Happy to have found this resource and the author's blog "The Meming of Life" - it encourages me to find such thoughtful authors as McGowan, as well as other thoughtful humanist/atheist/non-believers/skeptics such as Neil deGrasse Tyson and Phil Plait. Although I am not comfortable pasting a particular label on myself, this book and several passages in the author's blog have made me comfortable "coming out" as a non-believer and minority and as a parent - putting a face on a minority that others

Happy to have found this resource and the author's blog "The Meming of Life" - it encourages me to find such thoughtful authors as McGowan, as well as other thoughtful humanist/atheist/non-believers/skeptics such as Neil deGrasse Tyson and Phil Plait. Although I am not comfortable pasting a particular label on myself, this book and several passages in the author's blog have made me comfortable "coming out" as a non-believer and minority and as a parent - putting a face on a minority that others may generalize (and perhaps dismiss or fictionalize or even demonize) is important, just as it is important to stand up for other minorities, particularly in the face of a majority who might dismiss, fictionalize or demonize them. In the past, the "discourse" between the believers and non-believers has left a bad taste in my mouth as it just seemed a whole lot of shouting. Dale McGowan transcends this with a thoughtful approach to nearly every situation with the goal of hearing and being heard. Very refreshing...very helpful for thinking about how 99% of people will interact with my children around holidays, talking about the tooth fairy and santa claus and, yes, god. This has come up over the past few months for me as I have seen in a documentary about Pat Tillman, read about certain laws that affect non-believers and have come to understand how certain groups (like the Boy Scouts) make assumptions and judgements about who I am based upon a "group" that I belong to or a "label" that I wear. Suddenly, being out there seems important to right a wrong that is doubled by silence.



The essay by Stu Tanquist is a good guide for the parenting issue that came home today - the Boy Scouts are recruiting my child, yet the BSA explicitly says in their bylaws, ""The Boy Scouts of America maintains that no member can grow into the **best** kind of citizen without recognizing an obligation to God. In the first part of the Scout Oath or Promise the member declares, ‘On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law.’ The recognition of God as the ruling and leading power in the universe and the grateful acknowledgment of His favors and blessings are **necessary** to the best type of citizenship and are wholesome precepts in the education of the growing members." (Emphases mine.) I was actually shocked and saddened to read this - who knew (a la, "then they came for me") that my family could be discriminated against?



The answer to this issue to me is not to have an outraged theology lesson with my 6-year-old, who is oblivious, but rather to keep integrity in mind, to find another outlet for our "scouting" behavior, yet to also not feel that I have "under-addressed" this issue by letting this slide in favor of "all of the other activities we have going on right now". I didn't *need* Stu Tanquist to tell me this, but appreciate the affirmation of the possible alternatives juxtaposed with the totality of the individual situation. Mostly I'm just sad for the lost opportunity. GSUSA is not so picky about this. but I *really* digress...



I think there is something in this book even for believer parents, even if to understand how points of view among believers differ, and also to understand (on the off chance you might meet one) how non-believers might act and react and think and feel about things. Indeed, as a non-believer, one of my favorite parenting books is "The Blessing of a Skinned Knee", a Jewish approach to parenting - perhpas it is surprising to know that a non-believer might look to guidance from a book based in religion.

Even if the idea challenges you, Dale McGowan is a steady craft in the stormy waters at the intersection of believers and non believers, and has chosen essays from a wide range of interesting individuals. You might be pleasantly surprised.