probably end up growing up to be overly cynical. Some cynicism can be good to keep them from being to gullible, but being overly cynical will just make it where they don’t trust anybody.

There, does that clear it up enough for you?
I have a good sense of humor (I think) and I knew what you meant. I was just making a silly comment. :D:):D:):P

[elwalvador]

if they ever say anything about "god" then tell them that it is not true and that religion is a grandiose lie.
Well that’s easy to say if both you and your spouse feel the same way. I unfortunately do not have the luxury of using such blunt methods. Not if I wish to continue a loving relationship with my wife anyways. However, I think that it’s still possible to not suppress or delude them about my position, while still respecting my wife’s beliefs. So if one of my kids asks me a question I tell them honestly what I think. And if they come back with, “But mommy says such and such”, then I say that that is what mommy believes and here is why.

Will my kids probably end up being Christian? Probably at least for a while. It’s easy for young children to accept the notion of God, especially since they’re usually not told all of the not-so-good stuff of the Bible, but just the warm gushy stuff. As they get older my strongest desire is that they have good critical thinking skills and the ability to properly evaluate information as it comes to them. Maybe they’ll grow out of being a Christian, and maybe they won’t, but I’m certainly not going to try to push or delude them in any direction. Because if I do, then I think that I would be no better then the religious fundamentalism that I despise so much.
"Maybe they’ll grow out of being a Christian, and maybe they won’t, but I’m certainly not going to try to push or delude them in any direction. Because if I do, then I think that I would be no better then the religious fundamentalism that I despise so much."

But if you don't teach your kids Atheism they will turn into the very same religious fundamentalist that you despise. How will Atheism ever spread among the masses if Atheist don't even teach their own kids Atheism? I don't think there is anything wrong about teaching kids logic, and the ability to question the non sensical stories of religion.

[z3n]

I have a good sense of humor (I think) and I knew what you meant. I was just making a silly comment. :D:):D:):P
You….have a sense of humor. But you’re a theist right, so how can you possibly have a sense of humor? I mean come on, I’ve been to church before, it’s so boring.

B.T.W. do you like my sarcasm tags? I think that they should be incorporated as standard tags on the forum to help avoid confusion. Eh, it will probably never take off. :D

But if you don't teach your kids Atheism they will turn into the very same religious fundamentalist that you despise. How will Atheism ever spread among the masses if Atheist don't even teach their own kids Atheism? I don't think there is anything wrong about teaching kids logic, and the ability to question the non sensical stories of religion.
Maybe you misunderstand what I was getting at. First off, “teaching” a kid atheism is no guarantee that that child will become an atheist. I can’t keep my children from becoming religious fundamentalists, but I can try to avoid it. Just because my children may grow up to become Christians doesn’t mean that they’re going to be some kind of fanatical fundamentalists. My wife is a Christian (she believes in Jesus as her savior) but she is quite liberal with her beliefs (e.g. she doesn’t see homosexuality, and sex before marriage as ‘sins’). So even though she doesn’t agree with my atheism, she doesn’t give me a constant hard time about. In fact it really doesn’t come up that often. I’m sure that she prays for me often, but she doesn’t tell me about it (it came up one time in conversation but that has been it). And she has yet to ever try to get me to reconvert even though I know that she really wants me to (you wouldn’t want your spouse to burn in Hell if you believed that there was one). Occasionally she asks me questions about atheism and/or religion, but I think that that is more of the process of her trying to understand my position more then anything.

Deliberately keeping your child away from religious influences while they are growing up will make them venerable to not understanding the nature of religion and assuredly cause them to get sucked into it. Oh and even if you don’t realize I agree with you that it’s important, no, that it’s vital to teach children logic, and critical thinking skills (I don’t know how you would ‘teach’ a child to question, other then encouraging curiosity). Not only do I think that it’s not wrong to teach them those things, I think that it’s wrong not to teach them.

As for me I don’t really care if atheism spreads among the masses per se, I just want theism to stay out of government and science. But I imagine that the only way for that to happen is for atheism or at least more liberal religious views to spread because as long as religious fundamentalists are in the majority then they will continue to weasel their beliefs into where they shouldn’t be.

