Oh cock, it happened a bit before I was ready: explaining religion to DS.

[SolidGoldVampireBat]

It started with him coming home from school full of Diwali celebrations, leading on to 'Mum why don't we celebrate Diwali?' which led into a discussion of Different Cultures, which ultimately, as I suppose it would have to, led into a discussion of religions and 'So which god do we believe in, Mummy?' So I said there was no evidence for the existence of any at all, and while some people believe in them and that's fine, unfortunately some people who believe in them are not fine about it and do bad things because of it. So what I want to get across to him is that he shouldn't be rude to other people about the gods they believe in until he's old enough to have good bunfights on the internet - I've gone with 'Well, you know what your favourite colour is? Other people have different favourite colours, and there's nothing wrong with that.'
Anyone got any more/better suggestions?

The favourite colours explanation is a good one, I think. I did pretty much the same thing - 'some people believe XYZ but me and Dad don't follow a religion so you don't either, but if when you're older you choose to, that's fine.' DS seemed happy with that and will probably say much the same when DD asks.

I have had a very similar conversation with DD1- I also make sure I say 'it is up to you what you believe' and if she says 'do you believe?'- I say 'no but it is your decision' . Then she tells me every now and then if she believes that week, depending on who she's been talking to, and I say 'oh right' and leave it at that. Its not unlike the ' why dont you eat meat mummy?'- 'its just not my thing baby' conversation. I realise I am deflecting slightly. Partly my aim is to avoid making a big deal out of it in case she turns to fundamentalist veal farming in her teenage rebel years.

So what I want to get across to him is that he shouldn't be rude to other people about the gods they believe in

coming from you sweetie, that's a bit rich (see, I found my voice)

Ah, Springydaffs, your computer is set up to not read struck out bits. DS is 7, so I would like him to respect other people's right to believe any old cock until he is old enough to know when it's fair enough to tell them himself that their supersitions are a load of old cock.

At 7 your Ds is old enough to question these things to form his own opinion I think. Therefore with my Ds (also 7) we went through a phase of talking about it quite often. He is at a non-denom school but vicars visit etc they just had 'prayer week'. I have no problem with saying it's total balloney, esp the creationist things he is taught at school, and we have lots of relaxed and quite entertaining discussions about it. He enjoys that I think, and he wonders about the logic of if God made Us Who made Him? (ermm we did).

I refrain from talking about the damage different religions wage against each other. Oh soz gootta go.

Ooooh, atheists on MN, I had no idea:) I want to join too!
So how do you resist writing wicked things on the other threads, or don't you? I just scrolled through and the possibilities seemed endless.
And cock in the title nicely highlights the thread as one for the religious folk to steer clear of, I like it.

But back to the topic of the thread, as a few of you seem to suggest trying not to overly influence what our kids believe until they can make their own minds up is probably sensible, but I just can't seem to hold back disdain for religious beliefs and I fear that I am being just as evangelical about my atheism as my father was with me about his fundamentalist christian beliefs. My 5yr olds homework for this week is to tell someone the story of the nativity, will some how have to try not to ridicule it too much!

I went with the "Some people believe in one god, some people believe in lots of gods, some people don't believe in gods at all" as a starting point. My DCs then asked me what I believed and I said I didn't believe in any gods. When they asked me why, I explained that I didn't feel the need as there's nothing in any religion I've come across that struck me as revelatory or that would add anything important to my life.

As my DCs have got older we've had more involved chats about morality, philosophy and beliefs. I know the basic concepts and mythology of most of the more popular religions and belief structures so I can answer most of their questions off the top of my head. Those that I don't know can then be used as a starting point for research (the simplified English version of Wikipedia is great for children).

For what it's worth, my DS is now broadly atheistic but might change his mind and is intrigued by the more philosophical belief structures such as Bhuddism as they're doing that in RE at school. My DD more or less believes in a Christian god. That's all good with me.