Here's the newest ad campaign that will be hitting billboards in the UK starting November 20:
The atheists believe that kids should be allowed to choose their own belief system and not have it decided for them:
As Richard Dawkins states, "Nobody would seriously describe a tiny child as a 'Marxist child' or an 'Anarchist child' or a 'Post-modernist child'. Yet children are routinely labelled with the religion of their parents. We need to encourage people to think carefully before labelling any child too young to know their own opinions, and our adverts will help to do that."Of course our children identify themselves with our religion, that's the family dynamic. Atheists, Christians, Jews, Muslims, etc. all share the values of their belief system with their children. And like Christians, atheists label their children with their religion.We have scheduled the launch of the billboards to take place during the same week as Universal Children's Day (20 November), which is the United Nations' "day of worldwide fraternity and understanding between children". We hope the advert's message will encourage the government, media and general public to see children as individuals, free to make their own choices as soon as they are old enough to fully understand what these choices mean, and that they will think twice before describing children in terms of their parents' religion in the future.
Does anyone think that atheists would fairly present the religions of the world to their children and then let them decide which belief system is true?Their children will follow in the path of their parents, just as our children do until they either believe it or reject it. Christians understand that their children might not be believers because faith is personal, children have to make their own commitment to Christianity.
Christian children aren't considered believers just because their parents are Christians, as many pastors have said: God doesn't have grandchildren. They become Christians when they believe that Jesus is Lord and God raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9), until then they are part of the community of faith and if we really believe the word of God, we have to make sure we don't hamper their access to Jesus:
Mark 10:13 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.We have been commanded to teach our kids:
Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.Adhering to the word of God means teaching them what we believe and why we believe it. A Christian can do no less.
Sorry, atheists! But I think it's pretty dangerous for us to abandon our kids to their own devices when it comes to a belief system. They are part of the church, it would by impossible to treat them as outsiders, not to mention unbiblical and cruel (as anyone who has taught their child they can't take communion until they are older knows).
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@Reg. I recommend watching the documentary "Jesus Camp"...
The brain washing done to children by some religious predators, (who truly believe they are doing Gods work) almost rivals Koran schools. My wife walked out under tears...
Nothing like telling 4 and 5 year old how sin-full they are and what awaits them if they dont shape up! Done to thousands of children everyday...
This is merely more atheist propaganda as Richard Dawkins wonders whether there is occasion for “society stepping in” and hopes that such efforts “might lead children to choose no religion at all.” Dawkins also supports the atheist summer camp “Camp Quest.”
Phillip Pullman states the following about his “fictional” books for children, “I don't think I'm writing fantasy. I think I'm writing realism. My books are psychologically real.” But what does he really write about? As he has admitted, “My books are about killing God” and “I'm trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief.”
More evidence here:
http://atheismisdead.blogspot.com/2009/11/deceptive-manipulative-propagandist.html
Mistake in the article. As an athiest, I can tell you, athiesm is not a religion. I do not go to church. I do not believe in a god. And for the most part, I do not organize or force our beliefs on other people (perhaps to a fault).
Saying Athiesm is a religion is false. Athiesm is the LACK of religion or a belief system with no rituals, dogma, and authority structure (Pope, Cardinal, Bishop etc). Stop calling Athiesm a religion and call it what it is, the lack of one. Common sense developed through seeking a greater understanding of science, the universe, and reailty is what it means to be an Athiest. Calling Athiesm a religion is like calling a mammal a plant. Plain stupid.
Nevertheless, there are atheists, such as Michael Newdow, who claim that atheism is a religion.
Therefore, correct other atheists before attempting to correct theists.
"Does anyone think that atheists would fairly present the religions of the world to their children and then let them decide which belief system is true?"
Well that certainly depends on how you define fairly. My parents never introduced me to religion or any opposition to it. When I was older and came in contact with it my parents pointed me to books talking about both sides and asked me what I thought. When I was in my late teens my parents became open about what they personally believed because I had already decided I was certainly Atheist. I was never told that religion was evil or bad or wrong, but through my own reading came to my own conclusions. I think that is truly the best way they could have gone about it.
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