If your son or daughter comes up to you and decides to no longer participate in your families reilgon?

Question

How would you react?

Answer 1

I would be upset
But the decision would be theirs not mine
in the End they will be judged just like the rest of us
just because I'm their mom does not mean I can get them in

Answer 2

Since I am a Muslim I know that at a certain age everybody is responsible for the path they walk. I also know that I can not be responsible for an others path nor can they be for mine. I can not force another to walk a different path...not even God can do that.
As a parent it is my responsibility to guide my children through life and instill in them lessons early in life (don't hit, don't scream, say "please and thank you" etc.) that help them form good morals. Also to teach them to listen to that voice inside that tells them right from wrong.
In the end I know it is up to them to "pick" a religion to follow. As a Muslim I know that all will be judged by their deeds on earth in the end and that a "choice" of religion is not the last word on gaining eternal life. Therefore I respect all religions that lead to a better path and people to do good works.

Answer 3

It depends on the age of the chilld and their degree of independence, to me.

If a child is truly old enough to make this decision on their own -- not til they're 16, 17 or so to my mind -- then let them make that decision. Perhaps they have weighed their beliefs and found that they have different ones from you, and that's part of growing up for kids.

A child younger than this, though, is still massively dependent on the family and should still respect his family's beliefs -- even if he doesn't share them. That child should then be told, in my opinion, that if that's the decision he has made, so be it, but the child will still be required to attend a majority, if not all, the church services the family attends and behave in a respectful manner, the same as he would be required to do for any family gathering, affair, what-have-you that he didn't wish to attend.

I don't see any point in penalizing a child for forming their own beliefs, though, and I do feel that a lengthy period of good behavior and not acting out would be cause for a reward of not having to go on Sunday nights or something as long as they respected your decision to attend Sunday mornings. That allows them to have a bit of freedom and develop their own beliefs while still being taught to respect yours.

Most would probably think this is too much compromise, but I strongly believe that with kids, you're not raising miniature versions of yourself; ideally, I want kids that develop into teens and adults that can think for themselves and express different feelings from my own and yet still know that I love them.

Answer 4

ok. I can honestly say, that I was not raised in any religion, but chose mormonism ( I have since left said church), i went to the one my mom was , which was pentacostal,i am comfortable with it. I left the lds church, bcus I dont believe in forcing religion down a person's throat,especially a kid. I have seen so many kids go into wicca,paganisn,athiest,and ( gasp) satanism ( luciferianism),bc their parents forced religion on them,and they rebelled. I rebelled,that is why I joined the mormon church. I didn't force it on my kids,they chose their own. My oldest is an agnostic,my daughter is a christian, hubby is non active mormom,i am pentacostal. I get alot of flack cuz I dont celebrate x-mas ( too commercialized) and i dont force it on my kids. We do believe in God, we just dont go overboard.

Answer 5

In Japan, our traditional family lines belong in a religion which the families have been cherishing. Thus, I will accept he or she believes other religions as an individual. But I will never accept that she or he change religion my family has been belonging in for about 1,200 years. It is not a matter that an individual can decide.

Answer 6

Since my family is not overly religious, if my son or daughter came to me and told me that they found religion and wants to become a member of a church, I would not stop them as long as they don't go preaching to me or my family. And as long as it's not a cult where they have to cut off ties to their family or satanism, I would be happy for them.

Answer 7

I would let them go their own way while I loved them and prayed for them. The bible tells us to train up a child and the way they should go and when they are older they will not depart. If they do depart they will come back to it as did the prodigal son.

Answer 8

Good question. I started having doubts about god when I was young and I didn't tell anyone because I was afraid of what they would think of me. I felt like an outcast going to a place and watching other people pray and talk to their imaginary friend.

Answer 9

Assuming your son or daughter still lives with you, first, ask why, to see if they have been swayed by a cult.
Second, go to their new church, to see what it's about.
Third, let it be. If you argue, it will only drive them further away from you and your religion.

Answer 10

Since I'm not religious, I'll adapt your question to "If a son or daughter of mine came up and said I'll convert to a religion..."

Well, I'd just respect them. It's their choice. That's how I was raised. Religion was never forbidden at home. I just freely chose not to adopt it.