Actually, Dale “Parenting Beyond Belief” McGowan spent his first 10 years here. On his blog, “The Meming of Life [1]” he has a speaking schedule posted. When he posted a solid date in my town, I posted about it [2] and sent emails. So yesterday I drove out to the local Humanist hall. I got there early to take some snapshots with my tiny camera [3].
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I went to Sunday School here, wearing a suit that one morning every week from the age of 4 till my early teens. One sure way to chase a kid from the fold is to make him dress up in stiff clothes known to inspire mocking from his peers. I hadn’t been back for 35 years. But it is a cool building!
Anyway, we were there to see a short talk on raising moral children who won’t be very susceptible to cults, fads, and other charismatic followings. McGowan is a good speaker. He has a pat routine, nuanced with assorted topical interludes. A sober talk, well punctuated with wit. He didn’t quite “plug” his next book, but it did get mentioned.
I sat in the back, just in front of Erich’s neice and her parents. So pardon the long shots.
Afterward, a small crowd gathered for Q&A (and a couple of autographs).Many parents wanted more details on how to deal with inter-generational clashes of faith, or specific materials besides his own books to raise well rounded kids.
But what is his message? Essentially, knowledge is power. Don’t teach your kids with arguments from authority, because one can always find a competing authority. Get them in the habit of working things out for themselves. Don’t protect them from faiths with which you disagree; expose them. Show them all the ideas and cultures they might want to consider. Let them reach conclusions. Even wrong ones. At least those that can’t really hurt them.
Inoculation is the way to keep your kids out of cults. Let them see how religious ecstasy affects people, so that they aren’t completely swept away by their first experience.
Note that neither McGowan nor the Ethical Society are anti-religion. The basic precept is Ethical Humanism, that this life is the one to be led well, with respect for others and yourself. Any afterlife that may exist, any deities that can be imagined, are subordinate to this.
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