Parenting Without God: how to raise moral, ethical and intelligent children, free from religious dogma

by Dan Arel

The Christian Right is overtaking our public school system. Atheists are one of the fastest growing minorities in the US. The Christian Right is primed and ready to proselytize to our children and it is up to us to give them the tools to stand up against them. Our children should question authority, even us and come to their own conclusions using evidence and reason. The fight for equality in the US rests in the hands of those willing to fight for a secular nation... Parenting Without God is a book for atheist parents who are seeking guidance on raising freethinkers in a Christian dominated nation. No longer can parents stay in the closet and deny their atheism through fear of it hurting their children in some way. As responsible parents we must be open and vocal about the necessary secularization of our country through politics and education, and raise our children to embrace secular values. The time is now to come out and join your local and national atheist and secular community and stand up for the separation of church and state. You have a responsibility to promote not only freedom of religion but also freedom from religion. Parenting Without God is the call to action and the kindle that will light the flame for atheists everywhere to take on the challenge of making the world a better place for our children.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Atheism, Religion, Spirituality

190 pages, Paperback

First published August 13, 2014

About the author

Dan Arel is the author of Parenting Without God and The Secular Activist. After years writing on religion and politics for outlets including AlterNet, Salon, TIME, and HuffPost, he shifted his focus to labor organizing and now serves as Director of Communications for a labor union.

His work today sits at the intersection of politics, organizing, and practical self-development—especially how to cultivate mental health, clarity, and resilience outside the churn of trends and fads, by learning to be present and intentional in everyday life.

Though his writing on religion has, for now, come to a close, Arel remains deeply engaged in the craft. New books are in progress, continuing his exploration of power, purpose, and how people can live and act more freely in a complicated world.

Reviews

[Ross Blocher · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fairly straightforward book, mostly composed of laments about the current state of religion's intrusion into education and politics. There actually isn't too much in the way of parenting advice, aside from some broad recommendations about being honest with your children and a few thoughts on dealing with bullying, baptisms, religious spouses, and questions about death and the afterlife. The bulk of the book consists of Arel's thoughts on how religion has overstepped its bounds and corrupted many aspects of society. For anyone who has already read a lot about these issues, there's not much new here. There are some helpful links to some secular organizations and publications, and a few brief stories from contributing authors sharing their own successes at parenting without God.

[Kevin Winkler · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was expecting this book to be filled with secular parenting advice based on scientific studies and personal experience, but that isn't what this book is about. Much, if not most, of Parenting Without God is merely an explanation of why the Christian Right in the United States is terrible. More than a book about parenting as an atheist, it's a book about atheism itself and the author's political convictions. I think the title is somewhat misleading in this regard.

Having said that, I do feel encouraged to be more politically active after having read it. The book is not devoid of any parenting advice, and the advice it does give is quite good. Also, I, more than ever, intend to be involved in whatever school my daughter attends when she is older—paying close attention to what they include and exclude from the curriculum thanks to this book. I appreciate the resources provided at the end of each chapter, as well.

Dan Arel is a great author and a pleasure to read, but this book fell flat for me because of what I felt was a disconnect between the title and the content. If the subtitle had been "Thoughts on Raising..." rather than "HOW TO Raise Moral, Ethical and Intelligent Children, Free from Religious Dogma," (emphasis added) I would have had more accurate expectations.

[Stephaniedeshiro · Rating 3 out of 5]

More rant than parent advice but it aligns with me views and told me what I wanted to hear and that's half of what we look for in parenting books.

[Randall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Parenting Without God

Disclaimer: Won this book in a first reads giveaway.

I was interested in this book not as an atheist, but as a parent who believes that teaching kids about morals and ethics needn’t have a religious basis, as someone who values science and reason. So I am not a member of the core audience this book is written to.

This book invites parents to identify their secular values and parent in accordance with them. For example, values identified in this book include the importance of critical thinking and science-based education. This book is not about rules but about ideas

This book is also realistic about the stigma and discrimination that secular people can face in our society and how to arm children with the tools to combat this stigma. Indeed, one purpose of the book is to encourage a secular parenting community.

One thing that detracts from the book for me is that it feels very "ranty," and I have a limited tolerance and attention span for reading rants.

[Audra Murzycki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an easy read written with passion and emotion as well as logic. The author provides fewer parenting techniques than I was hoping for but instead explains ways parents can become active in the big picture, such as politics.