Atheist parents!

My mother is an atheist. My father is one of those secular Jews who sent us to Sunday school but dropped all religion in the house. As a result, my mother won. She basically raised us by not talking about God or switching the subject until we were older. This works wonders. At first glance, it sounds like a bad idea, but she never made the subject something to avoid. We were kids, so we were easily amused with some other conversation when she quickly asked us other questions.

A few times when I asked her point-blank on issues I was learning in religious school, she shrugged her shoulders and said, "Yes, that's a Jewish belief." When I would push with phrases like, "What do other people believe?" she would tell us directly what non-religious people believe (and sometimes, if warranted, what Christians believed). We very quickly realized, even at a young age, to sort through and find our answers ourselves.

I would tell you not to worry about it, nor to tell the kids that they are atheists. (Bad idea. Just as bad as six-year-old professed Christians).

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Originally Posted by Capo

It's as much a belief system as any other religion is.

No, it isn't. Atheism is the lack of a belief. I'm not being technical, here, either. Generally speaking, agnosticism (or "non-religiosity") is a variant form of atheism.

Now, some atheists elevate their position to religious standards, creating secular holidays and adopting secular credos (i.e. secular humanism) and see it as necessary "theology" to compliment their new religion, but that's just pomp and circumstance.

You would do a great injustice if you were to separate atheists from the non-religious.

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Originally Posted by LordsSword

I have a Niece who was terrorized by an "invisible" dog-like creature with glowing eyes under her bed. She was thankful of my banishing the thing in the name of Christ. It never returned.

My kid is afraid of the basement. After a refresher course on the Armor of God he is good to go.

What do any of these (amazingly humorous) anecdotes have to do with telling your kids about Santa?

For the record, that invisible dog-like creature was probably more a figment of your niece's imagination. Please, as if banishing Satan's minions in the name of Christ from some middle aged guy is really going to scare them.

If I was Satan, I would have laughed and sent more.

OR AM I.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.