Make kids believe in God by lying to them

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/ @aronra
I am rebutting the following video:
Why Even Atheists Should Teach Their Children about God
• Why Even Atheists Shou...
Here are the articles cited:
Anxiety and Depression in Adolescence
childmind.org/awareness-campa...
What to know about teen anxiety and depression
www.medicalnewstoday.com/arti...
Don’t Believe in God? Lie to Your Children
www.wsj.com/articles/dont-bel...
Associations of Religious Upbringing With Subsequent Health and Well-Being From Adolescence to Young Adulthood: An Outcome-Wide Analysis
academic.oup.com/aje/article/...
How Does Religion Impact Child Development?
psychcentral.com/news/2019/02...
Children of highly religious mothers are more likely to internalize their problems, study finds
www.psypost.org/2023/07/child...
‘Mixed blessings’ Parental religiousness, parenting, and child adjustment in global perspective
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
Religious children are meaner than their secular counterparts, study finds
www.theguardian.com/world/201...
How Does Religion Impact Child Development?
psychcentral.com/news/2019/02...
Will You Lose Your Faith in College?
www.desiringgod.org/articles/...
Religion and Child Well-Being
www.academia.edu/32863940/Rel...
Teens, anxiety, and depression: How worried should parents be?
answers.childrenshospital.org....
Abuse of Faith
www.houstonchronicle.com/news...
If you like what I do, please consider supporting my efforts.
PATREON► / aronra
PAYPAL► www.paypal.me/AronRa

[@Angel-nl1hp]

Funny how these apologists have absolutely no problem with lying, but are quick to call atheists liars.

[@KianaWolf]

Projection and hypocrisy are cornerstones of religious extremism. (And political extremism, too. Which it tends to overlap with.)

[@foppishdilletaunt9911]

Good old ink pot throwing, Jew hating Martin Luther thought that mendacity for promulgating His Xianity was justified. He wrote, "a good hearty lie for the sake of the good and for the Christian Church, a lie in case of necessity, a useful lie."

[@johnburn8031]

Every accusation is a confession by them.

[@homophilosofikus8215]

When protecting lies, dishonesty becomes necessary

[@ahz4877]

They call atheism a religion too, unintentionally admitting that religiosity is not a virtue.

[@Marconius6]

Imagine going to a therapist and being told you're depressed because you're not Christian enough... This woman legitimately needs to have her license revoked.

[@-IMMOBILIZER-]

INDEED

[@mateuszpuncewicz9178]

My therapist for about a year was a deeply believing Christian. I knew about it but didn't care much about it, until, one day he started asking me what my reasons for not believing were and kind of asserting that my problems couldn't be resolved until I had started believing. One thing he said has stayed with me: "I just want to share the truth of God's existence with You". After he said that I was certain that I had to change the therapist.

[@-IMMOBILIZER-]

@@mateuszpuncewicz9178 GEEZ

[@michaelbedsole970]

Imagine telling someone they are depressed because they aren't Christian enough when the person in question notes that no deity is doing anything to help their problems. Why in the world would a person believe MORE in a being whom they already recognize isn't helping them?

[@mehallica666]

​@@mateuszpuncewicz9178It sickens me! I'm sure you weren't the first, or last patient he tried it with.

[@Jorden.Florence]

I was rised as a Jehovah's Witness going to a kingdom hall 3 times a week. I couldn't leave the Kingdom Hall until I able to stand up for myself at the age of 15. I became an apostate to my family and they wouldn't even speak to me. By the time I was 16 I was living alone. For my personal experience I can say 100% it did nothing but bad for my mental health, thank goodness at the age of 36 I'm totally fine now with that nonsense behind me

[@mwperk02]

Jehovahs witnesses are among the worst people in the Christian world. the whole practice of shunning is inhumane to the extreme not to mention all the bigotry in that religion.

[@SandhillCrane42]

That's really awful. I'm sorry and glad you got through it.

[@izzymora7666]

Also an exjw, it really does a number on your mental health. Their shunning policy never sat right with me. So glad I left

[@spenroze892]

There is deception in all religions

[@VVabsa]

Jehovah's Witness is basically a "legalised" cult seeing how the movement treats it's followers and non-believers. Glad you've made it out buddy!

[@Xbob42]

Yeah, if the hospital lied to you and told you that your child that died in surgery is just fine but was transferred to an overseas hospital for "special care" for 20 years, that'd probably keep you from experiencing depression for a while, too. But the lie has to fall apart sometime, and when it does, the truth will be all the more devastating.

[@dankdungeon5104]

to be fair not if you believe depression is worse in teenagers. Maybe after twenty years there is no risk anymore

[@danwhite1198]

This woman is guilty of blatant child abuse and should lose her license. Lie to your children? First life lesson, how to be dishonest!

[@williamwilson6499]

Lose.

[@robertmiller9735]

@@williamwilson6499 I think we've lost that fight, and the apostrophes too☹.

[@williamwilson6499]

@@robertmiller9735 Maybe we should of given up.

[@danwhite1198]

Thank you Mr. Wilson.@@williamwilson6499

[@robertmiller9735]

@@williamwilson6499 I see what you did there... 😀 I suppose it depends. When I was a kid, textbooks still mentioned the will/shall distinction, despite nobody bothering with it anymore. Who remembers that now? But I think I'll never give up on there/their/they're, and will never accept the apostrophe shift.

[@timothyhoft]

You know what's really depressing? Figuring out, as an adult, that you were force-fed lies for your entire life by your religious family and community.

[@rje024]

Santa sets this stage while creating lifelong consumers who keep the hamster wheel spinning

[@JosephFuckinStalin]

​@@rje024 The only difference with Santa is that people actually love him instead of fearing him

[@rje024]

@JosephFuckinStalin good point. The fear has been shifted to the creepy Elf on the Shelf. The whole "naughty list" and " getting coal" doesn't work, since parents don't follow through. Since the parents themselves were conditioned to be lifelong consumers and as consumers who doesn't like guilt free shopping?

[@patriklindholm7576]

I can actually top that: all the above and you still continue to uphold and intentionally keep spreading those lies spite being offered the contradicting information and the tools by which to find out whether they are the lies they demonstrably are proven to be.

[@kyleinthejar6829]

@@rje024At least Santa is a pretty lie, a lie that makes the hectic holiday times fun for children. God more often than not is used to scare children into behaving. As a European, the way Christians talk to their kids about God sounds more like Krampus than Santa.

[@M.Linoge]

One of my earliest childhood memories as sitting in a church pew, looking up at the nailed man on the cross, hearing the priest tell us about the time God killed everything and everyone, except for two of every kind on a boat. Our dog had just had puppies; more than two, so my first thought was wondering which of my puppies god would drown because he was angry at someone else. Nothing of the religious rituals/stories in my upbringing reduced my anxiety. It made it worse.

[@konnerspears7964]

I don't doubt that religion made you anxious. Forget about religion. Jesus Christ is reliable in a way that religion isn't. Have you checked out Jesus Christ? Have you put your faith in him?

[@skylinefever]

@@konnerspears7964 Masses try it. Only some people are actually capable of religious experience.

[@link7417]

​@@konnerspears7964but jesus christ/god is supposed to have written the damn book all that comes from lol

[@konnerspears7964]

@@link7417 God didn't write the Bible the Bible is inspired by God

[@link7417]

@@konnerspears7964 so are you saying that the book is not "the word of god" that it claims? that it can contain false hoods and lies? becouse the issue OP had wasn't religion perse as I understand it but the claims of the bible

[@aldebaran4154]

If this lady was my mother I would have left home at age 5. Back in the 90's i was struggling mentally; I had bi-polar which had yet to be diagnosed; and was still a bit religious I went to see a pastor. I told him my issues and he told me to "go see a doctor. Religion really can't help with what's bothering you." Until this day I have high respect for that pastor and have always wished the best for him.

[@Soundbrigade]

Laughing my ass off …. But seriously, I had a great time in high school (here in Sweden) with friends IN the church and christyun belief and also outside. But I noticed how carefree my atheist friends were and how troubled some of the believing friends were - we used to called it “religiöst grubbleri” (Religious pondering). I know some were on the brink of suicide or being administered to a psych ward. I had, cod bless, happy memories much because of the comradeship, from those times, but tody it makes me mad that we couldn’t get that without the frigging mad man in heaven.

[@fressno1807]

@@Soundbrigademan blir ganska sur nu i efterhand. Så mycke skit med religion.

[@Nymaz]

"We believe in life BEFORE death." Love that line, really hits me.

