God'll Get You (Not That I Believe In God, Mind You, But He'll Get You!)

From today/s WashPo chat on "Religion and the Family", featuring Annette Mahoney, professor at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Mahoney is one of the country's few research psychologists specializing in religion and families:

Washington, D.C.: I am not a religious person, haven't been since 4th grade when the contradictions in my church became pretty obvious. And I would prefer if my children were not brought up in any one denomination b/c I think they're all "wrong." But the one thing I can't figure is how am I going to teach morality (why it is wrong to steal, for instance) without the threat of a vengeful God? I don't think a child can wrap its mind around philosophical reasons why it is wrong, and instead needs the simple threat of God will be mad at you. Any recommendations for agnostics?

Annette Mahoney: Children actually can learn to be moral without resorting to threats from a vengeful God. In fact, I would not recommend this approach even if you were a believer.

Can I get an AMEN!

No, seriously. I'm so glad to hear this.

It's bad enough that many people seem to actually believe that only threats of hellfire keep anyone moral, but to contemplate teaching it to a child when you don't even believe it?

Some people simply astound me.