Should children be protected from being indoctrinated in any particular faith?

Question

until they have the experience, maturity and knowledge to choose one or none for themselves? At the very least I would counsel that they be exposed to as many religions/faiths as possible.

Like the Jesuits say, "give me the boy and I will give you the man". Is it fair to stamp your idea of the 'correct' religion on a young mind that has no defense or idea of alternatives?

As an example, many christians who claim they were once atheists but 'saw the light' and became christians (CS Lewis springs to mind) turn out, on closer examination, to have been raised in a christian family in the first place. In that context, it is not so much 'seeing the light' as it is falling back on previous patterns that were established when the mind was still young and impressionable.

well, the first two answerers just wasted some letters typing nonsense. Anyone for a sensible thought?

Carnac: yes, I had considered that. Maybe by exposing them to the many belief systems that exist(ed) while they are in school?

Adia: like I said, do not teach them about just one faith. Teach them about all faiths. And the good and the bad things that people have done in the name of those faiths.

Kallan: a sane choir of one or close to that, judging by what I've harvested answer-wise so far. But I already knew you were cool ;)

Answer 1

Well, you're preaching to the choir here, my non-prophet friend.
I have five children ages 14-22. They were taken through the gammut of religions as they expressed an interest in them.
However, I have to say that I've seen people "allow their children to choose" a belief by not doing anything. If the child wants to attend (insert religious affliation) they'll drop them off or allow them to go with someone else's family.
Children need their parents to protect them from those people who want to "convert" them. They need us there to keep them safe and allow that freedom to choose unhindered.

Answer 2

Interesting question, and one that Richard Dawkins feels very strongly about.

Although I am not religious, I think that religion does play a very large part in defining some counties' cultural background, and perhaps it would be a shame to lose that knowledge.

I hope to bring my children up in a way that makes them question the world and not take anything at face value - not even science, because scientists cannot answer all the questions and many theories have been disproved before.

However, I also think that parents have a right to bring up their children the way that they want to. If they truly believe something, then when they tell their children about their religion, they are not doing so maliciously. They might even be fearful (of Hell, perhaps, or other members of their religion) if they do NOT bring them up to be religious. But I do think it is the parents' duty to give the children a choice, and it is the job of our schools to teach us about all the options.

I don't think it should be much of an issue for much longer. I hardly know anybody who is serious about religion - I think most religious practices will die out eventually, or become "cults".

Answer 3

yes absolutely. Children are too impressionable and in fact have evolved to accept knowledge from authority as truth. This adaptation is valuable in a practical sense but when applied to mythology with no real life validity whatsoever is dangerous. You could raise a child to worship any ridiculous being you thought of and the fervor with which that belief will be clung to is no different than any of the "legit" absurdities that are forced upon children today. That's the underlying nature of belief. Best to replace the template with a desire to constantly question authority.

Answer 4

No, I don't really agree with you.
I'll probably raise my children (when I have them) much the same way I was raised, with a few key differences:
1. My children won't be forced to go to church. If they want to go, fine. If not, also fine.
2. I have books on other religions in my house. I'm going to make sure they have access to them, and if I can't answer their questions about various religions, I'll make sure I can direct them to a book that can.

However, I will still raise them in Christianity. They'll know that that's my religion. It doesn't HAVE to be theirs, and I'll make sure that if and when they become a Christian themselves, they know what it means.

Why should a parent not be able to influence their children? I see nothing wrong with this, so long as they're not influencing their children to harm others, which I would not be.

Of course I want my children to make up their own minds. I just want to lay the foundation so they make what I feel is the right decision.

Answer 5

It's kind of strange that you don't get to drive a car until you've met the licensing requirements, and even then you don't have the right to drive however you please; but everybody's got the right to raise children even if there's no indication whether they'll be any good at it, and they can raise them as they see fit.

So which do we value more highly -- cars or children?

Pardon my rant. Back to the question.

Of course it's not fair to pour nonsense into young children's minds, nor to frighten them with threats of eternal punishment. Much of the vaunted "homeschooling" movement is just a cover for parents indoctrinating their kids in religious beliefs while attempting to shield them from the real world.

Nevertheless, this applies to only a minority of parents (to date) and one hopes that this poisonous folly has reached its peak, or at least won't get much worse.

For the rest, I think it's both impractical and unwise to attempt to protect children from indoctrination unless there's reason to suspect actual physical or emotional abuse.

Answer 6

The problem with that is that children cannot be raised a vacuum. They are going to be taught and trained somehow and their own parents should be where that begins. Surely most of us do not want our children raised by others (or the state) especially when they can be wrong themselves. Like you said they can question their faith and other issues as they grow older.

Answer 7

Actually there's nothing wrong with teaching children about faith when they are young. But with faith, you also need to teach them manners, respect for others and such.

What is wrong is that you teach children to be racists, what is right is that you teach children about the good things in a religion and why they are good.

For example Christianity, teach them to not judge others and love thy neighbour, that's not really a bad thing.

Speaking from an Atheist's point of view, if it makes a little girl happy to believe in Santa Claus, sure, why not?

When they grow up, if they choose to learn about other religions, let them be. If they want to convert, let them be.

Right here, when we teach about religious tolerance, we merely say different religions have different opinion and point of views, that's all. No need to get racial about it.

There's nothing wrong with instilling fear into children too. Let say for example telling a child to hold your hand or else she'll get lost in the supermaket if she don't.

Answer 8

I think this is the parent's decision. Although, baptism into a faith does not necessarily make a child a certain religion. I agree, though, about exposing a child to different kinds of religion. I don't think it is right to impose your beliefs on anyone, even your own child. But each parent will get to decide.

Answer 9

Hello acid_zeb… :)

If that be so..then what should our precious little children be raised as..Atheist or Agnostic..

I was raised in a home (Atheist) without any spoken word of God..only if His name was used in vain (swearing).. :(

My Mom was abusive towards all of us and my Dad drank all the time.. :(

My children were raised in the nurture and Love of the Lord..I did not beat them..I did not cheat on my husband..they could rely on me to be there for them at all times during the bad and the good..for that is what a Loving parent does.. :)

I am not saying you have to be a believer in Christ to be a Loving parent..

But if it changes someones life for the better, than how can anyone have the right, to deny us that..

I say this in Love.. :)

In Jesus Most Precious Name..
With Love..In Christ.. :)

Answer 10

Read the Four Agreements. Religion is not the only type of
programming we go through. It talks about "domestication". How we are placed into roles as men and women. Child and adult. And a none of us are allowed to be our true selves.