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"Inherently Sinful"

Started by Dobermonster, July 12, 2012, 01:22:26 AM

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Dobermonster

This is basically a vent, but also wondering what others would have said.

A cousin dropped by with his four-year-old son to pick up some furniture I was giving away. I entertained the tyke while he loaded up the car, and then we chatted for a few minutes about kids and school and whatnot. He started saying that schools didn't teach everything kids need to know, how parents need to pay attention to what they're learning, etc, and teach them moral values at home . . .. like how his son is inherently sinful. My eyes glazed over for a second, I'm sure, while I digested the image of this father teaching the intelligent, happy little boy playing at my feet that he is evil. I didn't know what to say . . . certainly anything I felt like saying would've been inappropriate in front of a small child. Simply, it made me very sad.

En_Route

Quote from: Dobermonster on July 12, 2012, 01:22:26 AM
This is basically a vent, but also wondering what others would have said.

A cousin dropped by with his four-year-old son to pick up some furniture I was giving away. I entertained the tyke while he loaded up the car, and then we chatted for a few minutes about kids and school and whatnot. He started saying that schools didn't teach everything kids need to know, how parents need to pay attention to what they're learning, etc, and teach them moral values at home . . .. like how his son is inherently sinful. My eyes glazed over for a second, I'm sure, while I digested the image of this father teaching the intelligent, happy little boy playing at my feet that he is evil. I didn't know what to say . . . certainly anything I felt like saying would've been inappropriate in front of a small child. Simply, it made me very sad.


It is extremely sad. Kids are so utterly defenceless and the potential power of parents to damage them is almost limitless. There is nothing you can usefully say in such a situation.
Some ideas are so stupid only an intellectual could believe them (Orwell).

The Magic Pudding

It's better just to be a somewhat civilised animal, you save on psych fees.

Sweetdeath

That is so depressing....

How could someone think an innocent child is sinful or evil if they haven't done anything? I..just--- religious extremist having lots of children are what i am seriously afraid of. And i feel so, so bad for that child-- because he'll probably not break the chain. Or if he does, he will be damaged most likely.
Law 35- "You got to go with what works." - Robin Lefler

Wiggum:"You have that much faith in me, Homer?"
Homer:"No! Faith is what you have in things that don't exist. Your awesomeness is real."

"I was thinking that perhaps this thing called God does not exist. Because He cannot save any one of us. No matter how we pray, He doesn't mend our wounds.

Ali

That is extremely extremely sad.   :'(  I can't imagine looking at my sweet boy (also four) and feeling any desire to teach him he is inherently bad. 

Buddy

I never got why people loved to tell their children this. In my mind, this would mean that I should do more things against the rules because hey, if I am already going to Hell I might as well have fun.
Strange but not a stranger<br /><br />I love my car more than I love most people.

Stevil

I feel that the best approach is to give people a reputation to live up to rather than to tell them that they suck.

Icarus

Child abuse is a punishable offense.

Sweetdeath

Quote from: Icarus on July 12, 2012, 05:24:05 AM
Child abuse is a punishable offense.
Unfortunately religion loons don't think of this as abuse.  :'(
Law 35- "You got to go with what works." - Robin Lefler

Wiggum:"You have that much faith in me, Homer?"
Homer:"No! Faith is what you have in things that don't exist. Your awesomeness is real."

"I was thinking that perhaps this thing called God does not exist. Because He cannot save any one of us. No matter how we pray, He doesn't mend our wounds.

DeterminedJuliet

Quote from: Stevil on July 12, 2012, 04:18:53 AM
I feel that the best approach is to give people a reputation to live up to rather than to tell them that they suck.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the "you suck" approach is not the best motivational tool.
"We've thought of life by analogy with a journey, with pilgrimage which had a serious purpose at the end, and the THING was to get to that end; success, or whatever it is, or maybe heaven after you're dead. But, we missed the point the whole way along; It was a musical thing and you were supposed to sing, or dance, while the music was being played.

Siz

In the past I have made the directly challenging but reasonable statement that "millions of intelligent people disagree", and leave it at that. The ball is left squarely in the court of the parent to try to challenge the fact and the child is hopefully left with lingering questions of their own.

This suggestion is brought to you by the same person who approaches cycling children in the street and asks them loudly "why do you wear a helmet when mummy/daddy doesn't?" (just a little bug-bear of mine).

When one sleeps on the floor one need not worry about falling out of bed - Anton LaVey

The universe is a cold, uncaring void. The key to happiness isn't a search for meaning, it's to just keep yourself busy with unimportant nonsense, and eventually you'll be dead!

OldGit

The religion of boundless love brands the kids before they are old enough to understand - but they are able to pick up the disapproval.

Hector Valdez

I remember the same teachings in catechism class. I was more interested in other subjects at the time, but god was just kind of something that existed. Much like the oak tree in the back yard. I remember thinking that god was inside the oak tree. I loved sitting under that tree. Still do. As for being inherently sinful, I felt bad about it. It's hard for me to remember the fear I had towards god. In religin, it is often the reverence that is remembered. The fear tends to exist in the moment, but it hardly stays.

Dobermonster

Quote from: RenegeReversi on July 14, 2012, 04:27:09 PM
I remember the same teachings in catechism class. I was more interested in other subjects at the time, but god was just kind of something that existed. Much like the oak tree in the back yard. I remember thinking that god was inside the oak tree. I loved sitting under that tree. Still do. As for being inherently sinful, I felt bad about it. It's hard for me to remember the fear I had towards god. In religin, it is often the reverence that is remembered. The fear tends to exist in the moment, but it hardly stays.

I don't remember fear so much as guilt - to the point that I would be apologizing to God for even having sinful thoughts. Puberty in particular was not fun.

The Magic Pudding

It is angry atheist territory, I'm not wearing my happy hat here.