[@KianaWolf]

My childhood depression and anxiety was largely due to living with an abusive father, having no positive support structure in my life. And then my pastor at the time topped that off by giving a hellfire sermon about how anyone gay or trans is going to hell, categorically, doesn't matter if they accept Jesus or not. (After insisting god was loving, merciful and forgiving, accepting of everyone that comes to him, just a few weeks prior...) I tried praying for god to make me cis and straight. Yeah, that didn't work, obviously. But that pastor's bile spewing tirade, destroying any respect I had for him, cut the last thread tying to me to the church. And any belief in imaginary friends and mystical nonsense unraveled and fell away in the years after. So in a way, he did me a favor. Turns out that the religion that preaches that everyone is deserving of infinite torture just for being born is full of assholes. Shocking! At the time, anyway. In hindsight, not shocking at all. But there's a reason I have said, and will continue to say, that christianity is child abuse. Even the mild denominations still have "you were born broken and deserving of punishment" as a foundational tenant, even if their particular flavor doesn't hold a belief in hell.

[@andrewreed4216]

im sorry to hear you have had such hardship in your life. i to continue to have similar hardships and am challenged further because i have had spiritual experiences since i was 2 years old, which have left me stuck between this world and the next. i hope you can find some good supportive friends. i haven't lost sight of good things despite how the world is increasingly hard to deal with, i am a believer only because I've met Christ (out of my body), i know he cares for us as individuals (and a lot of other beings out there do too). i hope you find peace within. best wishes to you.

[@KianaWolf]

@@andrewreed4216 How do you distinguish between a "spiritual experience" and a hallucination? Has he ever turned water into wine for you? Multiplied bread and fish? Because it sounds like you've been living with an untreated medical condition for years, and I'm concerned for your well-being.

[@MiserableMuon]

Not just christianity. most religions.

[@johnosborne3187]

I am so sorry you have been subjected to that. Please know that you are loved by people you have never met. I tell my daughter that, as human animals, we only get roughly 80 years to experience this universe. It is a wonderful thing to experience. I tell her that she, and everyone else, has the right to live their true joy for those years. We may not see a world community that sufficiently accepts that right in our lifetimes, but we are moving in the right direction, despite the efforts of evil, misguided people. We stand with you:)

[@foppishdilletaunt9911]

I hope that you’re living your brave and true life as well as you can. I was gripped by Major Depressive Disorder at 14. My father was a shrink and I was raised as a rational humanist by devout Atheist parents. I figured that my furious self loathing was deserved because I was such a horrible person. My mother was a good mother but her understandable misandry (most of the men in her chaotic childhood were drunken and violent assholes) didn’t help my self of steam, which was blown apart by the lightest winds of existence in this largely ugly, violent, unjust world thanks to the fucking Patriarchy, It was only through rationality and introspection and years of Cognitive Therapy helped by pharmacology that finally pulled me out of 26 years of depression. I don’t know why I’m telling my pathetic little tale to strangers-I think that it’s important to be “out” about being crazy, er, I mean Neurologically Divergent* and as freethinkers. I was raised to be accepting, empathetic and charitable in thought and action to people generally the recipients of bigotry and hatred. I hope you realize and experience that you have allies and support out here somewhere. Bonny good for you and your strength and bravery ! * I have problems with some neologisms that seek to be nonjudgmental. I was born a freak and an proud to be so. Euphemisms conceal, dysphemisms reveal.

[@coreysmithson4002]

"That's what it means to be an atheist...we believe in life BEFORE death." Well said, Aron

[@konnerspears7964]

That's what an atheist is? Why do you guys bother debating with us Christians then? We believe in life before death too.

[@YESHUA_is_king_21]

What significance does that hold

[@coreysmithson4002]

@YESHUA_is_king_21 a broad generalization for sure, but organized religion can pretty much be summed up with "give us everything you have now, because when you die, you'll go to this magical place." Instead of focusing on making this world a better place, religion makes people yearn for death so they can go to some magical place in the clouds, that conveniently can't be demonstrated to exist

[@TerryElioth]

​@@YESHUA_is_king_21your profile name shows you are not interested in debate.

[@YESHUA_is_king_21]

@@TerryElioth lol oh really let's debate then

[@lettersnstuff]

I genuinely believe appearing in a prageru video should be enough to get someone’s license as a therapist or psychiatrist revoked

[@2l84me8]

Ironically, it was religion that gave me anxiety as a child and teenager. The thought of an all powerful being that knows everything I’ll think and do and could torture me with fire for all eternity just for having the “wrong thoughts”was a terrifying concept. I now appreciate life better and am way less judgmental about people since letting religion go and not having to worry about a made up, cosmic exam to determine some supposed eternity.

[@luv2fly745]

Guess this good Christian woman doesn't uphold the commandment about not bearing false witness. Also, she doesn't want to 'scare' children with the truth about death but apparently misses the fact that Christians routinely terrorize them with hell🤦‍♀️😏

[@antondovydaitis2261]

It's called "Hovind's Wager."

[@aishabintabubakr4944]

I've gone this whole year and haven't heard about Hell more than twice

[@VictoriousGardenosaurus]

​@@antondovydaitis2261Wow, didn't realize I'd learn about a piece of shit today. Thanks partner.

[@fatcat1414]

​@@aishabintabubakr4944 By name, probably. But how many times have you heard about Satan, or demons, or sin, or stories of sinners being divinely punished? Those are all concepts intrinsically connected to Hell and are intended to keep you in line. And trust me, as a former evangelical kid, I only had to have the cruelty of Hell spelled out for me once in the form of a pamphlet for me to have regular panic attacks while praying at the altar. Panic attacks that the congregation praised because I was 'filled with the spirit.'

[@aishabintabubakr4944]

@@fatcat1414 That's true. Depending on which evangelical branch you came from they emphasize that much more. Catholics usually say "If you choose Betflix over Church, you choose Hell" [Maybe it's the sane message to a lesser degree)

[@firefly4f4]

"Tell them it will never happen to them..." Sweet mercy, if she's actually a registered and licensed therapist, that needs to be revoked right now.

[@The_Worst_Guy_Ever]

I realized how horrifying the idea of eternal life was when I like 6 years old and could never understand why all of the adults around thought that it was such a comforting concept. Like it’s the sort of thing that seems unappealing if you put literally any amount of thought into it.

[@skylinefever]

I joked that it meant I had to sing boring Jesus music nonstop. What a horrible torture.

[@The_Worst_Guy_Ever]

@@skylinefever As much as I hated going to church, I can't deny. Black churches be jammin

[@sorryifoldcomment8596]

Yeah, I take great comfort in the knowledge that my suffering will end. I did struggle with the concept of my mortality as a child, but that pales in comparison to the fear of Hell! I am so glad no one convinced me of such horror. It would have haunted my every waking moment.

[@GredelsRage]

Hmm. When i was a kid with depression and anxiety, reading the bible and going to church only served to deepen that depression. My first hospital admission was after the preacher gave a stirringly disgusting sermon on how those that listen to rock music, or drank (ever, not just alcoholism), or played d&d that they were hoing to hell. He even added the words "do not pass go do not collect any salvation" in my mind this meant that 10 year old me and my dad who occasionally had a beer or rum and coke were already damned. And i attended a "you don't question the sermon because it was inspired by god" kinda church. Tried to kill myself for the first time that night so ended up in a psych hospital (at a baptist hospital so that was all built on religion). Learned quickly to hide my fears and never ask for help understanding. Now, at 49, i still haven't overcome my fear of asking for help to understand. Luckily for me,when i reached 17 they re evaluated me and found my depression was due to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

[@AmberAmber]

I'm so sorry💔I'm glad you got help. I can relate - religious abuses & the ideology itself gave me ptsd & my quest to find God (cos I was told I'd go to hell if I didn't forgive the monsters who destroyed my life) turned me atheist. Studying all religion made me lose all beliefs. I hope your life is good to you • you matter❤

[@truetech4158]

You are of a level of dignity above those who deluded you. They pushed a bogus campfire tale themed narcissism onto a young maliable mind, it's not your fault they are so unapologetically egocentric to the point of delusional preference. My older brother is a easily violent moral thieving mess, unapologetic, seems to have wanted to be chuck norris since he was a kid playing with the GI Joe dolls and the ketchup. One day, he walked into my room unexpectedly, closed the door, then walked quickly across the room and began punching me in the face at age 7 without provocation, while he kept whispering shut up in between the hits, so I tried to comply as what mustve been a juvenile form of PSTD presenting itself moreso than with his previous authoritarian toned behavioral pattern. Never did tell the parents about it, following his recommendations of shutting up. I eventually moved 4 hours rurally away from our inherited home due to it feeling more like just building materials rather than home, he was doing things to rip away elements of dignity via a stockholm syndrome turn a blind enabling eye type of social framework if to coexist within his smiley or threatening authoritarian right wing theme. You only live once, and waiting for apologies that seem to never present themself from the boldly willy ignorant that sure seem to prefer living in fabrications and narcissism are not worth your time, its best to understand that they are coping poorly with their cognitive dysfunctions, of which they tried to formulate a carbon copy of themselves onto you. Make the most of your life however you see fit provided your not hurting anyone and ideally not hurting yourself. Art is a ideal, sciences even perhaps with focusing on potential solutions, leasure. I teach a.i. choirs to swear as a form of therapy. All the best

