Raising Freethinkers: A Practical Guide for Parenting Beyond Belief »

Dale McGowan (Atlanta, GA) is a writer, editor, and parenting educator. He edited and coauthored Parenting Beyond Belief.

Molleen Matsumura has been a humanist activist and writer for more than 20 years and has contributed to Free Inquiry and The New Humanist.

Amanda Metskas (Albany, NY) is the Executive Director of Camp Quest, Inc.

Jan Devor is Director of Religious Education for the First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis.

As a freethinking parent, you face a unique set of challenges in raising children with-out religious guidance. How will you help them understand issues like death, sexuality, morality, and religion itself, all while encouraging them to think for themselves?

Janet Clapp - Library Journal

Parents who choose to raise their children without religion still face life issues for which religion often supplies answers. This guide to nonreligious parenting is a practical follow-up to McGowan's Parenting Beyond Belief. Primarily in a question-and-answer format, McGowan and educators and scholars Molleen Matsumura, Amanda Metskas, and Jan Devor emphasize respect, independent thinking, and secular humanism when dealing with ethics, death, rituals, holidays, sexual education, and a religious society. Rather than dismissing religion, the authors advocate exploration and understanding of all religions and mythologies. Each chapter concludes with suggested activities to engage children's minds and hearts. Also included are descriptive reviews of recommended books, web sites, films, and other materials. Recognizing the need for community that a church often fulfills, the authors refer to Unitarian Universalism, Ethical Societies, or Jewish Humanism congregations. Web sites and blogs for freethinking, humanist, and atheist groups are listed. Many books exist about religious and ethical parenting, but this unique resource will help parents looking for useful ideas and information on being a nonreligious family. Recommended for public libraries.

Preface v

Acknowledgments xiii

Chapter One The Inquiring Mind Dale McGowan 1

Chapter Two Living and Teaching Ethics in Your Family Molleen Matsumura 33

Chapter Three Secular Family, Religious World Jan Devor 67

Chapter Four The Physical Self Amanda Metskas 97

Chapter Five Ingredients of a Life Worth Living Molleen Matsumura 129

Chapter Six Celebrating Life Jan Devor 153

Chapter Seven Death and Life Dale McGowan 175

Chapter Eight Finding and Creating Community Amanda Metskas 203

Chapter Nine The Grab Bag Dale McGowan 233

Appendix I Recommended Films by Category 253

Appendix II Lists of Principles 257

Index 263