Seeds, let's not sugarcoat the realities of many religious teachings. A child raised within most religious frameworks would already be grappling with the terrifying prospect that they might face eternal damnation—a gamble where they’re taught the outcome is entirely in God’s hands. That’s hardly comforting; it’s a cruel 50-50 roll of the dice wrapped in divine authority.seeds wrote: ↑Tue Dec 24, 2024 2:07 amPretend that you are the little girl's father.BigMike wrote: ↑Tue Dec 24, 2024 12:19 am To the terrified child facing death: we offer presence, love, and the assurance that they are not alone. Determinism doesn’t demand brutal honesty in the face of terror—it calls for compassion. A parent can hold their child and speak of the love that surrounds them, the peace that will follow, and the beauty of their courage and strength.
She asked you a specific and unambiguous question:
"...Daddy, what's going to happen to me when I die?..."
She is absolutely terrified at the thought of dying in the next day or so, and no amount of hugging and avoiding answering her direct question is going to diminish her fear.
In which case, are you so utterly unyielding in your rigid belief in determinism that you (at the very least) couldn't just say...
"...Sweetie, I don't know. No one knows for sure..."
...???
Which, in fact, is the actual truth, for crying out loud, despite your bullheadedness in denying that fact.
Or even better yet, to truly help comfort your little girl, why in the world couldn't you simply say...
"...You are going to awaken into a more beautiful world, and that mommy and daddy will soon be joining you there. It's going to be wonderful..."
...???
I mean, for goodness' sake, man, it's not like after she actually dies in, say, two days from the moment of that comforting conversation, that she's going to be in a position to accuse you of lying to her. For, according to your take on determinism, her life and consciousness will have blinked out of existence - forever.
Come on, my articulate friend, you need to rejoin scarecrow and the cowardly lion in the search for that special item ❤ you are missing.
_______
As an atheist and a determinist, I would offer her something profoundly different: certainty in compassion. I would tell her, gently and honestly, that when the time comes, the pain and fear will fade, and she will feel peace. The lights go out, yes, but she will never truly leave us. She will live on in the hearts of those who loved her, in the stories we tell, and in the lives she’s touched. That’s not a lie. It’s a truth grounded in the love and memory that bind us.
You suggest fabricating a tale about a beautiful afterlife to soothe her. But why add more fiction to a world already burdened with comforting lies? Honesty doesn’t mean cruelty. It means guiding her with warmth, love, and the assurance that she has been deeply valued and cherished. I won’t exploit her vulnerability with stories I don’t believe. I’ll hold her close and remind her of the love that will outlast everything, even death. That’s the truth I stand by, and it’s one worth sharing.
