A Modern Child’s Belief System

Yesterday, my 12-year-old cousin scared me.
She scared me with what she's been learning in school and in church.

She thinks that Thanksgiving is a tradition built upon a legacy of early settlers making friends with Native Americans. But the reality is Native Americans were slaughtered ... all 85% of them. The little paper Native hats they make are so innocent in comparison to the truth that it made me sick.

She also thinks that her lesbian PE teacher is gross. She told me that The Bible says that it's wrong (yes, she said "wrong"). I exclaimed, "What have they been teaching you??"

God is probably one of the most misunderstood (and used) beings EVER. And the Christian Bible is one of the most fundamentally dubious and violent pieces of literature EVER to build an entire religious belief organization around.

Ugh. Educating kids with crap. It's like feeding kids Micky D's every night and calling it good. We suck for not giving children any better. And I actually feel partially responsible for not doing better because I am now old enough to do differently.

If ever I have offspring, I will bring them up Buddhist and train them in Kungfu (or something) for inner peace, self-awareness, discipline and physical strength. If I have the means, they will also be travelling for new perspectives. They will be as multi-lingual as possible. They will be reading more than they watch TV. They will be close to family and a strong support system.

I want them to be badass freak'n kids not for competition, but to be able to stand up to waves and storms.