Do born infants chose their religion? Usually they are whatever their parents are until at least 18?

Question

And an object in motion tends to stay in motion. People who split from their religious affliliation do so after some protest and soul searching, most of us don't have enough time to do that so we are addicted to our religion of origin, programmed to discriminate agains others who are not like us in varying degrees, right?.

Answer 1

The brainwashing begins very early in life. It takes a strong willed, intelligent, and independent person to take an objective look at anything.

Answer 2

Right but...for every action there is an equal opposing action.

If you are too lazy or influenced by the world, then you won't make the effort in this most important soul searching. I know, I failed to do that necessary soul searching for over 50 years.

I have found no evidence of Church sponsored or supported discrimination at all in the Catholic Church. I see many different face colors at Mass...many. Outside of Mass, I see Catholics sitting with Jews, protestants of all stripes, and even Muslims. In fact, The Catholic Church accepts the baptism in ANY Christian church as valid when an adult converts to Catholicism.

During the Sacrament of Baptism of an infant, the parents are asked if they will teach the child the Catholic faith. Baptism eliminates the original sin but the child is still not a confirmed Catholic. When a Catholic child reaches the age of reason (about age 14) they can either accept the faith by the Sacrament of Confirmation or not.
Some chose to think of the religious education of the child by it's parents and the Church as brainwashing. Not true. It is simply education in the faith. The child has free will and can chose to be Christian or not chose to be Christian. ...and the child is taught that it has freewill.

Unfortunately some adults have forgotten what they learned...or failed to listen when being taught...there are many avenues of adult education....and those adults should avail themselves of such opportunities.

Answer 3

Yes, it does seem cruel to propagate beliefs on an innocent, but we must remember that perpetual dysfunction is the risk we take in allowing average people to breed. Besides, most systems of belief are not harmful unless taken to extremes.

Religion is only one of many things we hand our children that have the potential to become "double edged swords." Think about alcohol and sex. Some children grow up to be social drinkers while others become alcoholics. Some individuals become parents in their teens, while others wait until wedlock to have children.

Unfortunately, there is no way to dictate which beliefs a parent may teach their child without turning our country into an Orwellian police state. How do you pick what can or cannot be taught, and who does the picking?

Fortunately, human beings are not "programmed" like computers. As adults, we are reasoning creatures, and most of us can CHOOSE whether a particular belief system seems reasonable or outrageous, at least in so far as it may benefit or harm us. For the vast majority of people, religion is about "what works for you", so adults tend to embrace or reject religion depending on how applicable it is to their life.

Answer 4

I say no.

Infants do not choose their religion. You cannot choose a religion prior to the 'age of accountability' because it is meaningless prior to that point in time.

Karl Marx said that 'religion is the opiate of the masses'; but religion is a way of life and set of standards by which we act and treat ourselves and each other -- not a drug.

People abandon specific religious affiliations for many reasons which include -- but are not limited to -- change in personal dogma, scandal, discernment, perceptions of misbehavior, or simply the need to follow a different interpretation.

Anyone who discriminates against another is enacting judgment on them -- by varying degrees -- and the only judgment comes at the white throne after the Millennium.

You just have to try and discern how what you encounter aligns with what you believe and take the path down which your heart leads you ... but don't hold anothers beliefs against them.

We're all here together and it's not a destination ...but a journey.

Answer 5

Good question. Richard Dawkins in his book 'The God Delusion' considers it a form of child abuse. I don't know how far that line of thinking can be taught but it is silly and grotesque how a baby can be tagged by throwing some water on its face and saying 'its a christian child' before the child has ever had the slightest thought of whether it wants to worship a god or what - parents need to take responsibility for teaching their children how to think and not what to think. I know many christians who are unfit to raise children.

If someone can splash water on an innocent baby and pretend its been tagged as a christian can i put a coin in its crib and call it a capitalist?

Answer 6

No. Baptism means dedication of life to God. What does an infant know? it has instinct to drink milk, it cries,sleep etc but it has no idea of why it is baptized...

But parents who adhere to bible teachings teach their kids as well...later on if the kid would not like to practice the religion it wouldnt be a problem.

Answer 7

an invant can not chose thier religioun obviusly but they are not born muslim or catholic. they have to make that choice for them selfs when they reach 8 or 12. just agree with what you perants have said does not realy mean you believe any faith you must serch for yourself to find God.

Answer 8

Everyone is born a Muslim. It is the parents who choose to make their child a Christian, Muslim, Jew, Hindu, Buddhist, etc.

Answer 9

Religion is obviously a learned activity. No one is born with or inherits their religion, there is no 'god' gene.

Answer 10

You have to search for the truth for yourself I wouldnt leave my spiritual fate to anyone else it is my responsibility