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Wednesday, November 30, 2005

I wonder how my life would be different if Father in Chief had been a religious kind of guy when I met him at 16. Would I have swallowed up the church and let God's love guide me into ignorant bliss? Would I have decided that Toddler in Chief's defects were punishment for not being a good enough Christian? Or a test of faith to bring me closer to God? Ganail says my son's defects are from Satan himself.

Would life be easier to swallow if I could blindly accept that everything happens for a reason and that some greater power is up there calling the shots, for better or for worse? But walking around with rose-colored glasses when the world ain't so rosy is just walking through life in denial. I prefer to have my kid's life founded in reality, instead of leaning on a crutch, as Jon explained it.

For now, TIC will learn that the greatest love is the one you give and receive to/from your family and friends. He'll also learn that helping people is part of being human, not part of an organized religion that is redeemable at a certain place and at a certain time each week.

Permalink | Should you raise your child religious? | Comments (5)

Comments

Should you raise your child with religion? Sure, if you want to, and if you don't, you don't. I have a Masters of Philosophy in Peace Studies from the Irish School of Ecumenics, and became quite interested in Buddhism while there. So I'm not sure how much more well-rounded, I can get. ;^) I know I'm more concerned that we raise our children to live in peace and tolerance with one another than I am about children being raised with organized (and I emphasize organized) religion. In my opinion spirituality is something distinct, although not mutually exclusive. I think MIC's preference to focus on love from and between family and friends sounds like a wonderful foundation for any child.

And as my AP bio teacher in high school, a Catholic, said, why wouldn't I believe that God created something as wonderful as science and everything it entails?
So, I'm sure there's a place in heaven for a sexy skeptic . . . if he wants it. ;^)

Posted by: Barbara | Nov 30, 2005 8:55:24 PM

There is a great deal of diversity among the beliefs, practices and outlooks of the world's many religions. There is a great deal of diversity among and within the various denominations of Christianity. I find your eagerness to dismiss all these religons and denominations and their practictioners out of hand, and, furthermore, to dismiss them in such inflammatory and disrespectful fashion, to be highly offensive.

Posted by: Rachel | Dec 1, 2005 10:06:36 AM

What, then, is 'disorganized' religion?

The problems you find within 'organized' religion are the same found within any organization, large or small. What's the common factor? People.

We're human, and our flaws reveal themselves in everything we do, regardless of purpose.

Posted by: Jared | Dec 1, 2005 10:39:06 AM

Your comments make me sad, quite frankly, rather than angry. Your comments indicate that you seem to know very little about Christianity or Jesus and you base your disgust and distrust of religion on what? Probably not personal study. On what people (your husband?) tell you. Being Christian doesn't mean giving up on science, it doesn't mean seeing the world through rose colored glasses and thinking you get a free pass to heaven with no pain on Earth. Living is hard and sometimes, honestly, life sucks. Sharing faith isn't about espousing platitudes to a suffering person whose son is ill.

There are some really good contemporary books out there on Christianity and faith in general, should you be interested...

I used to feel as you do and believed religion was a conspiracy and religious people were whacked. I don't feel that way anymore.

Posted by: Cari | Dec 2, 2005 9:21:03 AM

Not every religious person "blindly follows" others into faith or walks around with "rose colored glasses." My faith is something I struggle with every day. Do I have doubts just like you? Of course. But I still believe.

Religious people are often dismissed as anti-intellectual--if we believe in God, we must therefore be ignorant. I'm sure there are religious people who are ignorant, just as there are nonreligous people who are equally so. Intellectual inquiry is not inconsistent with faith. But faith requries acceptance that ultimately there are questions we cannot answer.

Posted by: Julia | Dec 2, 2005 4:07:39 PM

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