Separation of Church and State thru a 5yo's eyes.

My 5 yo is a constant source of amazement to me as to how conversations evolve. Sat. night, when I was putting him to bed, he said "Mom, why don't we know when God's coming back". I told him that's cause our religion teaches us that nobody would know the place/time. If someone is saying they know the place and time, then maybe they aren't the same religion we are. I thought it was the end of convo - patted myself on the back for moving off the question so adeptly.

Two min. later - Mom? "Mason says that God's coming back and we won't be down here for xmas this year? Mason was talking about God in school and I told him it wasn't appropriate." So I asked my son where he had heard that from (teacher, etc). "Nobody. I just thought about it all by myself. God is for church and for Sunday school and bedtime prayers. We don't talk about God in school. If we learn to be good, then we're good all the time"

Ever looking for a teaching opportunity - simplified, but workable. I asked him "That's just the way it should be, and do you know why it's like that?" I went on to tell him that America is made up of a whole bunch of different religions and beliefs and some people who don't believe at all. They're not bad people, just different. America has laws that say that we shouldn't count someone as bad or good just because of their religion or even if they have none at all. It's called Separation of Church and State and it's one of the most important laws we have. If the law isn't followed, things can get really messed up.

He FINALLY went to bed after that!

BTW, he goes to public school.

nurturing his intelligence and curiousity.

him from a distant DU grandma type.

created.

Sorry about the tangent. Couldn't resist.

:thumbsup:

I grew up in a republican household and my parents and I had convo's and my dad and his sisters and my grandma (his mother) all have convo's and discussions about things from religion to the world itself and politics and I grewup and did my own researching and thinking and became a liberal.

and thanks for a very caring way of explaining about people not of your faith.

You got a great kid there. Kudos.

Great story. Great kid.

There was this man named Gide. He suggested that perhaps the person we should trust is the one that is searching for the truth, not the one that claims he has the truth. I think your kid may be able to get that.

Cant say my kids would have come up with that. :shrug:

Sorry...I'm confused.

Who is, I suspect, from a very fundamentalist, evangelical background. This isn't the first time that the subject of God has come up at school where Mason has been concerned. He seems very bent on the asking questions re: the 2nd coming, etc. Probably because the idea disturbs him.

I can sympathize with him if he's hearing some of the stuff I heard as a kid at my neighbor's church.

That you would mind tucking the Republican Party into bed every night? :P

Fantastic.
My daughter is always amazing me with stuff like that.
She is now 12 and sees the world so much clearly than our friends over in freeper-vile.
As I read your story, sounded like something she would deduce.

:) Even Jesus praised children. Matthew 19: 13-15 13Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.

14Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." 15When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

Sounds like a good little guy you have there. :) You should tell him about the Salem "witch" trials and read him the Cruciable if you think he's mature and old enough for the story.

telling ones kid he "won't be here for christmas" is mental abuse?

Separation of church and state does not apply to individuals. It certainly doesn't apply to one child talking to another in school (as long as it is during non-study time)! That would never fly if it came up in court. Also, God isn't just "for church and for Sunday school and bedtime prayers." It's ridiculous to think that God - being God - is somehow limited to only those specific times in our lives.

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

:rofl:

Dang, dang, dang.

Okay, so I'm not THAT young, but still :D :D

Somebody must be raising him well...

:toast:

Always listen to children for they think with uncluttered minds.
Or maybe it was Bell.