My 7 year old son was playing with a couple of neighbor kids, brothers, who apparently asked if he went to sunday school. My boy answered in the negative. When told that he was going to hell for not attending, he replied by informing them that he didn’t believe in hell. Which led to the revelation that he didn’t believe in god, either. Okay, no biggie, just a few kids feeling out their beliefs and discussing them with peers, right? Not so much. See, while reasonable folks see their kids being exposed to various religious beliefs as a good thing and use the experience to foster discussion, that’s not how these evangelicals roll. No, the correct response, as these two kids told my son, is to say that they are not allowed to play with him anymore on account of him not believing in god.
What. The. Fuck.
These are 7 year old kids we’re talking about! They play. They run around. They talk about shit. If your faith in a (imaginary) god is so weak it can’t survive talking to a 7 year old who thinks for himself then what’s the point of it?
Fortunately, my kid does think for himself. And after a bit of conversation about the situation, he just replied, “You know what mom? That’s a silly reason to not be friends. I have enough friends.”
So to you people who whine that we atheists are too loud and ask why do we make a big deal about it: this is fucking why. Because generations of kids are being indoctrinated since birth to mindlessly parrot what they are taught. And what they are being taught is intolerance and bigotry.
So I’m going to stand up and be loud. I’m going to point out that, according to your own mythology, this Jesus fellow you worship hung out with “sinners” like tax collectors and prostitutes. He didn’t avoid those who thought differently from him and he didn’t treat them like second-class citizens. I don’t see where he said, teach your children to shun and avoid godless kids, either. I guess that must be in the New Conservative Revised Version of the bible.
#1 by kelleyclark on March 25, 2010 - 7:59 pm
As angry as I was when I heard about this, I've got to say: you guys have one hell of a son. Every time I read about how he's dealt with this I smile a little bigger. Go M.!
#2 by pandadementia on March 25, 2010 - 8:05 pm
This situation was ridiculous and I'm so glad that your son had the wherewithal to respond thoughtfully and intelligently and then to react so well to losing his friendship with them.
It's these kinds of people that give religions (and Christians, in particular) a bad wrap. Not all of us (yes, I'm a Christian) are like that and it pisses me off when I hear the countless stories about fanatical parents teaching their children to judge instead of to love and accept unconditionally because, you're right, that was what Jesus taught us.
In the same vein, though, I would hope that atheists would teach their children that not all people who believe in God are going to be as closed-minded as those kids are and to accept everyone, regardless of their religious beliefs.
#3 by pandadementia on March 25, 2010 - 8:40 pm
Excellent. That's as it should be. I know, though, there are atheists out there that give their kids a hard time for not believing the same way that they do: my dad is one of them. I'm glad all of the ones that you associate with don't.
#4 by GarageRock on March 25, 2010 - 11:53 pm
Any parent would be proud to have a child like this….better than any other achievement by far.
#5 by mark on March 26, 2010 - 5:40 pm
bravo my friend bravo……