Teachable Moment Goes Up in Flames

By Wendy Thomas Russell | May 17, 2012

So I’m setting up my daughter’s dollhouse with her last night when she holds up a mouse and a bunny. “Which one should be the mommy?” she asks. “The bunny,” I say. “But the daddy’s a mouse,” she says. “That’s okay,” I say. “A bunny can marry a mouse.” Then the lightbulb: This here is what they call a teachable moment! “You know, Maxine,” I say, already feeling pretty proud of myself, “you don’t have to look alike to get married. You know how black people marry white people, or tall people marry short people, [...] Read more – ‘Teachable Moment Goes Up in Flames’.

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Religious Parent, Secular Child: The New Culture Clash

By Wendy Thomas Russell | May 14, 2012

I was quoted in the New York Times Magazine’s Sixth Floor Blog a couple of weeks ago, which, admittedly, is not the same as being quoted in the New York Times — or even the New York Times Magazine — but, hey, it’s still pretty cool. The writer singled me out because she liked my term “first-generation secular,” which she read in the Psychology Today piece I told you about here. The NYTMSFB’s (!) mention has me think about that term — “first-generation secular” — and what makes it so appealing. I think it’s because so many of us in America are [...] Read more – ‘Religious Parent, Secular Child: The New Culture Clash’.

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Changing Minds Is More Fun When It’s Your Own

By Wendy Thomas Russell | May 10, 2012

Yesterday I was helping a friend put together a digital photo book for her daughter. She had arranged all the pictures herself, and I was going through the book adding text and repositioning things. In looking through the photos she had discarded, I found some great shots. I mean, really great shots. Some of them were the sort of unstaged, unscripted family shots that tell a real story. Others were just adorable pictures of her daughter that I couldn’t believe she’d overlooked. I really wanted to make the book as good as it could be, [...] Read more – ‘Changing Minds Is More Fun When It’s Your Own’.

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My Kid is Ignorant — Isn’t That Hilarious?

By Wendy Thomas Russell | May 7, 2012

After I wrote my blog last week about cute conversations nonreligous parents have with their kids, a reader sent me a link to a post on the Friendly Atheist website about actress Julia Sweeney. Run by a guy named Hermant Mehta, the Friendly Atheist is a great site — mostly because of its Ask Richard segment — but isn’t always very “friendly,” if you ask me. The post told of a recent experience Sweeney (Letting Go of God) had while introducing her 9-year-old daughter, Mulan, to the movie Jesus Christ Superstar. Sweeney wrote: I thought maybe it was a good way for [...] Read more – ‘My Kid is Ignorant — Isn’t That Hilarious?’.

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‘But What if Santa Believes in God?’

By Wendy Thomas Russell | May 3, 2012

One of the best things about writing a parenting blog about religion is that people send you their funny, insightful and just plain cute religion-related kid stories. Especially if you ask them to. People who read blogs are nice that way. So, to brighten up your Thursday, here are seven stories guaranteed to make you smile — if not guffaw. Enjoy! And thank you, readers, for sharing your lives and laughter with me. Laura wrote: My 5-year-old daughter, Alice, and I were talking this past December about all the big questions: Who is God? Do you [...] Read more – ‘‘But What if Santa Believes in God?’’.

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‘Relax, It’s Just God’ Featured in Psychology Today

By Wendy Thomas Russell | April 30, 2012

Well, they got it mostly right. And, dammit, maybe that’s enough. The current issue of Psychology Today contains a really great piece about atheism and agnosticism and what it terms “a new breed of nonbelievers.” Apparently I belong to this new breed because I’m featured in the article, along with a handful of others — including my all-time favorite advice-giving atheist, Richard Wade. I spoke with Psychology Today writer Bruce Grierson months ago about Relax, It’s Just God and what drew me to the project. And I have to say, overall, Grierson did a bang-up job. In a [...] Read more – ‘‘Relax, It’s Just God’ Featured in Psychology Today’.

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Quick! What the Hell is Vesak Day?

By Wendy Thomas Russell | April 27, 2012

Man, I loves me some Buddhism. But then, again, who doesn’t? It’s all just so, I don’t know, common sensical. By following even one tenant in the Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path — or at least trying — you are almost guaranteed to improve your life. If the Buddha were alive today, I’m certain he would be a self-help guru. He’d make a damn good one, too. And now, in honor of the Buddhist holiday of Vesak, I present the latest addition to my Holiday Cheat Sheet for Nonreligious Parents. Holiday: Vesak (pronounced VEE-sak) AKA: Vesākha Religion Represented: Buddhism Celebrates: The life, [...] Read more – ‘Quick! What the Hell is Vesak Day?’.

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Alain De Botton’s ‘Atheism 2.0′ Cheapened by Temple Talk

By Wendy Thomas Russell | April 23, 2012

Since January, Alain de Botton’s ideas about atheism have been bandied about like a shuttlecock. They’re great! They’re dreadful! They’re brilliant! He’s arrogant! He’s out of touch! He’s just what we need! It seems everyone with Internet access has an opinion these days. You know where this is going. So, anyway, I became aware of de Botton, a Swiss writer and philosopher, when his TED talk was released (on the Internet) earlier this year and have followed his rise to stardom (on the Internet) with mixed emotions. If I had to break it down, the mix would [...] Read more – ‘Alain De Botton’s ‘Atheism 2.0′ Cheapened by Temple Talk’.

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Religious Picture Books Have Much to Offer — But Choose Wisely

By Wendy Thomas Russell | April 19, 2012

Can we talk about religious picture books for a minute? I’m assuming most of you didn’t read your kid a religious bedtime story last night. And that it rarely occurs to you to wonder what new Islamic, Hindu or Christian children’s books came out this year. I’m also willing to bet you don’t spend a lot of time in the religious section at your public library. But you might want to start. The offerings are, frankly, pretty damn impressive. For the last month or so I’ve been obsessed with religion-books for kids — mostly because my [...] Read more – ‘Religious Picture Books Have Much to Offer — But Choose Wisely’.

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Honk If You Love Jesus*

By Wendy Thomas Russell | April 16, 2012

Driving my daughter home from school the other day, I spotted a small group of teenage girls at a busy intersection a few blocks from my house. They were on the sidewalk, smiling and chatting and dancing along to nonexistent music. A few of them shook pom-poms. Two of them held up big, hand-painted signs that said: I live in a diverse, metropolitan area, so despite the girl’s bright smiles and youthful enthusiasm, no one was honking. Except one. The driver of a mini-van made a left-turn in front of us, honking all the way through [...] Read more – ‘Honk If You Love Jesus*’.

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