If you are raised by strict parents who are lets say Mormon or Muslim...and your entire life you are told that this is the one way and only way....did you ever really have free will to decide? And being that most people reflect what they learn from their parents and they begin learning from a young age is it really fair to lable a child with a certain religion? Think about it? I took me forever to tell my parents that I didn't believe in the Catholic religion and I can only Imagine what it must be like for some...But my question is..Is it really raise your child as a certain religion...or teach them about being a free thinker and letting them find the true path's themselves?
2006-12-17 00:19:53 · 22 answers · asked by Sarah D 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I bet your going to get alot of people saying that "as parents they feel like they are doing the right thing" But I'm sure people in all religions feel that way. I think its better to raise your child to make an educated decision for himself. If the evidence for your religion is what compels your child then so be it. Most people can't accept this view but its the way things should be. Raising your child with Fear...like most religions do is the wrong way to go....I mean that's why alot of kids believe in Santa...because if they are bad they wont get Presents..its only until a parent tells them he isn't real do they stop believing. If you raise them to decided for themselves then you are going to get better results.
2006-12-17 00:23:04 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Well, the short end of it is no, they don't have real freedom to chose per say. But if the parent has so much belief in a particular religion they are going to impart that faith to their child and more often than not the child isn't going to want to go on to another religion. I don't think it's until the teenage years that they rebel and question their religion. As far as, the "is it fair" question, I think that because the parent does it in, what they perceive, as the best spiritual interests of the child you can't really blame them. It would be more fair to let them "find their own path" but all parents worry about their children's well being, physically and spiritually. Did I answer the question??
2006-12-17 00:34:09 · answer #2 · answered by Caity S 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course it depends on the parents. I fully intend to give my child the choice to find her faith, whatever that may be, whether its Buddist, Christian, or, gosh I hope not, Catholic. My wish for her is that she do what I did and try out a bunch until she finds one that fits. Or even, if she wants, she could chose her father and my religion which is one in which we are non-denominational, don't attend church, but bless everyone we see and believe in God and that he is a good and kind God. Not a fire and brimstone guy but a funny, interesting and witty all-knowing God. But I will be sure to teach her all about all of the religions that I can so that I don't prejudice her against any one because I also don't believe that there is one religion that God prefers over another. That would make him prejudice, and that just sounds ridiculous for a God to be. I hope that she will someday read the book "Conversations with God" because I think the world would be a better place if we all behaved as the book says and not discriminate against people because of their faith. Just having faith is supposed to be a good thing, and here it is starting wars and causing women and childiren to die unnecessarily. Whatever she choses I know she will follow her heart and she has a good heart. I knew as soon as I first saw her that she was her own little person with her own mind. Thanks for asking.
2006-12-17 00:43:04 · answer #3 · answered by Shelley Hooboy 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I truly believe that the answer to whether it's right to raise your child in a certain religion or to teach them to be a free-thinker and letting them find the true path themself depends on how devoted you are to your religion.
Example: If you are a devoted Christian (or Muslim or whatever), and you believe that your way is the only way to heaven (as a Christian, I believe there is only one way: Jesus Christ), than by not teaching your children, you are, in fact, not caring for your children.
Children need to be taught. We all need teachers. The best way to learn math is by taking a math class, or by reading and studying math. We have teachers to teach us math - they are (usually) good at math, so they can teach us. If we did not care to be taught math, we are missing out on learning math.
It works the same with teaching religion, I believe. If we do not teach children what we believe, they run the risk of missing out. If they miss out on learning what you believe, then they may start to question how much you really believe it.
If you had the cure for cancer, and your children had it, would you share it with them? Even more important than the cure to cancer is the answer to where yoru children are going when they die. If you have the answer to THAT, it's most definitely worth sharing, and if you believe it's right, and you don't share it, you're doing your children an HUGE injustice that may very well have reprocussions even after they die.
2006-12-17 00:51:10 · answer #4 · answered by JR 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, many children raised in that environment will never be able to make a truly objective choice about religion. They will probably question their religion at some point when they're older, but they will have such a powerful subconscious expectation and/or desire for the faith they were told as children to be true, that their decision will not be an objective one.
Teaching children religion as though it were fact is a form of child abuse and is completely contrary to freedom of religion.
2006-12-17 00:26:44 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, there are no family plans to go to heaven and have eternal life so each person has to give informed consent. Many who have been brought up in one religion or another have rebelled as teenagers or older adults and have either chosen not to believe or have chose another opposite believe system.
If one really belongs to GOD by having a right relationship with God, then their life will show it without having to speak.
Still, God has told us to bring up our children in the way they should go. I do not mind others teaching their children things I do not believe in but in reality, GOD tells us that the TRUTH will set us free..but that can only happen if we are allowed to hear the truth. Many are kept from hearing anything other then that which a government or church says they can hear.
2006-12-17 00:29:51 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
As LDS, parents are basically commanded to rear their children in the gospel. There were many times I didn't want to go to church, but my parents said I had to, deep down I knew I needed to...sometimes if i told my mom I didn't feel like going to church she would say "well maybe God won't "feel" like blessing you then." And I would think to myself - she's right! If I can't even go to church for Him, why would He bless me with things I need?
After turning 18 of course - most kids are on their own physically, spiritually, all of that and that is where 100% free choice is of course theirs. If they believe, as I did/do, what I was taught in my youth, they they will stay in the church, if not, then they will leave it. A testimony takes time to mature and grow...a 10 or 12 or even some 18 year olds don't even have one...so that is why parents are commanded to at least rear them in the church then they can make up their own mind once they are grown.
2006-12-18 07:02:33 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Parents have the responsibility to train up their children in various aspects.
Seeing he/she has a talent for mathmatics, they may urge him/her to become an accountant.
Assuming the parents are convinced their religion is wholesome and beneficial, they will (apprpriately so) lead him into and teach him that religion.
However, in all cases, it is a question of opening doors ...not pushing them through the doorway.
So, as the child matures, he/she has a basis, but eventually will have to make his/her own decision ....whether that be religion, or accounting.
2006-12-17 00:28:43 · answer #8 · answered by Uncle Thesis 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I tihnk it's the right thing to let kids decide what their religion is. It doesn't hurt anyone, and all that's necessary is a little supervision; you know, so they don't become little Jihadists and try to shoot up their school or something. XD
the problem is that people tend to think children can't think for themselves, or make descisions. They can, though a lot of time they aren't logical descisions. ie. Eating sweets for dinner, touching the pretty orange rings on an electric stove.
2006-12-17 00:33:23 · answer #9 · answered by Morgan 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
As in all things, you must train your children in what you believe to be right.
Hopefully at some point the parents will let go, and let the kids become thinking adults. Unfortunately, that isn't done very often when it applies to religion or racial prejudice.
2006-12-17 00:34:04 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