Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Religious questions

As of the last few weeks, lots of questions about god and the choices he made and how are being asked by my ds 6. (We are practicing Catholics and have numerous children's bible stories.) yet, nothing seems to be satisfying his curiosity. Any recommendations?

we are coming from quite a different perspective (non religious), but our DD began asking questions about religious beliefs very early on, so i've spent a lot of time thinking about this with her. and fwiw, i've found these conversations to be among some of the most amazing and rewarding i've had with her.

like most things, i think the main thing is to simply keep the channel of communication open. we've done thought experiments with her about some of the Big Questions and we've found that exploring alternate endings (beginnings and middles, too!) to some of the traditional religious stories have led to incredibly interesting conversations.

all the best to you!

I personally found this book helpful in terms of the questions dd was asking(not that I read it to dd, but it helped clarify my own beliefs and discuss with her and she found it satisfying):
http://www.amazon.com/The-Will-God-Leslie-Weatherhead/dp/0687074827

Might it be helpful to seek out a Jesuit clergy member or theologian that you know and trust? It seems to me that such a person would be well-positioned to have the kinds of discussions of theology that your child seems to be seeking.



Of course, that isn't to say that you won't keep discussing things too, just that taking the questions seriously sometimes means seeking outside expertise.

I happen to know someone who might be willing to communicate with you electronically, if you're interested. The background there is not Catholic, but the theological background of the person in question is very deep and very broad; and the person has experience as a parent to an HG child in addition to that divinity training.

That is great advice!

Well, we aren't believers, but our parents are all pretty hard-core involved in church... when our kids ask questions I tend to turn it back around on them and ask what they think... and let them make their own conclusions. When pressed I try to give as even-handed an answer as I can.

My screen name makes my Catholic bias obvious. I'm a proponent of proof-based teaching, and some of the (real) Thomas Aquinas teachings can easily be brought to a child's level, like the first-mover proof. A simplified version of Aquinas' "Summa Theologica", like this one -- http://www.newadvent.org/summa/ -- might be helpful to you in organizing your thoughts.

What questions have you been discussing together? I could probably offer some more specific suggestions once I know, but a general recommendation would be to look into a few books by Lee Strobel ("The Case for Faith", "The Case for Christ"), and Scott Hahn's "Rome Sweet Home" for simple, accessible arguments. These books are all stories of adult conversion (Strobel from Atheism, Hahn from a Protestant denomination) so the texts are heavy on simplified catechism.

All this is not meant to discount the value of family prayer.

Melessa, I'd be happy to discuss specific questions by PM, too, if you prefer.

Note: Like MoN, I have tried to respond to the OP's request for information. In no way is this post intended to be a proselytizing message or a denigration of other faith systems.

I wish you were around when my dd was 4-8ish. I feel like this is an area I didn't handle well--thanks for the links...I think my dd might still be interested now.

Melessa, I grew up in a deeply, deeply religious household. However,even as a very young child, I questioned religious beliefs and god. My late grandpa, who stayed with us for most of my childhood, would listen to my questions and arguments very carefully and agree with them but also state that people have different ways of viewing the world. Basically, he taught me that I am right in believing (or not) what I do but I should respect other people's beliefs as well. Fair enough! This allowed me to grow up without conflict. Even today, I am a true non-believer.I got final proof of my atheism when my preemie DD was struggling for life in the NICU and I turned to medical websites and online support groups but not to prayers or god. However, I respect my family members and others for their belief system and know exactly where they are coming from. Not sure if I helped you but just wanted to tell you that your child is going to decide what he wants to believe. All you can do is educate him about the diversity in people's beliefs and how he is as right or wrong as the next person. Am I even making sense?

Deacongirl, MoN, glad to help! PM me anytime; I'm always happy to chat and offer what ideas I do have. I went through my own agnosticism through my teens and only really settled back into Catholicism in university. These are the resources that formed the backbone of my faith. St. Augustine is a personal favourite, too. His "Confessions" would be a great resource for a teen.

Political correctness becomes dangerous when it extinguishes the deep, investigative thought that our children crave. We (collectively, across beliefs) need to understand our belief (or non-belief) systems to their core to set the stage for productive interfaith dialogue. Let's set the bar high for this forum!