Can parents teach goodness in children without having to bring up God? For many non-believers, this is actually possible. They also think that this might be an even better parenting method compared to instilling valuable lessons in children with the help of the Bible or the church.
An atheist group in Kenya has been actively promoting godless parenting among the locals. It hovers around the idea that children can be taught compassion, ethics and morality even if they are not asked to pray, read the Bible, attend Sunday school or go to church regularly.
Atheists in Kenya (AIK), which has about 200 members, believes that being tied to "rigid religious beliefs" makes parents less effective in molding children to be good and open-minded individuals, The Star Kenya reports. Coupled with rationality and centered on kindness, while doing away with rules and traditions of religion, parents can teach their children to become critical-thinkers who can be mature about intolerance.
"God is actually a lazy explanation that can actually damage a child and kill curiosity," said Ssemakula Mukiibi in the report. "It's important to lead a child and ask, 'What do you think?'"
The group states that it is not a cult, nor does it promote devil-worship as well as they also do not believe in this. "Simply put, atheism means the absence of theistic belief," as written on their official site.
The AIK might be on the mark about godless parenting. A 2015 study, which was published in Current Biology, has implied that secularism is more effective at teaching children to be selfless and more humane compared to religious belief.
Of the 1,170 children who participated in this research, the expert found out that it's children growing up in a household with less rigid religious beliefs who demonstrate more altruistic nature. The findings breaks down the idea that for children to grow up moral, they have to be deeply rooted in religion.
Where do you stand on the concept of godless parenting? Do you agree with the group's statements? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
