On Religious Tolerance
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Should Kids Be Told All Religious Stories are ‘Myths’?
By Wendy Thomas Russell | May 20, 2013
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I’m facing some deadlines over the next few weeks that are going to make it very tough to generate new blogs of any merit. But I’m hoping — PRAYING! (but not really) — that you guys will stick around anyway. Subscribers, I’m talking to you here. BEAR WITH ME. PLEASE DO NOT UNSUBSCRIBE. IT’S ONLY THREE WEEKS. Starting today, I’m going to run six of my most well-read and/or controversial blogs of the last two years. I’ve chosen them based on number of page views, number of comments, or the level of contentiousness within the [...] Read more – ‘Should Kids Be Told All Religious Stories are ‘Myths’?’.
16 comments
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Daddy, Daughter Discuss God (Again); More Cuteness Ensues
By Wendy Thomas Russell | May 13, 2013
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My husband and 7-year-old daughter had another totally awesome conversation about God a few days ago. They used to do that from time to time, but it’s been a while since the subject has come up in much detail. I sure love it when it does. The talks are always fun, insightful, thought-provoking and, frankly, cute as hell. They also present Charlie with golden opportunities to teach Maxine about honesty, diversity and the importance of kindness. Anyway, this one’s particularly good, so I wanted to share: Maxine: Where do you think God is? Like, which house or school… [...] Read more – ‘Daddy, Daughter Discuss God (Again); More Cuteness Ensues’.
5 comments
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12 Reasons We Indoctrinate Kids — and Why We Shouldn’t
By Wendy Thomas Russell | March 21, 2013
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In nonreligious circles, “indoctrination” has become a pejorative. Something to resist and avoid. The way secularists see it, instructing children to accept any religious faith uncritically deprives them of their own unique reflections, observations and opinions. At its worst, indoctrination is a requirement to blindly follow, to believe without question, to respect and obey authority figures simply because they have been branded as such. Yet, millions of parents throughout the world indoctrinate their children. Why? 1. Comfort: The idea of heaven can be undeniably comforting, especially to children with anxieties about death or dying. By [...] Read more – ‘12 Reasons We Indoctrinate Kids — and Why We Shouldn’t’.
5 comments
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Despite Controversy, World Religion Teacher Tells It Like It Is
By Wendy Thomas Russell | February 28, 2013
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I may have a new BFF — or, at the very least, a great new source for my book. Jim Morrison (no, not that one) has been teaching World Religion at a high school in Red Wing, Minn., for 17 years. He’s not a pious man himself (to say the least), so his classes are comparative, historical and incredibly eye-opening. His students love him. Christian fundamentalists in the community? Well, they don’t. But they do tolerate him. And that’s something, dammit. Jim recently began his own blog — Teach Not Preach — which I like [...] Read more – ‘Despite Controversy, World Religion Teacher Tells It Like It Is’.
4 comments
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15 Secular Songs to Share With Your Kids
By Wendy Thomas Russell | February 21, 2013
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Not long ago, I suggested that nonreligious parents share religious music with their kids. I put together a Christian playlist and, later, a Hanukkah playlist. I also recommended some Cat Stevens songs about Islam, including one I love called “Ramadan Moon.” Some readers voiced concern about the ways in which religious songs have been used to indoctrinate children. They argued that the potential downsides to sharing such music outweighed the benefits. But I still think that, as long as we do it right, these musical journeys can be excellent ways to develop religious literacy, learn tolerance for other cultures, and give nonreligious children a [...] Read more – ‘15 Secular Songs to Share With Your Kids’.
4 comments
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A Newer (And More Laid Back) Brand of Atheism
By Wendy Thomas Russell | January 24, 2013
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Religiously speaking, this is an unusual time in our history. Secularism is clearly on the rise, and yet religion maintain a stronghold over our society and politics. That science has boldly answered so many “mysteries of the universe” has not stopped supernatural beliefs from influencing how most Americans think and live. Every day I read headlines about how God is on the way out; every day I read headlines about how God is on the way up. For us nonbelievers, it’s hard to know where we stand, where the country stands — and what the future [...] Read more – ‘A Newer (And More Laid Back) Brand of Atheism’.
3 comments
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4 Reasons Not To Indoctrinate Kids Against Religion
By Wendy Thomas Russell | September 20, 2012
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Indoctrination, whether it be religious or nonreligious, requires that parents send a clear and convincing message that there is only one way to think about God and, in doing so, imply that other ways are wrong, silly, short-sighted or dangerous. There is a pretty major difference between revealing our beliefs to our children and insisting our children — and the world around us — believe the same things we do. Severe indoctrination leads to the opposite of critical thinking — that is, reflective thinking aimed at deciding what to believe. Part of what makes severe indoctrination [...] Read more – ‘4 Reasons Not To Indoctrinate Kids Against Religion’.
one comment
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Is a Lack of Vomit the Best We Can Offer?
By Wendy Thomas Russell | June 4, 2012
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Did I ever tell you about the time my husband told me hated the word tolerance? I was sure I’d misheard him. I was all, like, what? Huh? You can’t hate the word tolerance! Everybody LOVES the word tolerance. Simon Wiesenthal and the Museum of Tolerance and all that. Remember? Yes, he assured me, he did remember. But he still hated it. See, in my husband’s view, tolerance was a word used to relate something bad, not good. A guy ate a piece of rancid beef but was able to tolerate it; that is, he was [...] Read more – ‘Is a Lack of Vomit the Best We Can Offer?’.
4 comments
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Where’s an Omniscient Policeman When You Need One?
By Wendy Thomas Russell | May 24, 2012
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Whenever my daughter starts talking about God, I try really hard to treat it like any other ordinary subject. But, inside, you can be sure I’m doing one of those Napoleon Dynamite “yesss” fist pumps — because, chances are, if one of our God conversations lasts more than a few seconds, I’ve got myself a blog post. You know where I’m going with this. On Friday, Maxine had a playdate with a good friend of hers (who I love dearly and whose mother happens to be a good friend of mine). Both girls are in [...] Read more – ‘Where’s an Omniscient Policeman When You Need One?’.
5 comments
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Changing Minds Is More Fun When It’s Your Own
By Wendy Thomas Russell | May 10, 2012
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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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