Buy xanax online. Xanax no prior rx needed. Xanax. Buy xanax with no prescription. Xanax side effects. Side effects of xanax. Titel auteur datum xanax medication bmnwbbuk….

I am in a very similar situation to yours. My husband and I have been atheists since before we met and our families didn’t seem to have a problem with that until we had kids. Now, they are really trying to “convert” us and are “very concerned” about our children. My mother in law called my husband at work one evening when she was watching the kids because my son did not want to pray with them and she thought that was very strange. I’m not sure why they are so surprised that we are not raising our children with religion because they’ve known that we do not believe in god.

I can totally relate to you regarding the negative perception our families have about atheism. At this point, we are agnostic to them because like Noell said the word agnostic is more approachable for people than atheist. I also tell them I am a humanist, but have also found that they have a negative perception of that as well. More than anything, my husband and I choose our labels carefully to keep peace in the family. Labels are not as important to me as they are to our families.

A comment on Santa Claus. My 10 year old granddaughter, a bright, happy, soccer-playing young girl, was teased by her friends for believing in Santa Claus and defended her position vigorously because her parents had told her he was real when she was young. This year her mother finally told her it was a myth and the reaction was not good. I quote, “Do you mean I have been making a fool of myself with my friends because you lied to me all these years?”

She got over it, of course, but my point is that there was no need for that to have ever occurred. Santa could have been presented as a very fun story from long ago at the beginning with no problem. Selected gifts under the Christmas tree could have been referred to as “Santa Gifts” and Mom’s integrity would have been preserved.

I have a more positive view of religion than most atheists but religion was ultimately something I gave about zero thought to (until I had my own child and became worried about the fundie influence on him from the rest of the family). I had decided I didn’t believe in god(s) so I just went about living my life without thinking about things I didn’t believe in.

But to my relatives, identifying myself as an atheist means I must spend a lot of time “denying God,” that I must support the American Atheist Association and its agenda in the same way that they support their churches, and that I must seek to congregate with other atheists to support me in my beliefs the way they congregate with other fundies. None of those things is true about me but there’s no convincing the family. I don’t think devoutly Christian people can conceive of atheism as anything but its own religion…

Which is a long-winded way of saying I haven’t found labels helpful to me.

I grew up in a Methodist household but drifted away at college and after. Have two kids, 18 & 23, raised with NO church attendance, no baptism, nothing. We’ve attended a church wedding (my sister in law is Catholic) and a few Christmas services when my oldest was young, but that’s it.

We don’t believe in the indoctrination of religion, and have raised our kids to think for themselves. I know they’re caring and helpful kids and will choose the right path.

I’m a volunteer at school and various organizations that help others (non religion based).

If you care about other people and lead your life with that philosophy, isn’t that enough? I really don’t understand the big push to be “saved.” We even muddled through a few years of Boy Scouts with each boy…

Petunia-Yes, we grew up with Santa. Learning reality about him did not effect my religious belief. But I do think it will have an affect with my children since I speak with them about religious doctrine in terms of “stories” instead of reality. Blake only just learned about Santa not being real this year. At the same time he is moving toward a more agnostic stance regarding life after death and God.

BTW, I don’t know how that happy face intruded itself into my comment above. It’s supposed to say “age 8″.

As I said, my kids went to a catholic high school. Overall, drugs were not a serious problem during the 6 years we had one or both of our boys enrolled there. However, I was appalled at how many parents enabled or at least winked at alcohol use by their kids. On one occasion several members of the football team and several cheer leaders were discovered to have taken part in a serious drinking party at a motel in southern Indiana. It was even attended by some parents and assistant coaches. As football is king at Roncalli High School, they were all let off with only a reprimand. Gotta win state, don’t you know? (Which they have done something like 8 times over the last 12 or 13 years.)

