# How do you explain religion to kids?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-explain-religion-to-kids/701800>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [October 19, 2014, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-explain-religion-to-kids/701800 "2014-10-19T14:05:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-explain-religion-to-kids/701800/41 "2014-10-21T19:54:34Z")

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I told my kid that people around the world believe many different things but I don’t think any of them are positive they’re right. I told them that many people are comforted by religion and it does generally help keep people moral and behaving.

I told my kid that although I would like to believe in one of the higher powers, I haven’t seen anything that makes me believe that religion isn’t just made up by humans. I told them that is just how I feel, I don’t begrudge anyone their religion but it’s not something I want or need.

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**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2014, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-explain-religion-to-kids/701800/42 "2014-10-22T06:09:51Z")

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> [@kanicbird](#):
>
> The God I found in the OT, for example, saved the people of Sodom because God’s daughter (aka Lot’s wife) looked back in loving compassion and was glorified by the parent God to accomplish this. (Pillar = Good, Salt = good).
> 
> The God you are seeing is obviously not the same one.
> 
> God is Love always. Again it is religion, and it’s teachings, that gets in the way of knowing God.

I am intrigued by your ideas and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

(This is exactly what Lenny Bruce called a non-skeddo theology.)

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**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-explain-religion-to-kids/701800/43 "2014-10-28T16:46:14Z")

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Brief hijack- this isn’t about religion, but there is a connection.

My son saw a bogus documentary, and now believes there are mysterious forces in the Bermuda Triangle causing numerous boats and planes to disappear.

I have explained the facts to him, told him that there AREN’T all that many disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle, that millions of people go to beaches in resort islands in the Bermuda Triangle all the time, and that almost nothing ever happens.

It didn’t help- he still believes in something I (and presumably everybody who frequents these board) consider nonsensical woo.\*

Am I going out of my way to refute the idea? No, not really. I’ve told him the facts, and will continue to do so when it’s called for. But for now, I’m content to regard this as a phase. AT least, I HOPE it’s a phase.

- Yes, I’m only too well aware that I believe in something (Christianity) that many SDMB regulars also regard as nonsensical woo.

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