If an Atheist or an Agnostic told a 5 year old that he/she will go to some place where she/he will burn in a fire like lava for all eternity for the crime of thinking that a God exist.
Would you think that this Agnostic or Atheist was committing a crime and inflicting psychological damage on that 5 year old? What if that is truly what the Atheist or Agnostic believed?
Why did a religious nut tell me the fairy tale of burning in hell when I was only 5 years old? This kind of sickness is ok with you?
2007-02-09 01:32:35 · 25 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
READ the question again.
I am not saying that an Atheist or Agnostic would even have to resort to scary little children in order to get them to believe anything.
I am saying that many religious people get away with this sick behavior and then they want to judge others, when they are the ones psychologically torturing children from an early age.
2007-02-09 01:39:16 · update #1
RMS4EVER
You fancy yourself an intellectual eh?
How about, you don't have to fully understand exactly what hell means in order to associate in a child's mind the pain of fire and telling them it will be worst than that pain.
That I would even have to point this out to you shows me that you are not as philosophical or intellectual as you think you are.
2007-02-09 01:52:45 · update #2
J D, thanks for the kudos!
2007-02-09 01:58:08 · update #3
You are confusing Atheist with Theist.
Why do you assume that Atheists believe in an eternity?
That would mean that they believe in a Deity!
2007-02-09 01:36:42 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 7⤋
A child is not atheist. Neither is the child religious. A child is closer to agnostic than anything else. A child doesn't have the capacity to understand or comprehend religion or politics or economics. According to the Bible a child must be baptized. That child doesn't not make this choice. It is the choice of the parent. the person who offended you as a child is wrong. It is wrong to put Atheist pressure on a child or Religious pressure. I apologize for this person... these characteristics in a person are arrogant. I will not preach to say I am right. I am not. I am neither wrong in my beliefs. However, I know for a fact that scaring a child with religion is wrong morally and says little about this individuals intelligence. There's my two cents.
2007-02-12 02:13:14 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
my dear, not everyone who calls themselves Christian - is and not everyone who is a Christian is necessarily wise. This person obviously had issues of their own. I knew the story of hell when I was 5 but it did not affect me the way it seems to have affected you. Probably because this person did not explain the facts to you in love (I assume that by the way you worded the event). Truth does not cause psychological damage - how Truth is presented however might. Don't confuse the two. Truth is still truth. There will be a God to face and there will be a heaven to gain and a hell to shun. You are not 5 now.
2007-02-16 20:12:12 · answer #3 · answered by wd 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course that's not right. There's no reason to tell a young child something like that. I wasn't told about hell (though I was raised in a Christian home, and I had heard about Satan from my brothers) until I was much older. I think I wasn't told about hell until I was about seven or eight, when I first became a Christian.
But I was never told that I was going to go there. I was always taught that children aren't held accountable for anything.
It's wrong to scare children into accepting Christ. I was always taught about God's love, instead. I'm sure that's what I'll teach my children, too.
2007-02-09 01:42:02 · answer #4 · answered by The_Cricket: Thinking Pink! 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
In my humble opinion, religion has it's place. It keeps a society following rules by teaching them to fear what god will do to them even if they do not fear what the law might do. Without religion, society would be worse off. This is why they start so young, it is important to imprint that fear of god right away. Is this OK? Only parents can decide what is OK for a child to hear. In my opinion much of what the major religions teach needs improvement, but I think the intent is to develop a blue-print for life that will ultimately help a person get through the days. Personally, I do not like the notion that people should spread their beliefs to others. I do not like to be shouted at on street corners, and I would probably be very angry if someone said this to my 5 year old. But he/she is going to hear it at some point.
2007-02-09 01:44:57 · answer #5 · answered by jen a 1 · 2⤊ 3⤋
i believe telling a child of five they would burn in hell is wrong. No matter what religion you are. a child of five cannot understand the full aspect of that remark. I believe that to be morally and mentally in error
2007-02-16 13:04:23 · answer #6 · answered by j.wisdom 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Excellent question and one that will provoke intellectual contortions of logic. Your question demands that Christians face themselves in the mirror, truly. If you consider it abusive to tell a child they're going to burn for believing in God, the reverse must also be true. Love this question, am enjoying the answers too, quite telling are they not?
2007-02-09 01:45:18 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I thought Atheists didn't believe in Hell, or anything for that matter. I don't think it's good to tell a child that they're going to Hell, however I feel that it is okay for Christians to explain to their children the concept of Jesus saving them and taking them to Heaven someday (Hell should probably be explained when they are older, five yr. olds usually are too young to understand these things entirely). Everything should be basic, simple and innocent for a child. I don't think it's right to tell a child they will burn in Hell for eternity, that is cruel and would cause psychological damage. I don't think it's wrong to tell an adult or teen that they need to follow Christ, or they are in danger of Hell fire. That's my opinion, you don't have to agree, but thanks for reading just the same.
2007-02-09 01:42:49 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋
No, Its not the write thing to do like. Ofcourse its acceptable when they give wright directions to follow r to commit. But when it comes to the matter of age at the very stating of knowing of some thing might affect on their behaviour and also affect on their psycological stage.
2007-02-09 01:47:30 · answer #9 · answered by sreeram b 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, it's not OK, it's sick. I believe in God, but some people take the bible as 100% truth. What happened to you was mental torture and un-forgivable. I'm sorry you had the misfortune to meet that moron
2007-02-09 01:43:22 · answer #10 · answered by Taylor29 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
NO one is going to burn forever, simply put that would be everlasting life. (albeit in unpleasant circumstances)
Gehenna means the second death; Rev. 20:14; 21:8.
We have a choice, life or death, good or bad, it is as simple as that.
2007-02-09 01:48:17 · answer #11 · answered by tienna 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