I have no memory of our kids asking about church or god. We just didn’t make much of it. Perhaps we were guilty of being “apathists.” As I said, regular church attendance was not the rule in my wife’s family. We generally went only for family events. Your situation is markedly different in that you made a dramatic change which I’m sure adds to your dilemma. Just take it a day at a time. Eventually, as your kids mature, they will likely be better equipped to make an informed decision about god, owing, at least in part, to your efforts. (As informed as it can be, anyway.)

The only period I attended church with any regularity was while I was in high school. I went more for social reasons than religious. I sang in the choir at a small presbyterian church. I started dating a girl who attended another presbyterian church. I sang in that choir, too. What we won’t do for love?

TLS

What I find repugnant about most religions is that they begin the “brainwashing” almost from birth. They are fearful that if they don’t indoctrinate their children early and often, they will fall under satan’s evil spell. They have no faith in their kids ability to choose.

Above, you wonder at there being any “negatives” regarding religion.I don’t know if there are any “studies” to site regarding negative influences of religion, but history is littered with the bones of those who have died in the name of one god or another. The crusades brought on the death of millions of both christians and non-christians. Much of the unrest we are experiencing in the world today is owing to the rantings of religious fundamentalists. Even klanners evoke the name of god to justify their hate.

While people of faith do perform humane works through their respective church organizations, it is ultimately the people who do the job, not the church. We are certainly capable of compassion and caring for others without religion. Religion is, by its very nature, exclusionary. It naturally pits one group against another. Ecumenical inclusion can only be allowed to go so far. You are either a methodist (or a catholic, or, whatever) or your not. If you’re not in our group, you will not be able to catch a ride on the paradise express.

TLS

Fran- I understand the desire to specify our philosophies, but ultimately I think agree with TXAthiest that it is semantics. I don’t see the big deal whether I call myself atheist or agnostic. In fact it seems laughable to me that the HNN letter writer was so worked up about a person’s choice to use that word. I identify with both terms. I used to call myself atheist. But since the whole world seems to be wired to believe in gods, at some point it began to seem more intellectually honest to say agnostic. But then sometimes not. Like I said, I don’t see what the big deal is.

And I will admit, “AgnosticMom” is partial PR. My purpose for this blog is to bring together parents who want to raise families without religion. Some of them may be Deists or liberal Christians. Some are only barely agnostic, swinging back and forth into and out of Deism. Some are hard Atheists. For the purposes of my blog, “Agnostic” is more approachable.

Another reason: unlike most people here, I began raising my children with a belief in Jesus and since that was a security blanket to them and they were young, I wasn’t about to hit them over the heads with sudden atheism. For my kids it has been a gradual moving away. Trinity (age 6) says Jesus is God. Blake (age is now saying Jesus is probably God but nobody really knows. For their sakes, our family is agnostic. And we also believe in Santa. They’re smart. They’ll get it by the time they need to.

As for some atheists thinking I’m taking the easy road and sitting on the fence: I am not afraid to say what I think. I don’t like to tell other people what to do or think. But I am just as hard-nosed as any other atheist once I’ve made my decision!

One more question, Fran: You mentioned that the track record for the benefits of religion are mixed. I have only ever heard positive results for religion. Can you point me to some of these studies?

As for the Mr. Anonymous Apathist: HIS apathy sits first on the foundation that he could never find it within him to buy into all the mystical aspects of religion. He just wants to enjoy his life.

You mentioned one name I hadn’t come across - Brights? I suppose that there are some distinctions worthy of note, but, ultimately, they aren’t really important.

The attitude of your “Apathist” is significant, though. I have an older brother who more or less fits that description. Essentially, he has no particular opinion regarding his religious leanings. If pressed, he would likely say, that, yeah, he believes in god, more or less. I guess there are people for whom the issue of god and religious beliefs are just not important. Unfortunately, in my brother’s case, he doesn’t seem to have much of an interest or passion for anything. Beyond the occasional good meal and an infrequent visit with his only grand child, he has little interest in anything that I can determine. I find that a little sad. But, it’s his life.

Later,

TLS