Are babies born atheists?

[thalassa]

Are babies born atheists?

(I will explain later, just wanting to get a gut check sort of opinion, ATM)

[Taiga Pagan]

Re: Are babies born atheists?

They are born with the instinct of the animals... if they would grow without culture, they would become hunter-gatherers which would lead them directly to proto-Paganism.

[volcaniclastic]

Re: Are babies born atheists?

I put yes. You can't believe in a god if you don't have enough intellectual prowess to know they exist (presuming you are in the group of people who thinks they exist as you read this)

[DanieMarie]

Re: Are babies born atheists?

I voted "sort of"....just based on personal experience. I think it takes some perception to be able to pick up any sort of spirituality, but I come from a very secular family and started believing in spiritual things long before I was taught about them. I think it's a big reason I'm pagan actually...from very young onwards I felt a sort of connection with the natural world around me. And I had all these childrens stories ranging from fairy tales to different mythologies from different place. I didn't set foot in church until I was 6 (with a family friend), and we didn't really go as a family until I was 8 (my mom thought she'd try it out for a while), and I don't think I ever totally took on that world view in the first place.

So yeah, I think kids don't really have any immediate spiritual beliefs from birth, but they can pick them up pretty quickly on their own without being told to.

[Medusa]

Re: Are babies born atheists?

God, I wanted to vote flying monkeys so badly! But you know, I was raised in a very Catholic home. And I was never a believer. Not even back then. Babies don't really have the concept of faith. And I don't know how you have religion without that.

[Shadow Dragon]

Re: Are babies born atheists?

Following a god is only something that happens during a person's lifetime. They aren't born into a religion.

[FantasyWitch]

Re: Are babies born atheists?

Following a god is only something that happens during a person's lifetime. They aren't born into a religion.

This ^

X

[LadyGarnetRose]

Re: Are babies born atheists?

I put no. An atheist is somebody who has the mental ability to choose not to believe.

[Medusa]

Re: Are babies born atheists?

I put no. An atheist is somebody who has the mental ability to choose not to believe.

ohh good point. Then can mentally retarded children be religious or Atheists?

[LadyGarnetRose]

Re: Are babies born atheists?

ohh good point. Then can mentally retarded children be religious or Atheists?

I think it depends upon the individual.

[ChainLightning]

Re: Are babies born atheists?

Flying monkeys.



And here's why:
Children aren't born any religion or even a faith. Not Atheist, not Christian, not anything but children. It's their parents that belong to whatever religion or system of beliefs (or disbelief). To that end, one could say that if the two parents are Catholic their child also is, de facto. But it's the parents' allegiances, not the child's.

There's reasons for that, too. The child, until a certain age, is completely and utterly at the mercy of the elements if not for the parents. They are completely dependent. For learning, for survival, for comfort and for love. For everything. Are babies atheist? No. They're babies. But yes, if their parents intend to raise them as such. Or, that is, until they are old enough to decide for themselves.

So: yes, no & sort of....
Or: Flying monkeys!

[Ophidia]

Re: Are babies born atheists?

Dunno. Never had a baby on which I could experiment.

I don't want one, either, for experimental or other purposes.

Personally, I was born into a non-specific-religious-household-with-decidedly-occult-although-not specifically-Pagan-leanings, & got my personal deities from mythology books. To me, the Christian Bible and churches of my friends were just one more mythology - a boring one at that. I was also raised by my family's dogs - I think our dogs were atheists, or possibly agnostics. The cats believed they were Gods.

[Dumuzi]

Re: Are babies born atheists?

Of course, not.

First of all you can't ask a baby a question that they don't understand, nor would you understand their answer if they had one.

Secondly, it seems all babies are born with the inclination of belief in a creator or higher being, which is why if you examine different civilizations from around the world, almost all of them reach the conclusion that there is some sort of higher power. Which leads me to believe it's not something you are told while growing up, but rather something you find out about yourself.

[Hawkfeathers]

Re: Are babies born atheists?

ohh good point. Then can mentally retarded children be religious or Atheists?

Oh, that would explain sooooooo much.....LOL but I'll be nice and not go there. *snickering to self on this lovely midwestern Bible-belt Sunday.....*

Seriousy I agree with what Taiga Pagan said above.

[LiadanWillows]

Re: Are babies born atheists?

I said no. But really I guess it depends on the age and maturity of the child. For example I was talking and asking about God when I was two years old. My cousin also was very inquisitive and believed in a higher power at a very young age. But I think children have a concept of God or a higher power but aren't able to express it or understand it fully.

Also I might mention as well that my brother is mentally retarded and therefor quite easily persuaded to be a VERY devout Catholic.

---------- Post added at 09:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:02 PM ----------

God, I wanted to vote flying monkeys so badly! But you know, I was raised in a very Catholic home. And I was never a believer. Not even back then. Babies don't really have the concept of faith. And I don't know how you have religion without that.

Babies have a simple concept of faith, they have faith their parents will feed them, change their diapers, and hold them. Whose to say they do not have some sort of spiritual faith as well?