[@GredelsRage]

@@AmberAmber my life, like everyone else's has its ups and downs, but over all im happy with where i am now. I understand the ptsd being a childhood sa survivor. Church is one of the worst places to be when you have emotional or mental health issues. Before i escaped they attempted to exorcize me. I was possessed by the spirit of sorrow and a host of other demons (haha yeah because that could be the only possible excuse). They literally grabbed me and drug me to the front, surrounded me, and were praying over me pressing me into the stage so i couldnt breathe (and anxiety already was making that difficult) people were touching me abd shouting. It was horrifying, all i wanted at the time was to excape then as it continued and became more and more painful and clostraphobic they took shit one step further, they forced me into the fucking baptism pool and forcibly baptised me. Im terrified of water. No thats not right. Im terrified of being in the water (rain and showers are fine. Pools, bathtubs, lakes, etc CAN'T and won't do it) oddly enough, there isnt a single dr that i have seen that has even suggested that i attempt to overcome it because it isn't hurting me. If i had to, yeah i can swim, but i don't put myself into positions that may necessitate it. Sorry. I can get lost in a story and go on for dayÿyyyyyys as my kids say. I wish you peace, insight, and strength in your journey. Im going to go find something to make me laugh a little now because this never seems to get easier to talk about, and it especially bothers me that my mom still attends that kind of church. She even vites republican, despite the frequent cuts they make to ssi and disability as well as medicare (which im on because im blind in one eye and my mental health problems make it near impossible to hold a job that pays enough to even cover the fuel to get back and forth. And that is my only source of shame now, that i can't be strong enough to control the illness to be a functioning member of society. (I even lost a job once because my eye patch scares people. )

[@GredelsRage]

@@truetech4158 teach A.I. TO swear? You can do that? Ok,now im laughing again. Thank you! 😊

[@physalis17]

*hugs* I am so sorry you went through that. I posted my experience as well. It gets better man. Hang in there! You are in good company now! ❤

[@doogandoggin2571]

When I realized it was a giant lie, all of the depression, shame, fear, and guilt I had been burdened with evaporated. Religion taught me to hate myself and others. Guilt came from knowing that was false. I think being able to sue religious figures, parents and so called religiously led counseling services for damages would be great but how can you objectively value so much harm.

[@blondequijote]

Idk how you can put a price on it, but you’ll get what you can negotiate when you find the right lawyer.

[@Power_to_the_people567]

@@blondequijoteWe cant. Freedom of religion wouldn’t allow us to sue churches for spreading their twisted beliefs that harm children

[@konnerspears7964]

You're right religion can be a giant lie. Jesus Christ isn't a lie though, he was an actual historical space time person. he claimed to be God in human form, and then he proved it. The reason religion makes you feel depressed, shame, fear, and guilt, is because it compares you to a perfect, sinless deity. Obviously you're going to be insecure when you're standing next to someone who's perfect, all of your flaws become crystal clear. But just because it makes you feel uncomfortable, doesn't mean that it isn't true. Does that make sense?

[@Lucas_Tulic]

Imagine having parents, relatives or friends SO dumb, that when you go to them for advice 'cause you're feeling anxious or depressed, they tell you 'Yeah, that's 'cause you don't believe in my god'. I'd run outta there without looking back!

[@renatajd7758]

Take your kid to chase waterfalls, take them to museums, and talk about movies you have just watched. There is so much to discover in the world.

[@campfireaddict6417]

Go camping with them, rent a canoe, go fishing.

[@yourenotspecial3735]

@@A_Stereotypical_Heretic imagine all the holocaust children that were asking god to save them…

[@redblaze8700]

What's scarier to teach children? (1) Telling them that they will be gone forever once they die. (2) Telling them that they will either spend eternity worshipping a giant egocentric narcissist, or be tortured in agonising pain, depending on whether they belived in the correct version of a specific deity and the right religion/denomination. (3) Simply telling them that we don't know what happens after we die.

[@haywardjeblomey6505]

But we do know that consciousness is a product of the brain, which dies, leaving no mechanism for experience. Telling them nobody knows would be a lie.

[@mEmory______]

​@@haywardjeblomey6505no, we dont know for sure what consciousness is. Actually, we have no idea what it is, we only have theories. So what you say is not true. We don't know what happens.

[@haywardjeblomey6505]

@@mEmory______ We have evidence that all parts of consciousness come from the living brain. We can test this every time someone receives brain damage. The local damage will always change the personality.

[@haywardjeblomey6505]

@@mEmory______ Don't conflate incredulity or personal ignorance with established science. We definitely know that consciousness comes from the living brain. We can test this every time someone has brain damage. The loss of function is an indication that the function came from the functioning, healthy brain, and the brain damage is what inhibits it. We also know that every claim of a soul is bullshit. We know this because magic is imaginary, and every time someone talks about a soul, they are speaking about a fantasy.

[@raptorcrasherinc.9823]

@@mEmory______ Yes but there is no evidence that consciousness exists outside of the brain. It is more likely that it takes place inside the brain. So, you are right, we do not know for sure, but it is far more likely that consciousness ends with life.

[@Dobviews]

When dealing with death as an auntie... I told my nieces/nephews that our loved ones are gone now but that we carry their memory and stories forward... we are the ones who keep them "alive" by telling their stories and sharing their lives from yesterday. Not a single kid seemed confused and no need to talk about the existence of a faux heaven/hell.

[@aishabintabubakr4944]

I think you fear God because you'll be held accountable for your actions

[@giulianodenardi7654]

@@aishabintabubakr4944 Do you think or are you projecting your fear into people's comments?

[@PavewayIII-gbu24]

@@aishabintabubakr4944 I'm as scared of God as I am of Godzilla. Neither pose any threat

[@aishabintabubakr4944]

@@giulianodenardi7654 If you did nothing wrong, then you have nothing to fear. But in atheism even Ted Bundy is a moral person

[@giulianodenardi7654]

@@aishabintabubakr4944 It's not, it's just a strawman fallacy that you beat thinking that it's atheism (which is summed up in the absence of belief in the existence of deities). The secular moral tradition has one of its origins in the West in the philosophy of ancient Greece, where they separated the gods to explain natural phenomena and live in society. Amoral people cannot live in society and it's self-explanatory.

[@rhondah1587]

I got the best moral lessons from watching Star Trek. Gene Roddenberry admitted that he wrote the episodes with a moral lesson on purpose. I got nothing from my religious upbringing but that members of my Baptist church were more about backstabbing and who wore what to church. I went to services more than my parents did, but it was for the purpose of being with friends and we really weren't that interested in the sermons. I had fun in Sunday school by trying to be the one who had more answers than the others when the teacher asked. I would study the lesson from the booklet we were given very hard, but it never really meant much of anything serious to me. I did believe that there was the typical belief of Jesus, but he was never foremost in my thoughts. I was in my early thirties before I deconverted through reading the buybull cover to cover twice and finding it totally absurd then watching Joseph Campbell's series of interviews with Bill Moyers on PBS talking about the Power of Myth. After the last episode, I dropped all doubt that the god thing was true. I stood up and said to myself, "I'm an atheist." I'm 71 now and never looked back.

[@masterbootyoshe1805]

What advice would you have for somebody who is moving away from Christianity I am 18 and I’m always nervous about going to hell even though I don’t really believe anymore it’s something in the back of my mind like what if my moving away is wrong and the constant predictions of end times and I always get scared about it even though I’m trying to move away. Anything would be helpful if you can thank you

[@fjoell]

13:16 "It is far better for kids to use their imagination constructing something positive such as a god who cares about us" I mean at least she clearly knows and states that the god who cares about us is only in our imagination.

[@Mettle_DAD]

My son was 4 when his grandmother passed from cancer. He was perfectly capable of understanding the truth. She lives in our memories and our emotions. She lives in how her love shaped who we are and how we conduct ourselves in your lives. She taught us how to care for others and show love. There are plenty of comforting beautiful ways to explain a loved ones passing to a child to comfort them that don't require lying to them.

