Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Summer camp caters to 'freethinking' children
Associated Press ^ | May 25, 2008 | Valerie Bauman

Posted on 05/25/2008 5:11:27 PM PDT by inflorida

ALBANY, N.Y. - When Joe Fox sends his daughters away to summer camp, he's confident they will be surrounded by kids who share his family's beliefs and values.

Caitlin, 16, and Elizabeth, 10, go to Camp Quest, which in 1996 created a niche getaway for children who are agnostic, atheist, or just not sure what to believe yet.

American parents have plenty of summer-camp options, from Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts to the YMCA, and soccer, dance, music and drama camps. The Camp Quest concept started in 1996 with 20 kids at a site in Ohio with the slogan "Beyond Belief."

Since then, demand has grown; weeklong camps have been added in Minnesota, Michigan, California and Tennessee, and in Ontario, Canada.

(Excerpt) Read more at orlandosentinel.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: camp; freethinking; summer; summercamp
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-53 next last

1 posted on 05/25/2008 5:11:27 PM PDT by inflorida
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: inflorida

How many of these kids are so “free-thinking” that they’ll never have a single thought of their own?


2 posted on 05/25/2008 5:13:09 PM PDT by the anti-liberal (Write in: Fred Thompson)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: inflorida
Welcome to "Camp Meaningless!". We hope you have a great, summer, but it really doesn't matter, does it?
3 posted on 05/25/2008 5:13:23 PM PDT by Caipirabob (Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: inflorida

“Caitlin, 16, and Elizabeth, 10, go to Camp Quest, which in 1996 created a niche getaway for children who are agnostic, atheist, or just not sure what to believe yet.”

Good for them. Much better than attempting to shut down Christian Camps, something I am sure that other atheists have at least thought about doing.


4 posted on 05/25/2008 5:17:45 PM PDT by Grunthor (The GOP would be better off LOSING then electing McCain. - MNJohnnie)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: inflorida
Camp Quest, which in 1996 created a niche getaway for children who are agnostic, atheist, or just not sure what to believe yet.

Ya gotta love capitalism!!!!!!!

5 posted on 05/25/2008 5:18:02 PM PDT by Gabz (Don't tell my mom I'm a lobbyist, she thinks I'm a piano player in a whorehouse)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: inflorida
Caitlin, 16, and Elizabeth, 10, go to Camp Quest, which in 1996 created a niche getaway for children who are agnostic, atheist, or just not sure what to believe yet.

Of course they don't know what they believe yet, they're only 10 and 16!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6 posted on 05/25/2008 5:18:26 PM PDT by FrdmLvr
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: inflorida
At mealtime, kids learn about what the camp calls "freethinkers" throughout history -- defining them as people who questioned or rejected religion. Examples include people who believed in a higher power but held ideas conflicting with the social norm.

So, no, it's not a camp for getting away from religions, it's just an indoctrination into the religion of humanism. How about just dropping the dinner time propaganda?

7 posted on 05/25/2008 5:19:21 PM PDT by kingu (Party for rent - conservative opinions not required.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FrdmLvr

Oh, don’t you worry, mom and dad, these kids will know what to think by the time they’re back home! And, you might want to check those suitcases for condoms; I’m sure they’re going to be enlightened to the wonders of promiscuity, too!


8 posted on 05/25/2008 5:20:10 PM PDT by Arkansas Toothpick
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: inflorida

’ “They’re good, moral kids without organized religion,” Fox said of his daughters. “They can feel comfortable being who they are.” ‘

As opposed to feeling uncomfortable being who they are if they believe in a higher power?


9 posted on 05/25/2008 5:21:36 PM PDT by peggybac (Tolerance is the virtue of believing in nothing)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: inflorida

Gee. I remember an article very much like posted to FR last year. (Search doesn’t find it though...) Wonder if it’s recycled?


