Brad Hudson's Desire

[_Res Ipsa]

So, you find out that your little child is dying and doesn't have much time left. This child asks you what will happen to him/her when he/she dies. And you say what exactly? "I don't know?" "You don't go anywhere, but your body is going to be donated to science to help others find a cure." "Go ask your mother." "Don't worry about, it doesn't matter anyway." So which is the Atheists responce and why? And if your child asks someone outside your family, say a friend or neighbor, what would you want them to say and why?

So, are you asking me whether I would answer truthfully or tell a comforting lie?

I think, since my children all know that I'm not a believer, I'd answer truthfully. I'd hate to have my child's last thoughts be "Dad is lying to me." So, what I would do is to tell them I that don't know. If they asked me what I think or believe, I would tell them that I believe that all things die. That death is as natural as life, and there is no reason be afraid of it. I'd also remind them of all the different beliefs people have about life after death, and that just because I believe something doesn't mean they have to. I'd tell them that I love them, and describe the joy they've brought to my life. And how they will live on in the minds of everyone who has met and known them.

As for other atheists, you'd have to ask them. We don't have a manual.

I don't pretend to have any control over what friends and neighbors would say. I would hope they would comfort my child, and not try to frighten him.

[_Ceeboo]

Hey Brad

So, are you asking me whether I would answer truthfully or tell a comforting lie?

I think, since my children all know that I'm not a believer, I'd answer truthfully. I'd hate to have my child's last thoughts be "Dad is lying to me." So, what I would do is to tell them I that don't know. If they asked me what I think or believe, I would tell them that I believe that all things die. That death is as natural as life, and there is no reason be afraid of it. I'd also remind them of all the different beliefs people have about life after death, and that just because I believe something doesn't mean they have to. I'd tell them that I love them, and describe the joy they've brought to my life. And how they will live on in the minds of everyone who has met and known them.

Good stuff, Brad!

(And I'm a believer)

I don't pretend to have any control over what friends and neighbors would say. I would hope they would comfort my child, and not try to frighten him.

Peace,
Ceeboo

[_subgenius]

it could mean that...but it definitely does not mean they are wrong either....but there is good reason to assume that in society..more is better....the idea behind voting and elections kinda rely on that.

Then I expect you will be converting to Islam soon, or at least one of the larger U.S. religions.

probably not...like you i may be destined for "weeding out".

?huh?...of course?...seems counter to the great apostasy of membership that so many critics exclaim on this board.

True because we all know how accurate that 14 million members number is or why the Church wants to send out missionaries younger.

funny, it seems lie you just "think" you know.

or on Beta Max if you are old school.

Trekkies are definitely kicking it with the laser disc my friend.

[_Fence Sitter]

funny, it seems lie you just "think" you know.

I "lie" when I "think" I know anything.

Trekkies are definitely kicking it with the laser disc my friend.

Do they set their laser discs to stun?

[_Res Ipsa]

But the Government can teach children that homosexuality is equally a correct lifestyle and that evolution and the Big Bang theories are facts. The government can teach students that global warming is a fact the government can control. The government can allow schools to have Winter parties and recess but not CHRISTmas Parties, CHRISTmas vacation or Easter Vacation?

by the way, I know that Leave it To Beaver is a TV show. Do you realize that "Family Guy" is a cartoon? Cartoons were something kids of the 50's watched. Though my parents watched "The Flintstones," Friday nights with me when I was a kid. And yes rape and child abuse did happen, but not everyday everywhere (spankings not counted). And no one back then imaged it did. The same cannot be said for today.

You might be suprised to read the following. The event happened in 1949 in Camden, New Jersey and shocked the entire nation. Such never happened before. America's first single-episode mass murderer.
NOW such is common and shootings take place in Camden every night, but never in 1949... Please see: http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/noto ... index.html
I was not born yet in 1949; however, I was a little boy in 1959 when the papers did a Anniversary spread on this terrible event and I heard my parents and the neighbors talking about it. You see, in 1959, such a thing was still very unbelievable. People just didn't do such things...

So tell me, what exactly is different now since the mid 60's. What was different to make such events unheard of in 1949? Could it be a defiance of God? People today might call themselves "Christian," but are they really? Or do most people only attend church once a year to hear Christmas music bringing back fond memories of long ago? I believe God is telling us that we have forgotten Him, but people are far too into themselves to get it.

In the best of all possible worlds, lifestyles wouldn't even come up in schools. But we don't live in that world. We live in a world where even appearing to be gay can get the crap beaten out of a school kid -- or worse. For that reason, promoting tolerance in schools is needed. It shouldn't be -- but it is. Tell you what -- you stop teaching children to hate gays, and I'll help you with the whole lifestyles in schools thing.

As to the other things being taught: evolution is a fact, even if it contradicts your holy book. Evolutionary theory is the best explanatory model for the fact of evolution. The big bang is a theory -- I've never seen it taught as the "big bang fact." It is the best explanatory model for the history of the universe. Global warming is a fact. Humans as the cause of the recent warming is a fact. That governments can reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that are causing the warming is a fact. I'm sorry that you don't like the truth, but that doesn't change the facts. Denying reality because it conflicts with your holy book is delusion.

Personally, I don't give a rip about what they call school parties and holidays. I've got bigger fish to fry. But would you be okay with calling Christmas vacation by the name of the ancient pagan holidays celebrated at the solstice? And celebrating "Passover" break? And having Ramadan parties and Dwalii parties and Bhuddist festivals at school?

