Hi everyone,
My 16 year old nephew is going to be confirmed into the Church of England in a couple of weeks.
Whilst I think he's wrong (and he knows my views in a roundabout way) I would like to find him a suitable gift.
Can anyone suggest something for an atheist to give someone being Confirmed? I've joked that I'm getting him a copy of the Koran, but that doesn't seem quite right; nor do I want to get something that's completely ignoring the nature of the occasion: some kind of philosophy book? A guide to living a life as an Atheist? I'm all out of ideas.
A jesus-shaped voodoo doll and a set of needles..? ;D
The Good Book: A Secular Bible (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Good-Book-Secular-Bible/dp/0747599602)
All the good stuff, none of the superstition.
Some people make the mistake of referring young people to the classics, but I think this can be a mistake.
If you are honest you have to admit Douglas Adams and the Pythons are old, possibly not immediately accessible to the young?
Maybe Tim Minchin would do the trick?
http://www.amazon.com/Sophies-World-Novel-History-Philosophy/dp/0425152251
Get him Sophie's world.
It's philosophy not religion and will get him thinking without pressuring him to change his mind. It is also a bit of a coming of age book.
Sophie's World is a fine choice. I would probably write him some letters with questions that will make him think and are open-ended. Just like the philosopher asks Sophie. Make him discover his own beliefs and hopefully he'll choose atheism.
I didn't know confirmation gifts were customary outside of the church giving the kid a bible.
Quote from: Whitney on June 02, 2011, 05:16:03 PM
I didn't know confirmation gifts were customary outside of the church giving the kid a bible.
When I was confirmed into the Lutheran Missouri Synod my parents and other close family members, grandparents, etc, gave me ten or twenty bucks.
Thank you for the suggestions. I should have thought of Sophies World as I've got my own copy. Have Amazoned both books; may give him both, or keep the secular bible for myself.
I recollect receiving Confirmation gifts; mainly bibles and prayer books, and a silver cross pendant. Certainly I got gifts from my surviving grandparents (I have no aunts and uncles) and kind of assumed that this was normal, perhaps not.
I wasn't that into confirmation so maybe I just don't remember it that well....to me the whole process seemed pointless since we didn't learn anything new.
Can't imagine giving a gift for such an event. Maybe just shed a tear.
Money is the best gift when you have no idea what else to get someone. Is that allowed at church though? Make sure he doesn't waste it on a church donation. XD
Quote from: nightwish on June 02, 2011, 01:48:42 PM
Hi everyone,
My 16 year old nephew is going to be confirmed into the Church of England in a couple of weeks.
Whilst I think he's wrong (and he knows my views in a roundabout way) I would like to find him a suitable gift.
Can anyone suggest something for an atheist to give someone being Confirmed? I've joked that I'm getting him a copy of the Koran, but that doesn't seem quite right; nor do I want to get something that's completely ignoring the nature of the occasion: some kind of philosophy book? A guide to living a life as an Atheist? I'm all out of ideas.
I don't know why an atheist would get somebody a different confirmation gift than a religious person. The gift is about celebrating a rite that he has gone through. It's not about you. I do understand that you want to get him a related gift that could provoke thought and think that's a fine idea. You could get him a Hans Kung book. A Ratzinger book could be religious but also provoke serious questions (Introduction to Christianity is good). Kierkegaard wrote some books on Christian practice in a somewhat heterodox direction, although he may be a bit esoteric or a 16 year old. Polkinghorn could be both religious and philosophy of science. The Archbishop of Canterberry wrote a good book on religion in Christian literature in 19th century Russia. Anything by MacIntyre would be great. There are a lot of good books out there but I don't know his background in terms of philsophical literacy.
Jake Miles is someone I'm reading at the moment. I think it'd be a bit disrespectful to give one of his books as his views are highly heretical, but if the family is of the pretty liberal Christian variety, he seems very interesting and will give a great overview of scripture. Christ: A Crisis in the Life of God is great, so far.
Quote
I don't know why an atheist would get somebody a different confirmation gift than a religious person. The gift is about celebrating a rite that he has gone through. It's not about you. I do understand that you want to get him a related gift that could provoke thought and think that's a fine idea. You could get him a Hans Kung book. A Ratzinger book could be religious but also provoke serious questions (Introduction to Christianity is good). Kierkegaard wrote some books on Christian practice in a somewhat heterodox direction, although he may be a bit esoteric or a 16 year old. Polkinghorn could be both religious and philosophy of science. The Archbishop of Canterberry wrote a good book on religion in Christian literature in 19th century Russia. Anything by MacIntyre would be great. There are a lot of good books out there but I don't know his background in terms of philsophical literacy.
Jake Miles is someone I'm reading at the moment. I think it'd be a bit disrespectful to give one of his books as his views are highly heretical, but if the family is of the pretty liberal Christian variety, he seems very interesting and will give a great overview of scripture. Christ: A Crisis in the Life of God is great, so far.
I agree, its about his beliefs. Just get him something thats normal for the occassion (what I have no clue) but save the thought provoking material for some other time.
Quote from: Will37 on June 05, 2011, 11:33:05 PM
Quote from: nightwish on June 02, 2011, 01:48:42 PM
Hi everyone,
My 16 year old nephew is going to be confirmed into the Church of England in a couple of weeks.
Whilst I think he's wrong (and he knows my views in a roundabout way) I would like to find him a suitable gift.
Can anyone suggest something for an atheist to give someone being Confirmed? I've joked that I'm getting him a copy of the Koran, but that doesn't seem quite right; nor do I want to get something that's completely ignoring the nature of the occasion: some kind of philosophy book? A guide to living a life as an Atheist? I'm all out of ideas.
I don't know why an atheist would get somebody a different confirmation gift than a religious person. The gift is about celebrating a rite that he has gone through. It's not about you. I do understand that you want to get him a related gift that could provoke thought and think that's a fine idea. You could get him a Hans Kung book. A Ratzinger book could be religious but also provoke serious questions (Introduction to Christianity is good). Kierkegaard wrote some books on Christian practice in a somewhat heterodox direction, although he may be a bit esoteric or a 16 year old. Polkinghorn could be both religious and philosophy of science. The Archbishop of Canterberry wrote a good book on religion in Christian literature in 19th century Russia. Anything by MacIntyre would be great. There are a lot of good books out there but I don't know his background in terms of philsophical literacy.
Jake Miles is someone I'm reading at the moment. I think it'd be a bit disrespectful to give one of his books as his views are highly heretical, but if the family is of the pretty liberal Christian variety, he seems very interesting and will give a great overview of scripture. Christ: A Crisis in the Life of God is great, so far.
Good point.
If you haven't bought your gift already, how about The Orthodox Heretic (http://www.amazon.com/Orthodox-Heretic-Other-Impossible-Tales/dp/1557256349) by Pete Rollins? After the Bible, the questions this book asked of me made me feel the most uncomfortable about my faith.