Exactly how do you incorporate religion into a basic lesson on consequences? For example, do you say "No don't bite because God wouldn't like it and you'll go to hell"? What about not doing homework on time - "You have to get good grades for God to let you excel in life"? Fighting with your sibling - "The Bible says to love thy neighbor"? And then how do you respond when they ask "Why?"
Just curious exactly how one would use God to teach children right from wrong.
2007-02-14 06:50:47 · 11 answers · asked by Phoenix, Wise Guru 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Please help me - okay, so God's watching, but how did your mom teach you what was wrong or right?
2007-02-14 07:04:20 · update #1
Beautiful question...They don't even realize the amount of things they teach their kids without mentioning god. Do they think you need to invoke god to explain why you shouldn't track mud through the house? Do they mention god just to scare the kids into doing things?
2007-02-14 06:53:56 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
Actually, my mom would just tell me that God was always watching. I was free to do what I wanted, but I knew God was always watching. Sometimes I would do something wrong, but you feel twice as bad for what you did. So you stop doing it. Hard punishment is never necessary, because kids that are brought up correctly, will just adapt to doing what is correct. I knew God was not going to kill me for saying a lie, or for making mistakes, but every time I would mess up, I thought that I was hurting God's feelings. He is after all a loving God.
(If I haven't told you before, Hell does not exist.)
Edit: The bible says everything that is wrong, and everything that is correct. If you believe in God, then you use the bible, if you don't believe in God, then the list stays the same, except you don't cite it directly from the bible.
2007-02-14 07:00:32 · answer #2 · answered by Please help me 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lead by example. Children are learning by your actions more than by what you say. Get into e Good Bible Believing Church and let Jesus work in your life. Don't threaten them with God. He is not like that at all. As I said before, get involved in a good Bible Believing Church. There you will find all of the help that you need.
2007-02-14 07:01:15 · answer #3 · answered by michael m 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Even as a former Christian-I can say DON"T USE GOD.
Don't you think an easier and more effective way would be to point out the REAL reason for something being wrong? Such as the pain that comitting wrong acts causes the people that care for them.
Do you really want your children to grow up afraid of an invisible person who is tallying up their mistakes in order to punish them when they die?
Are we living in the 14th century?
2007-02-14 07:18:27 · answer #4 · answered by abrainconnected 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I've never used God as a threat. I taught them that God is Love, and that He wants us to love and respect each other. I showed them the way God wants us to live by example. not by preaching. God isn't worried about your "grades", He only wants us to be the best people we can be. The Golden Rule should be taught, without a doubt. Always treat others as you would want to be treated. "How would you feel if somebody did that to you?" Kids are always going to fight with their siblings, but they need to learn how to find common ground and compromise with each other.
2007-02-14 07:03:40 · answer #5 · answered by kj 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There's only one unforgivable sin, which is rejecting Christ. So to say to your child, do this or don't do that or you'll go to Hell would be falsely teaching the Bible.
I do tell my children, don't do such and such because God would not like it, and then I tell them why. But, I would never lie and tell them that they will go to Hell for a sin other than rejecting Christ.
Once they find out the Truth about God's Word, they will know that their parents are liars.
2007-02-14 06:55:40 · answer #6 · answered by Christian93 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
There's only one unforgivable sin, which is rejecting Thor. So to say to your child, do this or don't do that or you'll go to Hell would be falsely teaching the book of Thor.
I do tell my children, don't do such and such because Thor would not like it, and then I tell them why. But, I would never lie and tell them that they will go to Hell for a sin other than rejecting Thor.
Once they find out the Truth about Thor's Word, they will know that their parents are liars.
2007-02-14 07:00:36 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
By explaining to them that if they don't do exactly what I say, I'll wait for the stars to be right and call forth Cthulhu to wipe them from the Earth in preparation for the return of the old ones.
There can be no morality without belief in Cthulhu.
Or, instead, you could just always teach them to think for themselves, and show them why being decent to one another just makes sense.
2007-02-14 06:54:32 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would like to add to waht "please help me" said. Even if you are agnostic or atheist, two words: pascal's wager. I believe he exists, but if you don't believe this, pascal's wager pretty much says that its a safe bet to go about as if God is watching you.
2007-02-14 07:05:56 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I am looking forward to see them try to find answers for these seemingly simple questions...
2007-02-14 06:54:12 · answer #10 · answered by 7abibi♥ 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