[@Viktor47917]

I am on the Autistic Spectrum myself. I was also in a religious family. The only thing I know is that believing in God never really made me happy. Instead, it made me cry to him to try and find hope when that hope didn't really come. Later on, I quit religion because I was tired of believing in God. I was tired of being told "God was there" when I never heard from him at all. I then went to follow my own private spiritual ways that I do not force onto others because, you know, it is a personal thing. What that damn woman in there said in the beginning was just straight wrong. I asked others about if THEY were born and raised in a religious family. They said yes but it was not always happy. Religion can bring insecurities. Religion is insecure itself! Kids don't need a God. They need a supportive family that guides them in growth. Religion such as believing in God doesn't make any difference.

[@dylanflyyn9693]

I am on the autistic spectrum aswell, and I’ve had a very similar experience as you, god is a crutch

[@missypead2293]

You guys can believe what you want, I just want you to know this guy is very toxic. He is a bully and treats people really bad. He makes fun of people for a living. I have Athiest friends but they don't act like Aron Ra or Matt dillahunty. They are very angry individuals.

[@haywardjeblomey6505]

Your mental disorder may have shielded you from the hallucinations and delusions caused by the abusers. Maybe your brain isn't as susceptible to fraud as the rest of us.

[@konnerspears7964]

Just because something doesn't make you happy does that make it not true? Running a mile a day is good for your health, even though it doesn't make you happy. I'm a Christian. The reason I "force" my beliefs on others, is because I believe with all my heart that they're headed for eternal damnation. Jesus commands me to love my neighbor, so I have no choice but to tell you about where you're headed. You're right religion brings insecurities- when I compare me (a frequent sinner) to a God that is perfect in every way imaginable, it does make me feel insecure. But that insecurity isn't necessarily a bad thing if it's making me a more righteous person. Think of it this way: imagine I'm really stupid, and I'm insecure about my stupidity. The insecurity can be either bad or good depending on how I use it. It's bad if I just sit there being depressed about being dumb and not doing anything about it, it's good if the insecurity drives me to start studying and getting smarter. So being insecure isn't always a bad thing, it's merely acknowledging that you aren't perfect, and that you have progress to make. Kids do need a God, everybody needs a God. I agree that they need a supportive family, ideally they have both.

[@Viktor47917]

@@konnerspears7964 Children don't need to be told a comfortable damn lie like you expect them to jackass. Think kids need God when children who live WITHOUT God still can be happy? You believe people are on a damnation to suffering without a God when clearly it has been shown that people and children who believe in God can be miserable too. The only damnation are people like you who force things on people when they don't want it. It's you religious tyrants that need to learn your place at some point. Your preaching has proved quite a lot to be despicable and it has shown its lack of purpose. Not everyone wants your God. If you hate because people don't want to be like you, that means you have something wrong about YOU. Just because the First Amendment says "Freedom of Religion" doesn't mean you get to force it into people's minds like a slave owner. Being happy means you give yourself joy and hope. If you expect others to be forced to find it through faith in some God, then you have some serious problems. Not everyone gives a rat damn about your faith or your God. There is a chance some Deity exists but there is a high chance there isn't. Just because you believe people will suffer without a God doesn't mean it is fact or correct. You should be able to comprehend that.

[@llongone2]

"That's what it means to be an atheist: we believe in life before death" - Yes. So much yes to this. Well said, AronRa.

[@MrPhoobard]

I've struggled with depression for as long as I can remember. I truly believe religion was a big part of my problem. I remember being pressured into going before the congregation when I was about 8 or 9 years old. I kept telling my family that I wasn't ready. I had too many doubts, & I was afraid of lying to God. Because I couldn't swallow the story of Balaam & his talking ass. Even as a kid. I was told to do it anyway. Fake it till I make it. In other words: lie to everybody. Including myself. I was afraid of Hell into my 20s. I dreaded Heaven too. Oblivion is preferable. Thank you for this video, Mr. Ra.

[@Jeewanu216]

I don't blame my parents, but as a lonely and depressed autist, the promise of complete love at 8 years old blinded me to the truth and motivated me to baptism. Even today, my mom is convinced my baptism is legit, when I tell her I was just lonely. "Jesus living in my heart" was my relief. Then I learned as an involuntary pansexual, God says I deserve to burn c: My best friend said I deserved torture because I like men. Self hatred, self abuse, increased depression, anxiety, isolation, and confusion. And I still held to the lies until mere months ago.

[@skylinefever]

If there were no hellfire and brimstone sermons, many religions would either die, or lose most of their flock.

[@SongdogWoolley]

This is a great illustration of the most eye-opening conversation with my wonderful mom. When she found out that I was not going to provide any religious upbringing for my children, her response was, "I know you choose (sic) not to believe in God, but do you really want that for your children?" My mind was immediately blown, but once I gathered myself enough to understand that she meant this from her own perspective of what was "good", I answered her honestly, "Yes". She admitted much later on, that SHE was choosing TO believe. She refused to talk about religion with either me or my also atheist sister - not because she didn't want conflict, as she was a person who was SO open minded about everything, everything else, and enjoyed a good intellectual discussion. She didn't WANT to see the reason, because she was afraid she already knew it was true. She basically said this - she didn't want to lose her faith. She came really, really far from how she had been raised, became an advocate for LGBTQ+ people, and marriage equality. Religion was just the one thing that was too scary for her to move on from.

[@holynder3181]

And that’s why it’s horrible that people try to teach their kids from birth. They don’t want to leave any room for doubt so you’ll go through your whole life believing a lie because you’re to afraid to be a free thinker.

[@floridamaninthewild]

Can totally relate. My mom spent her life as a teacher and learned the science on evolution and realized that the Bible version is not the truth. But after a lifetime of religious upbringing, she chose to retire early rather than teach what she knew. I watched her cry over her decision but in the end, she chose to believe a lie rather than teach the truth.

[@hectorlackless]

I can relate, honestly part of me wishes I could remain religious it seems like a nice answer but when confronting other ways of thinking and hipocrecies and disproovements on religious stuff I simply couldn't continue even if it gave me existencial dread

[@konnerspears7964]

@@holynder3181 if someone does that, then they don't know God. Listen to how Jesus commands us to be skeptics: Mathew 7:15 "beware false prophets, for they come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they're wolves.

[@konnerspears7964]

@@hectorlackless what hypocrisies and disprovements are you referring to?

[@grapeshot]

I don't believe in the existence of an invisible sky wizard and I am not depressed because of it nor do I have anxiety about it.

[@simonw.1223]

imagine if I like make a circle out of simple salt and make a question in salt and after like a prayer it turns into something and it can be repeated by everyone there would be proof but like today its trust me and scientific method can show there is a there there.

[@grapeshot]

@simonw.1223 I don't believe in the existence of any deity, so that means the the abrahamic tribal war god religions or the old Pagan ones like Jupiter or Ogun or Mithra etc.

[@simonw.1223]

@@grapeshot yeah and there is nothing to be proven today that there is a deity it is concluded that there is none.

[@thecatsays]

Right now, I have a coworker mad I told her to stop with god on me. I'm fighting cancer right now, and I get it "be right with god" to cure me. I'm right with my medical team.

[@simonw.1223]

@@thecatsays well if god works we would have reliable evidence and not just by chance. Just a chance person survives "god miracle" person doesnt survive "god works in mysterious ways"

[@shanegooding4839]

Telling children lies to spare them doesn't prepare them for life. How could they be anything but traumatized by really difficult times if they're taught that they don't exist.

[@deemo5245]

My mother seemed to believe and we went to church every week, etc. As a smart kid I tried so hard to make it real. By the time I was eleven I happily realized it wasn’t me it was them. Had a great conversation about it with my mother.

[@shoridonl7796]

When I was a toddler I accidently realized I was going to die one day. I don't remember the exact thoughts but I somehow learned that all living things eventually die... and then remembered that I was alive. This was the only time I did that stereotypical thing where the child asks to sleep with their parents after a nightmare, but instead of a nightmare I was having an existential crisis. Of course I did not express it that way, I just said I didn't want to die. And then i grew up to be a reasonably successful adult that never committed any heinous crimes. One whose problems never come from understanding the world around me but instead seem to always come from other people refusing to do the same. No god required, I just grew up and got over it.

[@DeconvertedMan]

wow! glad you made it though that ^_^

[@shecklesmack9563]

I had a similar existential crisis when I was little. I remember it so vividly, it was terrifying to think that the afterlife was an inevitability. I remember thinking… “This WILL happen.” with absolute certainty. Kids shouldn’t have existential crises and I’m not sure what else but religion can give them that.

