Does anyone else feel that teaching religion to kids is similar to brainwashing?

Question

I grew up in a middle-American Christian home, and I only believed in angels and all that stuff because my parents said it was true and real. Now that I'm a little older and can freely think for myself, I have only doubt in the validity of EVERY religion ever thought up by any human. I'm not saying Jesus didn't exist, I just get concerned by parents who tell their children what is true when they don't know it for themselves. They may say they know it's real, but only because they "feel" it within them. Or they say that having a child makes you believe in God.

Answer 1

I would only consider it brainwashing if they denied that there was any other way to believe. You can still teach children your faith while letting them know that not everyone in the world shares their beliefs.

Answer 2

How is it any different than teaching your kids about evolution only when it is only a theory. Why not give them everything, and all the facts and let them decide. Or safe sex is ok and keeps you safe. You see one side of the situation, but you don't know if parents that are Christians are teaching their children all sides or not. I know many parents the would play devils advocate in situations just to get their kids to think about what they believe.

I didn't grow up in a Christian home because both my parents disagreed with religion. I got brainwashed with a lot of stuff and wasn't even a Christian. I chose Christ at 17, and trust me I learned how to think for myself by then. My dad got saved when he was in his 50's.

There is plenty of evidence out there for Jesus, been plenty of books written on it. I am confident that mine and my husband's lives will be more evidence of His existence. I have seen Him evident in too many things to deny him, and it has gone way beyone a "feeling"

Answer 3

Absolutely. If you asked Christians, why they are Christians, their answer wouldn't be anything like 'I saw Jesus' or 'I spoke to God' or 'I have experienced a miracle (and I don't mean something like surviving a car crash)'. The reason people are religious is because they were brought up with religion, and because the people around them are religious.

However, I'm not against children studying religion in school, because religion is here, and you can't deny it. Although, having come from Lithuania, where just about 100% of the people are Roman Catholics, I remember my Religious Education lessons as praying. Honestly, you would come into the classroom, stand up, and pray. That I think is just pure wrong.

Answer 4

And another one bites the dust....(just kidding)

It's good and natural that you're questioning things at the age you apparently are from what you said. But I'd almost be willing to bet that I'll see you singing in the pews with your kids by the time you're 40. I rejected my Christian upbringing to a great extent in my late teens and throughout my 20's and 30's, and rediscovered it when I got old enough to realize that I didn't have all the answers and that my parents had been right after all. But it's ok ! This is a good time of learning for you. Most of us go through it at one time or another. Enjoy !

So to answer your question, no....I don't think it's brainwashing. I think it's laying a foundation that will serve them well at some point in their life, even if they reject it at some point. I'd much rather my kids learn about religion from me and my church than from some goofball televangelist that makes us all look like a bunch of morons.

BTW...I hope my first paragraph above didn't come across as patronizing. I really didn't mean it that way, so I'm sorry if it sounded like I did. Maybe you're really on to something that will stick with you in your particular case. But it just sounds SO much like where my head was at in my younger years...and many of my friends who are now active Christians had the same experience! Heck, maybe we WERE brainwashed. If so, though, I'm glad we were. My life has improved many times over since I embraced something larger than myself.

Answer 5

jeeeeze.... we just can't give this thing a rest, huh. yeah... jesus-freaks teaching their kids about God and that whole thing are just as brainwashing as the academic instructors teaching kids all that crap in schools where the majority of that crap will never be used again in their lives! hello! when was the last time you used the Pathagorean Theorem while teaching your child right from wrong or doing ANYTHING!!! but, you won't fight that fight, will you? nope. God is the better target.

i mean, really.... why is it so easy to question GOD, but nobody's trying to do away with the MANY, MANY, MANY WRONGS in our society today!!!!!! hey, just teach your kid to do whatever. establish no foundation. they don't need your spiritual guidance. they already know everything about Christ there is to know. whatever you do, they'll certainly make you proud when they lead the masses straight to damnation because they were taught (or not) to just find their own way and having a base isn't really necessary!!!! good luck.

Answer 6

It depends on what is taught whether or not it is brainwashing. If parents impart to their kids what they believe, it's generally with good intentions. But if they continually preach at them, or insist on certain behaviors or lack thereof that bespeak of the requirements of religion alone, that could be construed as brainwashing.

There comes a time when kids grow up and can think for themselves, and perhaps even explore another religion. But until then, they're stuck hearing what their parents want them to hear.

Answer 7

Yes, my parents did the same thing. Christianity tells them to do it, so I don't blame them too much for doing what they believed was right. I started doubting as soon as puberty hit and my brain was seasoned by adult thoughts. I asked many questions that no one could answer with anything that made any sense at all. And, after much research and experimentation with prayer and provocation methods to try to "draw out" god in some way, I have concluded he does not exist. I am now a happy atheist who lets her son make up his own mind about what he wants to believe in.

Answer 8

If you have truly been exposed to The True Christian Faith then you know the concequences of rejecting God. Whether or not you "believe" what you have been taught... you, and every one else , must come to God on your own.... being born into a "Christian Family dose not make you a Christian... going to church every day from the day you were born dose not make you a Christian... memorizing The Bible dose not make you a Christian... getting baptized to please your parents dose not make you a Chriatian.... doing every thing your "church" elders told you to do dose not make you a Christian.

Every culture teaches it's culture to it's children.... BUT...No one can be compeled to be of The True Christian Faith... A child raised in a truly Christian Home is still free to reject that upbringing as an adult.... And they do not get their head cut off for doing so...

I do not know what you have been taught... but I accept email questions concerning the basics of The True Christian Faith. An honest question will receive an honest answer within my ability to answer. One question, one answer.... I do not spam.

NOTE PLEASE: you do not have the accept email activated... if you do email I will need a valid email address to reply to you.

Answer 9

Would you also include the teaching of kids about hygiene and health issues, public safety and the importance of education "brainwashing"? I mean, why indoctrinate them into your views of education and health issues? Why not just hold off until they are old enough to decide for themselves?

If parents don't teach their children at least the fundamentals of all that they believe to be true and important, what good are they as parents?

Answer 10

Children belong to God...you start to be accountable when you are old enough to understand things.

Angels are real. I do not even like a word religion. I believe that Jesus came to the earth to free us from religions. He wanted to teach us to have a personal realtionship with God. I do not think that it is brainwashing if you tell your children about Jesus and how to have a relationship with Him.

Everybody isnot going to hear the Gospel from their parents. But that is why we are not going to be judged until we understand.

Answer 11

Depends on how it's done. I was taught about religion as a child. I don't think my Mom was totally convinced. My Dad had a strong faith in God but didn't think much about preachers. So, we were taught Bible stories and left to decide for ourselves.
I raised my children teaching them the principals of my chosen religion. When they became older they were encouraged to develop their own testimony.