Why do parents force their religion on their kids?

Question

They can be taught right and wrong without threat of eternal damnation. Why not let them grow up and decide for themselves what their beliefs will be?

Answer 1

Parents molest and pervert their children with religion because their cults order them to.

If kids don't grow up with religion forced onto them, the chances are they will never become godbots. It's a lot like cigarette companies that advertise to children: you've got to get them to smoke when they're young or they'll never become addicted.


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Answer 2

Not every parent forces the idea of eternal damnation into their kids heads.

But, if a parent believes that their religion is a good influence on them of course they will want to teach it to their children. And if they don't think it is worth teaching to their kid, why would they believe it themselves?

Answer 3

~sigh~

Well, let's start here: Not all religions ar based in threats of eternal damnation.

Why do parents raise their kids to think that the political party that the parents follow is the right one?

You cannot give your kids something you don't have.

If you don't have the capacity to see any value in the way that others do things, you cannot give open-mindedness or tolerance to your kids.

If your self-image is tied to having the "only right" answers, you'll want validation, and the most important validation will come from those closest to you.

Also, there are all kinds of believers out there who are parents. For some, their religious faith is what gives meaning to their lives; it is the most valued thing for them, and it's quite natural to want to give your kids what you value most.

For others, it provides a social network that they value, and they want their kids to have the benefit of that.

I imagine that there are all kinds of reasons why parents raise their kids in the religion that they themselves practice. I can't say I know what all of them are.

Answer 4

I'm guessing it's one of three things...

1) Because the want to put the fear of hell into them so they stay on the straight and narrow and cause less trouble (kinda perverted way of teaching right from wrong..),

2) Because they actually are scared of their kids going to hell and believe they are saving them, or,

3) Because they believe they have found truth and want to share that with they're children so they don't miss out on the 'good news'. Unfortunately this also doesn't leave room for their kids to walk their own paths and when this (inevitably) happens the parents are often shattered and they unfrotunately feel as if they've failed their children.

Answer 5

There's a saying that " the family that prays together, stays together." As part of a normal child and development and upbringing. Religion should be made a practice in the home. Of course, this religion should be out of love not fear of eternal damnation. A small child can not make up his own mind re religion. But it certainly would be beneficial to include religion in his upbringing. A child brought up in a loving ,and kind family environment and a good religious faith in God will make that child kinder and more tolerant of his neighbors.

Answer 6

People try to brainwash, because they are not intelligent enough to teach. They think the end justifies the means. Most people are not taught to think, and would not know how to evaluate a new idea. If a child is not taught religion, how will he know how to decide for himself? You cannot teach right and wrong in the context of moral relativism which is the pervasive religion of today. (ethically speaking). A basic tenet of the moral relativism that people are immersed in today is that there is no right and wrong!

Answer 7

Some people think they must "save" their children from the devil. If they don't teach them what to believe right from the start they might end up believing something different than the parents and some religious people think that everything else than their own religion is evil and that everybody else ends up in hell, so they want to make sure their kids are "safe".

Answer 8

Look to your screen name for the answer to that.

parents are supposed to guide their children about moral values as well as teach them what they believe is right and just. If parents didn't do this with their children, that is when you worry for the child. The child will grow up and decide on their own, but when growing up, the parents havea responsibility to place their moral values and views on religion on their kids.

Answer 9

It's wrong to force religion on kids or threaten them with eternal damnation.

But it ISN'T wrong to raise a child in a certain religion. I was raised a Baha'i and investigated the teachings for myself. I was never forced to be a Baha'i, but accepted it of my own free will and after much rational thought and enquiry.

Answer 10

Why do parents teach their kids to brush their teeth and take baths or do their homework or eat their veggies? Why don't we just wait until they grow up and decide for themselves if they want to do all these things? It is the parent's job to teach their kids about the most important thing in the world which is that there is a God and Jesus died for our sins and if you don't accept Him there are consequences. Parents will be held responsible for how they raised their children. When we stand before God, we will give an account for how we raised our kids. We teach them the right way to go and then they do ultimately decide for themselves when they grow up. You raise your kids your way and I'll raise my kids my way. It's that simple!