[elwalvador]

Yes, maybe an even stronger atheist emerges from a person who was brain-washed as a child an then uses he's brain for the first time and see the religion for the myth it is.

Thats what i went through, I was brain-washed in to the catholic theory and untill I was 14 I believed in God but I wasn't really following any of he's ridiculous rules on premarital sex anyways. Then I later applied logic to the theory and logic destryoed it and I became an Atheist. And maybe I'm a stronger Atheist for it I don't know but what I do know is that I want Atheism to spread and Im going to do my part and teach my kids atheism, I will also teach them about religion but explain to them that it is not real and people only believe it becaye they can not deal with their mortality and have to lie to them-selves that there is an After-life.

[z3n]

I plan on kind of teaching my kids atheism as much a possible but with out hurting my wife’s feelings or anything. If figure the best way to do this is to expose them to information about other religions as well so that hopefully they won’t necessarily favor Christianity over any other religion. I guess I look at it this way, if they choose Christianity; I don’t want it to be because that’s all they’ve ever been exposed to. And of course I never plan on hiding my atheism from them so that they see that one does not need to follow a religion at all.

[Choobus]

I plan on kind of teaching my kids atheism as much a possible but with out hurting my wife’s feelings or anything. If figure the best way to do this is to expose them to information about other religions as well so that hopefully they won’t necessarily favor Christianity over any other religion. I guess I look at it this way, if they choose Christianity; I don’t want it to be because that’s all they’ve ever been exposed to. And of course I never plan on hiding my atheism from them so that they see that one does not need to follow a religion at all.
Z3n,

two questions: what is z3n?

second, do you think there is religion in science? I know some scientists are religious, coz I am one (not a religious one of course). In my experience scientists who believe in god keep quiet about it at work because they know it will cause massive damage to their reputation.

[z3n]

two questions: what is z3n?
Well you’ve heard of Zen right? Well z3n is just my computer geek way of spelling it. You know, a w00t kind of thing.

Oh and to answer a question that may come up, yes I do occasionally practice Zen Buddhism. I say occasionally because I’m still working on getting more consistent with my daily meditation. But I digress.

second, do you think there is religion in science?
Lets see. I don’t think that religion should be, and really can’t be in science (i.e. science should be done without regard to religion) but not that a religious person can’t be a scientist. So if a Christian wants to be a scientist they can knock themselves out as far as I’m concerned. However, I strongly maintain the position that as fields of study so to speak, science and religion cannot have anything to do with each other. And that any coinciding that does occur is largely irrelevant. Science gives natural explanations to natural events and religion gives supernatural explanations to natural events.

[Jennifer]

My parents raised me to be an atheist. My ex is Catholic. I'm very upfront with my kids about what I think. My older one has decided that he is an atheist too (he thought the bilbe stories were silly, and he didn't like the idea of evolution so for a while he decided people came off of trees, but then he abandon that). My youngest had/has a very upsetting time coming to terms with the idea of death. He has decided that he beleives in God. I offerred to take him to church, but his friends told him it was terrible so he declined.

I think children should know Bible stories because its a cultural literacy issue.

[ghoulslime]

I raised my daughter as a Atheist. Teaching a child the truth is probably the easiest part of raising a child. I let her make believe for a while in Santa and the Easter Rabbit and the Tooth Fairy. I told her stories about dragons and trolls and fairies. And she was very capable of discerning truth from fantasy. Interaction with Theists didn't pose many hardships for her, as it is easier to be on the side of truth in an argument than to try and defend dogma.

AND think of the all of the time she didn't have to waste learning religious mythology! She finished highschool when she was 16. She speaks English, Japanese, and Korean fluently. Now she is a student at UCLA, preparing to become a pharmacist. She seemed to have turned out alright, even without an imaginary friend in the sky.

[Beyond Rage]

I raised my daughter as a Atheist. Teaching a child the truth is probably the easiest part of raising a child.
Yes if you tell them the truth!


You're not even protraying the truth right now are you? You make it sounds like YOU and your "atheisim" is what turned out your daughter alright. You just hold up your daughter like an object to impress people. Well I'm not impressed. That's just sick! I know the likes of you and everyone like you. You don't give any credit for the child turning out the way she did as a matter of her accomplishment.

