Hmmmmm...

[badstar]

Someone commented on the religiousdebate community that children are born atheists.

Someone else pointed out that being atheist indicates an ability to decide if they believe or not.

My first thought to that would be "So it would make more sense to say that children are born agnostic."

But that also implies enough knowledge to say "I don't know the answer and it can't be proved either way, I don't believe but I don't disbelieve. I don't know."

The knowledge to know that they dont know.

What is the religious and/or spiritual nature of children and babies?

Comments

[marilyth.livejournal.com]

The same as any other primative species that doesn't know how to communicate yet...

Eat
Breathe
Sleep
Poop
Cry when they don't get what they want.

:) :)

[resident-geek.livejournal.com]

Crying is a form of communication, however :) Perhaps the most primitive, but there you are.

Man, I would love to talk to a dolphin in its language (presupposing it would be possible).

My two cents

[pagandenma.livejournal.com]

As the very privileged Mom of two with one more coming, I have to say that children are born just about as purely spiritual as they can be, and that they temper this over time as they grow into their bodies.

Looking into the less than minutes old eyes of my kids was one of the most poerwful spiritual experiences of my life, hands down. (I can't wait to greet the next little soul I'm honored be the gateway for into the world!)

[vees.livejournal.com]

They're blank slates. That's why pedobaptism is so objectionable.

[saratoga80.livejournal.com]

As the father of 2, I'll put it this way.

If we assume a spiritual plane not of this earthly realm with 1 (or more) deities present, and possibly in a ruling capacity, to which we are connected via a soul or spirit, then we can assume that a child is born spiritual.

Since religion is a human attempt to codify and understand the spiritual realm (and therfore, imperfectly so), and our form of learning is passed not innately, but rather through learning systems, I argue that babies are non-religious.

The key is to teach them, IMHO, that any religion is flawed, but value and respect yours and others.

[resident-geek.livejournal.com]

Sinners, duh. :)

Seriously (and removing the concept of "sin" as at all relevent to the discussion), it's like asking whether dolphins can share our metaphysical concepts. As small children, they haven't yet been socialized to the point where the "God" idea (in whatever form it comes) is imposed by the prevailing culture. Tabula rasa. So I'm not sure that trying to describe their belief-states is even frameable--it begs the question of whether they are able to believe.

[sunneyone.livejournal.com]

What is the religious and/or spiritual nature of children and babies
i think, until their innocence is shattered, children are in a spiritual state of perfect divine grace. as far as religious nature, i don't think they can really have one of those until they are able to pick one.