Should the governement be able to tell you what you can teach your children regarding faith?

Question

Do we really want to live in a place where the Government is that powerful? Like Ancient Sparta where the children belong to them and not their parents? Regardless of your faith or position regarding faith would you like to live in such a place?

Thanks for the many answers and comments. What I was posting in reponse to was where I have read someone saying that they think teaching ones faith to ones children is child abuse. I am not speaking of actual physical abuse or sexual, such as forced marriages but teaching ones stance and ones faith.

Answer 1

NO

Answer 2

Is there anything in particular that you have in mind?

In the US, as in many other countries, the government is prohibited from forcing particular religions on people or punishing people for their religion. This is also part of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

To whom are you asking this question? Who is it that you think is advocating the government telling people what they can teach their children? (The "do you really" makes me think you have someone in mind, but you are being coy about who that is.)

Being a person of no faith, no, I wouldn't like to live in a place that dictates religion. This is one of my biggest problems with the U.S. today. Too many people keep insisting that my country is a Christian country, when it is NOT.

On the other hand, there is such a thing as child abuse, and "it's my religion" is not a defense against that.

Answer 3

I have read quite a few postings here which say that teaching your child religion is child abuse. I also have this stance. Although you may not be involved in the attempt to convert people to your religion, bring up a child to believe in what you do is just that. I was brought up by a Christian mother and a Catholic father but they decided that their relationship with God belonged to them; it was their choice and thus didnt enforce it upon us. Given that both my sister believe somewhat in something and I nothing. This was a choice that they made, not on which was forced upon us. Many of my friends believe and they too had parents whom did not inforce their belief. I think instead of inflicting your views on your children it would be wiser to make them knowledgeable about different religions and also about atheist so that when they are older they can make a choice. Even then, the chances are your child will be less likely to hold this supremest thought that is prevalent in the Christian community and tolerate different beliefs a lot better than we do.

Answer 4

Our founders were smart like this: they created our government and Constitution with the ideal of keeping Church and State separate as far as possible, so that "the many could be one."
We have the 1st Amendment right to freedom of religion of course, but now the Supreme Court more strongly than ever before in American history is interpreting the Constitution, including the 1st Amendment, in a way that is hostile to religion, sometimes even outwardly.
I don't know what report or event made you ask this question now, but the freedom of religion is essential to any democracy, especially here in America, where: "Overall, the center's survey of surveys confirms that America truly is one nation, under God—or at least Americans say it is. In survey after survey, overwhelming majorities say they believe in God. More than nine in 10 Americans—95 percent—told ABC News polltakers that they believe in God. A Gallup Organization survey for CNN and USA Today last December found much the same thing: Nearly nine in 10—86 percent—said they believed in God, while another 8 percent said they believe in some form of "Universal spirit or higher power."
What's more, nearly eight in 10 adults—78 percent—say they've always been believers, and another 6 percent say they hadn't believed but now do."
America is certainly unified on this issue, perhaps more than on any other.

Answer 5

freedom of belief and freedom of religion are wonderful. people should have individual rights.,,, but as soon as you bring children into the picture, things become complicated.

i am very against religion and i believe in evolution. if i were ever to have children, i'd teach them why evolution is true and why christianity is false. i'd try not to be biased, but invariably, i'd end up brainwashing the children some. it's impossible to educate without instilling ideas. --- a christian would call this child abuse, for i am essentially thrusting young, impressionable children into the arms of satan.

similarly, if a christian raises a child to believe in the bible, i consider that child abuse. my goal is to get people AWAY from religion, and i've come across some people who remain religious, despite their cognitive abilities, just because they had the ideas implanted at such a young age.

you say you're against having the government force education on children, by why are you ok with having parents do this???? parents do not own children anymore so than the government does.

of course,,, many people DO seem to think that children are the property of their parents. this is why the left is so ok with abortion, and why both sides seem to be ok with circumcision (which is dangerous and debilitating). -- most people seem to think that it should be the decision of the parents., however, NO ONE stops to consider what the children might want. even with something as mundane as piercing the ears of a baby, a parent might say "well,,, it's my baby, so i should be allowed to with it what i want."

people don't truly respect the idea of personal freedom. they respect the idea of doing what THEY want., and the idea that babies are the property of parents has been ingrained so deeply into some people's heads that in some cases it actually overrides other "personal freedoms" that it conflicts with.

for example, if a man wanted to circumcise his daughter for cultural or religious reasons, most americans who are repulsed by the idea would still feel compelled to allow it just because "the man OWNS his daughter". they would say something along the lines of "welp, that sucks for her, but if that's what the dad wants, then he should have the right to get it." -- it's very sad really that people can't think their way past flaws like these.,,, sad and dangerous.

in conclusion, it's problematic to allow the government to raise children, but it's equally as problematic (if not more so in fact) to leave it in the hands of parents.

