Question for all or some?

Question

To those who don't want religion taught to kids, not even by their parents in their own homes, I have a question.

Is your problem only with Christianity, or with all religions? Would you be as up in arms and screaming "brainwashing" if I were a Jewish woman who wanted to raise her son Jewish, including sending her son to Hebrew school. OR if I were a Wiccan and wanted to teach my kids my religion. Would these be "brainwashing" and "forcing" or do you only think that way about Christianity?

I ask because everytime I see the topic of teaching kids religion, the term brainwashing always comes up in connection to Christianity. Thank you for your responses.

Answer 1

A very good question.

I don't see any problem with parents teaching children their religion. I would be very upset if someone told me I couldn't teach my children Wicca. This actually happened to two divorcing Wiccans out in Indiana. A judge decreed it wasn't "mainstream" so they couldn't involve their son in any of their ritual work or teachings even though both parents were Wiccan and neither of them said anything about their religion. The son was too young to participate anyway, so the parents hadn't been involving him in ritual work, but the judge didn't care. Fortunately it was overturned, but guess where I'm never moving!

Teaching religion in school is a completely different thing. Children shouldn't be ostracized or made to feel "wrong" because they don't follow the majority religion. I know a lot of Christians (sorry, not trying to pick on them, but they do seem to be the squeaky wheels) object to prayer and God not being allowed in schools, but I don't think many Christians would be comfortable with their children taking classes in the significance of stones, crystals, candles and herbs for the use in ritual magick.

So, I have no problem with people teaching their children what they believe. It shouldn't be allowed in school, however.

Blessed be!
)O(

Answer 2

I teach my children Christianity, in our home. We also go to a Fellowship every week with our children. I however do not in anyway want my children learning religion of any kind in there public school. I also agree people think we brainwash our children to believe what we want them to believe. Which is funny because my son who is now 8 found the Lord before me. He also found the Lord and had direct knowledge and access to him without any outside teaching. So of course we do not brainwash our children, only the unbelievers feel we do, if you think about it they probably feel rather silly and a bit intiminated that our young children can understand God, and his words and teachings. They feel it is brainwashing when we know it is faith and loyalty. God Bless you and your Family!

Answer 3

Of course parents reserve the right to do what they think is right for their kids, and I think legally it should stay that way, but I personally think that it is mentally harmful to expose kids to any kind of religion before they can even grasp the concept of it. I think a child should be at least 12 before they start getting involved in religion. Any moral values taught should be the sole responsibility of the parents, if they are not capable of this then they should not be having kids in the first place.

Answer 4

>> To those who don't want religion taught to kids, not even by their parents in their own homes, I have a question.

This doesn't apply to me. I believe people should have every right to pracitce their own religion in their own way, in their own homes provided it doesn't interfere with anyone else. I do however, share Richard Dawkins' opinion where we should refrain from saying a "Christian child" or a "Musilm child" or a "Jewish child" - children have no understanding of such an idea; no more than they do on economics, or politics.

Would it not be better to leave children to form their own ideas until they're of an age of reason, and let them decide for themselves? I do think it's brainwashing - doesn't matter what religion it is. Bad ideas are bad ideas - and kids can't understand the implications of what they're hearing. Are you trying to tell me that saying to a child they're going to hell (and burn *forever*) if they disobey, ISN'T child abuse? If I told a child if they misbehaved at school, they'd be placed in a closet for several hours when they got home - I'd be taken away to jail in a second. Yet somehow if I threaten them with eternal punishment, I'm okay?

Answer 5

If some one does not want me to teach my children religion as a parent then there is much more at stake here than brainwashing. It is some one else trying to control me and what I think. The tenor of your question appears to be that you are a hard core christian and people have questioned your motives when you try and preach your views and they protest your pushing it upon them.

Answer 6

I'm sure they are referring to all religions. They seem to think that because someone is religious, they obviously cannot think for themselves. IMO they are afraid of not being in control, of not being the supreme being in the universe (or our gallexy at least). They don't have the proof that there is a God, so anyone that does believe in God must be brainwashed in order to believe in something that they cannot see, or have not experienced themselves.
Even if I taught my daughter about God, and Jesus, and what I believe about him. It doesnt mean that when she grows up she's not going to make up her own mind about it.
I am sure there are some very weak minded individuals that would believe in anything that was told to them, but that is not the case in all religious people. IMO it is easier not to believe, than to believe.

Answer 7

I feel that most religions are similar to brainwashing, yet all i feel strongly about with regards to religion is that they all have very similar do's (ie. be nice to everyone, do not make war) yet, most wars were fought about religion or similar beliefs. And none seem to want to be peacefull with other religions.

So i am against strong beliefs, but thats my choice, if a parent wants to teach it to their kids, thats up to them, but yes i feel it is brainwashing almost if the kid doesn't have a say in it, regardless of what religion it is.

Answer 8

Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way that he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it"
Its probably the unbelievers who are screaming brainwashing ;)

Answer 9

I keep seeing the answer "let the children decide on thier own", how rediculous can you get. Would you use that approach in all aspects of life? Lets have our children decide on thier own if it's good to murder, steal, rape, lie, molest, etc. The ones who keep using the term "brainwashed" in reference to Chrstianity haven't got a clue as to what Christianity is about. True Christians

Answer 10

I think public schools should stay out of the business of teaching religion. Any religion. If you want to send your kid to a private school that imposes the psychological authority of some religion dividing the world into the chosen and unchosen that's your decision.

I think the underlying idea of love, kindness and beauty should be enough. We're all children of that God and there's a place in heaven for all of us if we choose kindness.

I prefer that to the hell-fires for "other".