Many people here probably came from religious famlies but they didn't turn out like god loving idiots. So it has nothing to do with the parenets and everything to do with the character of the child and the choices THEY make. Not your decision not to brain wash her into beliveing in a god or not.

DM

[Tenspace]

You're not even protraying the truth right now are you? You make it sounds like YOU and your "atheisim" is what turned out your daughter alright. You just hold up your daughter like an object to impress people.
Now, if your daughter turned out well, would you take credit for how you raised her?

And, specifically, tell me where Ghoulslime "held his daughter up like an object" to impress people? I don't read that. He posted on-topic, answering a question, if you will.

Well I'm not impressed. That's just sick! I know the likes of you and everyone like you. You don't give any credit for the child turning out the way she did as a matter of her accomplishment.
You know what's sick? Sports kids. Parents, who failed in non-academic activities at some mundane high school force their children to perform where they failed. You know what else is sick? Making eight year old girls strut like sluts in cheerleading competition. You know what else is sick? Raising your children by lying to them about Santa, Easter (Jesus? Bunny? Which do we worship, Mommy?) and a whole host of other transgressions. Teaching your children that those not like you are to be despised and hated. That's sick, too.

Raising your child by giving him or her the tools to succeed in a productive, compassionate life - I just don't see that as sick. I've done the same with my son. He's fifteen, in the top percentile of FCAT students at his school, and can write like you wouldn't believe. He's over a hundred pages into his first novel.

Many people here probably came from religious famlies but they didn't turn out like god loving idiots. So it has nothing to do with the parenets and everything to do with the character of the child and the choices THEY make. Not your decision not to brain wash her into beliveing in a god or not.

DM
It has everything to do with the parents, up until the child can socialize. At that point, they will be more influenced by their peers than their parents. And yes, I have references. :)

Tenspace

[schemanista]

You know what else is sick? Raising your children by lying to them about Santa, Easter (Jesus? Bunny? Which do we worship, Mommy?) and a whole host of other transgressions. Teaching your children that those not like you are to be despised and hated. That's sick, too.
I want my child to enjoy cultural make-believe, as make-believe. Maybe it's hypocritical of us but my family celebrates Christmas as a secular celebration. We exchange gifts and, best of all, spend a lot of time with our extended family members, whom we don't usually see. It makes for some beautiful memories and requires no more faith in Christianity than in the pagan gods (Yule) or Saturn from whom the celebrations were co-opted.

Certainly I don't want my daughter believing in Santa Claus, but at two years old, her concept of what is real is pretty vague. I don't think Santa is any more real to her than Elmo. And it's fine if she believes in him.

[Tenspace]

I agree, Schema, that children should be allowed to have fun, enjoy in pretending and make-believe. When I was young, we pretended to be cowboys and indians, or football players, or secret agent & french maid (:)) - but my parents never placed a "truth" on Santa, or the Easter bunny. Of course, being Jewish somewhat gave me a head start on reality, since we don't create idols to worship like many Xtian sects.

Tenspace

[Lurker]

Of course, being Jewish somewhat gave me a head start on reality, since we don't create idols to worship like many Xtian sects.
What is it about jewishness that gives you a 'head start on reality" - whatever that means? I fail to see the connection.

[Tenspace]

Of course, being Jewish somewhat gave me a head start on reality, since we don't create idols to worship like many Xtian sects.
What is it about jewishness that gives you a 'head start on reality" - whatever that means? I fail to see the connection.
Then you fail to understand Judiasm. ::just kidding::

Christians publicly worship Jesus. Jews privately worship God. It's the single biggest difference between the two systems. Christianity became what it is today through spreading the word. Jews are somewhat hesitant to recruit new members. :)

Therefore, I did not spend my childhood being told stories about rabbits and easter eggs, and Jesus and crucifixion, and going to the mall for pictures with Santa. I will admit that the Tooth Fairy did hold me in her spell for many years, but there was real physical pain prior to each visit. And blood.

Ten

[Amazonis]

What school you sent them to would have to be based around what area you live in. I have never heard of an atheist school here in Australia, but you lived in a conservative area and their was an atheist school available. As for me, i live in a reasonably atheistic/agnostic area, so i have never had much trouble with religious bullying. I go to one of the most openly left wing schools in the country, so i generaly don't clash with people about religion.

However, i do have the occational altercation with classmates who discriminate against gays and stuff like that. I have in the past had an argument with a teacher for expressing a lot of right wing christian attitudes in fron of the class. However, i think most of that stuff is nessessary to experiance the harshness of society. The one negetive of a totally atheist school would be the lack of experiance in debating against religions.

[whoneedscience]

I must say this idea is interresting, and one I've given some thought to, if in vain. Fortunately, it's something of a tradition for generations in my family to be at least 40 years apart (not for lack of good looks, I can assure you :)).

For a while I entertained the idea of taking my kids to church, although then I'd have to pick one, which would be difficult, especially considering there's no way in hell I'm starting a family with a theist. I do like the idea of raising my kids to be skeptical, intelligent critical thinkers, and letting them decide what's best for them. I just don't think there could be anything better than watching my kids decide that the religion they've been taught to practice, and indeed religion as a whole, is complete bullshit. But then there's the issue of also raising them to be moral. I just don't trust the little buggers to develop any kind of morality without the fear of God. After all, isn't the point of religion to treat people like children? But then, of course, there's the issue of religions teaching things I consider immoral. I also think having a personally developed, free sense of morality can be just as dangerous as following an outdated convention.

What would you think about a kind of church for people of childish morality, with the idea of an omniscient being and a moral code and everything, but none of the dogma or biblical crap? I'm not talking about an atheist church, , but rather one actually designed to be grown out of. Maybe cannibalize Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Taoism, Buddhism and anything else for their best features and use that as a model? For instance, I like the idea of the Ten Commandments for little kids, but maybe update them to include things like "thou shalt not rape" or "thou shalt do your own dishes".

[Evil_Mage_Ra]

For instance, I like the idea of the Ten Commandments for little kids, but maybe update them to include things like "thou shalt not rape" or "thou shalt do your own dishes".
Then kids would grow up wondering why God was so anal-retentive about the dishes. Maybe the real reason Jesus had to die on the cross is because the Son of God got too lazy with his household chores.

[peepnklown]

If I happen to get my girlfriend pregnant and have a child I will not teach him or her atheism.
I would teach them to seek out knowledge.
I would teach them to seek the truth (by collecting evidence)
I would teach them to read as much as possible.
I would want them to learn on their own.

[Philboid Studge]

This poor bastard (http://www.atheistparents.org/pages.php?sc=001&pg=0167) waited too long to have frank discussions with his kid, so he lost him to Jesus.

[Tenspace]

This poor bastard (http://www.atheistparents.org/pages.php?sc=001&pg=0167) waited too long to have frank discussions with his kid, so he lost him to Jesus.
WTF? He wasn't very tactful in handling the situation. Asking a nine year-old to choose between mommy and daddy? Especially after he's been given special treatment in the eyes of Jesus? :P

[Bighead]

Yes, maybe an even stronger atheist emerges from a person who was brain-washed as a child an then uses he's brain for the first time and see the religion for the myth it is.

Thats what i went through, I was brain-washed in to the catholic theory and untill I was 14 I believed in God but I wasn't really following any of he's ridiculous rules on premarital sex anyways. Then I later applied logic to the theory and logic destryoed it and I became an Atheist. And maybe I'm a stronger Atheist for it I don't know but what I do know is that I want Atheism to spread and Im going to do my part and teach my kids atheism, I will also teach them about religion but explain to them that it is not real and people only believe it becaye they can not deal with their mortality and have to lie to them-selves that there is an After-life.
That's what happened to me...I was xtian for 22 years, and pretty devout while still in high school...I think that history gives me good defense when arguing with theists...I understand the bible better than I probably would if I had been raised atheist, and I better understand how they feel having to defend there dogma, having been in the same position myself. But I still hate that I wasted 22 years of my life believing that crap....I still feel it held me back more than it helped me...I failed freshman biology because I couldn't accept evolution, and any time it or anything relating to it came up, I wrote some stupid shit about how it's a lie and god created everything and all that crap....so I failed second semester, and that kept me from graduating with honors.....fucking xtianity....I guess that's partly my fault too, but it's more fun to say fucking xtianity... :D

