Momofthreeboys

I often hear that faith is a virtue. We often use the word "faith" to mean two very different things. There is "faith" as in a belief without evidence, and "faith" as in a reasonable conclusion based on prior evidence (which is really an incorrect usage). I don't mean "faith" that a couch will hold me up. I know and understand the science behind the structure and have a lifetime of evidence that says the couch will hold me up. That's not really faith. I mean the belief in something like a god without any evidence. How is that virtuous? Why would I want that? What does it give the believer? What does it give the society?

Here in the US, school children say the Pledge of Allegiance everyday. They can opt out but risk bullying, ostracism, and disapproval if they do. There are roughly 20 weeks of school in most districts. On each day, "under God" is replaced by a half-dozen gods. By the end of the year, most major gods that have specific names would have been mentioned. On one day, the "under God" is simply left out. So, for example, one day the children would say, "...one nation under God, Allah, Zeus, Odin, Ra, and Danu, indivisable..."

That would work? Then everyone could have freedom of religion and still get their gods mentioned.

Or, you know we could just save time and GET ON WITH EDUCATING THE KIDS.

What do you think?

They show you only what you want to see and "offer neither truth nor wisdom".

The Bible, with it's blood, genocide, rape, and tyranny, is wholly inappropriate for the teaching of morality, compassion, and integrity to my children. What books/TV/movies do you recommend?

Lord Of The Rings?

Harry Potter?

Doctor Who?

Can there be a reason that makes it okay or acceptable?

If I knew that my action would cause, either directly or indirectly, the suffering of others and I failed to prevent it, is that good or evil?

Both Christianity and Islam have a history of endorsing or sheltering pedophilia. Since we rarely see traits in the children that we don't see in the parents, does Judaism have the same problems? Is it too rife with pedophiles?

There are circular claims, unfounded and insupportable claims, and blatant lies, I'm just asking about the lies, which is your favorite lie?

I think mine is that DNA "proves" Adam and Eve.

There have been a few questions go through talking about the importance of faith. How, why, and in what way is religious faith important?

Often we hear that some religious parents indoctrinate because they want the best for their kids, "after all, you teach a kid not to cross the street don't you?"

But we do NOT, in fact, teach children not to cross streets, we simply teach them to cross streets safely. Religions teach children to fear the consequences of questioning and disbelief, they way you can teach children to fear the street. But religions end there, unlike their street-crossing analogy. If a child is taught to believe without question, are they not being made vulnerable to manipulative and charismatic people that claim divine revelation?

Let's take a Christian child for example. Assuming for the moment that the Christian view is true, isn't teaching a child to believe and accept God's wisdom without question simply making that child vulnerable to abuse? Satan, claiming to be God might tell the child to murder her parents, or when he's a man, to murder his son. Nefarious people claiming to be pastors could convince that child to drink poison in the name of belief, or wage war.

Isn't teaching religion from an early age making a child MORE vulnerable to harm rather than helping keep the child safe? How could indoctrination and belief help the child?

Every year I struggle with this. As a mom and as someone who works with kids (4-H, Scouts, youth theater, science enrichment) I like to know those things that will help me. Is the kid shy, intuitive, gifted, autistic, etc.? I have three gifted kids, each with their own unique "flavor" of giftedness. So far, I've "introduced" my kids, explaining their gifts, the challenges that go with them, and what each boy best responds to. Yet, every year one of my three boys (and it's always a different kid) has a teacher that seems hell-bent on "taking him down a peg". What is your opinion on how to tackle this? Tell or not?

Today I saw adults that work professionally with children be rude to a young man for no discernable reason. This young man is very talented. He is a gifted actor with a beautiful voice and an effervescent spirit. He's kind to the younger kids and helpful.

Today, two directors that work with children daily as their job were quite rude. It was like they were trying to "humble" him when he did nothing wrong. I've seen it happen to my kids but kind of assumed it was just that I was biased. I have no emotional bias for a child that isn't mine (except empathy) and I really saw with him what I've seen with my own.

Why would adults that should encourage talent, charisma, intelligence, creativity, and confidence try to quash it in such a gifted young person?

Stalin, Hitler, and many other sick tyrants sport lip caterpillars, they must be evil, right? Mustaches cause genocide! Can we stop this fuzzy menace?

It is a powerful drink, can cure all disease, heal all wounds and defects, and ease grief. It will make you immortal. It is odorless, colorless, tasteless, in fact, it doesn't exist in this physical realm at all, but if you take this into you, everything will be perfect.

It has worked for me and many other people. Sometimes, it takes awhile because the drinker isn't ready for it, but drinking it helps them get ready. To take my drink costs you nothing, it is already in you, and will aid you if you are ready and worthy. You know this to be true, it is inside you if only you will let yourself believe.

This is the argument of theism. If you'd take my drink, if you believe it to be true, THAT is the essence of theism. If you doubt me, if you wish for evidence, if you think I'm a snarky wench, you have contacted your atheist side.

So, would you take my drink?

So, in a nutshell: We are made imperfect and inherently sinful with free will which we are only supposed to exercise by choosing to worship a god based solely on faith and the word of others and trying really hard not to be imperfect and inherently sinful and feeling really guilty about not being perfect. Since we will fail, the perfect loving god had to demand the sacrifice of a demi-god (human-borne god) in order to forgive us but only if we keep trying really hard to be perfect and feel really guilty about not being perfect and annoy all our friends and neighbors trying to guilt them too. Or we face eternal fiery torment by the loving god.

Is that about right?

When the Lord spoke to Moses, telling him to cure leprosy with two birds, a cedarwood stick, scarlet yarn, and hyssop instead of pointing out penicillin, was he lying to Moses, or was the author lying about what God said, or did they just make a mistake?

Humans, for example, have only about 30,000 genes, the rest of the genome (the vast majority of it) is non-coding DNA, including junk DNA, insertions by retroviruses, and code for features we no longer have (like a tail). We can use genome mapping to SEE where our line diverged from reptiles, again where it diverged from Carnivora, from modern monkeys, from chimpanzees. Far more completely and elegantly than the corroborating fossil record, we can map our own evolution.

How can you still deny this?

My oldest son told my middle son that I said to come in. He didn't believe him, thinking his older brother was just trying to trick him. Should I follow God's example and punish him forever now?

It adds a whole new dimension to the Poe/Troll/Legit and Weird Game! I never know what to expect when opening a question. Maybe we should have them do this all the time.

What do you think?

I've heard denials but no explanation.

Goosebumps, for example, a feature useful and necessary when we were covered in scales/fur/thick hair all over, but completely useless now. How do they fit into a story of "perfection" where there would be no extra or unnecessary features?