Farewell! Possibly forever, most likely not forever

[mountainmage]

Well, they say beauty is only skin-deep. Wearing that coat makes you more beautiful!

[LordRetard]

I'd like a trench coat. That'd be bad-ass.

I've had a couple of tranch coats. They get you pretty funny looks.

[mountainmage]

I'd like a trench coat. That'd be bad-ass.

I've had a couple of tranch coats. They get you pretty funny looks.

I'd imagine it depends on the color of the trench coat, and where you're wearing it.

[LordRetard]

It definitely depends on if you're wearing anything underneath it.

[mountainmage]

Right. I keep forgetting the other obvious options! This is like the second time or something.

[LordRetard]

You really need to step up on your use of cheap shots.

[Euclidthegreek]

Yeah, don't wear shorts under your trench coat.

[LordRetard]

It just isn't the style these days is it?

[Apocalyptus]

It is quite the faux pas. Gauche, even.

[Lethal Interjection]

Maybe he only remained vegetarian because he doesn't like the taste of meat. I know that's why some poeple convert. Also, since he was raised vegetarian, maybe he just wanted to keep his vegetarianism going for the sake of it, and not because he particularly cared about animals.

I can understand having not been exposed to it, and thus not finding the taste for it. But I would think that anyone raising their kid vegetarian is doing so for animal rights purposes. And I might think that perhaps he has just rejected his parents beliefs, but never grew a taste for meat, but then I don't understand why he would still make the vegetarianism a part of his identity, so much that it is among the first things I heard him say (and twice in the first, say, 10 or so conversations I overheard or participated in with him).

[mountainmage]

If I ever have a kid, I'm going to try very hard not to force any of my beliefs on him/her. I'll probably explain my point of view, and why I think it's right, but I'll be sure to say how this is only one opinion of many.

[Oldrac the Chitinous]

That sounds nice, but I don't think it'll work in practice.
Young children need to believe something just like everyone else, but they don't have the critical thinking skills to discern reasonable and unreasonable beliefs. Asking anyone to come up with system of beliefs on their own is a tall order; asking it of a five-year-old is cruel.
And if you don't impose your belief system on your children, there are plenty of people that will be more than happy to.
I think the best you can do is make sure that one of the beliefs you do pass on is the importance of thinking for oneself.

[Sahan]

I agree. My parents taught me how to be a Buddhist, but they always told me that in the end, it was my decision whether I wanted to follow the religion. Whilst what they believe plays a large influence on my own belief system, I still think I am capable of looking at my own beliefs critically, even reject some of things they believe as unlikely, and implausible. I've also done it with my own beliefs that I formulated by myself, by simply taking the time to research them more and explore alternative viewpoints.

From my parents point of view, even though killing an animal or having an animal killed for you is a sin, buying meat from a supermarket doesn't have to be considered an extended sin, because the animal was not killed specifically so that you could eat it. Personally I find it a very grey area, but I still eat meat, simply because I think it's a vital part of our diet if eaten every now and then like it is in my household.

[mountainmage]

That sounds nice, but I don't think it'll work in practice.
Young children need to believe something just like everyone else, but they don't have the critical thinking skills to discern reasonable and unreasonable beliefs. Asking anyone to come up with system of beliefs on their own is a tall order; asking it of a five-year-old is cruel.
And if you don't impose your belief system on your children, there are plenty of people that will be more than happy to.
I think the best you can do is make sure that one of the beliefs you do pass on is the importance of thinking for oneself.

I didn't say that I wouldn't tell them what to believe, and besides, many of the things I believe in wouldn't be appropriate to discuss with a young child. I would state my beliefs a little at a time, when necessary, where appropriate. In any case, this is all just wishful supposition.

[Edminster]

In any case, this is all just wishful supposition.

The incredibly depressing implication of course being that you will die alone and unloved.