Stephen Prothero
Chair, Department of Religion, Boston University

Stephen Prothero

Prothero is Chair of the Department of Religion at Boston University and author of numerous books on American religion.

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Say Something!

Two words: “Say something.” I can't tell you how many college students who grew up in interfaith households have told me that their parents kept mum on religion because they didn’t want to “impose” their beliefs on their kids.

This is ridiculous—not unlike abstaining from reading to your children on the grounds that they should be able to choose their own language when they grow up.

If you don’t talk with your children about religion, they will assume it doesn’t mean anything to you or (worse) that it doesn’t mean anything to anybody. So just say something. Tell them what Christmas or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa or Diwali means to you. Tell them how you think God fits into that holiday. If you are confused about this--and who isn't?--fess up to your confusion.

In my home, daylight savings time is when you change the batteries in the smoke detector. If, like many Democrats I know, you find talking about religion an equally tedious chore, then why not think of the holidays as that time of the year when you sit down with your kids, read something from scripture, and have a chat about God? It's not as painful as it sounds.

By Stephen Prothero  |  December 6, 2006; 5:15 PM ET
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If Mitt is part of the only true church on earth today, and all other churches are apoatates, then what does he have to explain, he is right and all others are wrong; end of conversation. God knows.

Posted by: Reality | December 7, 2007 12:00 PM
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Comparative Religion is fundamental to an understanding of the ethics that unite.

There is no greater factor in the history of man than religion! That so many young people are so unknowledgeable about this segment of man’s history is yet another insight into our intellectual decline.

The future looks grim when so many citizens won’t have the slightest idea of what leaders are talking about. Comprehension and understanding will be as spotty as if citizens spoke a different language—badly.

Posted by: ann alex | May 22, 2007 10:02 AM
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Correct me if I'm wrong but dosen't the Constitution state there should be a sepation of church and state? Oh I'm sorry The President doesn't go by the Original version.

Posted by: Kareem | December 18, 2006 5:06 PM
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Anyone who does not have God in their life, u r truly lost. And for those who believe God is a woman, show me ANYTHING in writing that is believable, that refers to God in a femin way?

Posted by: Kareem | December 18, 2006 5:04 PM
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ALAN:
"If you don't say something, the atheists will, for what reason, I don't know. Oh yes, Scripture explains them quite well. No wonder they're so angry."

Not quite sure what this means, but I'm assuming you're saying that atheists are angry.

Well, I'm not angry. I only get angry when religious people quote bible verses, and tell me I'm going to hell.
As long as you don't talk religion, you'd think I'm the nicest guy ever.
In reality, the angry people are the REALLY religious folks.
Are there atheists on the street corners yelling about "THERE IS NO GOD!"
Nope.
But there are plenty or religious people yellling about sin and how everyone's going to hell.


Posted by: GA_Atheist | December 8, 2006 10:23 AM
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I am a 63 year old raised in a liberal Catholic household. Yes, I said "liberal." My father's greatest gift to me as a child was to allow questioning of religious teachings and dogma and to encourage me to think for myself. He always said he found it encouraging when things were tough to think that "someone up there" was looking out for him. He was a believer -- but told me I would have to reason these issues out for myself.

Through my personal experiences, education, and reading over the years, I have reached the conclusion that there is neither God nor Gods up there. I believe that man has created God in his image, not the other way around.

I have given my children the same gift that my father gave to me, the freedom to examine the evidence and make up their own minds about religious and philosophical questions. None has ever disparaged me for that, nor do they all share my conclusions.

I belief I have given them no greater gift than this. I hope they will continue this family tradition.

Posted by: Mike Dishnow | December 7, 2006 8:29 PM
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JIM:

I'm stuck here in the middle. I don't know where all this came from. I'm not shure where I am. And there is no way to know what comes next. And, I know there are a lot of folks with the absolute truth to clue me in. Unfortunately, they are whistling past the grave yard. Maybe my problem is I don't terrorize as easy as them.

You're not suggesting I'm headed for hell are you, so lost that even even God can find me? God's representatives are everywhere yet God is nowhere to be found any more. There was a time...

