# How to raise religiously skeptical, yet sensitive children **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 14, 2009, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-raise-religiously-skeptical-yet-sensitive-children/513834 "2009-10-14T21:03:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-raise-religiously-skeptical-yet-sensitive-children/513834/61 "2009-10-19T01:57:26Z")
> [@kevlaw](#): > > I have been reading the children’s illustrated bible - OT only so far - to my daughter and, in just about every story, she asks me (paraphrasing) “huh?” > > I am fairly familiar with the bible, but there is nothing like trying to answer a nine year old’s questions to really bring it into focus. I wish I had access to someone who could help me find a charitable interpretation for some of the very mean things that happen in Genesis and Exodus. The charitable explanation: “People were bad (ie sinners) back then so God punished them.” ---
**Author:** ![kevlaw](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kevlaw/32/2281_2.png) [@kevlaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevlaw)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-raise-religiously-skeptical-yet-sensitive-children/513834/62 "2009-10-19T02:06:54Z")
> [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > The charitable explanation: “People were bad (ie sinners) back then so God punished them.” It was actually God that she had a problem with most of the time. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-raise-religiously-skeptical-yet-sensitive-children/513834/63 "2009-10-19T03:09:05Z")
[http://thelaughtrack.com/2009/06/22/11-funniest-famous-comedians-who-attack-religion/](http://thelaughtrack.com/2009/06/22/11-funniest-famous-comedians-who-attack-religion/) Do it with comedy. Here are 10 comedy acts which chew up religion. That will teach them without the ugly fear religion counts on. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-raise-religiously-skeptical-yet-sensitive-children/513834/64 "2009-10-19T03:26:59Z")
> [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > For instance the Freemasons involve some religious ritual and makes it’s members swear by their God however no person call his religion “Freemasonry”. I wish I could recall which one it was, but I read where either Rudyard Kipling or J.M. Barrie actually did. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-raise-religiously-skeptical-yet-sensitive-children/513834/65 "2009-10-19T03:55:42Z")
> [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](#): > > Well, there are Catholics, and they go to a church and they celebrate, and eat wafers and have to stand up and sit down a lot." And **kneel!** Especially kneel. As I get older and my joints get creakier, them Protestant churches look more & more tempting. Anglican/Episcopalian would be almost the same, except richer congregation, and maybe either married or female priests. Lutheran would be lower catholic, less stained glass/candles/incense, tending to look more puritan or quakerish. (But good hotdishes!) Baptists would be sort of like going to a musical theatre every sunday, with audience-participation. But looooong sermons. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-raise-religiously-skeptical-yet-sensitive-children/513834/66 "2009-10-19T04:39:02Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > I wish I could recall which one it was, but I read where either Rudyard Kipling or J.M. Barrie actually did. Kipling. ---
**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 19, 2009, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-raise-religiously-skeptical-yet-sensitive-children/513834/67 "2009-10-19T04:56:25Z")
> [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > The charitable explanation: “People were bad (ie sinners) back then so God punished them.” Uh-oh. She would probably hear people calling everyone sinners today, so the next thing you know she’s going to ask for lessons in treading water. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-raise-religiously-skeptical-yet-sensitive-children/513834.md?page=3)