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Comments:
chris - 2007-01-19 18:27:23
I think you're right about the stories -- N and M were given a book of bible stories one Christmas. They also were strangely fascinated by it. We're pretty much atheists, but you're really in trouble if you don't know the stories, since they're such a common cultural reference. Also, every culture has stories, and that, too is an idea you have to put forth. My husband doesn't agree with me at all about this. He thinks it's all bunk. I guess I think it's bunk, too, but it seems to be such a common trait in people -- a need for these stories -- that I tend to think they're alright.
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elgan - 2007-01-19 19:46:59
I was telling my husband about your last post, and asking him how we handled that kind of thing, and he reminded me that we read our kids Greek myths so that they were familiar with other mythologies than just the Christian and Jewish ones. As I seem to recall, it worked pretty well. Also, when Little Princess asked me at a very early age, “What is god?” I responded by saying, “God is an idea, but don’t ever say that to Grandma and Grandpa.”
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Lass - 2007-01-19 20:24:26
If I haven't already done so, I'd like to suggest the excellent book "What Is God?" by Etan Boritzer for AJ.
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Claudia - 2007-01-19 20:46:27
Religion is difficult for me. It's too complex to go into here but I enjoy the discussion of ideas, I like the idea of questioning more than just acceptance of something. Have you ever read "Why Christianity Must Change or Die" by Rev Spong? Fascinating. I had a bible dictionary of some sort as a kid, too. Clearly it had no effect on me one way or the other. I'd love to take a Bible as Lit class that wasn't taught by a minister (as happened during college; I dropped out). There is a rabbi in town I really respect who taught a wonderful death & dying class. Got more out of that (it touched on diff religion's way of dealing with death) than the years I spent going to church.
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kelley2 - 2007-01-19 21:03:19
I read once a quote that said something along the lines of "God prefers a healthy skeptic to thoughtless 'faith'" Don't remember who said it or the exact wording but there you have it.
You need a kid's version of The Power of Myth (Joseph Campbell).
As I think I said here once, I'm a spiritual freelancer; being an Episcopalian suits me because it does seem to be a lot about question and less about answer.
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Smed - 2007-01-19 22:32:49
I was pretty much pissed off at organized religion through my 20s and 30s, but now I'm finding that I do believe and have faith, and went back to my mellow little Methodist church where we can agree to disagree theologically like adults!
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Sandy - 2007-01-20 12:41:15
We are on the same page and I wanted you to know that you are not alone in this struggle.
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Dr. Geek - 2007-01-20 21:49:23
As a (relatively) practicing Catholic, I can say that you are not alone in your struggle to separate religion from spirituality. Fundamentalists of all stripes are people who want to tell you that there is only one answer to questions of faith, their answer. There are these people in the Catholic Church, just as there are elsewhere (just look at the Ted Haggards of this world.) I was brought up by two parents were both skeptical scientists and practiced the Catholic faith, and I think you need to recognize that AJ will take cues from you and Mr. Spy in ways that you aren't always aware of. Though he may read Bible stories or (possibly one day) attend some form of religious education at the local parish Church, he will see how you and Mr. Spy react to religious concerns and be influenced. You seem to worry that any exposure to religion will somehow make him more closed minded. I can't see how that is possible given the type of parents you and Mr. Spy (and his family) seem to be. Church communities have their plusses and minuses to be sure, but they are also places where you can see the best in people in action more often than most anyplace else in my experience. All that aside, I was hoping you might comment on my entry on the compilation CD, given how you have been writing about mixes often recently.
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