The quality of God's representation seems to be slipping too. A couple of young men came to my door to announce their new church. "Have you been saved" they inquired. When I asked "saved from what" they couldn't answer. All they could say is, "you know, saved." I said, "no, I don't know" and closed the door. You don't suppose I closed the door on Jesus do you? I was taught that Jesus would be a begger that came to my door looking for a handout.

Posted by: yest me | December 7, 2006 7:11 PM
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YEST ME.....You are so lost.

Posted by: jim | December 7, 2006 1:17 PM
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Dr Prothero:

Have you pondered the possibility of negative education? That's the process of causing the children to lear, memorize and believe lies. Their soft putty-like minds cement over with age and they can never recover. Don't you think we should, in the words of our president, "be more careful" else we will end up with a society more ignorant than before educated? And some shall be known as doctors.

I can't recommend this because it's so poorly written but it's the all he has on "the garden of Eden" that I found so I'll mention it anyhow. http://www.hoax-buster.org/learninglies

Posted by: yest me | December 7, 2006 12:42 PM
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David Urubshurow:

You make an interesting point. Religions, the three great faits, have overloaed the wagon known as God and strained their mule to pull it. Case in point.

Interpretation #1501 of sacred scriptures at http://www.hoax-buster.org/sellyoursoul says that their, the three great faith's God is actually their Devil and makes solid arguments thereto. Their God, advertised as Almighty needed trickery and murder to get IT's way, i.e. get Pharaoh to "let my people go" noting that Almighty God can simply "will" IT's people anywhere at any time and it happens. Almighty does not need trickery and murder to get IT's way but the Devil does.

That's ancient history. More recently Dr Pat Robertson, just one of several God talkers, claims to have conversed with the same God. How do we know IT's God and not the Devil Dr Pat converses with? Because of the specification of God that now prevails there is no way to know for sure. So we must rely on results. What happened to the Israelites? What will likely happen to us if we believe, have faith that Dr is not being fooled by the Devil and follow his advice gotten from such conversations?

Dr Prothero appears to be in favor of accepting such conversations as fact and injecting them into our government, politics at a minimum. The children must be educated in faith else that being's wishes will not be honored is what I think he's saying.

Posted by: yest me | December 7, 2006 12:30 PM
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Why is it that people think that you can't have good values and morals if you don't beleive in religion. I was brought up Jewish. My parents forced me to go to Hebrew School even after I told them I did not believe in religion. No one could ever answer my questions about religion and anytime I questioned the Christian beliefs, I was sent to the office of the Hebrew School to be disciplined.

Then there are the many people that I face that want to help me find Jesus, because that is the only way that I can be saved. I don't appreciate being witnessed to when trying to shop, or having my family dinners interupted because someone is knocking on my door and wants to tell me about Jesus. If I want to learn about a specific religion, then I will study it by myself.

Major wars have been faught and still are being faught because men in power feel they must bring their beliefs upon everyone.

I feel that my children have the right to decide when they are older whether or not they want to learn about different religions. My husband can teach them about Christianity. I can teach them about Judaism. I can also teach them how I feel now and how I came to my conclusions on religion as a whole. I am not going to brainwash them into believing something just because that is what society wants. If they decide to follow a religious path, it will be their decision, not mine or anyone elses. I can teach my children values and morals and how to be a good person without having to teach them religion.

Posted by: Sharai | December 7, 2006 12:28 PM
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Hand out copies of "Letter to a Christian Nation" by Sam Harris to everyone. This will wake up everyone and make for a very interesting holiday season!

Posted by: Ken | December 7, 2006 12:19 PM
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Jim:

Have you noticed that Jesus used the qualifier "falsely?" Now what do we do in the other case? We must respect the false beliefs of others even when they revile our absolute truths? There's probably some imaginary line they must cross first before relaxing the "respect" requirement?

The radio was playing with Gabriel Heater saying, "peace on earth, good will towards men" but then somebody slugged uncle Ben and the fight was on again.

Jesus is believed by many to be the greatest peace maker of all time. Peace maker is also the name given to the Lone Ranger's pistols.