Single incident mass murders started in 1949? Hardly. There are books on the history of mass murder -- read some. Here's what's more interesting to me -- as we've secularized the schools, the rate of lynching of black men has dropped to near zero. Hmm. I can draw correlations, too. There are hundreds and hundreds of books and studies looking at societal trends like violence -- read some. Causation is lots more complex that the conclusions you are drawing.

People have been doing horrible things to people since, oh, I don't know, the slaughter of the Midianites at the direction of Yaweh. To say that horrible things started when we started to secularize schools in the U.S. is simply nonsense.

[_Res Ipsa]

Hey Brad

So, are you asking me whether I would answer truthfully or tell a comforting lie?

I think, since my children all know that I'm not a believer, I'd answer truthfully. I'd hate to have my child's last thoughts be "Dad is lying to me." So, what I would do is to tell them I that don't know. If they asked me what I think or believe, I would tell them that I believe that all things die. That death is as natural as life, and there is no reason be afraid of it. I'd also remind them of all the different beliefs people have about life after death, and that just because I believe something doesn't mean they have to. I'd tell them that I love them, and describe the joy they've brought to my life. And how they will live on in the minds of everyone who has met and known them.

Good stuff, Brad!

(And I'm a believer)

I don't pretend to have any control over what friends and neighbors would say. I would hope they would comfort my child, and not try to frighten him.

Peace,
Ceeboo

Thanks, Ceeboo.

[_LittleNipper]

But the Government can teach children that homosexuality is equally a correct lifestyle and that evolution and the Big Bang theories are facts. The government can teach students that global warming is a fact the government can control. The government can allow schools to have Winter parties and recess but not CHRISTmas Parties, CHRISTmas vacation or Easter Vacation?

by the way, I know that Leave it To Beaver is a TV show. Do you realize that "Family Guy" is a cartoon? Cartoons were something kids of the 50's watched. Though my parents watched "The Flintstones," Friday nights with me when I was a kid. And yes rape and child abuse did happen, but not everyday everywhere (spankings not counted). And no one back then imaged it did. The same cannot be said for today.

You might be suprised to read the following. The event happened in 1949 in Camden, New Jersey and shocked the entire nation. Such never happened before. America's first single-episode mass murderer.
NOW such is common and shootings take place in Camden every night, but never in 1949... Please see: http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/noto ... index.html
I was not born yet in 1949; however, I was a little boy in 1959 when the papers did a Anniversary spread on this terrible event and I heard my parents and the neighbors talking about it. You see, in 1959, such a thing was still very unbelievable. People just didn't do such things...

So tell me, what exactly is different now since the mid 60's. What was different to make such events unheard of in 1949? Could it be a defiance of God? People today might call themselves "Christian," but are they really? Or do most people only attend church once a year to hear Christmas music bringing back fond memories of long ago? I believe God is telling us that we have forgotten Him, but people are far too into themselves to get it.

In the best of all possible worlds, lifestyles wouldn't even come up in schools. But we don't live in that world. We live in a world where even appearing to be gay can get the crap beaten out of a school kid -- or worse. For that reason, promoting tolerance in schools is needed. It shouldn't be -- but it is. Tell you what -- you stop teaching children to hate gays, and I'll help you with the whole lifestyles in schools thing.

As to the other things being taught: evolution is a fact, even if it contradicts your holy book. Evolutionary theory is the best explanatory model for the fact of evolution. The big bang is a theory -- I've never seen it taught as the "big bang fact." It is the best explanatory model for the history of the universe. Global warming is a fact. Humans as the cause of the recent warming is a fact. That governments can reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that are causing the warming is a fact. I'm sorry that you don't like the truth, but that doesn't change the facts. Denying reality because it conflicts with your holy book is delusion.

Personally, I don't give a rip about what they call school parties and holidays. I've got bigger fish to fry. But would you be okay with calling Christmas vacation by the name of the ancient pagan holidays celebrated at the solstice? And celebrating "Passover" break? And having Ramadan parties and Dwalii parties and Bhuddist festivals at school?

Single incident mass murders started in 1949? Hardly. There are books on the history of mass murder -- read some. Here's what's more interesting to me -- as we've secularized the schools, the rate of lynching of black men has dropped to near zero. Hmm. I can draw correlations, too. There are hundreds and hundreds of books and studies looking at societal trends like violence -- read some. Causation is lots more complex that the conclusions you are drawing.

People have been doing horrible things to people since, oh, I don't know, the slaughter of the Midianites at the direction of Yaweh. To say that horrible things started when we started to secularize schools in the U.S. is simply nonsense.

You know what. I was one of the of the kids that got called "Homo!" The problem was I believed what the Bible had to say and kids felt that running around, smoking and getting drunk or taking drugs was the cool thing to do. Personally, I don't mind evolution being discussed in science classes as long as Creationism is not ignored...

[_ludwigm]

imbecility

...
As for other atheists, you'd have to ask them. We don't have a manual.

... and we don't have temples.

by the way
I like temples (not the morm ones), as grandiose buildings by early geniouses.
- but they was built as empty symbols of futile faiths...

I could show to You some unbelievable products of architects of MCCth, MCCCth, MCDth century - if I had pictures...