Do atheists indocrinate their children into their belief system?

but their values are very pliable

yes, the "making" is quite easy

why is one's own example not suggestive of brain washing?
BTW there are models of childhood education (not that I agree with them) that children are contaminated due to association with adults (Rudolph Steiner) - I only mention it because even such practitioners concede that the result of adult association is inevitable

 

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Or despair?
http://www.lrb.co.uk/v26/n21/rose01_.html

 

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It's not difficult at all. My niece is only 3 years old and she is perfectly cabable of understanding that she shouldn't hit her little brother because it hurts, she shouldn't steal his candy because she wouldn't like hers stolen. The lessons grow in complexity along with the child's capacity to understand.

The parent's example is a very powerful education tool, children imitate the adults, therefore this tool shouldn't be abused. I think that actions should be acompained with explanations.


I haven't raised any children myself, so I am not going to propose anything.

I'm watching closely as my sister raises her 3 year old and her 1 year old,though, much like we were raised by our parents, except without religion. No absolutes except the inconditional love. It's working pretty well but it's too soon to make affirmations I suppose.

 

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I'm sure that at least some atheists teach their children their version of how the Earth and its creatures came to be; just like agnostics and theists do.

 

basically complexities arise when a child comes to understand themselves as a vehicle of justice - which gives rise to responses when things are not "fair", what constitutes a misuse of justice ("who is right" "who is wrong") etc etc --- you know, all the things we lurv to discuss on sciforums

 

"Their" version is based on observed facts, and the best evidence that is available at this time. Not on dogmatic creation myths that date from thousands of years ago when it was common knowledge that diseases were caused by evil spirits, and lightning was used by god to punish the unrighteous.

 

observed facts and best evidence, eh?

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yes yes of course

I recall that most of my conflicts with my siblings and parents as I was growing up were for thinking that my parent's ruling against me on a certain matter was not just
but ultimately you know that while you are living under their roof, their word is final word

Raising children is deffinitely one of the most challenging life experiences. I don't mean to sound like it's easy. I just think that children's intelligence, specially younger ones, is seriously demeaned by a lot of parents.

 

I've never once seen you post anything worth reading. Goodbye.

 

just as long as they are not presented as facts

 

Assuming I manage to have some, my children will be taught that we live on a very old planet, that we, (and all other life forms) evolved, and that the universe is large and old beyond true human comprehension. That there is no good reason to believe that humans are special, and that claims that a creator made the universe for our benefit are incredible. I have no problem with the idea of presenting these ideas as facts, especially since they will also understand that believing in things dogmatically is wrong.

 

Agreed. In this case a child raised so can easily confirm or deny these things with a modicum of study. And in any event, such a person is encouraged to question things and find out for themselves. The reams of evidence for the claims made above is accessible to anyone with a modicum of intelligence and interest.

I don't see the similarities between this approach and a dogmatic indoctrination into a way of belief.

 

by golly I also know what I like and like what I know too!

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maybe they will start to smell the dogma after reaching a certain age ....

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Thats exactly what believing is...merely a choice.

 

And your point is...?

 

All rhetoric. Not a single athiest here with theist children.

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You would be teaching them a life of silent despair.
And then they would take guns, shoot other people and themselves.

There are things that must be believed dogmatically, if the person is to survive. Like believing about oneself that one is a worthy person and has the right to live.

 

How many people who believe one thing or another,
actually sat down, thought about the options -
"Let's see, which could I believe, A, or B. Or C? Or D? Okay. I'll believe in B."
- and ended up believing?

I don't think anyone did. Arriving at a belief in something is usually complex and can therefore be hardly considered a "choice".

 

But plenty of examples of atheists raising their children with much exposure to theisms of one sort and another.

And nothing much in the way of indoctrination, apparently.