i.e., not tried to inculcate them with your religious beliefs. My experience is that many atheists choose this path, while few, if any Christians do.
2007-03-16 16:51:35 · 22 answers · asked by Brendan G 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
sorry, poorly worded question. i meant that most atheists leave it open, while christians insist on brainwashing their kids. a generalization for sure, but i can see from answers here already that it isn't far off.
2007-03-16 17:06:30 · update #1
tebone: the first book you exposed your child to was the Bible and you took her to church. That is not "letting her decide"!
2007-03-16 19:04:24 · update #2
Proudly Atheist, my kids can choose whatever they want and I will not push them.
2007-03-16 17:00:25 · answer #1 · answered by Jason Bourne 5 · 5⤊ 2⤋
I am an Atheist, I have yet to have any children and probably won't for a few more years.
However, my girlfriend and I have already talked about this and decided that we will let our child choose it's own religion.
We will not however allow our child to attend a church that brainwashes children, until our child is of the age of reason. Being 15+
Until that age we will inform him of any religion he'd wish to learn about, the good and the bad parts of it, and we'd always let our child know that there are other choices as well. There isn't one religion, and our child should learn of the many that are out there. Including the choice that there may not be a right religion or that a higher power may just not exist.
2007-03-16 23:58:39 · answer #2 · answered by kaltharion 3 · 5⤊ 1⤋
My parents left it open to me and I am a Christian. However, I remain on a spiritual journey. I think it's because I am not locked in on my parents', or anyone else's, beliefs. My relationship with God is very personal and not affected by others. I would like to think I would do the same for my children. I believe that the truth will always be revealed so we have nothing to fear by remaining open-minded, as long as our hearts are open, too.
2007-03-16 23:59:27 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I've been an atheist most of my life, and I've always allowed my 3 kids to do as they wish in regards to religion. Without any prompting from me:
The 21 year old, when he was younger, attended the local Methodist church every Sunday, and was a member of their youth group. He is engaged to a minister's daughter, and attends church with her family every week. He has, however, become an atheist. He attends church in order to please his fiance and her family.
The 14 year old is a strict atheist, there's no room for discussion here.
The 11 year old was atheist, but has since become agnostic. He attended Bible school with his friends when he was younger, and is still in the questioning stage.
2007-03-16 23:59:01 · answer #4 · answered by iamnoone 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
I go to an Episcopalian church. My kids go with me when they want to. Sometimes they choose not to. I let them go to other churches with their friends when the occasion comes up.
They know that I will support any spiritual walk that they choose, with the exception that it would require them to disrespect those of other faiths or cultures.
Whether they choose a different denomination, or a different religion altogether, or even a lack of religion, I want them to follow the spiritual path that is right for their individual needs.
2007-03-16 23:59:28 · answer #5 · answered by thezaylady 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
As a child I took my daughter to church read to her from the bible, her first book that she learned to read was her children's bible. As she got older I didnt push it on her and she had made a choice of not going to church any more when she started high school. Now at the age of 23 she is on her own spiritual journey to God and is quite happy with her choice. She is a Christian. Nothing was pushed nor was she indoctrinated into anything. It is my responsibility as her mother to make sure she had the proper upbringing. God gave her to me to raise and I raised her as He instructed.
2007-03-17 00:04:08 · answer #6 · answered by tebone0315 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Are you saying that you think that most Christians allow their children to make their own decisions about religion?
Wow!
I admit that, as an atheist, I hope my kids end up believing as I do. But I have NEVER told them what to believe. I have, HOWEVER told them what I believe. I have at least attempted to let them decide.
2007-03-16 23:59:20 · answer #7 · answered by Alan 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I'm neither christian or atheist. I do believe in and love God. It was quite a scandal in my family when I didn't baptize my children. My family considers themselves christian. I was even told by my step mom that they might go to hell for me not baptizing them. Whatever, that's just ridiculous. I teach my children to be loving and understanding. I leave it up to them what religion they want to have if any. As long as they are good people, that's what matters.
2007-03-16 23:58:36 · answer #8 · answered by Rosalind S 4 · 5⤊ 1⤋
Well considering the fact that my children are not human I have not had to teach them anything... dogs and cats are smart enough to instinctually know there is no point in worrying about that kind of crap... they live by the laws of Nature and so do I.. anyone who is raised without influence either way will surely turn to nature as their guidance in life just as cats and dogs instinctively do so... so does a human turn to the true love of the wild that needs no god/s of any kind to provide the spiritual influence in life.
PS LOL at Jayson above its "tantamount"
2007-03-16 23:57:21 · answer #9 · answered by Kelly + Eternal Universal Energy 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
I'm a Christian but I will choose to let my children decide, because if you try to "shove it down their throats" so to speak then they will come to resent it, so I'll try to present it in a good way when they are children and demand that they show respect for it (at least in my house) and hope that they will see it the way I do, it is all I can pray for
2007-03-16 23:57:13 · answer #10 · answered by Kayleigh Michelle 1 · 7⤊ 1⤋
YEs, I leave the question of religion completely open to my kids! Only, I don't have any kids and can't have any, so so much for that, huh?
2007-03-17 00:03:45 · answer #11 · answered by Cheshire Cat 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