I think it is fair to say that children are too young to know where they stand on a lot of important issues.
They don't know where they stand politically for example, and no school is allowed to say to children "Democrat is right, Republic is wrong" for example, because it is unfair and teaching them something which many other people disagree with.
They have to be educated about both sides of the arguement, and allowed to make up their own mind. This is the reason why the voting age is 18, not 8.
In which case, why are children allowed to be brought up in religious schools? Schools actively teaching children which religion is right, and enforcing this over the many years they study there.
Surely if they don't know where they stand on the economy, politically, socially, how are they going to know where they stand on probably the biggest issue of them all? Their very nature and origin of their creation and the cosmos?
2007-03-12 08:26:47 · 15 answers · asked by Adam L 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
In response to angel:
There is a big difference between being educated in history (something which has definitely happened), english (the most common language your child will come into contact with in their country) and religion.
When we teach our children economics, sociology and politics they are allowed to make up their own minds about it. They are told the possible view points and make up their mind.
In religious schools they aren't. They are told which religion is right (even though it's subjective like politics, economics etc.) and it is drummed into them that it's right.
2007-03-12 08:40:03 · update #1
If you have enough money, you can brainwash your child into anything. I don't like it but... there it is.
2007-03-12 08:28:59 · answer #1 · answered by ZER0 C00L ••AM••VT•• 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I sincerely hope you are not saying a person should not teach their children about God! As a parent, it is my responsibility to teach my child how to navigate successfully as an adult. In the process, I teach my child how to rely on a source greater than ourselves for wisdom and direction. As a result, I hope my children continue in their walk with God.
But, that being said, my kids attend public schools. First of all, the costs are expensive for private schools, and secondly I don't agree with the teachings of the religious schools in my area. While the schools are very good, I prefer to teach them these subjects at home and at church.
However, in certain issues, I wish I had taken my kids through private schools. In the public schools, my kids are worried about the "right" clothes, "right" friends. Their peer pressure to conform is enormous. They also have less respect for parental rules. We also deal with a lot of negativity they are taught. The self-esteem from many of the issues in the public school are far worse than what they could have learned in the private schools.
I think that any parent who carefully reviews the curriculum in a private school and is sure that the students are prepared academically and socially, and if a parent can afford the tuition, it's a very good thing!
2007-03-12 08:42:59 · answer #2 · answered by Searcher 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
As you say, "Surely if they don't know where they stand on the economy, politically, socially...", yet we teach our children about the economy, politics, social science. They are too young to make up their minds about history, yet we teach it. We teach because we want children to accept what we teach, whether that is religion, science or English. My child might prefer to speak Chinese. English is certainly not the superior language. However, I will continue to educate him in English.
2007-03-12 08:35:15 · answer #3 · answered by angel_light 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Children aren't raised in schools, they are educated in schools. Parents raise children, and have a right to educate them in a manner in which they wish, so long as they don't neglect or cause injury to those children.
Religious schools often have a better educational system than do public ones (with the exception of "intelligent" design or creationism).
I was taught in a religious school through high-school and don't feel that my education has in any way been a detriment in my life. I'm no longer Christian but feel that my foundational education was easily the equivalent, and most likely better than that I would have received through public schools. I did spend two years in high-school in a public school and found them mostly repeats of what I had learned in 6th through 8th grade in a religious grade school. I finished my high-school in a religious school.
Religious schools are fine as long as they don't lead to cult-like indoctrination.
2007-03-12 08:36:37 · answer #4 · answered by Deirdre H 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The "public" education industry has been indoctrinating children for generations... in the 50s in grade school it was clearly skewed to the left and has gone so far that way that it is almost a one dimensional system from top to bottom...You have, as I have... clearly seen some "church" schools which are not academically qualified... but there are many many which do a much better job of academic instruction than the public education industry... and... it is the RIGHT of the parents to bring their children up in the training of their faith.... as it is THE RIGHT of the child, as an adult, to reject that religious instruction.... but it is not my, your, or the government's, right to tell the parent how to instruct their children regarding faith matters... it is the RIGHT of society to require demonstration of academic competence for certification of an academic program... but not regarding "faith" based issues...
2007-03-12 08:38:12 · answer #5 · answered by idahomike2 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I went to a religious school. I am glad I did. As a christian, God is at the center of my life, and I hope He will also be at the center of my children's as well.
Religious schools are not brain-washing institutions (at least not the one I went to). Like people who go to different schools, I have the ability to think critically, and question what I have been taught.
2007-03-12 08:47:56 · answer #6 · answered by Laura H 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Parents who send their children to religious schools do so because they feel that doing so teaches their children how behave morally. Morals are generally told, not figured out by individuals. Could you imagine how chaotic the world would be if we let people decide on their own whether or not it's moral to murder people?
Besides, even if children are sent to school, they will still be taught by their parents how they should practice religion.
2007-03-12 08:34:39 · answer #7 · answered by x 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Some Parents feel like teaching their child about god when they are young some will lose God when they are older, but they will know who he is too make that decision, some find him again and some don't
Some parents don't teach their children anything about god, and yet when they come of age they still find god, some don't.
whats the difference?
2007-03-12 08:31:42 · answer #8 · answered by chersa 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That I think would depend on the way said religion is taught.
Is it taught as a Faith that many people hold?
or
Is it taught as a Truth that many people know?
If it is taught as a truth you are in essence robbing that child of the ability to ever have actual faith in said religion. Self defeating.
2007-03-12 08:39:51 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Any person who equates religion with morality would be negligent not to teach their children to be religious (moral). When you teach morals, they must be based on something, otherwise they're meaningless. What would you base them on, and if you taught your children based on that would that be wrong? Or would you teach them no morals at all.
2007-03-12 08:40:13 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
We could make your arguement go to publis schools as well, that they woudl have to allow teaching of creationism by your logic.
2007-03-12 08:36:12 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