When I tell people that last summer I volunteered at an American summer camp designed for the children of atheists, agnostics and other non-believers, I get very mixed reactions. Some even react as if I were trying to abolish religion, brainwashing children with my ?liberal agenda?, or force communism on the innocent little ones. So, now that Camp Quest is due to arrive in the UK in 2009, I feel I should set the record straight. Camp Quest is a non-profit organization that provides residential summer camps for children of those who choose not to believe in a god, and who want their children to learn the values of critical thinking, philosophy and science. It is the first summer camp of its kind in North America, started in 1996 by Edwin and Helen Kagin as an alternative to the pro-theist policy of the Boy Scouts of America.
http://www.theyorker.co.uk/news/features/1733This article was written by our own Samantha Stein, who hopefully will be expanding Camp Quest to England next year. In the mean time, check out this article.If you have camp-age kids, this is a great idea. The kids have a GREAT time and make long-term friends with Atheists (they won’t be the only Atheists anymore). This is NOT “Atheist Camp”. It’s simply a camp where Atheism is viewed as a positive thing. There is no no “pushing Atheism”. Kids will learn about famous Atheists, do science experiments, and talk about religion to some extent. I’d say it’s 95% “just camp” (my theistic wife is comfortable with it).I’ll be sending my daughter to CQ Ohio this year, and for the first time I won’t be a counselor, instead deciding to spend a romantic week alone with my wife. I’ll miss the kids, though.At any rate, there are several Camp Quests out there, so please check out www.camp-quest.org for a location near you.
Don’t forget http://www.camp-quest.org.uk for those my side of the pond!
(And I apologise for the title – not my doing – I would never call it “atheist camp”)
Samantha
My son is 24 yrs old and he went to Camp Quest when there was only one camp site. He still remembers the experience fondly. This is the one place that children of Atheists can go and talk with their peers openly. He had fun and brought home a picture of them covered in mud. He also liked the ?authority? of being a junior counselor since he was one of the older kids. He was not allowed to join the Boy Scouts of America although he was allowed to join YMCA Indian Guides. This is a great opportunity. I?m happy to hear that it has gone international with the UK.
Best wishes to Camp Quest– I would love to be a camp counselor again at Camp Quest. When I was a young man and a closet beer-guzzling, cigarette-smoking Jesus freak I was a counselor in Christian camps. As I’ve said before, reading a good book about Jesus made a confirmed Atheist of me ( and I even quit drinking and smoking in my early 30s– I’m 52 now). I just might contact the right people and come visit Camp Quest for a day. As an old camp counselor and substitute teacher I think I’d fit right in.
Go CQ! That would have been a really cool camp to go to when I was a kid.
RedLilac
How does the boy scout establishment deal with american Indian spirituality,they seem to like everything else.
Septoa: I?m not sure what you are asking. My son was denied entrance into the Boy Scouts of America because I was an outspoken Atheist around town. The Young Men?s Christian Association (YMCA) had a program called Indian Guides. I knew the Director of the local Y and he knew I was an Atheist, but it did not matter, they accept all children into the program. My son went to the activities with my Ex-husband who was an Agnostic that became a Christian again when he re-married. Whimp. I explained the Great Spirit to my son as nature, nothing supernatural. The Leaders said it was fine, he could believe or not believe what he wanted.
RedLilac
Thanks,and yes my question was confusing, my bad.I went to a boy scout meeting once,(35 years ago),the leader was one of my math teachers I suspected was gay,I should have stayed around. They were doing alot if Indian related activities.This board made me wander how they handle the “Great Spirit”stuff.
Hi all
I see that the idea behind what you are trying to open the minds of our youth. But I?m concerned that you feel God isn?t real? I would like to correspond with you if I may. I don?t understand why some doubt the message of Love and forgiveness. Its not fare for me to judge, and I wont!
I would find it an honor to speak with you if I may.
Thanks
Terry kjerrel@mchsi.com
terry,
The reason we doubt the existence of a deity is because we’ve never been exposed to a good reason to believe in the first place.
Not to deter you, but I (for one) have not encountered a new argument for the existence of a deity in years. If you have one, then please present it.
Just to give you a good place to begin, I think most atheists would agree with many of the points brought up in this article:
http://www.ebonmusings.org/atheism/theistguide.html
I try not to think with my feelings, it can lead to awkward situtations.
Yes, of course, leaving out the Divine retribution, total depravity, and the like certainly makes Christianity slightly less repulsive. I don’t intend to be offensive, but ‘Love and forgiveness’ hardly encompasses christian theology.
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