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"Well, if the child was not ASKED if she wanted to go to Church or learn about Christianity, what else was she BUT forced? Would goaded, coerced, guilted, tricked be any better? How about "strongly suggest?"

You could use the same argument about going to school. I basically had to be "forced" to go to school. I didn't much like it but I had to go. It was the law that I attend school. I DIDN"T have to go to church or Sunday school. I went because that was the custom in my family. I am finding your arguments to be quite weak. You don't ask a child who is 3 or 4 years old what they want since at that age they don't KNOW what they want. (But they DO know that they like being part of a loving family and if part of what that loving family does is attend church, then they like that too.) The age of reason is, I believe, supposed to be 7 but even at that age what child knows what they want? You are assuming that children don't enjoy going to Sunday School, that they don't enjoy going to church, that they don't enjoy and prosper by being part of a family that worships together. Apparently you never had any of these experiences or you would not profess to be an atheist. Or else you had them and they just didn't "take". Quite honestly, it is almost impossible for me to conceive of someone who can look around themselves at all the wonders of nature, the creation of children, all of these miracles that we are so very fortunate to be a witness of daily and not believe in a "higher power." I find that alarming and I find that sad. Apparently, you have no sense of wonder.

You are missing my point (as are others). Here: "What I was attempting to state was that, chances are, this girl has been exposed to the Christian faith since she was a baby, beginning with baptism, attending service, perhaps sunday school, etc. Did she do this of her own volition? Did she wake up one morning and say, "Daddy. I want to become a Christian!" If so, great. If not, she has not been allowed to be an "independent thinker" and the fact that she chose to take a Bible to school is hardly surprising."

Get it?

You could use the same argument about going to school. I basically had to be "forced" to go to school. I didn't much like it but I had to go. It was the law that I attend school.

Ummm, you kind of destroyed your own argument there...

I DIDN"T have to go to church or Sunday school. I went because that was the custom in my family.

Are you sure about that? Did you ever object and were told you were going anyway? If you didn't, you don't know if that's true or not.

I am finding your arguments to be quite weak.

Pity.

You don't ask a child who is 3 or 4 years old what they want since at that age they don't KNOW what they want. (But they DO know that they like being part of a loving family and if part of what that loving family does is attend church, then they like that too.)

Nonsense. A child of three or four (of even average intelligence) is well aware of what they like or dislike. want or don't want.

Apparently you never had any of these experiences or you would not profess to be an atheist.

I'm an atheist? Wow, thanks for letting me know.

Quite honestly, it is almost impossible for me to conceive of someone who can look around themselves at all the wonders of nature, the creation of children, all of these miracles that we are so very fortunate to be a witness of daily and not believe in a "higher power."

What makes you think that I don't believe in a higher power?

I find that alarming and I find that sad. Apparently, you have no sense of wonder.

I find it sad and alarming that you presume too much about me. And, BTW, that kind of presumption is EXACTLY why I've yet to embrace religion.