Comments on: Atheist Summer Camps Luring Kids Away

By: Linn

Linn — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 01:38:53 +0000

“We’re not teaching them WHAT to think, but HOW to think.” Pfft, sounds like doublespeak to me. Whether it’s Bible camp or atheist camp, they’re just indoctrinating the children. The kids aren’t old enough to form their own opinions yet, so they just believe what their parents tell them.

By: Susan

Susan — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 03:41:46 +0000

I watched a special on a “Bible Camp” They showed pictures of aborted fetuses to five year olds. I’m not Atheist but I’d send my kids to an Atheist camp before a bible camp anyday.

By: Luke Holzmann

Luke Holzmann — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:19:21 +0000

Very interesting stuff! And, I totally agree: Hypocritical.

But understandable. Who wants their children to be “lured” into something that is going to ruin their life (especially the one to come)? These really are weighty matters, and so concern is natural and good (otherwise, it’s not really important to you).

But you’re totally right: Parents send their kids to camps that tend to align with their perspective, so the “luring” isn’t really going on.

Candy bars for baptism? Seriously? Ugh. Not surprising (and, perhaps innocently oblivious to the message), but still… come on!

~Luke

By: Rita

Rita — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 09:35:48 +0000

“At first glance, this could be any camp, anywhere.”

Although I think they showed the camp in a positive light, this first sentence made it seem so sinister.

I’m really glad you posted this video, because I honestly didn’t know that atheist camps existed. Cool!

Also didn’t know that Ireland has a blasphemy law.

By: Sara

Sara — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 03:08:59 +0000

@abbie, sadly…no. “Freedom of religion” doesn’t include freedom FROM religion. It should….but it doesn’t.
There was a church in my (childhood) town that gave out candy bars for children who “chose” to get baptized. Yea…. and they’re upset about a camp that chooses not to talk about God? What is camp but….camping!!! For heaven sakes.

By: Jake Aryeh Marcus

Jake Aryeh Marcus — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:51:09 +0000

Really fascinating! I find fundamentalism frightening no matter whose it is – including atheists. I am an atheist but I have never assumed my kids would be. I think it would be cool for them to have more friends from atheist families – as homeschoolers it hasn’t always been easy to find. But this CNN report doesn’t really give me any idea if one of these camps would be social support or preaching. Looking at the film, I was most stuck by how shoddy the tents were. I take the quality of my camping gear almost as seriously as my lack of religious belief.

@Amber, I *was* one of those born-again horseback riders.

@abbie, I did a blog post about being an atheist and was surprised by how supportive the response was, even from religious friends.

By: abbie

abbie — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:32:50 +0000

Thanks for posting about this. I don’t practice any religion and I worry about how I’ll raise my kids without all the religious influence coming from well-meaning people. In fact, I wrote a post about my choice not to believe in any god and have been afraid to post it because I still don’t feel like it’s acceptable to the majority of Americans. Doesn’t freedom of religion guarantee freedom not to practice, too?