Guy

Ahhhh…she’s so cute. 🙂

Just thought you guys might want to follow my new skeptical website, The Inconvenient Truth.
EJC

It has a humor to it, but two things come to mind:

1) As a man of science, I would encourage my child (and no, I do not have children) to think for themselves. I do not think having a little child brainwashed in any capacity is right, religously or otherwise. Give the child facts and the freedom to explore their own path to knowledge. I do not want to see us doing the same thing religious idiots do to their children. Seeing this video, which is obviously just parody, makes me fear non-theists are giving their children few options. Give facts to the children and freedom to choose. Do not choose for them.

2) I really don’t like kids.

😉
Kevin_Of_Bangor

I must have watched it 10 times in a row. That was great.
Izzy Leonard

That video made me hungry
Annie

I am not sure I understand point number one. Are you saying that you would encourage your child(ren) to explore religions as a path to knowledge too?
Anonymous

With all due respect … STF!
EJC

No. I am saying I feel it best serves the child to give them facts but to let them guide themselves. Would I want a child to go and gravitate towards Roman Catholicism? Hell no. However, if the child explored, grew and felt it was the best decision for his/herself, I would step aside. Ultimately, everyone must make choices and those choices are theirs to make.

Think of it this way, as atheists, we do not want our children to go the way of the religous. But, let’s substitute some words…Instead of atheists, let us use the term heterosexuals. Instead of religious or follower, let us instead use homosexual. Would we say that as heterosexuals, we do not want our children to grow up to be homosexual? Of course not. And would we actively encourage or indoctrinate our children against homosexual ideology? No. So how can we as atheists reconcile programming our children to follow our thoughts or fact-based non-theism?

Ultimately, I feel children should understand why we hold our ways dear to ourselves, present them the facts of why we feel how we do, and encourage them to explore and learn and then arrive at their own paths. And this video, while obviously parody, straddles a fine line of “programming” children and potentially limiting their ability to grow and explore ideas on their own.

I hope this was clear Annie, if not, just let me know how I could better explain.

And I thank you for asking your questions civilly, instead of writing a curt “STFU” as the poster above you did.
Annie

Thanks for the clarification, EJC. I get where you’re coming from now.

I don’t agree with the idea that this video is an example of programming in any way. The mother asked a question (any question would do here), and the baby answered with a raspberry (the most common response for a baby this age other than a giggle or scream). Personally, I think it was just a goofy little video with an adorable baby in it. I look for levity though, so perhaps I’m not reading too far into it.

Thanks again for taking the time to clarify.
Kevin_Of_Bangor

How do you like to prepare yours?

I prefer a good slow roast myself.
EJC

No worries! And I agree. I think it is just one of those family “I love my cute child” videos and is not meant to be any sort of propaganda!

Skal!
Morva Ádám

I agree with you, EJC.

My 8 year old brother asked me if there is a god. (our mother is a new agey christian)

I told him he asked the question in a wrong way and he should’ve asked if I THINK there is a god, because although I have my answer and I think I can demonstrate the silliness and incorrectness of the whole god idea, he shouldn’t just accept my answer or anyone else’s, but he should look into every idea much deeper than that. I told him he should demand evidence for everything he hears and I gave him an old book of mine about greek myths and legends.

The first chapter is about the creation of the world.. You know.. Chaos.. Titans.. Gods and so on..

He was a bit puzzled, because so far he thought there is only his mother’s god and he created everything and whatnot. I think I managed to light something in him and I’m very happy about it.
Morva Ádám

Although I strongly agree with your overarching argument, I do not agree with the homosexuality comparison.

Homosexuality is not a set of ideologies. It’s not a waste of time and not a blighted shackle on the mind. Religion is. I strongly think that comparison was really out of place.
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Katherine Lorraine

Oh please. My mom and dad taught my brother to do the same thing when he was a toddler – except with Wayne Gretsky instead of God. It’s not indoctrination so much as “ooh, they smile and laugh and praise me when I do this!” I doubt my brother has feelings either way towards Gretsky (we’re Flyers fans, so…)
Nazani14

Thus far, this video has only positive comments. Check back in a week to see how much Xian love mother and child have attracted.