Need your opinion. (religious debate)

[Badger8]

For me its not so much whether religion is right or wrong even though my son has already mentioned (with a chuckle I might add) as to how this guy can believe that dinosaurs are fake. I suppose that is a plus side.

I don't raise my son to be anti-religion just as I wasn't expect someone to promote anti-science if you understand what I'm getting at.

I suppose my anger is coming down to an "external" person undermining me and how I choose to raise my son.

I know this will sound like the typical ex-dad rant but my ex is only concerned about where the money is not her kids. For example she wanted to take my son to Bali for a holiday straight after the Bali bombings because she wasn't paying for it!

Me having a word to her about this will be a waste of time as there is nothing between the ears to capture my words

Well, he thinks dinosaurs are fake... there's not really much more to be said...
Sounds like the best thing could be to calmly sit him down and ask this guy not to tell your son these things. Coming from someone who intimidates people without meaning to (oh the joys of being 6 foot 2 and built like a brick shithouse), it can work in your favour. nothing makes someone mess their pants like the person they are worried is going to knock them one sitting them down and clearly and calmly asking them not to do something.

And dont worry, you're not the only one who gets pissed off by these guys. I happen to be Christian myself, but these fundamentalists (for lack of a better word, not trying to start anything here...) really piss me off. they have such a closed mindset, can only spout what has been drummed into them since birth, and have no real understanding of what they are talking about.

And it sounds like your son is seeing that he's not all there upstairs if he was chuckling as he told you about the dinosaurs. Here's hoping it all turns out for the best for your son, and for you too mate.

[McJim]

This guy is shit scared of me

I read this yesterday and have only now managed to stop laughing long enough to post here.

On the serious side though, your son sounds fairly clued up so I think you'll get away with telling him something like "The creationists have unfortunately been a bit brainwashed - there's probably the head of their church making a lot of money out of it. I think it's best you don't believe stuff with no basis in fact." And stop short of the "I think they're a bunch of twats." phrase that I personally would have chosen.

[Bren]

What do I say to this as a Christian (albeit not a very good one, but that is irrelevant)? First of all your son should be given the options, then choose the path he wishes to lead. If he is being "forced" to go to church I would not agree with it, but if he is going to church out of his own will then so be it. It would surely do him no harm.
If your son is being forced to go I would consider giving your ex an option of you taking him somewhere else on sundays as quality time between you and your son.
Every question comes down to the existence question in the end...for example what or who set off the "big bang". I dont want to get into a debate here...
Anyway best you can do is just keep an eye on the situations, and please dont make any rash decisions....

[YellowDog]

Hi mate. I think I am quite well qualified to talk about this, as I have had a similar experience with my 3 kids. If your ex is devious and manipulative, all you can really do is to be the nice guy. Let your son work things out for himself. Of course it will be frustrating, but just so long as you make the time you have with your son 'High Quality' time and don't raise any contentious issues (like I did) you will be fine. If your son asks you direct questions, just give him nice soft answers. "Son, I am not sure of the answer to that one, why don't we find the answer together". A day out to the museum is another contact day sorted!

Don't try and fight, as I can guarantee you will lose! A religious childhood is a good childhood. When he gets older and a mind of his own, hios views will change. The Christian groundiung however is a good one, so don't be so worried. BUT dinosaurs did exist and the proof is all around us. I hope the religious teachings he is being introduced to are not too primitive and that the dinosaurs are actually the religious folk!

Good luck to you. It is very very tough and you need to take into account that your ex is likely not to want to make it easy for you.

[NotaGoth]

Teach him that EVERYONE has their own beliefs.... Let your son find his feet from there....




I completely agree with onearmedbandit on this one....

[Eva]

Teach him that EVERYONE has their own beliefs.... Let your son find his feet from there....

Wouldn't it be better to let him find his feet once he's old enough to make informed decisions?

A child is a child. Not a small adult.

[HDTboy]

Does the boyfriend run his vehicles on something other than dinosaur juice?

[Storm]

I'd have to echo OneArmed Bandit on this- let him make up his own mind. If its his choice, then fine and dandy. However if he is getting forced into it, then you might have reason for some quiet, yet firm words with his mum and partner.

Whatever you do, dont go off your rocker. This is Aunty Helens NZ now, and as a male concerned for his kids, you will get f^%$king nobbled if you cause a scene, and it will all be your fault(no matter whose fault it actually is)

Best of luck

[NotaGoth]

Wouldn't it be better to let him find his feet once he's old enough to make informed decisions?

Well duh thats the whole point isn't it?

But at this stage in his life there is NOTHING wrong with discussing different beliefs with him, and letting him know that its okay to believe in what he "wants" to believe in now is there?

P.S there is a huge difference between discussing different beliefs with him, and trying to force your beliefs on him.

[RantyDave]

Picked my son up for the xmas holidays and out of the blue he starts going on about how Jesus died for us etc etc, and it didn't sound like a 10 yr old sentence but more like something that has been drummed in to him. So I ask him who had told him this. He tells me its his mothers boyfriend. My son then also tells me that according to him dinosaurs never existed and the bones they find are fake etc. This is confusing him as I've taught him about dinosaurs etc

I would not stop shouting at him (boyfriend, not son) for about a year. For some reason the fundys seem to think it's cool to do this to kids. However spending hours telling kids about the truth of our one true lord Satan, is frowned upon. I know not why this is.

So, I wouldn't break his legs, but I'd make it entirely fucking apparent that he is not to pull this shit again. I'd encourage your son to find it funny that people believe this, because it is funny, and tell him about the flying spaghetti monster - http://www.venganza.org/

Dave

[Fatjim]

Mate your a religious bigot in the highest order. Get a grip.

[Hitcher]

Join the atheists: a non-prophet organisation.

[Fub@r]

I read this yesterday and have only now managed to stop laughing long enough to post here.

You mean you finally defrosted in the deep south to be able to type

Join the atheists: a non-prophet organisation.

If you go over to www.godtube.com they would tell you there is no such thing as an atheist, anyone that doesn't believe in god is an agnostic. Can't be bothered trying to explain their logic to this.

If you guys have some time to waste and want a laugh have a look at Godtube

[YellowDog]

I kinda agree with this!

Most Atheists I know appear to be more overtly passionate about their atheism than people with religious beliefs (as demonstrated above).

Most Atheists I know, live with a Christian culture and values and complain if others do not share the same. I believe their claim to be atheists comes from the fact that they get peed off by the ‘Over the Top’ behaviour by some of the overtly religious individuals in society.

When I was in the UK, there was an email campaign prior to the 5 yearly national census to make 'Jedi' (as in Star Wars) an official religion. And low and behold, enough people put it on their form (including me) to make it an official UK religion. May be the same should be done for the Atheists to make them Happy Bunnies too?

You can take this all too seriously though!

[James Deuce]

Ignoring all the posts that missed the point, if you are in a shared parenting situation you need to be discussing things like this with your ex and her partner in a mature and open fashion.

It is unacceptable for one parent to decide to head down any path of indoctrination, whether it be religious, capitalist, communist, or hippy-ist.

The ex and her partner have to respect your wishes if you don't want him attending Sunday School, though I can't see the harm in that.

Time for frank, open discussion, mediated if you don't think they'll handle it. That way you get your view across without a jail sentence (the-head-taking-off thing).