Answer 6

it really depends to me.

i do not think that the government should be able to make any laws that force the moral beliefs of one person onto another.

Gay marriage, abortion etc, these are religious issues. they belong in the church not in the government.

however when it comes to kids there is some point when some religions become dangerous and detrimental to their welfare.

the FDLS were marrying underaged girls to old men..
this is a religious practice that they felt was normal.
however you cannot tell me that a 15 year old girl wants to marry a 50 year old man. they seclude themselves and their kids from society so that their kids will never learn anything outside of what they are told. i think at some point this leads to a dangerous lifestyle for the kids. in my opinion this was a group of sexual perverts hideing behind religion.

the kids should have free will to decide what religion they wish to be. and this means that they must have exposure to differant religions and lifestyles. most will stay in the religion of their parents. but the kids of cult parents will see it for what it is and probally have a better chance of growing up to be a happy productive adult.

the Jehova's Witness's

will not allow blood transfusions or organ transplants even if the child id dieing...someone should step in here (in my opinion)
a young child may not even understand death or god yet and they are telling them that they have to die for their religion.or because their religion does not allow them to be healed.

this is a perfectaly good choice for an adult to make for themselves but for an adult to tell a child this...

i dont know all i am saying is give the kid a choice. and make sure that the kid understands death and religion.

this is a very good question that you ask Debra. there are beliefs in differant religions that could be seen as detrimental to a child. but in the end who is responsible for the life and up-bringing of that child. furthermore where do we draw the line. if you start telling the JW's and the FDLS what they can do do we still have religious freedom? do we really understand what the kids in these situations know or understand?

i do not think that i would like to live in such a place as you have described.

i think that in the end i may disagree with the religious practices of some but it is not my place to try to say that they cannot do what their faith dictates to them.

as i would not want people trying to tell me that i connot practice my faith i would not wish to tell others what they can do.

so here is a statement of opinion and not really an answer, because i have worked myself into a circle on this one...

have a nice day Debra you have givven me a headache..
thank you very much

Answer 7

this is not as simple a question as it looks. yes, we have freedom of religion. that is religion is seperated from the state. meaning there is no state religion.

it doesn't mean you can teach your children any old thing you believe in. it makes a huge difference what the belief or believes are; and that's where the problem is, and I don't think there is an actual line that can be drawn as to what is deemed okay to teach and what isn't. it's a matter of taking each case seperately.

there are other laws of the land, that could supercede these freedoms. faith, and acting out on that faith are also very different.

Answer 8

The lack of wisdom of your question astounds me. i'm talking some Radioactive pink Bigfoot hidden in my cellar filming a pornographic action picture starring Angelia Jolie and Ron Jeremy. that doesn't make it genuine. Now then, faith healing . . . those human beings: want. To. Be. Commited. era, hospitalize them, they are lunatics. they have not have been given any precise to reproduce or look after different's toddlers, each and every. This must be as, if not greater irresponsible than giving a three twelve months previous a loaded rifle. they could desire to be held to blame, and being allowed to cover at the back of their faith is unacceptable. They disregarded thier toddlers. and that they did no longer have them taken away . . . eff that. I had a daughter die of SIDS and had to combat to maintain my eldest new child and there became no overlook in contact, yet those human beings, they get to maintain their different youngsters. No. those toddlers want far off from the abode, and those mothers and dads despatched someplace far-off the place they are in a position to no longer harm something of society.

Answer 9

Think of the words of Jesus - render unto Caesar what is Caesar's.
He said that the authority we are under is to respected and laws adhered to.
Although I am Christian and have spent much time and energy trying to spread the Gospel I believe in the separation of church and state. A Theocracy does not work.
If you are talking about what you teach to your own children at home that is a God-given right and a tenet of scripture and what our Founding Fathers sought and put in place. That is freedom of religion - the miunute that changes is the minute our nation becomes a tyranny.
I would not want to live in or raise my children in a tyranny.

Answer 10

They don't, they shouldn't, and they can't. It's unconstitutional.
The is a non-issue, and don't know why the question is even being asked.

You mention nothing of school, if that was your intent...but yes, they should keep faith out of state funded public schools. Government can not show preference to ANY religion under the law. It would fuel religious discrimination in communities, admissions, the workforce, etc.

Answer 11

No, we definitely should not. This is what is wrong with things like the decision in 1954 to put "under God" into the Pledge of Allegiance, and as you correctly pointed out, people of all faiths should actively fight that kind of thing. Perhaps it is atheists whose rights are being attacked today, and believers are okay with it, but tomorrow it'll be either Catholics or Protestants whose particular beliefs are being pushed on the others.

We are supposed to have freedom of religion. That means that each of us has the right to establish his or her own beliefs, and that no faith has its right to have its religious beliefs established in law. And yes, that implies freedom from religion as well.