"Godless Grief:
 An Atheist's Guide of Mourning Death, 
 Divorce, and Other Family Loss".

Email your responses to: surveythree@godlessgrief.com

Parent/Youth Survey: 12 June 2005

For Godless Grief's series, input is needed from parents, teachers, and even kids, 
to determine what questions are most prevalent, and which questions reach into 
a teenager's or a child's curiosity about death, loss, and painful life moments. 

The questions for this survey have been developed by answers given in 120 books on 
similar subjects, written for adults. Children of the itnernet generation are much more
attuned to computer issues than human issues. These books, written from an Atheist
perspective, works to answer the painful questions related to "Why?". 

Keep in mind, the third book, "Poopy Pictures" serves both as a guide for younger
children, and as a book of communication between caregiver and child. If you have 
anecdotal materials beyond the questions, please feel free to contact the author 
directly, cj@GodlessGrief.com
Thanks for your time!
 

SECTION ONE: ATHEISM

These questions came directly from kids interviewed by Atheist parents.

 

1.    What are gods?

2.    Why do people believe in god?

3.    Are grown ups afraid of things?

4.    What is praying?

5.    What is your favorite fairy tale?

6.    How do I tell my teachers I'm Atheist? What do I do if they say I'm not?

7.    Are there monsters?

8.    Why do the kids tell me I love satan? What do I tell them?

9.    Is there a hell?

10.  	How come we aren't all Atheist?


SECTION 2: Bad things, ("poopy" things)

Kids want to know why things happen and aren't as likely as adults to
withhold questions. They are honest, and deserve honest answers. Here is
a collection of questions asked by children.


1	Does everything die?

2	What happens when my [doggy/friend/family etc] die?

3	Why do people say "I'm sorry" when you are sick or when you die?

4	What happens when it's dark?

5	Why do kids get sick?

6	Why do people get buried? Cremated?

7	Why does my doctor say "God's on our side"?

8	Why do people lie?

9	What is "courage", or "fear"?

10. 	Why do people hurt other people?