[@konnerspears7964]

That's great that your life is successful, but listen to what the Bible says: Mark 8:36 "what shall profit a man if he gains the whole world, but loses his own soul". On judgement day you won't be judged on how "successful" your life was, you'll be judged on the wrong you've done (sin).

[@DeconvertedMan]

@@konnerspears7964 that's great but read what the Lobsterist says.

[@shoridonl7796]

@@konnerspears7964 That requires judgment day to happen. Why would i listen to the bible? It has nothing but proven false claims, unproven claims, and proven irrelevant claims. That track record isn't something I would base a grocery list on, let alone my life.

[@ecpracticesquad4674]

Growing up Catholic, I was only ever told how broken I was and how much forgiveness I needed to constantly beg for. It wasn’t until after I lost my faith that I began to search for value in my life for myself. Organized religion only ever tried selling me a cure for a disease only they said I had. On top of all that, I was taught to hate certain people or things because “god looked down upon” them for no other reason than “just cause.”

[@KianaWolf]

There's no hate like christian love...

[@ecpracticesquad4674]

@@KianaWolfI never understood how true that statement was until I became an atheist

[@tbwolf8641]

Christianity is such a broken and disgusting thing. That god says he is good, but he hates his "Children" for being the way he created them. It is so painful for me seeing my siblings be fed these lies while I cannot do anything about it because if I do, I am the one that is called a liar. I really sympathize with you.

[@frozentspark2105]

VERY well said 💯

[@Ardith50]

Same. I’m still trying to recover my self-worth.

[@roseintheobservatory]

I had a friend who passed recently, and I attended her funeral which was held at a church, and being atheist it really hurt how much her 27 years of life were brushed aside for the sake of "heaven"

[@Coastal_Cruzer]

Also hurts when you hear someone survive a serious situation with a lot of help from medical professionals but the whole thing gets boiled down to "god saved them" like the doctors didn't just reassemble the motherfucker. Why didn't god stop them from getting in the situation in the first place? It infuriates me.

[@bbbabrock]

I went to a funeral for a drug addict friend of mine who o.ded. And almost the entire service consisted of nothing more than a cautionary tale-"Don't be like this women, or you may end up like her". If Ida had more balls Ida said, Fuck you. She had value.

[@chibbersthesquirrel6189]

Literally telling parents to lie to their kids... Holy shit.

[@happyjesus123]

It is not Atheism that is the problem, it is Asantaism. People who deny the existence of the jolly old elf are not only depressed, Santa doesn´t bring them presents.

[@simonw.1223]

but why dont you believe into the UGLA do you hate the UGLA. And cant you feel Ugla is always there. Ugla is just a bunch of letters I typed rn in.

[@firebladetenn6633]

Santa is a psy-op to hide the TRUTH of Bob, the God of Goodness and Candy!

[@simonw.1223]

@@firebladetenn6633 and I thought according to deadcells its the contrakleptomanic

[@firebladetenn6633]

@@simonw.1223 No no no, that's another Pantheon.

[@firebladetenn6633]

@@simonw.1223 I...never played Dead cells...

[@BoneySkylord]

I once went to a hypnotist to help me stop smoking. He tried to get me to join his Christian group. I reported him. He’s now in prison for raping a 14 year old. 😡

[@Fimbulvinter19]

Funny how sporting clubs, volunteer organisations, and other social programs can have nearly identical results when it comes to combating depression or social isolation. Almost as if it's the support structure that is what helps, not the religion itself... That she is willing to stand there and straight face lie is horrible. If I lie to my kids about something important like this, and then they find out I knowingly lied to them, that's going to devastate their trust in me. The truth may not be pleasant at times, but deliberately lying is arguably worse.

[@konnerspears7964]

If you don't want to lie to your children you should introduce them to Jesus Christ. Even if you don't believe that Jesus Christ is God, you at least have to acknowledge that he's the most been the most influential person of all time, it's not even close. Don't you think your kids have a right to know who this incredible man is?

[@ritchie6162]

@@konnerspears7964saying that “people believe in a savior called Jesus” and “if you don’t obey Jesus you’ll end up burning in a fiery apocalypse for all eternity :)” are two very different approaches. Are you more comfortable with the former or the latter?

[@FortunePayback]

Not even 10 seconds in and i'm already pissed off. I struggled with depression and severe anxiety when I was younger, and although anxiety persists, it's much better. But one big factor was actually worrying about if this whole god thing was real or not. Long story short, I ended up on solipsism and almost committed suicide at 12. Breaking through, asking questions, and understanding how the world really works is what helped me get that shit under control. I actually still remember, in first grade at about 6 years old, coming home crying because my teacher had told me that I'm not a good person if I don't go to church. I still, to this day 20 years later, blame her as a big reason as to why I am who I am today.

[@trustworthyh3ro267]

And she failed following the only "1 of 2" rules in Christianity. Love Thy neighbor and Love thy God. If you love your neighbor then you'd never shame, harm, nor antagonize them in any way. If you do something I don't like I simply have to not approve of it and try to meaningfully and carefully dissuade you. If not then just remove myself of your environment. If I love god then I'd never shame him, nor shame anyone in his image being my neighbor. The Bible also encourages silence as to not make situations worse (as dont say nothing if it aint good), or meanings twisted into words of antagonism. I swear those are the easiest rules to follow, since ABSOLUTELY everything else stems from them. Yet so difficult to follow, Christian or otherwise. Anyways, I don't blame you for most likely generalizing all of us. Jesus knew that after his death, our bodies would be the church and not the building itself. Those that pray ostentatiously are making my peeps look bad. Simply just gotta follow the moral consciousness which is the holy spirit. Or choose not to, freewill and all you know.

[@konnerspears7964]

You get mad that easily? You need Jesus

[@gameconcept1196]

Man this sounds horrible. Sorry to hear about your struggle. Glad you made it. 👍

[@mccsnackin]

Nihilism was a stepping stone out of anxiety and depression. It was more of a treatment to anxiety more than anything. Apathy can be healthy from time to time.

[@amyeck3870]

My heathen kids are smart, kind and loving. Growing up their Christian friends were little mean spirited brats!

[@hopelessnerd6677]

You know what causes depression and anxiety in a kid? Being confronted by reality and realizing you've been lied to about practically everything by the people you should have been able to trust.

[@tjlambaes]

As someone who struggles with depression it makes me so frustrated when they tell me I need to pray of find god in order to deal with it.

[@anarki4717]

Of course as a child the idea of death frightened me, I WAS A CHILD! I was a child I was frightened of a lot of things. As an adult it doesn't frighten me any more, knowing one day I will be gone drives me to do good and try to leave a better world for the next generation

[@mightychicken7774]

Hey Aron. This is the kind of thing I have to deal with and work against every day, as you may remember. Around here in my school district, many of the teachers are skirting the line of the establishment clause constantly; one teacher outright teaching monotheism as a subject course: In world History. I don't mind mythology and cultural studies, but the way she was presenting it was as if the only religions of the world that mattered were the BIG THREE, also falsely stating that they were the first ones on earth. The student I was 1on1ing with that day turned out to be an atheist, and he sat in the back of the class VERY uncomfortably due of the subject and the teacher's OBVIOUS bias toward Christianity. I could go into greater detail, but I will simply state that it was... tricky... having to work with this 12 year old boy and help him to grit through his assignment. I felt so bad for him, and quite frustrated with the arrogance of the school and this teacher. Children are literally the future, and need to be raised, protected, and taught how to be good humans. Our custodianship on their education as teachers is to help them realize how the world works to the best of our ability. Secularism specifically protects everyone, even the religious, to having a solid and mostly non-bias education. And while schools should be free from anything but a secular style of education, we all know that the word "should is nothing more than a personal opinion", and never taken seriously. Beyond what I am doing with my students, I don't know what to do at this point. It's getting worse in our public school system, and horrible programs such as Prager U help to muddy the narrative. I would say that I wish they might show some semblance of shame for what they do, but we all know that their smugness prevents them of anything of the sort. It is shocking to me that we allow such dangerous false narratives like this to exist.

[@reubenmanzo2054]

I remember when I first learned the truth about the tooth fairy, Easter bunny, Santa, etc., the first thing I felt was a sense of betrayal. If/when I have kids of my own, that's something I won't be teaching them. The best way to gain trust is by giving it and if you won't be honest with people, particularly your own children, it becomes hypocritical to expect them to be honest with you.

[@stiofanofirghil1916]

I'm an addiction recovery worker, & have seen many times people "Finding God" & becoming just as addicted to that fantasy, & they never truly recover their minds.. At a conference today I spoke to one guy, nice fella in most ways who is now also a recovery worker evangelising to everyone, & it chilled me to the bone he has access to some of the most vulnerable people around..

