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Do you believe all children are naturally born Atheist?

When we are born, we are born without the knowledge of gods, but are taught these things. Any thoughts on this and why?

lferguson900 4 Apr 8
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0

That is a good question and I do not recall any research on it, either! I can remember, when I was very small thinking there was something like a 'god' watching over me! I have no idea where I got that idea from, as it was before I was bused to church! And, I do not remember my mother telling me anything to connect it to!

I read a paper years ago that the only instinct humans are born with is to suckle. It is in our hands from there. There may be newer research that disputes that paper, but from my observation babies start out hungry and little else.

5

Actually, until they’re two years old, mom and dad ARE god. When a child cries, it doesn’t know it’s wet, hungry, tired, afraid... it just senses something that troubles it and relies on the it’s parents to determine what’s wrong. Studies show that by the age of two, most children have started to develop a sense of self, but are still developing.

The reason they believe us about the gods in the first place is that they’re wired to believe most of what mom and dad and the adults in their life tell them. Whether or not this god takes on a name or become more than a growth phase depends on what they’re taught.

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Atheists and nudists.

5

Nope.

Can't be an "atheist" until/unless you are taught the god-concept. Babies are born with exactly zero concepts.

Semantics, really.

5

Yes. Belief in a god(s) has to be instilled in children.

4

Born atheists, belief is taught.

3

They are neither born atheist nor born religious. They are simply born.

3

Yes. Religion is cultural and need to be taught.

Sasha Level 4 Apr 9, 2018

I completely agree

2

Yes.... and everyone is atheist towards other gods that aren't their own 😉

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I believe most children are raised by there parents to be brainwashed into believing what their parents believe no matter what anyone else thinks. As the children grow they keep the beliefs of the parents to make thier parents happy. As they grow they learn and can eventually gather thier own ideas and decide to stay where they are, or branch out and find thier own way. In this way the child has no option but to grow into the parents religion even though they are born with no knowledge of anything.

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The human mind doesn't know or believe anything at birth so it can be neither agnostic (doesn't know whether or not there is a doG) nor atheist (doesn't believe there is no doG).

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Yes.

Deb57 Level 8 Apr 9, 2018
2

No. Children are naturally born Fundamental Baptists.

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I don't think its possible to believe or disbelieve until you are aware of the ideas of God or the theoloy attached. Ignorance is bliss in this case.

AmyLF Level 7 Apr 9, 2018
2

Certainly all children are born without even a concept of a diety. Families and cultures shape spiritual connection.

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Of course they are. They have no knowledge of the god claims, much less accept and believe them. Children have to trust their parents for their sustenance and safety when they are growing up, so they tend to believe everything their parents tell them, Santa, Easter Bunny, God, but after you've been indoctrinated for years and never told opposing views, it can be hard to change those beliefs.

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Atheism is the default state of the mind. When you stop pushing it somewhere else, that's where it will rest.

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Agnostic? Yes. Atheist? No. Agnosticism is the natural state of not knowing, and when you're first born, you know nothing beyond the experience of finding your way out of your mother. To outright disbelieve in god(s) as required by Atheism, you first need to understand the concept of gods. Something that's way beyond the abilities of a newborn.

"agnostic
noun
plural noun: agnostics
a person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God"
That's quite some baby.

@NoTimeForBS By that definition I would agree. I see it more as not claiming knowledge one way or the other. We could debate whether agnosticism is something that has to be consciously arrived at. Atheism definitely is.

I'm just having fun Nicole. Have a nice day.

@NoTimeForBS But you've raised an interesting and valid point. No offence taken, whatsoever. I tend to see the distinction between agnosticism and atheism as being where you put the negative: it's the difference between 'not believing there is' and 'believing there is not.' But you've introduced a third possibility that's worth contemplating.

Like most subjects, I'm trying to approach this with an open mind. That requires a willingness to embrace new ideas and perspectives.

That’s not atheism, yo.

@NicoleCadmium atheism is not ‘the belief there are no gods’

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God and religion are man made concepts and have to be taught/instilled. So, yes

2

Yes, we are all born with no beliefs. If our family doesn't raise us with a particular religion, our society and the world around us still will impose some accepted mythos with beliefs that are likely taken for granted unless the child grows up with a critical mind and a bit of skepticism, in seeking the truth in how things should be.

I wasn't born catholic, but I was raised catholic. If I had been born in India, I may have been raised Hindu, in Asia perhaps Buddhist.

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Chldren are a clean slate, we corrupt them on many levels, and that includes, in many cases, shoving religion down their throats.

That's why there are psychiatrists!

We corrupt "them"? Actually we corrupt ourselves, as "them" are us

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A God does't begin at birth just like life doesn't begin at conception. They both evolve into a final product.

yes I like your answer we find out at the end of our life what our life has been

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Yeah I definitely feel we are all born atheist and then we get taught things which leaves an impression on us and we form our thoughts based on what we are taught sometimes it takes along time for you to know what you actually believe and what you were taught to believe.

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Of course! How on earth would they learn about religion before they're born?

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I think we are all born atheists.
We learn the concept of god later on.

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We all are born as an empty book ready to be written with all kinds of prejudice created by human nature....the possibilities are endless, some good and decent, others not so much

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