Posted by: yest me | December 7, 2006 12:04 PM
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If one starts with the basic assumption that "religion" should try to teach humans about the nature of reality within the context of our own assured and inescapable mortality, then it seems that a more valuable exercise to share with one's children--especially in their formative years--would be to read to them about quantum mechanics, the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle and various other breakthrough insights of the scientific revolution that have driven home the point that what is "out there" may not really be what it appears to be using the limited reach of our senses alone. Surely these developments, scientifically verified and verifiable, over the past hundred years offer a more credible explanation to the origins and status of our current and collective situation than the anemic attempts at recycling ancient, and largely self-serving, myths created by individuals and cultures whose contemporaneous scientific traditions may not have been up to the task, through no fault of their own. What these revelations expose, in my opinion, is the fundamental interconnectedness of all phenomena at levels and ways that are still being explored. Given that interconnectedness the only viable moral teaching deriving therefrom, it seems to me, is to help (your fellow beings) if you can, but at the least, don't harm. To go beyond that precept and promote a particular original interpretation or dogma eventually degenerates into debates along the lines of:"Who's stronger, Zeus or Yahweh?"

Posted by: David Urubshurow | December 7, 2006 11:38 AM
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Matthew 5:11 ¶ Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Posted by: jim | December 7, 2006 9:44 AM
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Like Momohund, I question the reason for bringing politics into this discussion. Somehow, I missed where it says in the Bible that God is a Republican.
Being a democratic, liberal Christian may seem like a oxymoron to Dr. Allen, but I assure him that we exist.

At this time of year, it seems that Republicans spend most of their time sending me e-mails about how persecuted Christian are, and none of their time in exploring why their narrow mindedness has made others wary of them.

I talk to my child about my beliefs, the beliefs of others, and the importance of respecting people of all faiths. Maybe Dr. Allen's parents missed that lesson.

Posted by: Pam Ellis | December 7, 2006 9:10 AM
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If, like many Republicans I know, you can't talk about religion without talking about politics and promoting political polarization, you need to go back to Sunday school. Try to talk about your faith without politcs entering the equation, unless you're dumb enough to believe God only loves you, children, small monkeys, and Republicans.

Ta ta!!

Posted by: momohund | December 7, 2006 3:10 AM
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Dr Allen:

Is it possible that there are people with great faith in God and still have no faith in religion? You are assuming the "scriptures" are the word of God. Not much of a God in my opinion and small wonder people have a look and say "that's no God" and you are hearing, "there is no God."

Then there's the correct spelling of the three letter word, God. If it's spelled God then it's a person that holds the OFFICE of God. Hirohito is the last one of them of record for some if not most but not all Japanese. If it's spelled god then it's a supernatural being. The ones spelled, God are sons of gods and often tried their best to be "kings of kings."

I would like to encourage all here that the "scriptures" are the words of Gods not to be confused with supernatural beings, gods. The Bible, a "scripture" is the hoaxified words of a particular "would be" but "not qualified by reason of gender" God identified in Revelation as, "the Amen" Amenophis IV of Egypt, 1,350BCE.

Now before I personally start not believing in God then I must know which one it is I don't believe in first. There is the God that one nation is under, Nature's God in which I have great faith. SHE does not advocate religion of any kind for obvious reasons, all religions have male Gods.

Parents should be carefull to select the correct God for their children as there is a thing known as the first commandment, i.e. Thou shalt not have strange Gods before me. Surely, I don't need to mention the punbishment for strange Gods.

So let us be reasonable and not jump to conclusions about what those who know the Bible is bogus and at least strongly suspect other "words of God" to be likewise, what we believe concerning the real God.

Posted by: yest me | December 6, 2006 11:27 PM
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Alan, can you explain what you mean? Your last paragraph is hard to understand.

FYI many atheists read scripture of one or more religions and find it wanting. Many become atheists following the reading of scripture.

Say what you believe, introduce your child to what others believe - children have the right to make informed choices.