[@tomfinn8076]

I only had a fear of death when i was a staunch believer. After acknowledging than i wont be eternally torchered or floating for ever, i came to understand and feel calm about the prospect of death.

[@BetterThanEmber]

It's amazing that they're not even pretending there's any truth. "Yup, it's a lie" - openly! Nice one, Aron

[@jacobc9221]

Jesus is now discount bin Santa Claus😂

[@arturincdh4095]

No way you just pulled an Aron ra emoji LMAOOOO

[@the_unsexy_greenMnM]

lol christianity TAUGHT me anxiety and depression

[@lisaspikes4291]

I believe that a certain percentage of kids have ALWAYS been depressed. But when I was growing up in the 60s and 70s, people didn’t recognize it. Unless it was major depression. We were mostly ignored. Just brought out when our parents felt it was necessary. Kids aren’t more depressed now, it’s just that when they are, some of their parents, and maybe teachers and other family members, recognize it, and may do something about it.

[@lynnjacobs9885]

As a propaganda piece, this is one of Christianity's best, most effective and persuasive. Thanks, Aron, for taking it on head-on, directly and honestly.

[@vincentvalenzuela9579]

Absolutely. It would be incredible content if you covered more of their videos. They lie so convincingly by misrepresenting stats by an “authority” hired by far right think tanks . Since it’s geared at misguiding and indoctrinating youth it’s super dangerous.

[@evanflynn4680]

And it's pretty sad that everything she says puts me off religion even more. Granted, without Aron's interjections to her video explaining the context of the studies she's espousing, she would have the veneer of having respected studies behind what she's saying.

[@FuManBoobs]

@@evanflynn4680 The only thing I don't like is so many non religious people say "death doesn't bother me". That's great, but I'm atheist and the idea of no longer existing scares me. Saying it doesn't bother them or their friends isn't an argument.

[@aishabintabubakr4944]

​@@FuManBoobs Why should it scare you? You have the absolute moral right as an atheist to lie, cheat, steal, and kill. None of your actions, memories, Experiences matter

[@FuManBoobs]

@@aishabintabubakr4944 What? Of course what we do matters. If I do things that harm others it's more likely others will do things to harm me. But I would like to live longer than I will. Not forever, but definitely longer.

[@gleanerman2195]

Yes, I was lied to by my parents, just like my parents were lied to by their parents, so it stands to reason that I lied to my kids too. It's a chain that is hard to break, the fear of hell is a bitch.

[@spiritas5372]

It really is. I wasn't even raised religious but the story of it still scared me and even though I've been an atheist almost my entire life, I still can't completely shake that shit.

[@haywardjeblomey6505]

Some lies can be appropriate depending on the circumstances. But brainwashing is violence born of stupidity. We are all weak and vulnerable to abuse, but your own children are completely dependent on your authority. If you're lying to them and coercing them out of ignorance, you're still lying to and coercing them.

[@gleanerman2195]

@@haywardjeblomey6505 But I thought, just like my parents and theirs and so on that I was telling them the truth, luckily, I found the real truth. Ther is no god, period.

[@desktopkitty823]

My parents are the worst human beings I've ever met. I was abused in the name of God and they used the Bible as an excuse for their abuse. I was told I would be a sinner and go to Hell if I disobeyed them. Meanwhile, I spent my childhood being repeatedly physically, mentally, verbally and sexually abused. I was deprived food and then would be "awarded food" when I obeyed. Which usually involved some kind of sexual favor. And the whole time I had religion forced on me. I was sent to Christian schools, where again, I was told not to disobey my parents. I was terrified to tell anyone what was happening to me at home. Nobody ever talked about "don't hurt your children" or "don't rape your children". It was always "obey your parents". And my parents were telling me to keep my mouth shut.

[@FrozEnbyWolf150]

When my depression onset in adolescence, I still believed, and still thought there was a chance prayer might work. You can probably tell how this worked out. Religious folk would say things like, you weren't praying for the right reasons, or you weren't praying hard enough. Or perhaps it's all part of God's plan, like a test or ordeal, and who are you to question it? They never said it to me directly, but Christianity is so omnipresent in our culture that I had internalized these narratives. This readily lead to blaming and shaming myself. Nobody had to do this to me. I was conditioned to do this myself. Even though most organized religion says it's a sin to act on depressive thoughts, the belief in a happier existence in the hereafter overrides it because it's a much more poignant and pervasive thought. Even without direct exposure to religious ideology, and even without the constant reinforcement, religion can still program you into self-destructive thoughts and behaviors. You can still act on them long after you lapse out of or abandon your formal religious beliefs. In a way, I was a lot like those people who call themselves nonbelievers, but still cling to the petty prejudices and divisions into which religion once indoctrinated them. Only in my case, the one I hated most was myself.

[@kellydalstok8900]

My son, who thought that religion was ridiculous, and who introduced me to Penn and Teller anti-religion videos, was a very decent young man. As soon as he was 18 he became a blood plasma donor and filled in an organ donor codicil. During the introduction week, before college started, he led a group of first year’s students. On the second night, as they were returning to the campsite, he rescued a fellow student, a girl, who had been abandoned by her group in a plot of woodland in the middle of the night. He took her to the campsite on his bike. A few years later, while on holiday, he and his two mates encountered two very drunk sixteen or seventeen year olds who had got lost after going out without their parents. The young men hailed a cab to take the young women back to their hotel and their parents. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that my son paid the cabbie, because that’s what he was like. He never took advantage of anyone and he was always very helpful. Completely without belief in imaginary beings.

[@TW-lz3nd]

Wulll, what happened to your son?? Sounds like you just gave a eulogy.

[@Mangaka-ml6xo]

@@TW-lz3nd I agree with you, I hope its not the case, the guy seems really awesome.

[@nickwarner8158]

Your son was raised right, and you should be proud. I've hauled a few girls out of similar situations over the years. Always knew if anyone would take advantage of them it would be one who loves their imaginary friend not someone who has to look in the mirror the next day .

[@benjaminhenderson5025]

Agree with the above comments. Sincerest hopes we are wrong and your fam8ly is healthy and well

[@thejuiceking2219]

nuh uh, actually your son really does believe in god, if he didn't he wouldn't have done those things, gotcha!

[@Leszek.Rzepecki]

Once I'd grown out of religion, I actually resented the time I'd been forced to waste on it, that could have been put towards a better education. Lying about religion is a monstrous mistake.

[@Axioanarchist]

Yep, this. I keep looking back on the first thirty years of my life and consider so much of it wasted.

[@aishabintabubakr4944]

​@@Axioanarchist Except you steal all your morals from that religion

[@Axioanarchist]

@@aishabintabubakr4944 yeah no. Try again.

[@aishabintabubakr4944]

@@Axioanarchist Uhhh...yes, you do. The West was built on the morals of Christianity, which was transferred to the Enlightenment. Nietzsche said that Christian morals are weak. You follow Christian morals.

[@showa546]

​@@aishabintabubakr4944 You don't need religion to have morals.

[@malgremor85]

My parents taught me about God & Jesus, as they thought it was the right thing to do. They also told me about Santa Claus & the Tooth Fairy & the Easter Bunny. By the time I was 8 or so, I had figured out that all of these were make-believe. I voiced this to my parents. They did not object. Our family has been happily & openly atheist ever since.

[@silveroscar6319]

Extremely accurate piece. I came from a religious family. Several children of believers from that circle had psychological issues from the guilt of religion. 2 died through alcohol abuse including my own cousin. In fact the Free Presbyterian Church of Ireland has a special prayer meeting specifically for parents to 'pray for the children of believers'. This is because so many don't follow their parents in their faith. Nowadays kids can fact check online the nonsense and lies from the pulpit.

[@InsomniacDoggo]

My uncle used to go to (I dont know if he still does) an atheist church, and I used to think that was weird. Like "why do atheists need a church", but now I get it. Its not a place for religiosity or worship but for community, to replicate the positive aspects of religious community without the indocrination. It makes so much more sense now.

[@fje6902]

According to Erica Komisar, religion teaches empathy and gratitude. Who is she kidding? Any empathy or gratitude propagated by religion is relegated only to those who agree with them. I taught science in Catholic schools for 38 years, and I heard some of the worst bile spewed in the name of the Almighty in the faculty room. When I was still a believer I told our theology dept. chair that it is unchristian to deny LGBTQ people the right to marry. He told me if I believe that, I can't call myself a Christian. So much for empathy. In retrospect, I agree with him. I don't call myself a Christian any longer.

[@kamion53]

.... only for those who agree with them.... I recognise that. my mother wondered why a homedecorator could cheat her while he was member of a rightwing christian church, where they not supposed to upright and honest? I explained to her that those folk only considered their own community and expected those not of their community to go to Hell anyway, so therefor in their conseption cheating a "non-believer" was not a sin.

