My Secret Has Something To Do With Dale McOwen’s New Book, “Parenting Beyond Belief.”
There’s some exciting news in and of itself: a book on secular parenting. It has articles by many we enjoy. Richard Dawkins, Julia Sweeney, Penne Jillette.
Oh, and two articles by Agnostic Mom! And there’s my secret. This book, to be released in April, will feature two of my articles from the Humanist Network News!
I’m going to give you a link to the book on Amazon, but before I do, I’ll let you in on the plan. You can preorder now if you’d like. Or, if you want to try to propel it to the top ten, you can wait until April like many of us are doing when the book is actually released.
There is also a possibility that I may join some of the contributors at the September conference for Atheist Alliance International in Washington D.C. to be on a panel.
Okay, now here is the link to Parenting Beyond Belief.
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January 1st, 2007 @ 2:41 pm
Congrats Noell! You’ve really made a name for yourself. Hope 2007 holds even more promises for you.
Oh and by the way …
I was right!
January 1st, 2007 @ 3:15 pm
Cooooool! Congrats!!
January 1st, 2007 @ 4:58 pm
Congratulations! Not only am I happy for you because I like your blog, but it’s very encouraging to see a book on secular parenting being published.
Is the tide turning for Secular Humanism??
Best,
Juno
January 1st, 2007 @ 10:13 pm
great news!
I don’t think there is any doubt that the tide IS turning for the non-religious!
Happy 2007!
January 2nd, 2007 @ 10:18 am
I am SO excited to read this! As a parent of 3 young ones, I cant wait!
January 2nd, 2007 @ 12:29 pm
Truly Happy New Year!
Congratulations, Noell! I am soooooo looking forward to this book, and also possibly meeting you in person in September in Washington, D.C. where I live. I can’t wait!
January 2nd, 2007 @ 3:04 pm
Noell,
That is very good news indeed. As Ron indicates above, this is one more step in furthering the non-religious perspective. I’m sure you are very excited as well you should be.
You have struck a nerve that needed striking. Many non-religious parents, especially those who are themselves in or just beyond the process of leaving the church, are looking for a means to provide guidance for their children. While no one can provide all the answers, someone like yourself can relate your own experiences, your successes, your failures, as well as be a sounding board and a departure point for other source material.
Good work.
TLS
January 2nd, 2007 @ 3:58 pm
This is awesome news! I’m so excited for you!
I look forward to the book. Hopefully it will be a book I can get my bookstore to carry.
January 2nd, 2007 @ 6:52 pm
Congratulations! I can’t wait for the book to come out. My husband and I recently left the Mormon Church. He is atheist and I am finding it harder and harder to believe in God. I could use a book like this. How exciting.
January 3rd, 2007 @ 10:17 am
Hey, congratulations! I’m so happy for you!
January 3rd, 2007 @ 11:35 pm
Congratulations! You seem to be catching a wave at the right time.
January 4th, 2007 @ 1:19 am
Wow, how exciting!!!
I hope you get to be on the panel — I can’t wait to hear about it!!!
January 5th, 2007 @ 11:11 am
I think you are making great progress and know it comes from considerable effort. I suggest you be sensitive to the fact that you were raised in a very religious environment and were deeply infused with the moral standards of that environment. Now you are raising your children and they are learning mostly by example and some directed education. It may not be entirely realistic to claim they are being raised purely on a secular basis. I know you have never made such a claim and while I know you are going to some length to avoid any belief in the supernatural, their moral/ethical upbringing can probably be traced back to your religion-based standards. In fact, it probably extends beyond your personal background to the general culture of their own environment in their community.
My comments are motivated by some of the comments made by Joan Roughgarden in the videos from the “Beyond Belief” seminar at the Salk Institute last November. I am in full agreement with her admonition the Dr. Sam Harris when she said, ” You (the secular community) had better produce when it comes to developing a moral code not based on religion!” I want to make it clear that I agree with Dr. Harris when he claims it can be done, but I have claimed for some time that there is too much anti religion and not enough effort spent on “producing”.
One comment on the seminar … I came away very disappointed with the almost amateurish arm waving and lack of solid science and potentially effective strategies from such an eminent body of speakers. I agreed with Scott Atran when he said, “Do some science!”. I hate to admit it but I thought the theologian, Loyal Rue, made one of the more productive presentations when it comes to presenting potential strategies.
January 5th, 2007 @ 1:12 pm
Congratulations Noel!! You have done so much in such a short amount of time…I can’t wait to read the book.
Gregg100, you make an interesting point. I’ve thought about this myself with regards to raising my children. I can’t separate my religious background from the person I am today. However, I do not agree with the reasons I was given as a child about right and wrong. One thing I try to be very aware of with my kids is giving them rational reasons for good behavior and not rely upon my previous belief system. It is very difficult and I think you make a good point. Yes children do learn by example and we can’t change our past, but that is not the only thing that influences their behavior. Kids need to understand good reasons for “why” something is good behavior and religion only tells them “because god said so.” In that respect, one’s religious past does not have influence because the reasons we were given as children are moot. We need to have rational reasons to give them that can apply to everyone, not just people who believe the same thing we do. I’m sorry if this is rambling a little…I’m just writing my thoughts
Only time will tell with my kids, but I’m sure there are many examples of grown children who have been raised in a purely secular family (no religious influence on parents) Annie Laurie Gaylor is one such example. I’d love to have more books available to see how other people have raised their children without religion. Sometimes I just wish I could ask somebody what they had done in a certain situation…not that I need to do exactly what they’ve done, but it’s nice to hear other peoples’ opinions. So, I’m waiting for the day that this book is released!! Maybe it will be a good present to welcome spring.
January 6th, 2007 @ 6:13 pm
Congrats! That is so cool.
January 9th, 2007 @ 7:47 am
Aaaaiiirrrrr baaaaalll !!
Aaaaiiirrrrr baaaaalll !!
Aaaaiiirrrrr baaaaalll !!
January 9th, 2007 @ 11:04 am
Congrats, Noelle! I’ve been thinking more and more about secular parenting as my little one gets older, and it is clearer to me that my husband is very against taking our son to church, even something liberal. I’m excited to order it–in April.
January 12th, 2007 @ 3:37 pm
Secular parenting isn’t brand new but because of people moving to the forefront,(like you) curious George and Anna have their eyes afixed . You definitely have created a diary of sorts that can and will be improved upon in the future, but for now you are moving about in a new frontier Hopefully future generations can live free without religious superstition and bondage . Congratulations on taking the leading role in this country. May many more people have the courage to follow in your footsteps ……….