Posted by: Anat | December 6, 2006 10:16 PM
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Indeed "Say something". Tell them you belief. If you're in a mixed-faith marriage then you've got worse issues than can be explained here.

If you don't say something, the atheists will, for what reason, I don't know. Oh yes, Scripture explains them quite well. No wonder they're so angry.

Posted by: Alan | December 6, 2006 10:00 PM
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As a 15 year old who has, in his short tenure on this Earth, been influenced by both his parents substantially, I find myself in agreement with much of what the author says.

My mother, who remains, to this day, very religous, was never afraid of speaking about Christianity and its attributes. Likewise, I did not grow up as someone unsure of my personal views on religon; I found a voice, and, agreeing with it, drew close to it. My father, an atheist, deserves some recognition in that he supports my faith, as opposed to restricting it. He attends Christmas Eve services with the family, and accepts my requests for a ride to church.

I will be forever grateful that my mother introduced me to something as beautiful and profound as the word of Christ. Along with Christianity, I will hold her gratitude close to my heart for the rest of my waking years.

Posted by: Ned Burchfiel | December 6, 2006 9:04 PM
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Of course introducing religion in a historical and cultural perspective is done very differently, and probably at a different age than when it is introduced with the intent of making the child into a participant of a religion.

Posted by: Anat | December 6, 2006 7:40 PM
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Regardless of personal belief, if for no other reason, parents should discuss religion with their children because they are members of the human race, and perhaps more importantly, members of a country (regardless of what this is) that has a religious history. They are most likely members of a community as well that to some degree or another, has members that hold deep religious beliefs and values. If children have no understanding of religion in general, they are at risk of becoming the close-minded and potentially offensive members of a community of people who fail to be sensitive to the beliefs and values of another. Moreover, what will that child do when they reach college and live with a roommate who is a devout Muslim or attend the wedding of a Catholic friend and don't understand the importance of the roommate's or friend's faith? Professor Prothero is on point when he writes, "If you don’t talk with your children about religion, they will assume it doesn’t mean anything to you or (worse) that it doesn’t mean anything to anybody." It is one thing to hold no beliefs; it is another to be in a situation in which a total lack of religious knowledge (distinct from belief) becomes a hindrance to your existence in the human community. Religion has been a core part of human community forever, and in many cultures, religion is indistinguishable from daily life--to reject altogether the importance of religion, at least to another, is to reject the fundamental nature of being for many. In America, to be aware of America's history is to be aware of its religious history, its conflicts, its laws--both good and bad. While America was never intended to be a Christian nation, Christianity and other religious thought has influenced its history in innumerable ways. If it is important to teach children history, it is similarly important to at least discuss with them the importance of religion in history and in the value systems of others. Religion is as much about belief as it is about custom and cultural understanding. A child raised in America with no understanding of the origins of Christmas might be curious as to why all of her friends are talking about 'Jesus' birthday' or what the nativity scene in the neighbor's yard means. Likewise, it was important that my sister understood the religious customs of a certain African country she visited so she could dress in a respectful manner. To discuss religion is not about forcing belief, but helping a child to become a well-rounded, aware, respectful member of any human community.

Posted by: David Smith | December 6, 2006 6:59 PM
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What if it really does not mean anything to you? What if you do think it is nonsense and wish more people would just leave it alone?

Posted by: Anat | December 6, 2006 6:25 PM
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You illustrate exactly why I stay away from religion and discouraged it with my children.

You say, "...when you sit down with your kids, read something from scripture, and have a chat about God?" The implicit assumption is a particular book of scripture and a particular concept of God. I have found no relgion with any basis in fact and, as I can get all the toilet paper I want and at a discount at Sam's Club, I have found no use for scripture. Nor can I scrape up any patience for those who take it upon themselves to "explain" to me what "god" really means in all "his" (always male) glory.

Compound this further with the assumption by virtually all political candidates that I will be even more likely to vote them into power over me if they explain how much they believe in a world ruled over by some great sky-father.

I wouldn't argue too much with people who insist the earthis flat - just encourage them to find the edge.

Posted by: Schuyler DuQuesne | December 6, 2006 5:40 PM
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