[@Slim_Chiply]

I never learned gratitude or empathy in all my years of going to church. What I have now was learned after I left home and getting out into the real world.

[@banzaibobA7V]

Truly. When I was in high school, some of the nastiest, most mean-spirited kids were the Baptists.

[@Soundbrigade]

I listened to Robin Bullock today …. 😱😱😱😱 Empathy?? Gratitude??? 🙄That monster scared the shit out of me.

[@Slim_Chiply]

@@banzaibobA7V I was lucky religion never played any part in my high school. Almost no one ever discussed it at all. I never knew who was what. I didn't really care either. Maybe I just didn't see the religious people.

[@corsetedwasteland2630]

10:58 I grew up fairly religious. My best friend in high school did not. One day we were discussing religion and god, he blurted out "Religion is just a way to control the masses, you know that, right?" It honestly hadn't occurred to me until that moment. Talking with him opened my mind to so much, it was unreal. Out of fear and family obligation/pressure I wandered in and out of Christianity. Finally about 12 years ago I put my foot down and walked away. I was finally able to be open about my spirituality (been a broom-closet witch for nearly a decade). Most of my family didn't give a damn, some embraced me completely asking for spells and tarot readings, but a few..they simply act as if I'm still a Christian. They stuck their heads in the sand because if they can ignore it, that means it's not real, right? Smh. I'm raising my children that they can believe whatever they choose to and I won't pressure them in any way. I'll answer any questions they have honestly and to the best of my ability.

[@suruxstrawde8322]

As a second generation atheist myself, knowing truths has always helped me reconcile with anxieties because pretend isn't an actual solution. I've been researching all kinds of sciences since I could even read, knowledge enables you, lies placate you, and through my "belief less and empty lifestyle" as they'd call it, I've in fact never been depressed a day in my life.

[@garethmaccoll4374]

I was raised Christian. My grandfather was our minister. Growing up believing that there was a god watching everything I did and said, judging every thought, was not reassuring in the slightest. It f*cked me up in ways it's taken years to fully grasp

[@badnewsBH]

The shameless dishonesty, both in the argument and in the misuse of evidence, is infuriating. Once again, Aron, thanks for putting these fiends under the spotlight. The truth matters.

[@renatoramos8834]

One needs to have evidence in order to misuse it.

[@jacobc9221]

​@@renatoramos8834No... _Someone_ must have evidence before _anyone_ can misuse it

[@RichardEricCollins]

I've have known all my life that once we're dead we're dead. And I get strength and comfort from that. And it protects me as I know it is my one and only time. And it helps me see that friends that have died are no longer in pain and allows me to celebrate their life and be pleased that we were friends. I get joy from their life and not sadness from their passing.

[@herberthagemann9743]

Aron, this reminds me of your response to “A Priest’s Open Letter” by father Casey Cole. It was when you said “I don’t go to church because I don’t like being lied to,” was when a chord was struck in my mind(and that those words put a smile on my face). Growing up, I has the sense that something was wrong with going to church under the implied duress that I would go to hell if I missed mass. Overcoming that fear made it easier for me to skip mass without as much guilt and enjoy the smaller things in life

[@MrYelly]

"My children hate me but god will make them pay" - PragerU in a nutshell

[@lordvaevictis4108]

If I wasn't lied to as a kid about god, I would probably would have had much better mental health in my younger years.

[@hippyjason]

Here here.

[@MichaelDeHaven]

Yep, even after I stopped believing an irrational fear of hell still stuck with me for about 2 years. Strange because I was never really afraid of death, but somehow that indoctrination of hell stuck. It's a horrible child abuse, IMO, to indoctrinate your kids into the belief of hell.

[@PGOuma]

OMG all the self-hatred I had not only for being human, but for being queer... a LOT of my depression would have been diminished and I would know who I was by my pre-teen years instead now when I'm about to turn 30 in a few years and gotta pay off so many medical and therapy bills 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨

[@nicholemoore2448]

While I was still a Christian, my depression and anxiety was horrible. I still struggle with both now, but ever since I was no longer convinced that there's a god, my anxiety went *way* down. My church leaders taught me that Jesus is the cure for depression, so while I was still Christian and greatly struggling with depression, my mental health was barely intact. After I no longer believed, my depression got significantly better...shocking🙄

[@RichardGrigonis]

This video brings to mind something that happened to me back in college in the mid 1970s. I had a work-study job in the cataloging office of our collegiate library, and, with another fellow, was about to begin the arduous task of checking on the existence and condition of our library's books. The assistant director, an urbane man with a Ph.D. came up to me and said, "Oh by the way, you'll discover that the highest rates of book theft will be in the religion and philosophy sections. It was true when I was a young man, and it's still true today."

[@a.nhonig3311]

Using her platform to promulgate lies and promote lying to children makes her reprehensible in my opinion.

[@konnerspears7964]

It's not a lie it's reality

[@OpinionsNoOneCaresAbout]

Pretty sure there should be some way to get this woman's license pulled for telling parents to lie to their kids.

[@richardsinclair7661]

My mom was and still is a Christian woman, but she let me choose what I wanted to believe. She didn't force me to go to Church, didn't force me to read the bible, and she didn't give me any grief over us having different beliefs (she still doesn't). Realizing that I could've been indoctrinated makes me even more appreciative.

[@vampirehunter533]

I'm a Christian myself and if I were to ever have children I'd do that basic thing. I'd teach them about what the Bible teaches, about, a "loving" God who desires to have a relationship with them which is what the cross ultimately revolves around. Also what I think is strong supporting evidence found in the Bible compared to discoveries man has independently made that verify it. After introducing them to it I'd allow them to make the free choice too accept or reject it. I will continue showing them the same kind of love though God has shown me, if they reject.

[@v4n1ty92]

"Believing you're gone forever after death doesnt help children" Yeah, as if believing you'll burn in hell for all eterinty after death, for simply existing with attraction to the same sex will help children 🙄

[@bibigamer502]

Her options are what actually happens or believing you’ll either go to be above the clouds forever or burn forever

[@digigalbytes2445]

Another masterful take-down of religious hypocrisy, Aron. Thanks for bringing facts to illuminate the discussion

[@laymayday]

How weird. I went trough a very bad depression when I was a teenager AND a Christian. People like her would probably say it’s because I didn’t pray enough or something similar 🙄

[@gerritvalkering1068]

That actually is exactly what they say

[@mikehatalovsky881]

Yep. If the product fails, it’s the consumer’s fault!

[@fantazjo]

when i was a little boy i was taught that the most important commandment is to SATISFY CHURCH MATERIAL NEEDS the final breaking point was during preparation to confirmation i was asked to define god and allowed to do it in my own worlds if i can't remember formula (said something about being that we can't physically nor mentally comprehend) after being screamed at for spreading heresies and officially being over which church ... it made happy for months and without lack of fear of displeasing some nameless being and burning forever i'm far more mentally stable and happy

[@johnmatson5969]

This woman is unbelievable, what an absolute betrayal of the tenants of modern psychology and wellness

[@soyevquirsefron990]

I don’t tell my kids that bad things will never happen to them, I tell them how to prevent it or how fix it

[@QuiveringEye]

And how to cope with hard feelings...

[@eriolduterion8855]

Scout moto: BE PREPARED! Bad things WILL happen, plan accordingly!

[@thesahel7218]

Imagine thinking that telling children about demons and hell helps them. Also, depression is being diagnosed more today because we have gotten better at diagnosing and treating it (also we have meds now), a therapist should know this. Depression stats SHOULD be higher because that means people are seeking treatment.

[@jamiegolden7093]

One of the most satisfying and liberating events of my life was the realization that there was no value in and no need to try to believe what in my heart and mind I knew not to be true. There's nothing in religion for me, and there never was.

[@Soundbrigade]

Once I decided to follow Cheezus, all by my own - no parents’ lies made me do it. But I also decided, all by myself that the trail I was following hadn’t gone cold; it had never existed. If my kids want to bring their children to Sunday school or the local church, I am fine with that, but never ever expect grumpy old grandpa to join in the choir. PS. My youngest grandchild is spending the days in a slightly christian daycare, so his mom can work and bring home some (Swedish) money, but I get it that much of the activity is about being kind to each other and just a pinch of Cheezus. And I am fine with that, cause, this is a Swedish daycare, not an American.

[@silviu-georgepantelimon1423]

The things that woman said make me vomit. The harm religion does to children's mental health, direct or indirect, is something professional psychologists should be concerned about and lying to children is not the answer. Also, there are a lot of ways we can teach children and help them overcome emotional distress without mentioning religion. Religion for me as an adolescent was just a source of anxiety and inner turmoil, getting rid of it was the best thing to do for my mental health. That woman should be ashamed of herself.

