After doing a bit of reading and a bit of thinking, I've come around to agree more with children's rights activists. On the one hand, kids need to be taught how to be full human beings. On the other hand, they are already humans with thoughts and feelings and rights of their own. In general, we like to treat children as property with no right to bodily integrity or conscience. In some cases we do this because they are not old enough to make informed decisions. In some cases we do this because we don't really think about what we're doing. And in some cases we do this because we want to enforce our will, whether or not it is in the child's best interest. And because children are property, unless a parent does something really, really awful, it's supposed to be nobody's business what you do to your kids. In fact, most people will think you're a ginormous asshole for daring to suggest that a parent has done something wrong.
Actually, there is one special case in which you are allowed to interfere with the parenting decisions of other people. If you're a Christian you're allowed to convert other people's kids without their consent.
12.03.2009
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5 comments:
Erica, you should be a guest blogger over at Stuff Christians Like.
I don't know about that. I appreciate the compliment, but they're probably uninterested in an atheistic point of view. Let me give an example. They have a couple of posts on saying "I'll pray for you". The author regards the problem with saying "I'll pray for you" as being the fact that the speaker doesn't actually do any praying. That's the dumbest, most tone-deaf shit ever. No, the major problem is the fact people say "I'll pray for you" when they mean "fuck off and die". The other problem is that they're assuming everybody shares their beliefs and will be thrilled to be prayed for.
It's one thing to mock the mediocrity and tackiness of Christian culture. That's fun and easy. But I'm more interested in exploring why Christian culture is so toxic. And that doesn't seem like a conversation many people would like to have.
You read the thread on Pandagon too. I think the whole "I'll pray for you" thing does come from obliviousness to the people that don't think prayer works, but when said out of concern (such as when a family member is ill, etc), the negative part of that statement is limited to their privilege. Now, when a person is saying "I'll pray for you" when they are engaging in a discussion with you (generally about religion), that is when they mean "fuck off and die". I can't say I see much evidence for the concerned forms of "I'll pray for you" as "fuck off and die". Prayer may be ineffective, but they don't think that it is.
Thanks for clarifying Urs. That's what I meant to say, but I didn't do a very good job of saying it.
When I say, "I'll pray for you," I sincerely mean it and will include you in my prayers. It's turning things over to God. Just 2 cents from a 'normal' Christian who prays quite often.
PS - as a Christian it really bothers me when people say "I'll pray for you" and never do and use it as you refer to it as the Christian way of saying f off and die. It happens too often and this is what belittles the power of prayer. Just my thoughts and guess what?! I'm praying for all of you :)
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