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Atheist Parents

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Nov. 23rd, 2005 @ 11:58 am
[info]gentlemaitresse
Has anyone here ever been a religious parent, raising their child(ren) in that religion, and then become an atheist? If so, how did you tell your children?

I have five children, ages 21, 18, 12, 7, and 5. We were fundamentalist Christians. I gradually came to have doubts (primarily because of all the judgmental attitudes), and finally realized that I'm an atheist. I'm trying to decide how to explain to my 18 year old. My 21 year old already knows and thinks it's cool. The younger ones aren't such a problem, since they weren't so indoctrinated. But the 18 year old is a dilemma for me.

A Worthy Freethought Cause Oct. 17th, 2005 @ 10:44 pm
[info]rcfreethinkers
Hi,

My name is Leslie A. Zukor, and I am the founder of the Reed College Freethinkers, a secular student organization based in Portland, Oregon. To counter the fundamentalist indoctrination of prisoners by the religious right, we are conducting a FREETHOUGHT BOOKS TO PRISONERS DRIVE. We are acccepting all freethought-related books, although paperbacks are preferable. Donations would also be great.

Many prisoners are in their current situation, because poverty has put them into a position where they feel compelled to commit crimes (i.e., selling drugs, stealing, et cetera). However, as education is the way out of poverty, these freethought books can inspire prisoners to pursue the scientific method in their own lives--and become teachers and reseaerchers, not to mention moral citizens informed by the light of a rational humanism.

As someone who was not always a Freethinker, I know firsthand how much FREETHOUGHT BOOKS can change a person's life. Donate to a worthy cause, and you can help change the lives of prisoners.

Thanks for your consideration and take a look at the above websites. They will give you a better idea of our group and what it stands for.


Leslie A. Zukor
Founder & Signator,
Reed College Freethinkers, Box 1170
Reed College
3203 SE Woodstock Blvd.
Portland, OR 97202

http://www.livejournal.com/community/rc_freethinkers/

http://administration.reed.edu/sao/studentorgs.taf?_function=detail&id;=126
Current Mood: quixotic

Interesting.... Sep. 14th, 2005 @ 08:17 pm
[info]robeli
Wonder if he'll have more luck this time......

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/09/14/pledge.ruling.ap/index.html

Sep. 12th, 2005 @ 10:38 pm
[info]fade_away_me
Hey everyone! If your looking for a great place to buy books for your children (its 25% owned by scholastic books) click HERE and you will be brought to the main page. Click on "enter here" and then you will see my name on the RIGHT side under "E shows" (above the Hurricane Katrina Relief fund picture). Order as many books as you want. They have some great books for boys and girls. SUPER ones on potty training. Every child need some great books. Feel free to order all you want!

Please let me know if you are wanting to order any. My E-show ends 9/26.

I thought I would just pass it along. This place is great.

funny link Jun. 24th, 2005 @ 01:34 pm
[info]digitalexx
Thought my fellow Atheist parents would get a kick out of this link:

http://www.venganza.org/
Other entries
» Children's Book
A long time ago I posted an entry as a part of my college thesis project, looking for feedback about how atheists were treated when they "came out". In this post, I mentioned a children's book that I was writing and illustrating as a part of the thesis, titled "Simon Doesn't Believe in God".

To any of you who are interested, including cosmic_jax, xratedouroboros, sevenpale, gothgate, and chalepa_ta_kala, I wanted to keep you posted on the progress of the book:

I submitted it to Prometheus Books in December, but despite three snail mail submissions, an email, and a phonecall to the Editor's voicemail, I recieved absolutly no contact from Prometheus for the next four months. (for shame, Prometheus!)

So I retracted the manuscript from them and submitted it to the Freedom From Religion Foundation. This group does some really great things. They're mostly involved in helping atheists file lawsuits and such when their rights have been violated. I wrote to Dan Barker about my book, and this week he emailed me back saying that everyone there really likes it and they want to publish it for me!!

So it seems the world is about to have it's FIRST freethought book designed for 5-6 year old children!

The only thing is, FFRF is really backed up right now with it's publications, and I was warned that my book would have to wait it's turn... and this may take a few years. :(

But baby steps in the right direction - at least it's on it's way, and I'll be sure to keep you all posted when it actually DOES become a book!

