During my freshmen year of college, I took quite a few philosophy based classes. I took an ethics class because I liked the professor and it knocked out a required category of class I had to take.

I am not religious in any way, I don't believe in god but I do not deny the possibility of his existence. I grew up in a catholic home, but I've only really seen the negative side of religion. I don't like the baggage that comes along with calling yourself an atheist, christian, catholic, etc. and quite honestly I don't know enough about any religion to say I disagree or agree with it. One day my professor asked us based on our religion what we would tell our children about religion one day out of the blue, and I had no idea how to answer it. I am only 19, I am not expecting any children in the near future, yet this question hung with me. Every person in the class was either Christian, Catholic, or Muslim so they all answered accordingly. I was the only person who couldn't answer it.

So that being said, if you do have children what did you tell them? Did you pass down your beliefs regardless of if you're a believer or non believer? Or if you do not have kids but plan on having them someday what do you plan on telling them?

I always thought it would be best to learn at least the basics of the most common religions and teach them all to my kids and let them decide what they think is real at a certain age. But I feel as though this would make them sort of a social outcast since most parents pass their beliefs down directly to their kids as fact, which I have never agreed with. So it seems there are 2 options, pass down your beliefs as fact or let your kids decide and have it possibly effect their social lives pretty harshly but that is obviously not guaranteed.

Since I did not believe in god in school, a big part of my class almost looked at me as an outsider. I was not a loner in high school, I had a very large group of friends. I guess I could maybe even be considered one of those fancy pants popular kids. Yet it still always bugged me that a large group of kids would not associate with me simply because I did not share the same beliefs as them. Some of my best friends are atheists while others are very committed Christians, Catholics, and Muslims. Maybe I'm over thinking this, but it is something worth getting a few opinions on.

I was raised Catholic. I knew only Catholicism. In Junior high here we learn about all different faiths or lack thereof. Though I don't plan on having kids, hypothetically, I'd tell my children that I am an atheist, however I wouldn't want to sway them with my own opinions. Those sorts of beliefs are unique to every person. All I can do is try to answer any questions they may have.

That is kind of what I was leaning towards, I just wouldn't want them to suffer any social repercussions. The only thing worse than an ignorant adult is an ignorant 13 year old boy that thinks he knows his shit. Not that I want to mold simple minded children like society today insists on.

This post was edited by bradp89 on Jul 12 2014 12:22pm

I'm going to raise my kids to be faithful Christians, and they will be going to church every Sunday until they move out, whether they like it or not.

Honestly I can't tell if this is 100% serious or 100% sarcastic.

That's not good at all man.

It's not good to instill values on your own children?

Nothing wrong with values, my parents taught me lots of values. They certainly didn't tell me what to believe in.

He's not saying that he's forcing them to believe in Christianity. He's simply saying that he's forcing them to go to church. That's discipline.

My wife is a Christian and I don't follow a religion. I'm an atheist I suppose . We let the kids make their own decisions . If they ask we tell them what we think. Don't think it through so much. Just be honest