Toddler theology
**FIMXE is starting to reveal something of his view of theology. While we're keen for him to have a good grounding in the Christian tradition, we're both atheists. We want him to know the stories, but are not remotely seeking to instill belief. Which is a bit of a fine line to walk with a toddler, but **FIXME seems to be making something of it. It's just not quite what we make. For example:
**FIXME is examining the (very wonderful) Tree Of Life poster from the OU (to accompany Attenborough's Darwin And The Tree of Life), and pointing out various animals that he can name.
F: That's an aardvark. It lives in Noah's Ark.
D: Er ... I think the people who made that poster might be horrified to hear you say that.
He was given a Toddler Bible, which is rubbish in at least two ways (the stories don't really work as stories, and about 25% of the few words it does have are second-person admonitions not found in the original text and which profoundly grate). But he does seem to like it. Two recent related events:
**FIXME is looking at a picture of Noah and his wife (? or horse) praying after the flood.
M: Noah said thank you to God.
F: (points to wife) Is that God?
M: (remembering her feminist theological past) Yes. Yes it is.
We're reading about the Ascension:
D: And Jesus went up in to heaven. He went up higher and higher in to the sky.
F: In a rocket! He went in to space.
And then this afternoon, waiting at the station (and rather desperate for distractions):
D: Oh look! Crepuscular rays! Can you see the sun shining through the clouds over there?
F: Oh yes.
M: It's God speaking.
F: (dismissively) No it isn't. Don't be silly, Mummy.
**FIXME is examining the (very wonderful) Tree Of Life poster from the OU (to accompany Attenborough's Darwin And The Tree of Life), and pointing out various animals that he can name.
F: That's an aardvark. It lives in Noah's Ark.
D: Er ... I think the people who made that poster might be horrified to hear you say that.
He was given a Toddler Bible, which is rubbish in at least two ways (the stories don't really work as stories, and about 25% of the few words it does have are second-person admonitions not found in the original text and which profoundly grate). But he does seem to like it. Two recent related events:
**FIXME is looking at a picture of Noah and his wife (? or horse) praying after the flood.
M: Noah said thank you to God.
F: (points to wife) Is that God?
M: (remembering her feminist theological past) Yes. Yes it is.
We're reading about the Ascension:
D: And Jesus went up in to heaven. He went up higher and higher in to the sky.
F: In a rocket! He went in to space.
And then this afternoon, waiting at the station (and rather desperate for distractions):
D: Oh look! Crepuscular rays! Can you see the sun shining through the clouds over there?
F: Oh yes.
M: It's God speaking.
F: (dismissively) No it isn't. Don't be silly, Mummy.