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Therapist says if you're an atheist you should lie to your kids about God.

I question the quality of the mental health of anyone that claims lies promote better mental health.

The rapist says if you're not a rapist you should lie to your kids about consensual sex (to promote the interests of the rapist).
 
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DOC ole boy, you were comprehensively refuted here years ago. There's just as much evidence for Odin's godhead as for Jesus's. Or for Krshna -- who brings a mighty train of poetry with him, something you can't say for your dazed chrrrristanism.

And you learned nothing from the long trouncing your arguments got. I suspect that you've even grown more stubbornly ignorant during the time you've been gone. How would you convince me otherwise?


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Edited to remove incivility
 
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Of course people (including children) vary a lot, but I would contend that if parents intend to lie they are lying even if by some odd chance their lies turn out to come true.

I think if we aren't sure, we should say we're not sure. We don't need to volunteer embarrassing information, and don't need to get all hung up on categorical imperatives, but I think we should at least try to tell the truth.
 
The OP is essentially saying “Lying works so well for us theists we think atheists should lie as well”.

Why is it always “Grandma is in heaven” and it’s never “Odds are Grandma is in hell”?
 
bluesjnr said:
I don't see the harm in it, just like there's no harm in promoting the existence of Santa or the Tooth Fairy . If you bring your kids up as best you can and encourage enquiring minds, then they'll form their own conclusions pretty quickly.
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No one has ever grown up to persecute and even kill people because those people do not believe in Santa Claus. The belief in gods has had entirely different results.
 
DOC said:
One could argue if the parents spoke of a Christian God they wouldn't be lying
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What an inane thing to say. Atheists don't believe any gods exist so they would definitely be lying if they spoke of any of the Christian gods existing.

since Bart Ehrman said Jesus certainly existed
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Oh, you mean that you believe that a generic, non-divine Jesus existed. That certainly isn't any sort of god.

and Christians believe Christ is part of the Godhead (Trinity) or as some say God in the flesh.
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Why are we talking about which non-existent gods Christians believe in? Let's talk about all of the non-existent gods that you want atheists to lie about, not just yours.
 
DOC said:
Quote: ...Which gods should atheists lie about the existence of to their children?



But at least there is some historical evidence that he was God, so even though the parents might believe they were lying, there is some evidence that what they said was truthful if they were talking about the Christian God.
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There is historical evidence for every invented god. I don't want to limit the discussion to just your non-existent one. So your opinion is that atheists and theists should lie about the existence of gods?

The parents and many others believe they don't have proof he is God but there is some evidence he is God. I've talked about that evidence in several threads.
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All of your claims of evidence have proven to be hollow. Hundreds of people have discussed that in several threads.
 
Mojo said:
If you were an atheist, would you lie to us about God for the same reason?
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I can't speak for DOC, but I lie about God all the time.

You see, I know God well - and He's nothing like people think. He's actually a bit of a prick - and a moron. He also lies constantly, and didn't do half of what he says. Oh sure He created the Universe, but that was just an accident. Since then he hasn't done squat. He doesn't have any supernatural powers either. Isn't omniscient, can't answer prayers, can't even make a good burrito, let alone one that's too hot to eat. As for giving believers everlasting life - well what do you think? That's right, just another lie.

But I can't tell people that. Imagine what it would do to their mental health!
 
DOC said:
Argument by Assertion. Let the posts stand for themselves without offering up a wide sweeping opinion.
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Actually, I'll do as I please. However, I note that you gave a sweeping opinion about your posts providing evidence when they don't. Beware the beam in your eye.

Which gods' existence are we supposed to lie to our children about? Do you think the Christian gods are the only ones that need to be lied about?
 
RoboTimbo said:
...Which gods' existence are we supposed to lie to our children about? Do you think the Christian gods are the only ones that need to be lied about?
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Well if you are an atheist and you think you'd be lying to your child if you chose any God it seems it would be better to at least choose the God (like the Christian God) that has some historical and other evidence to apply to it. Then as the child got older, they would at least have some historical and other evidence to back up their belief if they did indeed choose to disagree with you and believe in God.

Of course if you don't want your child to believe in God as an adult it would be better to promote a God that doesn't have much evidence to support the belief in it.
 
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Mythology a million times rewritten to new ideals isn't history or evidence.

It is only mythology. Much of it based in historical events like maybe a flood or earthquake but the explanation is all wrong.

You cannot stop religious membership dwindling with lies and mythology repeated many times.
 
DOC said:
Well if you are an atheist and you think you'd be lying to your child if you chose any God it seems it would be better to at least choose the God (like the Christian God) that has some historical and other evidence to apply to it. Then as the child got older, they would at least have some historical and other evidence to back up their belief if they did indeed choose to disagree with you and believe in God.

Of course if you don't want your child to believe in God as an adult it would be better to promote a God that doesn't have much evidence to support the belief in it.
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Evidence for existence of any god you could name is exactly the same - zero. Christian god included.
 
Steve said:
No one has ever grown up to persecute and even kill people because those people do not believe in Santa Claus. The belief in gods has had entirely different results.
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A fact not disputed by anything I wrote.
 
bruto said:
True up to a point, but I know some kids whose conclusions thus formed would include that their parents were liars and that their advice was unreliable.
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Not, in itself, necessarily bad advice. I've always told my kids, "Never believe anything your mother says," and she's always told them never to listen to their father. Possibly as a result, now they're grown up they show every sign of thinking for themselves.

Dave
 
DOC said:
Well if you are an atheist and you think you'd be lying to your child if you chose any God it seems it would be better to at least choose the God (like the Christian God) that has some historical and other evidence to apply to it. Then as the child got older, they would at least have some historical and other evidence to back up their belief if they did indeed choose to disagree with you and believe in God.

Of course if you don't want your child to believe in God as an adult it would be better to promote a God that doesn't have much evidence to support the belief in it.
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That line of 'argumentation' only makes sense if you already believe in the Christian God and want to promote the Christian faith. So it does not apply to atheist.

Could you stick to the topic of your own thread and explain why it's better for children's mental health (rather than for their immortal souls) to be lied to by their parents?
 
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