posted October 13, 2007 12:44 AM         

Hunter was just talking about God planting all the trees so we'd have oxygen. I don't know where he's learning this but I said "What makes you think God is a boy?"

He said "I know God is a boy because I heard his voice on the Simpsons and he sounds like a boy. Did you know his wife is the Toothfairy?"

O_o

That's friggin' cute!

posted October 13, 2007 01:43 AM         

Here are the results:

*My daughter (age 3 years)
I ask: Is God a boy? Is God a girl? or Is God something else?
She replies: "God's a boy!", I then ask: How do you know this?
she says: "'cause HE IS!"
I say: "How do you know he is?"
She replies: "because he is my sister!"

*My son (age 5 years)
I ask: Is God a boy? Is God a girl? or Is God something else?
He replies: "Something Else..."
I say: "How do you know God is something else?"
He says: "cause he has bodies and spirits"

Interesting...

Thank you for posting this subject and sharing your experience... Sounds like little Hunter gets his views of God from the TV set. Though it's a funny and cute perception, I myself might be inclined to share my own views or alternate ideas to him at this point. You said you wanted to "let him find his own spirituality without pushing anything on him" well? Is he finding His Own or repeating anothers? -You see what I'm saying?
Children this age are so very impressionable.

I truely commend you for allowing him the space to decide his own beliefs. This is a most precious gift that you give him. As a loving parent I imagine you also provide him alternate tools of learning about spirituality.

posted October 13, 2007 01:51 AM         

It's diffitult exploring new territory I think maybe I should take him to a few different spiritually minded places and see what he thinks. Maybe the Episcopal church down the stree and then maybe a pagan solstice gathering and maybe a temple of any other religion... just so he gets a mix.

I imagine that he's getting quite a bit of input by this point from school which seems to be pretty Christian (maybe Catholic... in Los Angeles we live with a lot of people with Mexican heritage and they are often Catholic from my experience).

posted October 13, 2007 03:31 AM         

He's coming in contact with many other children at this point as well as thier learned belief systems...

As a child myself, my parents shared your views "very careful to let me find my own spirituality without pushing anything on me" the way they seemed to best approach this, was to allow me to attend many different spiritual minded places with different friends and family members, they themselves did not accompany us. This gave me ample opportunity to absorb the teaching, services, and question my hosts endlessly about it without any chance of embarrassing them, LOL! (I was a very curious child) then I could return home filled with excitement, and wonder sharing with them what I had learned, believed, disbelieved, etc.
My very best memory of these journeys was at the fine age of seven years old I had attended a Jewish church service (though I'm sure, it's not called this) with my friend from school. We sat in a circle on the floor (adults and children together) holding hands laughing and sharing stories and events. The children were taught how to make whole wheat tortillas, we all danced, laughed, and sang alot! It was the realization that communion, religion, and spirituality could be fun! This was the very first religiously organized event I had attended where I was able to forget rules, regulations, expectations, etc. and be completely "just me". It felt so good. Now thirty years later it's still standing out in my mind and heart!

The closest I can come to describing the feelings arrived from that experience is to say: It would be like if all of your favorite posters at Linda Land and you were to actually be together physically in a room holding hands. Sharing your love with one another as well as that awesome feeling of finally having spiritual partners in life that really "GET" you. Then knowing you are absolutely in the right place at the right time. Feeling blessed, rewarded and loved! A "Pure" happy feeling of being accepted 100%.

------------------
Sendin' love your way,
"your friend in spirit"