(Note - It may have a different title when they publish it. I'll keep y'all posted on that, too.)

* * * * * * * * * *

If you don't know about FFRF, you should really check it out. As soon as I visited their website, I signed up to be a student member, and I knew they would be an excellent place to send my manuscript.

Here's their web page:
http://www.ffrf.org

And hopefully, someday, you'll find my first real children's book listed here: http://www.ffrf.org/books/.

Thank you guys for your interest in this children's book project. FFRF has no distribution department, so their books basically sell by word of mouth. If you know of anyone else who would be interested in a freethought book for 5-6 year olds and their families, pass their names on to me or my name on to them. I really want the world to see this book, but we don't really have an organized way of presenting it to them. .. other than advertising to FFRF members.

~ Amanda
quarkmonkey@yahoo.com
» Am I overreacting?
A high school in Odessa, Texas is adding a bible class as an elective. It will be taught as a literature or history course, because according to the article, "students in the elective class would learn such things as the geography of the Middle East and the influence of the Bible on history and culture." They claim it's not about "proselytizing or preaching". I just really don't see how that is. As far as I'm concerned, either teach a fair and balanced class about the influences of all religions and their texts, as well as atheism, or don't bother. One of my conservative friends thinks that it's an elective and I'm getting worked up for nothing. But I just don't feel tax dollars should be going towards a bible class in public school. Can they be sure, without any doubt, that it isn't promoting religion? Particularly one religion? What does everyone think? Am I overreacting to this?
» Stop Domestic Abuse
First, I would like to apologize for disabling comments. The reason is that this banner links back to the entry where this banner originated, and there is a long essay there about my views on corporal punishment and child abuse, and I'd like to keep all discussion, comments, and questions in one place. Please understand that I do NOT consider corporal punishment and child abuse equivalent. But you can read about that in my journal, and comment there, too.

The main message I am spreading is this: Domestic violence goes on far too much unchecked. "Corporal punishment", quite often (although not always, obviously), are simply words used to disguise domestic violence. Please. Let's put a stop to this. The home should be a safe place. And spread the word.


     
Loving is not hurting.


crossposted everywhere.
» (No Subject)
Does anyone know a great parenting magazine that focus on alternative parenting?
» Hello
...I am new!!! Currently, I am living in Florida and I have a 3 almost 4 month old daughter. My name is Margaret Galarza but you are more then welcome to call me Maggie. I am so excited that I found this community. If you have any question please don't hesitate. :D
» Attention South Florida Atheists, Agnostics, Freethinkers, and Humanists
Our current members and I of the Broward Atheists Meetup (www.browardatheists.com and in www.meetup.com) welcome all interested in atheism, theism, freethought, agnosticism, humanism, transhumanism, state and church seperation (otherwise known as seperation of sturch), and related topics to our Tuesday meetings after 6:30pm. The www.browardatheists.com website has details on our venue, it is currently a pub, but will change when more members are acquired. We're already bulging at the seams with an average attendance of about twelve. No matter your age, beliefs, or preferences, we'd like to hear your opinion. Even the sternest Christians may come and present their thoughts, because if you really believe we're going to hell, we sure don't want to be wrong about the subject, haha, but most members are pretty confident about their atheism and agnosticism. I mention the invitation only to be open-minded. Anyways, we usually discuss religion, politics, philosophy, etc. but do not feel obligated to have to order anything despite it being a pub. There is no membership fee either, it is an informal event so far seeing how we have too few to be more organized, but we'd like to be! And we'd like to have enough people to start some activism and be as productive as possible.

