Quote:
Quote by: Jack  Those who don't understand what atheism is always make a muddle of it when they try to challenge it.
How can atheism be taught, how can it be indoctrinated? There are no atheistic churches (well, a few on the internet, but they're spoofs), no atheistic Sunday schools, atheism isn't mentioned in the Pledge of Allegiance or taught by the Boy Scouts. Yes there are books promoting an atheistic view, there are websites doing the same (I own one), but you have to desire the information to seek it out. To shed religion and accept atheism, you have to think for yourself and reach that conclusion on your own.
You can't begin to compare religious thought and atheism. One is a strict code of allegiance that requires loyalty and obedience and discourages skepticism and questioning. The other is simply the rejection of that mindset. It's the ultimate freeing of the mind. |
WEEELLLLLLLLLLllllllllll...
Actually this isn't *strictly* true.
Sunday School for Atheists - TIME
However, this (and most Unitarian UNiversalist "Sunday Schools", many of which have chosen the name "Children's religious education" because "Sunday School" evokes too much of a memory of Sister Mary Crankipants with her ruler drilling bible verses into kids or whatever) doesn't so much "indoctrinate kids" into the "One True Mindset" of atheists (or UU's) (probably because that's completely contrary to our world view, by and large) as it provides a structured community for kids who tend to have a void in that regard.
This might be somewhat off topic, tho, maybe I should start a thread about the differences in "Sunday School" approaches?`