A question directed at all religious folks about your children, would you mind if...?

I don't believe that religion is the deciding factor in whether or not you're a good person ...

Yes, it is possible to be a good person without faith. However, the reason that I want to raise my children as Christians is because I believe that Christianity is the truth. My children, should they turn out atheist, might be legitimately moral people, and I will love them no matter what. However, I would mourn the fact that they were rejecting the God who made them and loved them more than I ever could. I would possibly be more sad if my child turned out to be a professed believer but acted hypocritically.

Now, you can argue all you want about the truth or falsehood of Christian beliefs. But, taking it as a premise that I believe it to be true, can you see how it would sadden me if my child became an atheist? I think my mother (an atheist) is somewhat upset by the fact that I became a Christian, but she still loves me.

The problem with being a "good" person without faith is that it is impossible in God's sight. Saying that God isn't real is just like walking into a busy road saying, "Traffic isn't real." You would still get run over and if God is real, you will still be punished by Him. You say you can be a good person and not believe in God but that's not true. If Jesus bled and died for you and you don't want any part of Him, you are very callous toward Him. That isn't good. Doing some good moral things and not loving God is like a man who neglects his wife and children to serve the rest of the world; you know, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, etc. Jesus said the first and greatest commandment is to love the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. If you asked that man's wife and children whether he was good or not, they would probably say something like, "Yes, he was good in some ways. But he missed the most important part of what it is to be good because he didn't care for the people closest to him." Come judgment day, even if you hadn't broken the last six of the Ten Commandments (do not lie, steal, covet, commit adultery, murder, or dishonor your parents), you would still be guilty of breaking the first three (no gods before God, no graven images, and don't take the Lord's name in vain). It is not possible to be a good person without faith. God wants us to love Him above all else. If we do not do that, we are not good people, whatever else we may have done. And don't give me the "There's no evidence" routine. That's bullcrap. The conscience should be evidence enough. The order of planet Earth, the frailty of life, etc. are evidence also.

What is the definition of an "upstanding moral person" or a "morally corrupt person?" Who decides what morality is? If it's an individual decision, I'm sure that we all think we're great. If there's some sort of outside standard, who made it? I don't believe that morality is possible without God. Conformity to societal norms is possible, but not morality.

My children will never be raised as atheists, not as long as I'm alive nor so long as their godparents are alive. I don't hate atheists, but it's not my desire for my children. If they become atheists as adults, I will still love them but will be disappointed and confused.

How to identify a cult: 1 Organisation has a strongly authoritarian structure 2 Organisation is reluctant to reveal all its doctrines on request 3 Organisation promotes itself as Christian when its major doctrines/practices are not supported by Biblical Scholars 4 Its doctrines change over the years 5 Past mistakes are covered up instead of acknowledged 6 Closed to inside/outside criticism 7 Leaders often live a lifestyle inconsistent with their own message to members 8 Leadership claims special direction from God not available to others in the organisation 9.Members are actively discouraged/ prevented from reading other religious literature 10. Members are told what other writings/books/magazines can be read besides their primary literature 11 Members required to sever all ties with the past 12 All dissent seen as evidence of pride, sin or rebellion 13 Members disciplined by threats/bribes 14 Members exploited financially

Yes, I would mind because I would feel that I failed as a parent if my children grew up to be atheists.

Of course, it is possible to be a good person, by the world's standards, without a faith in God. However, man's purpose is to participate with the Creator to complete the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. It is not enough to avoid doing wrong and harming others. Rather, the call to be fully human is to respond to the call of the Creator.

No faith... No Hope.

No Faith... No meaning in life other than what you assign it.

No Faith... No right and wrong other than what you assign it.

No Faith... No Salvation, No God's love.....

Yes it would be very sad. Fortunately when you look at the evidence they have enough common sense to see that there must be a God. Fortunately the evidence and the Bible match and tell us about salvation.

"There is no incompatibility between science and religion... Science shows that God exists." - Prof. D. Barton, Nobel Prize Chemistry

"Science can purify religion from error and superstition. Religion can purify science from idolatry and false absolutes" - Pope John Paul II

C.S. Lewis, Lee Stroebel, Alister McGrath, John Polkinghorne.... all atheists that looked and found God and Jesus.

Good luck in your search for what is true!

Todd

Jack, consider this:

Yes some churches are lecture and leave.

But many others, mine included are active churches, and the children are involved in both local and distance mission work. They learn to help others just for the sake of helping.

Where else will they learn that? It also brings our community together. We care for each other, and take meals to sick family members, even to people not associated with the church.

And if you really really believe in Jesus Christ, you certainly dont even want to consider the possibility of your children facing an eternity without Christ.

So, respectfully, I would personally be against my children growing up as atheists. I would still love them of course. But I would miss their fellowship and be concerned for their souls.

Exactly. Look at Thomas Edison, he was an atheist. Yet he made one of the most revolutionary objects of all time. Without it christians wouldn't be able to type al of this. It makes me laugh when I see christians say that they think atheists are the stupidest people alive, yet they wouldn't even be able to tell them that online, on t.v, or even in the movies without the good deed of an atheist.

But as for your question, I wouldn't mind if my (future) kids were ahteists. It's their choice.

I was raised Catholic, but I'm Agnostic now and my parents don't make a big deal of it. If my kids, for some strange reason, decide to become religious, I won't mind either, as long as they're good people.

Anyone's children have a good chance of growing up to be atheist. It seems to be on the rise. Whatever my children decide what makes sense to them is fine with me, as long as it brings no harm to them or others. Hopefully my strongly religious family won't interfere.