This is what I meant when I said children love Socratic style interaction. You should hear some of the answers I get from my almost 3 year old after she hears what here brothers answer. First of all just asking a 3 year questions makes them feel good. It can be quite entertaining. But I love the fact she is already thinking.
When I was a child I went to pre-school at a Lutheran church. I don't remember much about that. When I was a little older, I attended sunday school at a Methodist church. I remember activities that I did there and they are some of the most fondest memories of my life. I had fun. They did fun things. It was great. I remember being in Christmas plays. I remember playing games. And lots of other things. Baron, let your son enjoy the same things I did when I was his age. Try not to let the atheist's ruin what fun he can have at church.
As an atheist I must admit some envy of this aspect of religion. It's too bad there are no community churches for atheists. The social community aspect of religion is quite nice. I think about this when I see the signs like "Potluck Dinner, Saturday " in front of churches.
Why not explain both sides of the situation and let him decide what he believes? I'm sure you can agree that it is right to avoid lying, stealing, vandalism, profanity, etc - so perhaps you could start there? Church groups, sports, hobbies, career / talent development, and friends are no substitute for a mother and father. You are his mentor.
Why not let him experience both sides of the situation and see what he likes/believes? Have him go to church and when he gets home read atheist literature to him.
I was not raised in a religious household. My family, in their former homeland, was not able to practice religion so to us it was more about tradition and gathering with family. Once we moved and were able to practice more freely, we went to synagogue about once a year, and always had large family gatherings on holidays. To me being Jewish is about being together (and eating ) and occasionally attending religious services. It is more about doing the traditional things and believing than anything else. When I went to university, I took a course on science and religion as well as a number of courses on Judaism because I was curious. I now use religion to explain things that science cannot. Overall, the balance I was raised with worked well for me. I never felt like religion was shoved down my throat (which made me interested in it during my young adulthood) and always enjoyed it because it was simply tradition.
Hmm, can one person's mind encompass both science and religion? Can a person's mind reconcile a world of contradictions? Let's see, believing in both science and religion is like .... like ..., oh oh I know, it is like a man who believes he is a woman, and when he plays with himself, he uses his hand on his convex part of his anatomy, but in his mind when he is playing, he is visualizing having something shoved up HER concave portion of her anatomy. Hmm, what to do? Ah, the government provides a solution !!! Come to San Francisco and have a free sex change paid for by the tax payers of course ! http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=253738&perpage=6&pagenumber=1
The kid is 6 year old. One of the problems of today's parents that they always want to offer choices and freewill to their kids. That can come later. And since it is the US, the situation can be very different based on location. Does Baron want his kid to be ostracized based on his questioning the mainstream thinking? That can come later too. In parenting, there is always a time and a place for everything. Giving too much information too soon can be a bad thing. Do you tell the truth about Santa to a 4 year old? What's the point? In short, if I were Baron, I would just go with the wife for the time being (as long as the church is not an orthodox one) and wait with the eye opening until the kid is at least 12 years old.... It could be a good test of the kid's brightness if he can spot the inconsistencies.... If Baron wants me to I can tell him privately what is it like growing up in an atheist country, but I won't share everything publicly, there are just way too many assholes on P&R... P.S.: Assuming that the kids are actually following the rules and teachings, (and they are most of the time not) I would want my kids to be Mormons/ Muslims until they are 20. A teenager who doesn't drink, do drugs or have sex??? Halleluyah!!!!
Excellent point. Children are not "little adults". Not that I shove my crapola down kids throat but I do ask them what they want. Then I negotiate, when possible (but I rule). Kids can be "smart" for their age but they lack life experience to apply the knowledge in context.