Aside from the weekly Tuesday meetings, there are fun events such as campfires and beach barbeques scheduled. We sure would like to cooperate with other groups and more members to voice the rights and freedoms we and others deserve regardless of our beliefs and with your ideas and help, this can be made possible. The current goal is to eliminate the negative stigma attached to our labels by altruism and stoicism such as scholarships and good deeds. E-mail me with any questions or better yet, any one else you can get in contact with from the website to get a clearer understanding of who and what we are. We turn no one down and encourage debate, skepticism, and reason. The meetings are definitely worthwhile and interesting or else I wouldn't waste the little free time I have as a college student to invite any one else to come join the experience. If you are in the area and find the time inconvenient with your busy schedule, no hard feelings will be had, but at least sign the guestbook so we can know you support us and wish you could come. :-)

-Jason
» Attention South Florida Atheists, Agnostics, Freethinkers, and Humanists
Our current members and I of the Broward Atheists Meetup (www.browardatheists.com and in www.meetup.com) welcome all interested in atheism, theism, freethought, agnosticism, humanism, transhumanism, state and church seperation (otherwise known as seperation of sturch), and related topics to our Tuesday meetings after 6:30pm. The www.browardatheists.com website has details on our venue, it is currently a pub, but will change when more members are acquired. We're already bulging at the seams with an average attendance of about twelve. No matter your age, beliefs, or preferences, we'd like to hear your opinion. Even the sternest Christians may come and present their thoughts, because if you really believe we're going to hell, we sure don't want to be wrong about the subject, haha, but most members are pretty confident about their atheism and agnosticism. I mention the invitation only to be open-minded. Anyways, we usually discuss religion, politics, philosophy, etc. but do not feel obligated to have to order anything despite it being a pub. There is no membership fee either, it is an informal event so far seeing how we have too few to be more organized, but we'd like to be! And we'd like to have enough people to start some activism and be as productive as possible.

Aside from the weekly Tuesday meetings, there are fun events such as campfires and beach barbeques scheduled. We sure would like to cooperate with other groups and more members to voice the rights and freedoms we and others deserve regardless of our beliefs and with your ideas and help, this can be made possible. The current goal is to eliminate the negative stigma attached to our labels by altruism and stoicism such as scholarships and good deeds. E-mail me with any questions or better yet, any one else you can get in contact with from the website to get a clearer understanding of who and what we are. We turn no one down and encourage debate, skepticism, and reason. The meetings are definitely worthwhile and interesting or else I wouldn't waste the little free time I have as a college student to invite any one else to come join the experience. If you are in the area and find the time inconvenient with your busy schedule, no hard feelings will be had, but at least sign the guestbook so we can know you support us and wish you could come. :-)

-Jason
» Petition
Please give a look at this petition.
Justice Scalia Must Recuse Himself From All Church-State Cases Due to Bias

Feel free to spread the link!
» Help with my senior thesis
Hi everyone -

I'm going to school to become a children's book author and illustrator. For my senior thesis I've written and illustrated a book called Simon Doesn't Believe in God (I know it's a dorky title, but it's for 5-6 year olds, so anyway... :) I've submitted it for publication to Prometheus Books, but no word from them yet. The second part of my thesis is a "research-type" paper that closely examines some of the issues within the text of my story.

Here's where you come in;

I'm writing a small part of the thesis about the reaction I usually get when I tell people I'm an atheist, and I need some quotes from other people as well. Can you tell me;

1. How many people know that you're an atheist (immediate family, close friends, or pretty much everyone)

and,

2. What kind of reactions you have recieved when you "came out". Any memorable experiances?


Thanks all! :)

P.S. Make a note of it if you don't want to be quoted for some reason, and I'll leave you anonymous in my paper.

P.S.S. If Prometheus doesn't take the book, I have another organization that's agreed to print it, but it might take them awhile to raise the funds. It's 25 sentences of text accompanied by 13 watercolor and colored pencil illustrations. Let me know if Simon sounds like something you might want a copy of, and I'll try to send anyone who wants one out a copy whenever it gets printed. :)
» Other birthdays today include Jimmy Buffet and Sissy Spacek
Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and torturous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness, with which more than half the Bible is filled, it would be more consistent that we called it the word of a demon than the word of God.

It is a history of wickedness, that has served to corrupt and brutalize mankind; and for my part I sincerely detest it, as I detest everything that is cruel.


-Thomas Paine


Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But, for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.

