So, okay, Madison has always been interested in philosophy and religion starting from when she had just turned five. And we have wonderful talks about all kinds of issues...she sometimes tells us to start talking about these issues so she can listen. But we haven't given her any books on it or anything, because, well, we can't find anything that's at her level and interest, and RIGHT. That's okay, she has her fill with the discussions. She has recently decided that she's going to hold out for the logical possibility of there being some kind of supreme being or prime mover, for the simple reason that we can't disprove it. So, fine, she doesn't quite hold with our argument that there is no logical need to prove a negative, that the burden of proof is on the person making the positive argument. I'm fine with that, she's just as happy trying to be an individual at some degree of philosophical opposition with her parents.
But it all still doesn't explain how at age 8 she has--just this weekend--constructed a position of determinism, without ever having heard of it. And, because determinism has given her an "answer" for EVERYTHING, she's delighted, and, gosh darn it, she's *sticking with it* until it fails her. An introspective experience of choices, of free will? No problem, says Madison. It's an illusion. The future is GOING to happen, it IS the future, there is just ONE future, there can't be multiple futures. And, DAD, you do concede that determinism is true BUT FOR THE PRESENCE OF HUMAN BEINGS, right, so it's not so much of a stretch to include human beings in our concept of a predetermined future.
I took the girls to Chili's for lunch after Madison's show for her homeschool musical theater class (I refuse to write "musical theatre") this morning. And we were talking over this issue through much of lunch.
"Anything else I can do for you?" asked the waiter as we were winding up.
"Well, you can weigh in on the free will vs. determinism debate," I replied. I nodded at Madison. "She's holding out for determinism."
Without missing a beat, he replied, "Well, I believe in free will myself," he said. "But you should really read the Sylvia Browne books. She's a great writer, she's really influenced me."
"Oh? I don't know her," I said.
"She's a great psychic," he replied. "She explains it all really well."
The look on Madison's face was priceless.
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5 comments:
Wow. Quite a thinker she is!
You might enjoy this story. A few months ago, Ryan announced to us that he "believed in gods."
"And why is that?" we asked.
"Well, somebody in this family has to!"
We just cracked up. Turns out, he also wants to see what the inside of a church looks like and didn't think he'd be allowed in if he didn't believe. (I told him we could go look at some if he wanted, but he hasn't brought it up since.)
I was amazed that my daughter was fully converted in the first grade! All it took was one boy she 'liked' to talk about his CCD lessons. Not only does she believe in a god, she also wants to be Catholic. I told her that as soon as she's old enough to drive she can take herself to church.
Ah--the joy of free-willed children who are allowed to have minds of their own.
We actually take the kids to church -- that is, each Christmas, we go to a different historic church in our area. We do the research on the church in advance: when it was built, who did the stained glass, what is the style of the architecture. Then we tell the kids some stuff about the particular denomination of Christianity, to distinguish it from others. We figure out when the children's Christmas Eve service is, and get there a little early both to get a seat and to be able to wander around the church a bit looking at what we researched. We whisper explanations of the liturgy during the service if the kids have questions.
Of course, we're really there to sing. We all like singing Christmas carols. And, we like the exposure to some of the beautiful sacred music that the kids wouldn't otherwise get (see my earlier post on this topic).
This annual experience gives us the opportunity to demystify the whole experience for the girls, and an occasion to dissect just what is going on. It also gives us the opportunity to have Roast Preacher for dinner, as David and I enjoy following (and, okay, making fun of) the logic of the homily.
And, of course, we get an excuse to dress up two cute little girls for Christmas. What's the point of having two girls who like to dress up if you don't dress them up? :-)
I will admit, though, that I haven't been able to bring myself to bring them to a Catholic church. I grew up Catholic, very Catholic, and, well...you know. Good thing most of the historic churches around here are Protestant. Easier to swallow. Although if I could find an all-Latin service I might do that someday.
Latin does seem rather cool. My dad was Catholic and I'm sure Catholic school guarenteed he'd be forever conflicted--no respect for the intimidation but somehow can't leave all of the traditions behind.
Latin Mass is pretty interesting. I've always preferred it to the regular Mass. (I was raised Catholic and attended Catholic schools for most of my education.) It would be hard to take my kids to a regular Mass, since so much of it is tied to my own memories of religion. But Latin Mass, I would also consider.
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