Archive for the ‘Religion’ Category

Is Your Child Real?

Friday, October 8th, 2010

When you look at your kids, do you ever wonder whether or not they’re real?  Are they real children or just elaborate fakes, cheap imitations of the real thing, shadows of that which they pretend to be?  That’s the question Cathy Lynn Grossman, writing in USA Today’s Faith and Reason section, posed regarding children conceived via in vitro fertilisation.  Her query was prompted by the news that the Nobel Prize for Medicine was awarded to Robert Edwards, the British scientist who pioneered the process in 1977.  “Do you think,” she asks, “a baby conceived in [a] test tube is still a child in the eyes of God?”

(more…)

If Disney Did The Bible

Tuesday, October 5th, 2010

The Bible — be it the King James, the New International, or any of the more than 80 other English versions — is not an easy read.  There’s a lot that is difficult, confusing, or just downright boring (lists of who begat whom, anyone?).  Is it any wonder that most six-year-old girls are more interested in Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty than Matthew and Mark?  Well have no fear, theist parents, now there’s a solution to this dilemma!

(more…)

Sex Ed: Classroom or Playground?

Friday, July 9th, 2010

Where would you have your kids learn about sex?  For some, the answer is definitely not “in school”.  Some parents want to either take on the job of teaching their kids about sex-related topics themselves or shield their children from the subject matter entirely.  In California, and most other states, I suspect, a parent can opt to have their child skip the lessons but, as one Southern California mom discovered, missing the classroom discussions doesn’t mean your son or daughter won’t be hearing all about it

(more…)

Teaching The Bible In School

Wednesday, July 7th, 2010

There’s no doubt that the bible has had a significant impact on human history.  The bible has inspired artists such as Michelangelo and Botticelli, composers like Bach and Vivaldi, and even authors like C.S. Lewis.  Although not strictly Christian concepts, we have the bible to thank for the popularity of Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny.  Of course, we also have the bible and related works to thank for the atrocities of the crusades, the Middle East conflicts and even, yes, the holocaust.  But should the bible be something taught in schools or is it best left for parents and priests to discuss?  One California school district thinks the bible’s influence is substantial enough to warrant teaching about it.
(more…)

Can Pregnancy Generate Bad Mojo?

Thursday, July 1st, 2010

Okay, I’ll say it.  Sometimes, pregnant women can be no fun to be around.  I understand, mind you, why — their back hurts, their feet hurt, they feel nauseous, etc.  They definitely have a right to be cranky/tired/short-tempered/etc. and we guys smile and take it because that’s our job — to be supportive and caring and positive to help you get through a difficult nine months.  But what about the workplace?  Should co-workers and bosses have to put up with a pregnant woman’s negative energy?  What about her fetus’ negative energy?

(more…)

Pool Rules: Watch Your Kids or Pray

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010

I’m spending a few days by the pool with my kids right now and, although the older two are both excellent swimmers, I am well aware of how very easy it is for even an expert swimmer to drown.  After five years of swim lessons, I feel comfortable sitting on the side of the pool keeping an eye on my kids instead of being in the water with them — but I make sure that I keep an eye on them.  The little one, at two-years-old, requires constant, hands-on, in-the-water attention.  Even with a swim ring, it would be too easy for him to flop over, end up upside-down, and not be able to right himself.  Sadly, not everyone understands that.

(more…)

Bad Parenting 101: Shoving Your Religion Down Their Throat

Sunday, June 20th, 2010

Most parents share their religious beliefs with their children; many even require their kids to join their faith.  But sometimes parents take that a little too far.  Consider the case of Julia Lovemore who killed her six-week-old daughter by shoving pages from her bible in the baby’s mouth and sitting on her.  According to a judge, Lovemore was “profoundly mentally disordered and suffering from religious delusions at the time.”

(more…)