Strange that this op-ed piece in the Philadelphia Inquirer on March 22, 2011 lacks a byline. It is so obviously personal opinion that it can’t be an editorial board piece. I looked, briefly, through the online index of stories in the religion sections of the paper. Every story I saw had an identified author except this one. “Dear Editor, who wrote this . . .”
The holiest day in Christendom approaches, and my little girl is anticipating coloring Easter eggs.
She doesn’t know from crucifixion or resurrection, and she has no clue of who Jesus, Judas, and Pilate were.
That’s because I never told her.
I force vegetables, reading, and baths. But not God.
As an agnostic, I haven’t figured out what to say. Of course, if it’s not cool to dictate faith, it’s not cool to dictate nonbelief, either.
. . .
Perhaps I could impress her with the suffering Jesus is said to have endured.
But then I’d have to add that people believed for centuries that the Shroud of Turin, said to be Jesus’ burial cloth, with an image of his face miraculously preserved on it, was a true artifact – until scientists in 1988 reported it to be inauthentic.
On the Web, some people say it’s negligent not to teach your children faith.
Others counter that it’s akin to “child abuse” to do so.
At least the mystery dad/author is asking questions. He has some of his facts wrong. But who doesn’t. Kids and religion: A dad has questions – Philly.com