Wow, my attempt at humor seems to have silenced Anthony.

Seriously, margarine is not good for you. Which reminds me, I have to go take some flax oil.

LOL

Seriously, margarine is not good for you. Which reminds me, I have to go take some flax oil.

Many religious delusions are plainly less harmful than some secular delusions such as … margarine is good for you

…

I wish Mike C. were here too. I think he would say almost the same thing.

I’m here, I’m just not interested in getting into this same old debate one more time. Sorry.

Unless you are implying that “theism” is an integral aspect of child development?

I am implying nothing of the sort. I pointed out that there are other factors that are vitally important to healthy development which theist parents are just as capable of providing to their children as atheist parents. To suggest that all religious parents without exception are harming their children’s development is absurd. A lot depends on the content of the religious belief, and how they are presented. Many believers besides the denominations Mriana mentions do not believe in Biblical inerrancy.

Also, I think you are focusing too narrowly on religious delusions. Many religious delusions are plainly less harmful than some secular delusions such as:

-happiness lies in acquiring more and more stuff (the main message of advertising, which kids are exposed to at much higher rates than religious instruction in all but the most separatist households.)

-violence is a good way to resolve conflicts (the main message of a lot of tv and movies, see above)

-margarine is good for you

-women have no value unless they are young and attractive (the main message of MTV)

-Americans are always the good guys (the message of most American history curricula in the schools)

etc, etc,

if a parent tells the child, “This is a story,” even concerning the Bible, they will know the difference of which is fact and which is not.

And that’s what I would call an amazing, outstanding parenting job.

because of your poor understanding of child development and tendency toward black/white thinking

“Anthony doesn’t believe children should play – keep kids away from him”. This is your response, monkey? Is this all there is?

I won’t repeat my earlier comments supporting the normal, healthy play children use to learn about the world. I also won’t repeat my support of zero-censorship. I will repeat, since you don’t seem to understand my position, that I do not believe “theism” should be taught as *true*.

Unless you are implying that “theism” is an integral aspect of child development?

IF the child is free to think

Praise be to god.

Kids can and do get the truth in some churches. I would not have taken my sons there when they were young if it was taught as being literal. Needless to say, I have one son who calls himself Buddhist and the other gives himself no title at all.

Spong calls himself a non-theist, Bob Price is an atheist/Humanist who attends the Episcopal Church, Dawkins stated he was culturally raised Anglican, and I’m a Humanist. This is NOT unusual in the Episcopal church, although I don’t attend anymore for various reasons. Even so, if you were to look into the Episcopal/Anglican church you would find the individual beliefs are as varied as the U.U., people are allowed free inquiry, and if they find the right minister, their questions are answered honestly.

Not all Christian sects or religions in general are the same in which people are stuffed with nothing but infactual info. I think every parent gives kids both as they are growing up because we read bedtime stories like the Lorax and Bambi to them as well as teach them about science and alike. I think if a parent tells the child, “This is a story,” even concerning the Bible, they will know the difference of which is fact and which is not.