I had not one, but two interesting conversations with my 11-year-old son today about atheism.
First, we were in the library and I suggested that we take out the movie “The Golden Compass” because we have never seen it. The kids said, “Yeah,” but then the 11yo asked, “Isn’t that the movie that’s atheist?”
I said, “Well, the author of the book is an atheist, yes.”
And he said, “I thought you said we couldn’t see that movie because the guy’s an atheist.”
Yeah. That was me. What the cuss?
So, I said, “Yeah, I did say that and that was stupid. I was wrong. That’s no reason not to watch the movie.”
I suspect there will be many, many more conversations like that, involving me admitting to being stupid.
An hour or so later, we were driving home from the store and listening to Christmas carols on the radio. The 11yo son, who was in the front with me, said, “I would hate to be an atheist because they don’t celebrate Christmas.”
I said, “Well that’s not true. Christmas is not just a religious holiday”
He started to argue that it wouldn’t be as much fun, citing the fact that so many Christmas carols are religious. (Um, yeah. I have to point out here that 11 is a bit young for solid logic skills.)
I said, “Look, I was an atheist most of my life and I have always celebrated Christmas and it was always my favorite time of year.”
“You mean, you hated god?”
“No.”
“Then you weren’t an atheist.”
“That is not what an atheist is. An atheist is someone who does not believe in god.”
Then he said, “Well if you weren’t taught about god, then it wasn’t your choice. Isn’t an atheist someone who chooses to not believe in god?”
“Well, kind of, yes. [slight pause] How come you choose not to believe in Santa Clause?”
“That’s different; Santa Clause isn’t real.”
“That’s exactly how an atheist feels about god.”
And I suspect there will be many, many more conversations like that, involving me explaining that atheists are not bad people. Then, someday, that I am one.
Awkward as it may have been, nicely handled. Funny, how the evil-vangelicals don’t seem to be able to tell the truth about anything, for if they did, the whole house of cards starts to come down.