10 posted on 05/25/2008 5:21:48 PM PDT by sionnsar (trad-anglican.faithweb.com |Iran Azadi| 5yst3m 0wn3d - it's N0t Y0ur5 (SONY) | UN: Useless Nations)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Grunthor

“Good for them. Much better than attempting to shut down Christian Camps, something I am sure that other atheists have at least thought about doing.”

Good point.


11 posted on 05/25/2008 5:22:11 PM PDT by Clintonfatigued (If Islam conquers the world, the Earth will be at peace because the human race will be killed off.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: inflorida
This article poses so many interesting metaphysical and epistemological questions that have immense practical consequences.

Just what are those "values and beliefs" and upon what foundation are they based?

If these teens want to have unbridled orgies, upon what basis will the staff deny them? Or will the staff deny them?

If these teens want to find the one kid who doesn't fit in and torture them mercilessly all summer, will the staff prevent this? If so,on what basis?

12 posted on 05/25/2008 5:22:32 PM PDT by RochesterFan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: inflorida
Oweeee, that place must just be a barrel of laughs!

"Insofar as I may be heard by anything, which may or may not care what I say, I ask, if it matters, that you be forgiven for anything you may have done or failed to do which requires forgiveness. Conversely, if not forgiveness but something else may be required to insure any possible benefit for which you may be eligible after the destruction of your body, I ask that this, whatever it may be, be granted or withheld, as the case may be, in such a manner as to insure your receiving said benefit. I ask this in my capacity as your elected intermediary between yourself and that which may not be yourself, but which may have an interest in the matter of your receiving as much as it is possible for you to receive of this thing, and which may in some way be influenced by this ceremony. Amen. "

13 posted on 05/25/2008 5:23:03 PM PDT by AnAmericanMother (Ministrix of Ye Chase, TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary (recess appointment))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: inflorida

Can’t have any forbidden ideas around freethinkers’ children, oh no ... that might endanger their ability to think freely.


14 posted on 05/25/2008 5:24:19 PM PDT by RegulatorCountry
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: inflorida

This somehow reminded me of an interview a Fox News reporter did with a protester out on the street at the start of the RNC convention in ‘04. The reporter asked the protester, “So, what are you protesting today?” She responded, “I don’t know. They haven’t told me yet.” A “free-thinker” no doubt.


15 posted on 05/25/2008 5:26:17 PM PDT by KJC1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Arkansas Toothpick

“And, you might want to check those suitcases for condoms; I’m sure they’re going to be enlightened to the wonders of promiscuity, too!”
___________

Right you are. One thing you can depend on is that religious teenagers don’t have sex.


16 posted on 05/25/2008 5:26:21 PM PDT by awake-n-angry
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: inflorida

I have heard this camps founder on several radio interviews and he is your typical arrogant, condenscending, “I’m smarter than you” atheist!


17 posted on 05/25/2008 5:27:26 PM PDT by PROCON (Hillary '08)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: inflorida
...in 1996 created a niche getaway for children who are agnostic, atheist, or just not sure what to believe yet

Strange. Seems to me there have always been plenty of camps all over the country that fit that description. Ones that don't preach anything at all -- theism, deism, agnosticism, atheism....nada. Just a place for kids to go to have some supervised outdoor fun.

18 posted on 05/25/2008 5:27:45 PM PDT by Mr. Mojo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: inflorida
When Joe Fox sends his daughters away to summer camp, he's confident they will be surrounded by kids who share his family's beliefs and values.

No doubt Joe will beam with pride when his daughters return home after camp to show him how they can stretch condoms over bananas.

19 posted on 05/25/2008 5:28:01 PM PDT by rickmichaels (God Bless America, Land That I Love)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: inflorida

I personally find “freethinking”, as used in this article, to be one of the most cynical, Orwellian adjectives in the English language.


20 posted on 05/25/2008 5:30:35 PM PDT by RichInOC (Anne Hathaway is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-53 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson