[Dion]

Originally Posted by Thor

Most of the Atheists I know or have met have religious backgrounds as well. Of course some don't get indoctrinated even if brought up religious, obviously then there would be very few atheists if any.

My statement is that children are in no stage of development to tackle and take on a worldview that will forever affect their adult life. A child can much less differ ghosts, gods, fairies, and their various imaginings.

While you complained and didn't have to go to church anymore, most of my religious friends growing up had to go every sunday no matter what they thought of it.

If it affects their worldview forever then my brother and sister would have been Christians and the same for thier teenagers. The reality is none of them practice Christianity today. Like me, what we learned hasn't affected us in negitive way. Nor has it caused our minds to be closed. In fact my nephew Tyler left yesterday to spend 4 months in India as he want's to learn about the Indian way of life. I appluad my sister for allowing her children the opportunity to go into the world to learn and explore diferent things.

But you went back to your specific religion, Christianity I would assume. You didn't become a muslim, or a hindu. Simply because I would assume you weren't exposed to that or had very much influence other than the specific belief you were taught to believe as a child.

My going back to Christianity had nothing to do about what i was exposed to per say. In fact 5 years ago i invited the Mormons into my home so i could learn about thier faith. Like Christianity i was curious and wanted to learn more. If the JW's weren't so rude and obnoxious i'd ask them in also. I have curious mind and like to learn things.

Just because you weren't threatened or pushed to stay in the church, doesn't mean a lot don't feel that pressure. Its not that bad here in Canada, but it happens and it certainly happens in the US, and most of the religious nations of the world. People are ex-communicated from their families (jehova's/mormons/christian sects), even mainstream moderates suffer a lot of family strife when proclaiming Atheism or even converting to another religion (which happens a lot.)

I never said it hasn't happened. I merely responded to your blanket statement that tries to demonise religion.

So you disagree that children are incapable of understanding the complexity and consequence of religion being taught to them by parents who are repeating the cycle they went through as children?

If a child was raised in a world where he/she had no outside contact of the world i might agree with you (good example would be cults). I questioned a lot of things in my childhood and there was no limit to the amount of people or resources who helped answer my questions. Maybe my level of understanding was not up to your standards. Still it was enough for me to not to want to go back. Maybe i was the exception to the rule - i dunno.

I also disagree with the cycle you talk about. My brother and sister are not Christians and neither are thier teenagers. I never married but if i did and if i had kids i wouldn't be taking them to church. I would want them to go of thier own free will and choice. I don't believe in forcing my beliefs on others. I don't agree with bible thumpers going door to door and those televangelists we see on TV plus the billboards that try to demonise athiests for that matter. Same thing applies to athiests who are trying to get thier message out. Keep it to yourself and we'll get along just fine.

By the way, the darkside comment was a joke.

Yes, i know. You do like to make a lot of jokes about religion. Which is why i try to avoid discussions with you.