The idea that a child can be brought up in a belief-neutral setting is nonsense. This new atheist venture is, in truth, a bid to proselytise an anti-God faith message to children:
The group behind a controversial atheist bus-poster campaign is urging parents not to label their children with their own religious faith.
The British Humanist Association (BHA) has launched a series of billboard advertisements in capital cities.
The posters are part of a campaign to challenge state-funded faith schools.
But a representative of the Christian Schools Trust questioned who would “fill the vacuum” if parents did not pass on their fundamental beliefs.
Professor Richard Dawkins, who has part-funded the BHA campaign in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, says labelling children as “religious” is a form of brainwashing.
“I hope this poster campaign will encourage the government, media and public to see children as individuals, free to make their own choices, and accord them the liberty and respect they deserve.”
The BHA said the billboards were going up to coincide with Universal Children’s Day on Friday.
Gee. Christians would never stoop to doing such a thing as indoctrinating children, would they? (Dripping with sarcasm.)
This ad clearly targets adults, not children. It is a plea to parents to allow their children to grow up with the ability to make decisions about religion for themselves. You see a child in the ad and immediately conclude it is targeted at children. That’s ridiculous. The message is clearly aimed at parents.
This blog entry is yet another smear campaign against the actions of atheists, but I fail to see how this ad is anything other than holding to a very high ideal that I fully agree with. Weak.
Matthew 7:3 is quite apropos to this silly nonsense.
It is targeted at parents who teach their children. A difference that makes no difference is no difference. David is right – there is no such thing as a belief neutral home.
If you think it makes no difference, wow. That’s just obtuse. Indeed, there is such a thing as a neutral home. What it means is teaching children about the diversity of belief, something that leads to understanding of others and tolerance. I know that this is a foreign concept to the typical True ChristianTM, but it isn’t that difficult to understand.
It seems that you think diversity of belief and tolerance of others is a good thing – which is in itself a belief. To be neutral you would also have to teach children about intolerance and bigotry without saying that they are of less value – something that I presume you would not do. You really cannot bring children up without belief in some values.
“I believe a child should be led, not left to wander”
Corrie ten Boom
Why not go all the way, for consistency’s sake, and say, “I’m not going to force any language on my child. I’m going to let them decide when they grow up what they want to speak,” or, “I’m not going to teach my child math. I’ll let them decide whether they want to take it when they grow up.”
Or “I’m not going to teach my children to brush their teeth. When they’re older, they can decide for themselves whether to do that.”
Dear self styled atheists,
Where did you hear about Atheism? Did you learn about it as as a child or did you come it it after you had attained your majority?
I wonder how many pots here are calling the kettles black?
Obtuse, really? The campaign wants to affect children by changing the way parents relate to them. Whether the campaign directly targets children or not, doesn’t really matter.