Just existing

All this time and I just found your forum! I am also agnostic and raise my children as so. Hard to believe being "the preacher's daughter". Why doesn't the world face reality and stop brainwashing the next generation now? I don't want my children believing this BS anymore than fairies, angels, ghost, leprechauns, santa claus, and the easter bunny. When you see proof, then believe. The most beautiful place, people, and things exist right here one the plant earth. But most people don't take the time to see them. Enjoy your life to the fullest, you only have one.



Interesting to see all you guys thoughts and or beliefs on the top five unanswered.Thanks

Danlo

1) Colonel Mustard
2) The candlestick
3) Last night
4) In the dining room
5) 'Cos it's a game



Sorry, couldn't resist!!

Welcome to the forum Je!

D.

Danlo

In an attempt at being a little more constructive....

Is raising your children to be agnostic contradictory to the tenets of agnosticism?

D.

greywolf90

i believe in ghosts...
i guess the closest term for my beliefs would be an agnostic theist. anyways i feel that if you cannot let your kids choose their own beliefs, that makes you the same as every other religious parent. i always thought of agnosticism as a personal oppinion; not a religion that you can teach others. how do you know that you are right? how do you know that all that stuff is bs? i thought being agnostic means that you cannot know. i believe that there is no such thing as a "right" religion, but i can't say it is a fact that a specific religion is wrong since i don't really know. mabey reincarnation is real, mabey heaven is real, or mabey none of it is real. all of these seem equally possible to me since no one knows what happens to us after death.

__________________
"for there is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so."- Hamlet

Geshtinnanna

Ohhhh, that's an excellent view on things!

__________________

WilliamBlue

I disagree, an agnostic learns to think critically but also to try to keep an open mind and they still will be able to choose if they see fit. Good training for life in my view. but I maybe a little bias

__________________
When you dance with an elephant it's up to you to not get stepped on.
How can we be so arrogant and egotistical to believe that the whole Universe was created just for us?

Danlo

I guess it was more of a question for myself and others (rather than a view at this point in time).

To me agnosticism doesn't involve believing in something, it's more a lack of belief (pending further evidence!).

Therefore, it would seem to me a little bit pointless to try and teach someone to not believe in something (ie. Christianity, Islam, intelligent design, reincarnation, the bible etc..). Where would you draw the line?!

Instead, I believe people should be encouraged to learn how to critically evaluate options and establish their own belief framework. If agnosticism is their cup of tea then that's great, you've got something in common. If on the other hand they choose to go down a path of some belief system other than agnosticism then to me that should be fine also (as long as they're prepared to engage in healthy debate!).

D.

greywolf90

don't get me wrong; i think it is great to raise her children as agnostic. but she says that she "doesn't want her children believing in all this bs" and this doesn't sound very open minded to me. i may be wrong, but to me, it seems like she is teaching her kids that all religions are wrong and only her beliefs are right. this does not fit an agnostic philosophy in my oppinion.

__________________
"for there is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so."- Hamlet

romansh

Welcome Just existing

You posted an interesting thread..

and Danlo posts a tricky question
Regardless what parents do .... they will influence their children

So what would a child that is raised agnostic look like?

Possibly .... would look like a child that is continually asking "why?" and other questions. So the last thing an agnostic child would need is answers.

Just a thought.

__________________
There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened. ........... Douglas Adams

NotConvinced

As I believe true agnostics are indeed 'diamonds in the rough' I'd love to be able to share such a belief with my children when and if I have them. I often wonder though, if I prefer my children to be agnostic then what would I expose them to early on? Take them to multiple churches of many different faiths? Don't take them to church at all? Talk to them a lot about my own faith? Let them come ask me and reveal my faith at the appropriate time in their lives?

Ofcourse I believe they should have the freedom to belief whatever they want, but what if, just what if, my kid ends up going into the priesthood? On some level wouldn't I have to consider that a failure on my part?

__________________
<insert meaning of life here>