[@DeconvertedMan]

Agreed!

[@BobbyBrewers]

You searched for reasons against God’s existence on KZbin because you had faith in God and were questioning it. You found a place where you can be sickened by God’s followers, Obsessing in your hatred toward people who still have faith. You should check out the story of Sodom and Gomorrah as I'm sure you would feel at home in what once was the most sinful cities in the world. God destroyed them, too.

[@silviu-georgepantelimon1423]

​@@BobbyBrewers Nope, if you are invoking Sodom and Gomorrah you yourself have have the idea that it is ok to punish sinners. Guess what, my critique I put here is justified, you didn't address that, whatever religion is harmful has no influence whatever god exists. But guess what, if your god cannot come up with a better strategy on how to change someone except by threatening them with hellfire or unjustified punishments, then your god is not worth worshiping, doesn't matter if he exists, and Jesus didn't do anything about it, if so all of humanity would have been converted by now but it didn't. The reason why PragerU is a disgusting excuse of a propaganda mill is independent whatever god exists, they are dangerous and a thread to people's mental health (they even defended slavery in their videos).

[@Zaprozhan]

@@BobbyBrewers I'm not afraid of your imaginary friend.

[@BobbyBrewers]

@Zaprozhan I'm guessing you are a young teenager. You still have a lot to learn. Are you still rebelling against tour parents?

[@martinnyberg71]

Sweden 🇸🇪 here. I am part of the last generation that actually had “Knowledge of Christianity” as a school subject in first grade. (I also belong to the last generation of conscript military service during the cold war, but that is unrelated, I think.) I live in a country where practically every child grows up without religion. We’re still doing fine, even though our rightwing politicians are trying to import all the craziness from the US (and have been trying since the Reagan/Thatcher years). We’re so secular over here that nobody even understands why the neofascist party keep harping on about forcing schools to having commencement exercises in church, and demanding that the state confiscate and tear down mosques where “islamism” is taught.

[@TheZodiacRipper]

Every church and house of prayer should be banned. That goes Especially for salafist/sunni and extremist christian sects , and those controlled and financed by foreign governments like the russian ortodox church. Religion should only be allowed to be practiced at home with no more than your family present and there should be zero tolerance to public display of religious symbols. That goes for ideology as well. Both are poisions to the people.

[@TheZodiacRipper]

Also as a swedish person , Sweden is a great example of how a secular society accepts religious extremism and welcome them in your society. Religious fairy tales, no matter how stupid, destructive or oppressive , must be accepted at all costs.

[@martinnyberg71]

@@TheZodiacRipper I see that you misunderstood me. Fascists are evil, and most of that evil comes from religion - specifically christianity, which is the precursor cult to islam. But that is not a reason to violate the human right of freedom of assembly and freedom of religion.

[@martinnyberg71]

@@TheZodiacRipper So you bought the neofascists propaganda. How is that any better than buying into a religion? 🙄

[@MichaelDeHaven]

​@@TheZodiacRipperThat's a very dangerous path you're walking my friend. Communist and fascist have both thought they knew what was best for others and they were both wrong. Authoritarians of all types are bad. Our liberal democratic societies can be messy and chaotic but they are far superior to giving up our rights to a supposed superior elite. Who decides what is an ideology? Just look at how many people consider atheism an ideology. Do you want all talk of it suppressed in public? When you strip rights from others you're giving them license to do the same to you. Far better to give everyone the greatest extent of rights possible while reasonably balancing them out.

[@gregmonks]

I am a Nihilist. A happy, well-adjusted, positive human being that is productive, imaginitive, creative, and above all, honest. I have been accused, especially by godders, of being "too honest". They find my brand of honesty off-putting. Therein lies one of my most important lessons learned.

[@sammysamlovescats]

From a young age I was taught not to question things. As a kid I asked "Why did he make Adam and Eve if he knew they would sin?" and was told to just not think about it Anyway, I had nightmares about hell and the end of the world and attempted suicide in my Christian high school. It wasn't until after I left that my mental health improved

[@thefisherking78]

5:35 that was me, though I didn't see it as lying. They meant well. It took a couple of years after college before I had the confidence to actually refute the faith I had lost. Ironically my mom followed decades later.

[@nrellis666]

Telling children they will be tortured forever for failing to live up to an impossible standard of behaviour is certainly a cause for anxiety and depression

[@ritchie6162]

It was for me. I prayed for god to k*ll me when I was a kid because I was afraid of becoming an adult and going to hell as I heard in church that kids go to heaven automatically. I’m 27 now and deconstructing just how unbelievably f*cked up that was.

[@chrisfromsouthaus2735]

9:50 Thank you. Ive never told my children that nothing will happen to them. If they're aware of a tragedy, my Wife, and I will always explain, in age appropriate language, that it's extremely unlikely, and that we will do everything we can to protect them. The same is true with death. I feel that to foster a respect for life, it's important to understand it's impermanence from an early age.

[@zafelrede4884]

Thank you for this excellent video! I was raised atheist and i had a phase where i wanted to be a christian. But anytime sometime tried to convert me it felt wrong. Like they were trying to induct me into a cult. Perhaps that's all there is to it.

[@9Johnny8]

In my opinion the best way to instill gratitude and empathy in children is to treat them in a way that deserves gratitude and to show gratitude and empathy yourself. Be a good example, if you will. One way is to be as honest as possible, with both your facts and your feelings.

[@leamael00]

In other words, make believe. These people are borderline admitting they know they're lying.

[@danredekopp6580]

It's particularly unbelievable that, when parents ask how to instill gratitude and empathy in their children, she doesn't immediately answer: "By example".

[@andrewolson5471]

I found my life getting much better after deconversion from Christianity. I didn't live in fear of Hell and had no more anxiety about God's judgement. It took a long time for me to truly get over the emotions even after I understood the concept rationally, though.

[@unkaumanguy1439]

My son was very angry with us for lying to him about Santa, and rightfully so. I urge new parents to refrain from making this mistake. Tell your kids that it's a myth, be honest with them, trust me, you won't regret it when they learn the truth.

[@haywardjeblomey6505]

I was still happy when I learned my parents were the ones giving me toys, because I still got toys.

[@hillcrestvideoprod1]

Santa is really a spirit of love and giving..so there’s a very real ‘Santa’ as long as we are generous to everyone we meet. The child can be Santa him/herself…go buy toys to distribute the others and enjoy the joy of giving. Go hand out food at a shelter, etc. It is a shame to deny a child the actual magic that is Santa Claus. We allowed our daughter and son to thrill to the magic of Xmas eve until they asked…and that’s when we gave them the above rap. No problem and we had a great time picking out gifts for giving trees and the like. Santa lives!

[@JosephFuckinStalin]

You're right! It's time to throw the Bible out too

[@LindsayCatherine]

I agree with this-if I have children I won’t be incorporating Santa. It CAN be innocent fun-but some children can tell when they’re being lied to and it’s not good to encourage them to ignore their gut feelings-or to believe adults unflinchingly. Christmas can be just as “magical” without the deception 😅 No elf on the shelf either

[@hillcrestvideoprod1]

@@LindsayCatherine well, Lindsay, I would argue that childhood is nothing but lies. Are you going to tell your 5yo child about climate change? Or about the chance they might be killed by a random gunman in their elementary school? That their drinking water may not be safe? Are you going to raise them to believe in gods, ghosts and heaven? Now there is some serious fibbing right there. Any number of horrors haunt our sad world…we protect our kids from all of it. Childhood is an artificial cocoon in a very harsh world, constructed of lies told in love. I hope that by the time you are ready for kids, you have reconsidered your proscription of good ol’ Santa Claus and allow your kids to experience magic at the time of year when the world loses its mind (in a good way). Our kids are in the 40s and our grandsons are in high school. No trust issues with any of them arising from having a little fun with Santa when they were little. Don’t overthink or you will quickly go nuts.

[@breakaleg10]

Religion is the way for those who are afraid of everything

[@jennifer7685]

Hahaha, I’m in exactly this position with my kids right now. I’m teaching them to respect all religions, especially Christians, because they can make your life harder.

[@LittleYuppa]

What struck me is how she outright said: "well I know it isn't true, but you should say it anyway because of the secondary benefits." I was impressed with how blunt she was. "Well Christianity isn't true, but I like it, so lie to your kids that it is." If your religion hides from the truth, you are just using it to lie to yourself.

[@skylinefever]

It shows me that the concept of "Noble lies" is a fraud.