@Tomofhb. I was born an Atheist. Aren’t we all? But I did experience a plenty of religion from family, friends, elementary school, the local community and of course the wider community/state, during the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s. The religious indoctrination did cause a delay in me coming out about definitely being an Atheist. When you are the only one in the “world” that understands the insanity of something (religion) you naturally have to be somewhat paranoid because how can you be right and everyone else be wrong. Add to that, your love and concern for friends and family that you don’t want to offend or cause harm. I eventually discovered that I wasn’t the only Atheist in the world and that gave me the incentive to find out more about them and to never shy away from letting the world know who I was. Since that time, almost everyone that I’ve been associated with in public and private life, has soon recognized my stand on religion and Atheism. That other first Atheist in my life was Madalyn Murray O’Hair and her family.
Now to your issue with the students: Like my experience, they may not have the technical part down but that shouldn’t be grounds for doubting their sincere and rational approach to the question of Atheism v theism. Like me, I expect that they too observed nature, human behavior and the contradictions between religious teachings and the real world. Santa Clause, the Easter Bunny and the lies about sexuality, to name just a few of the examples that children with an inquisitive mind will pick up on. I hope you can appreciate that you have some potentially amazing students that deserve praise, instead of being rebuffed.

I think kids can have very good bullshit detectors. I was surrounded by Evangelical family members and grew up in a very conservative, Christian community. It became clear to me in middle school actually that this belief did not hold water.

It was most likely due to the higher level of science education that I had in school at that time and what I pursued on my own. You are a science teacher... Something to consider...

Also, people come to these conclusions at different points in their lives. Doing so at a younger age does not preclude the validity of that conclusion.

No. I was never religious.

You should be proud of them!

Do you flip out like this when they mention they don't believe in Santa too?
Of course you don't because that would be just stupid wouldn't it?

Off course he learns about evolution in school. I also have a collection of books by Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris and the likes.
He's obviously tapped into my literature and figured for himself. Let's not undermine them and think there has to be rocket science theories for someone to make a call about whether a god exists or not.

As a child, I was taken to attend Sunday school in the basement of our church (where the children went). I enjoyed making things out of wood, and listening to the stories of Noah’s Ark, etc. I made crosses, wooden Arks, and many other things. But even then, something didn’t seem right to me. I recognized the stories as fairy tails. It all seemed so absurd to me. As did Santa and the Easter bunny. But I played along, as I was only a preteen. When I was 12, I was expected to attend church upstairs with the adults. The indoctrination process didn’t take. One year later, I refused to continue, and told my mother it was ridiculous. At that point I knew I was a non believer. I did however continue to question my beliefs. With the continued scientific discoveries, as well as the onset of the digital information boom, I was only able to support my atheism.
Children today have an appetite for discovering the truth. With an unbiased internet information exchange, it’s no surprise that Atheism is increasing worldwide, and indoctrination isn’t enough to secure the future of many churches.
I’m proud of children who question their beliefs and seek out the truth. At which point they develop a firm belief is totally subjective, as they are all a product of their own experiences. Not all children have the advantage of higher learning. They work with what they’ve got.

er no because atheism is the default position when you haven't been indoctrinated. But I see you're point and I would encourage anyone to investigate the reasons they believe what they do.

Much of what i would say has been stated here already. It is an odd turn that you have come to experience athiesm by casting off the imposition of organized religion and encountering someone who has started out where you had to work to get to. Like meeting a person born into the wealth that you work so hard to earn. Once rocks were tools. Now not needed since hammers are common. Feel proud that you could struggle your way to understand and know that you can appreciate your knowledge better than those spared the effort.

I was the same way with some of the teens and 20 somethings making such declarations without study or experience. But I had to overcome different influences to reach my escape than they did so each journey is different.

The human race will get there, some of us got here to early in evolutionary time.

So do you hate it when they say they are christian too? Kids start from a base, often motivated by their parents, and expecting that much out of them, at that age, is extremely unrealistic, by a long shot. Most people never really give much thought to that kind of thing until either a major event in their life, or after they get out of school. You expect far to much.

I remember a lot about when I was in middle school, and what I knew, did not know, what I thought about, and it is way out of line to hold kids at that age to a standard that high. I read this book [goodreads.com] about evolution and the cycle of life, but at that age you are not reading at an analytical level, you are just taking it all in . . . the analysis usually does not occur until years later.

My oldest friend I have known since I was about 5 years old claimed to be an atheist for most of that time till a few years ago when PRESIDENT Obama made the remark about conservatives clinging to their guns and bibles, and then he decided he wasn't gonna let no "colored" tell him he can't cling to a bible, so he became a christian.

In my opinion, if you call yourself a scientist you cannot claim to be anything else but an agnostic. If you set out to find or prove something why on earth would you say that you knew the answer before setting out? That would be illogical. Please see my group on this site " Non Religious science Teachers -any age" . In fact one does not have to be a teacher - just interested in education and what we can achieve for the beliefs on this site.

We all take different routes to forming our beliefs - there is no one "right" path. As for me, I was never able to suspend belief and embrace religion. I tried to fit in but failed. I did not need to research anything to embrace my lack of belief. In elementary school I read Robert Heinlein and his stories seemed to be just as plausible as the bible. I don't believe those are true so why would I believe in the stories about some sky buddy? Soooo improbable.

Kids say all kinds of stuff. So, it is OK with you when a child says they are a christian?

I have never believed any of the shit fairy tales. Nor, did my parents. Nor have most of my friends.

I know i have been blessed with these years of un-restricted thought, and no need to consider "What would jesus do."

To pare a phrase, "It took me years to leave spectator-sports events. I studied the history of sports and alternative mob-entertainments, and came to understand that believing in such was not required for a good life."

Not really I just tell them to be sure of their position through research because if you can't question your beliefs you have questionable beliefs... Let them know you came by yours through careful research and they should come by their's the same way which includes studies of subjects like history and comparative religions with a healthy dose of mythology thrown in for good measure.

Sorry for ruffling so many feathers. I guess I should have added that I'd just like them to have a little evidence, which there is a ton, before making a claim like this. I'm proud of them for being skeptics.