For all the cries of indoctrination, Sunday Schools are often no more than babysitting clubs – the 3 – 7 section of ours involves being told a Bible story then drawing a picture of it. I’m 19, and I ran the 13+ section to find that most of them didn’t really call it ‘their’ faith, but rather, just knew the basics from which they wanted to explore. I know there are some crazys out there, but we’re not all that bad – my group have explored both the Bible and the Big Bang theory (and why believing in it doesn’t make you an atheist) as well as their reasons to believe. We won’t let them get confirmed if their reason is “because my mum wants me to” or “I dunno, they said I should”

So yeah, we’re not all indoctrinating the youth in that crazy way

I really don’t ever see this changing. The only chance I see for it is if all the organized religious groups kill each other off, which would be a form of natural selection and highly ironic. Even then, they’ll most likely take us all with them.

The biggest problems are that being a “Christian” is seen as a virtue and they’re highly organized.

Atheists were ranked the most feared/hated minority and we’re barely organized at all.

I think the last estimate I read was that 19% of Americans were atheists, but good luck finding one outside a Bill Maher forum. My friend is constantly quizzing me because I’m the “only atheist she’s ever known”, she’s 40. My parents don’t want me to tell anybody and insist I not talk about it and should just ‘act’ like I believe.

Good times.

Maybe they should buy them …. tons of people willing to pretend to be christian when they are being paid for it, I’m sure. If it is just about the numbers …

If all religious and spiritual beliefs were represented (as they should be in this ethical and tolerant land) the children would get extra time off to digest this conflicting information by observing ‘all’ religious holidays, and teachers would gain a well earned rest from trying to educate the ungrateful little oinks.

Alternatively, the church could concentrate on its primary and more gullible target; that of republican Americans. After all, they have more cash than school kids and are more likely to fill the collection plate.