[Philboid Studge]

This poor bastard (http://www.atheistparents.org/pages.php?sc=001&pg=0167) waited too long to have frank discussions with his kid, so he lost him to Jesus.
WTF? He wasn't very tactful in handling the situation. Asking a nine year-old to choose between mommy and daddy? Especially after he's been given special treatment in the eyes of Jesus? :P
You're right -- that was pretty stupid. Maybe if he's lucky, when his kid is 13 or so he'll choose between Jeebus and cheeba. I'm confident he'll make the right choice.

[Wiredrawn]

Im curius to know from atheist parents with atheist kids, how do other kids at school react to your childs atheism? Do they get made fun of for being atheist, do you worry about violence towards your kid, like they killed that high school student a couple of years ago just for being Gay?

I think the only way I would teach my kid Atheism at a young age would be if I could send him to an atheist private school where he was sorounded by other atheist kids, because these religious kids who are suppose to be taught how to behave by their religious parents don't know how to behave. This is also true for most religious people, as long as they become believers and let god save them in their death beds they can always behave criminaly untill that last moment and still go to Heaven.

Atheist however don't behave criminaly because we don't believe in an after life, this is the only life we have and we're not going to waste it behind bars. I'de be willing to bet 99.99% of all people convicted of murder who are on death row right now, still believe they have now changed and let God into their lives and that he will forgive them and let them into heaven. If you believe a good reason to believe in God is because with out him there is no reason to be good, then religion has failed it doesn't stop any body from being evil, not as long as God forgives them all the time.
I didn't know that there was such thing as atheist private school :/

[snap crafter]

Im curius to know from atheist parents with atheist kids, how do other kids at school react to your childs atheism? Do they get made fun of for being atheist, do you worry about violence towards your kid, like they killed that high school student a couple of years ago just for being Gay?

I think the only way I would teach my kid Atheism at a young age would be if I could send him to an atheist private school where he was sorounded by other atheist kids, because these religious kids who are suppose to be taught how to behave by their religious parents don't know how to behave. This is also true for most religious people, as long as they become believers and let god save them in their death beds they can always behave criminaly untill that last moment and still go to Heaven.

Atheist however don't behave criminaly because we don't believe in an after life, this is the only life we have and we're not going to waste it behind bars. I'de be willing to bet 99.99% of all people convicted of murder who are on death row right now, still believe they have now changed and let God into their lives and that he will forgive them and let them into heaven. If you believe a good reason to believe in God is because with out him there is no reason to be good, then religion has failed it doesn't stop any body from being evil, not as long as God forgives them all the time.
I didn't know that there was such thing as atheist private school :/
God damn, that's the thing I hate so much about christianity. It don't matter what you do, all ya gots to ta do is believe in jesus when your in a terrifying situation and are desperate. Then you go to heaven and get to kill all the people you want for eternity.

But, speaking from experience (and depending on where your living) reverse-religion persecusion is good for the soul. Makes ya stronger and all that. 'What doesn't kill ya makes ya stronger'. I would also enroll to poor boy in a karate class and encourage him to learn how to kill people with one of those nylon ropes with metal hooks, get him really going into the whole 'survivalist' things. That's my plan, breed a bunch of hitler-youths to unleash upon the world.

[TheSnake]

I think I've always been an atheist, though my parents didn't raise me an atheist and I still belong to the church (I probably should resign). I don't know (nor care much) what my parents believe in, I think they're pretty secular. People in my country tend not to talk much about their beliefs, it's almost a taboo or something.
What I remember when I was a kid was that if a kid even hinted at believing or praying to God, he'd get teased for it. Being religious was considered to be about as bad as being gay. So I guess it's not hard to grow up to be an atheist in an environment like that. Unfortunately, since people don't talk much about their beliefs, it's all too easy for gullible people to fall victim to different sorts of cults.

[miata]

Children are born atheist ; they are taught to love santa the easter bunny and Jesus.