My best friend (we’ll call him Nick) has just come out to me as gay. He has yet to tell his parents, and he’s frightened because they are very strong Christians. They refuse to associate with homosexuals, and condemn atheists. Nick is frightened of being disowned, because unfortunately, they seem the type to do this. He’s 21 and lives alone, so at least they can’t throw him out.

Nick is also a Christian, as am I, although nowhere near as narrow-minded as they are. Nick is one of the kindest, most genuine and caring people I will ever know, and I couldn’t ask for a better friend. He did not choose to be gay – he’s been hiding this for about five years, but understandably, he’s had enough.

Nick is gay, but he does not shut God out of his life, which is supposed to be the biggest sin of all. You don’t stop loving/caring for someone because of their sexual orientation, and if God would condemn someone like Nick to hellfire simply because of his sexuality, then I want nothing to do with this God. Now, I have strong faith, but I don’t shove it down people’s throats; the God I believe in loves us all equally, and encourages us all to do the same. Nick and me treat everyone equally (atheists, agnostics, homosexuals, bisexuals, other religions, etc.) and I am disgusted that Nick’s parents refuse to do the same.

Has anyone got any advice for me to give Nick before he comes out to his parents? It’s hard to comprehend what he’s going through. He is not a sinner, he has done nothing wrong and has nothing to be ashamed of. I believe that what his parents are doing goes against everything that religion is supposed to be about, which is love.
He is not dependent on his parents in terms of money. He works full time as a mechanic and earns a good salary.
Bibigirl, please READ the question before you give a pathetic answer like that. Yes, we are both Christians, and it’s been this way our whole lives. I think I know if we are or not. And again, he did NOT choose it. He can’t help who he’s attracted to, and he knows how horrible Christians (which are likely to include his own parents) can be about this. He knows the kind of prejudice and abuse he may have to face from the world. Do you really think that anyone would CHOOSE to be treated like that? People like you are the reason he tried desperately to ignore those feelings, but he shouldn’t have to. He is not a murderer or a rapist or anything of the sort, and therefore is NOT a sinner. Go and educate yourself, Bibigirl.

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I’ve been an atheist pretty much whole life, but my parents were not. My mom was Christian, and my dad was more of a learner of Buddhism. They’re both dead now. But I was raised as a Christian early in life until my mom died. My dad didn’t really put much emphasis on religious or spiritual practices.

Since the people around us are predominantly believers, what do you say to your children when they ask you about "god"?

I’d appreciate real experiences. Thank you.

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I grew up in a small country town in Texas, and it wasn’t until I was in my 20′s that I realized that not all children were raised like how me and my brother, and my friends were raised. I guess you could say I grew up sheltered but I was actually in shock to discover that not all people believed as my family and my friends families believed. Here is how I was raised:
I hardly ever disrespected my parents. If I did, I was grounded.
We went to church on Sundays, I went to Sunday school and Bible study on Wednesday. I went to church camp and I babysat for our preacher. Drinking and smoking were not allowed. If you did do that, you had better hope to heck that you didn’t get caught. If an unmarried girl got pregnant, she and the father got married. Even if they divorced later on, the child would not be labled a bastard.The elderly people in the community were respected. I did not cause trouble at school. Abortion, child abuse, spouse abuse, promiscuity and drugs were horrible.
I do live in a small country town in Texas now, though not the same one, and it is the same way. I guess I was nieve in believing that everyone was raised this way, but I honestly didn’t know anything about drugs, Athiests, child abuse or unmarried teens having kids. I find all that really sad and I will not raise my kids any other way than how my brother and I were raised.
I will teach my children Christianity because, regardless of what others may believe, I believe that it is my job as a mother and a Christian to lead my children to God. I don’t want to be responsible for my children not becoming Christians. I love my parents that they lead me that way.

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My dad & stepmom want me to change my attitude toward life. I’m 19. They’re letting me live with them while I commute to my college. They say I do a good job doing chores & paying for all my stuff, but they claim I have a negative attitude. They think I’m self-righteous because I don’t have friends or a girlfriend. They don’t like my tone when I speak to them. They get mad when they have company over, & I never speak to them. They say I need to be more respectful, or I will have to move out soon. I feel like I obey my parents just fine. Everyone thinks I’m spoiled though. I don’t think I’m self-righteous like my parents think. I don’t have friends because I have strict morals in life that noone my age follows. I don’t have a girlfriend because I’m too nice. I don’t know how to be a jerk. So how can I show my parents that I can be respectful? I don’t feel like moving out right now. Thank you for your advice. God Bless

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Us Christian Children have been brought up with proper morals because we believe in God and acept Jesus as our savior. I wonder what guideline do athiest parents follow, if any, and if it is possible to raise a moral child from an atheist point of view?

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it seems he has launched a campaign to have people not teach religion to their children.
he uses two children that shows them very happen and says please do not put this baggage religion on your children.

it seems how ever unknown to them the children are from a evangelical house hold and believe in god.

story at this link below.
<a href=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article6925781.ece rel=nofollow>http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment…</a>

The two children chosen to front Richard Dawkins’s latest assault on God could not look more free of the misery he associates with religious baggage. With the slogan “Please don’t label me. Let me grow up and choose for myself”, the youngsters with broad grins seem to be the perfect advertisement for the new atheism being promoted by Professor Dawkins and the British Humanist Association.

Except that they are about as far from atheism as it is possible to be. The Times can reveal that Charlotte, 8, and Ollie, 7, are from one of the country’s most devout Christian families.

this site says Study Shows That A Child’s Spirituality Is The Number One Factor In their Happiness
<a href=http://christianparentingdaily.com/category/parenting-the-news/childrens-happiness/ rel=nofollow>http://christianparentingdaily.com/categ…</a>

which way would you prefer to raise your child?

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…in regards to God’s existence, and what we should think about God/towards God? That is, if you are either teaching them it is right to not believe in God, or if you are simply *not teaching* them the opposite.
Lil’ Rascal: So your daughter figured out you were lying to her about Santa, Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy? Good for her! Hopefully she’ll figure out your other lies as well.

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The great Sigmund Freud hypothesized that God is created in a person’s psyche out of their own desire for a parental figure writ large. There seems to be some truth in this. For example: If people (well, believers at least) get in a jam, who do they call on to bail them out? And, when their own behavior leads to the crisis, don’t they swear to God to cut them a break and give them another chance? – they’ll do better from now on, they promise.

This is just like the parent child relationship isn’t it? So, isn’t there a lot of viability in Freud’s description of God?

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I’m going to be baptized in a few months, and I understand the concept that all sin is washed away, but what I’m having trouble with understanding is how a sin like not honoring a parent would be washed away if the relationship has been broken and dead for most of my life, and the person being baptized (me) has no intention of attempting to repair that relationship before my baptism or after.

I don’t understand how that sin could be washed away when it’s an ongoing breaking of the 4th commandment.

And please don’t get the wrong idea, I’m not some bratty teen-gone -adult who’s "mad at my mom" and should just "make up", it’s a complicated situation that is unparalleled to most broken parent-child relationships. I wasn’t raised by this person, I don’t know this person, and the times I have tried to know this person, it was pretty ugly, so the last thing I want is anything to do with this person.

Is the 4th commandment an absolute? Or are there situations where God would understand why it’s necessary for some people to not honor a parent? And if it is an absolute, how can this sin possibly be washed away by baptism?

Thanks.

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My parents took me and my brother to presbyterian church for like 7 years. I believed in god and jesus. After a while we stopped going. Now my brother is atheist and im agnostic. I’m glad my parents let me choose my own religion and didn’t force me to believe in god and other things like that. How do you guys feel about this?

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