-Steven Weinberg (Physicist)
» What to do with little kids and church
I am very pleased with how the church thing worked out for my older kids. I started going to a Lutheran church in time for them to go through the confirmation class, which lasts for a couple of middle-school years (per kid). I wanted them to get the experience of attending regular services, some knowledge of the culture, and expand their range of acquaintances. The music program was a big unplanned plus, especially for my daughter. Now my son is a senior in HS, my older daughter is in college, and we haven't attended for about two years.

It's a big relief to me. I was hoping I could expand my range of acquaintances as well, but I never really fit in. I chaperoned study hall for the confirmation class for three years, then I spent another four years teaching the 9-12 grade sunday school class. I thought volunteering would help me get into the social groove there, but I was pretty uncomfortable with most of the grownups. The kids were fine, great actually. The fact that I don't believe in any god didn't help matters. I kept as neutral as I could, but of course I felt fake most of the time.

So what do I do with my youngest? She is three now. The thought of another long stint of smiling and respectful head-bowing doesn't make me too happy, but I don't want her to miss something important. I looked into the local ethical society, but it's just too out there for me and I can't imagine my husband ever having anything to do with it--he was very cooperative with the Lutheran thing. Unitarians? I don't know. I have some time to figure out something, I guess.

(cross-posting to my journal)
» Summer camp (?)
I have a challenge and maybe someone in this community knows the answer. Are there any over night summer camps in Minnesota that don't have a religious service?

And, since I detest the Santa myth about children with wealthy or overindulgent parents as "good" and poor children as unworthy of presents from a supernatural deity, here's an unrelated comic for your amusement

I <3 Huey )
» (No Subject)
Just for fun, how does everyone do the "Christmas" thing with kids?

My girl is 14 now, when she was small we celebrated Christmas for a few years, I tried to be respectful but still understood that it was a corrupted pagan holiday. The celebration of gluttony and avarice got to be a bit much for me though. We've celebrated New Year's for the last several years and I've been much happier with it.
» My kid and Sunday School
The following is sort of long. It began as a comment from a post of mine. My daughter had been upset with me that I was not sending her to Sunday School, and I was elaborating further to someone who asked about it (I thought it might be of some interest here):

"I'm an atheist and Bob's an atheist, and my dad's agnostic, and my mom is quietly a believer. And we're all Jewish 'cept for Bob. Because Jewish is a weird thing, and you can be Jewish and like, a satanist too. (It's an ethnic thing too). So when the kids were little I thought it would be good for them to know about their heritage and I sent them to Sunday and Hebrew school. This started when their dad had them on a couple weekDAY evenings a week because that's how it worked out best for him. So I drove them half hour away and all was good. (Small town, strangely many Jews here due to the university, but no synagogue).

Then their dad could have them on weekends and he took them to Sunday school. In fact, he lived in the town I was taking them to.

Then he moved to Indianapolis and at the same time I decided I was really confusing the crap out of the kids, particularly Rachel, because they'd come home talking about god and Bob and I would be like "uh, that's fine you want to believe in that honey but we don't". So I said if their dad wanted to find them a Sunday school to go to that was fine, but I wasn't driving them to Hebrew school anymore because I didn't want to and if they had a problem to ask their nana and poppy (my parents) if they would drive.

Well, needless to say their Catholic father who is awesome but also can't even get his own life together well much less find a sunday school for Jews didn't make this a priority. And I don't think Rachel ever talked to my parents, believing (correctly) that they wouldn't want to drive her half an hour for something that wasn't critical.

So every few months Rachel has these "You're so evil for not letting me be Jewish" moments. It's hard because part of me doesn't want to devalue her belief system but part of me is really "against" religion. (That sounds stronger than it is. It's fine for people to be religious but I'm talking about my KIDS here).

But I've grown up with people that turned completely fundamentalist when their own parents were against it. They went and attended the local fundy church in highschool when their parents (I think rightfully) let them do as they wished on the matter. If Rachel wants to go all orthodox on me later in life that's totally fine. She will find there are plenty of ways to learn about the Jewish faith. Plus, if my parents want to take her that's fine with me too, I just don't want to be the one doing it.

I try not to feel bad about it. She does basketball, ballet, violin, etc etc etc and we pay for and totally support her in wanting to do those things.

Sorry that was a long answer, but yeah it's a strange situation for most people to hear about because most people aren't atheist."
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