Is it right to force religon on your children?

Question

or should you wait until their old enough to decide on their own?

Answer 1

The choice should be the child's. God wants people to worship Him because they want to, not because they have to. When a child is old enough to choose for themselves, let them choose. In the meantime, it's the parent's responsibility to make sure that their spiritual needs are cared for until they reach the age to decide for themselves. I chose to dedicate my life to God when I was 9. But, since every child is different, it may take a little longer for other children. Just remember to teach them with patience and love.

Proverbs 22:6: "Train up a boy according to the way for him; even when he grows old he will not turn aside from it."

Deuteronomy 6:6,7: "And these words that I am commanding you today must prove to be on your heart; 7 and you must inculcate them in your son and speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road and when you lie down and when you get up."

Answer 2

Yes/No. It is kinda like how some parents feel it better their kids learn about sex and drugs in school. While it is good for the child to learn as they grow, and for the child to form their own opinions, they need to know, well, right from wrong. While belief is for many not a black and white thing, still, it is the parents right/responsability to instill basic values into the child. If a parent feels firmly that their beliefs are right and important, it makes perfect sense to teach the children these beliefs. Then as the children grow older and begin to question things more and more, they can decide what to believe.

Answer 3

The parents duty is to teach their children the ways of their culture and beliefs. Raise them up they way that they should be raised from an early age. Teach them what you want them to know. Later they can take their own path. Nothing wrong with teaching your children what you believe to be true. If you don't teach them, someone else will. Saying that they will make a choice later is crazy. How will they make a 'choice'? They are going to get information from somewhere. It might as well be you.

Answer 4

Do what you think is right. Don't be too strict with them. I nearly left the my religion when my mum was wanting me to concentrate on religion instead friends and school work and I found it too hard to I thought about dropping one thing that seemed more easy, but recently my brother passed away and the surpport and care I've recieved from the people and friends of The Jehovah's Witness orgaization was so lovely to have. Now one of my friends seem to be thinking about becoming a Jehovah's Witness so it seems to be turning out good after all.

Answer 5

Do you teach you child how to bathe, eat clean up, read, write, math, not to bite their sibling? Or do you wait until they are old enough to decide if they want to do those things? Religion is the most important single thing about any of us. A persons religion tells me more about them than their race, their age, the schools they attended, or their political affiliation. It is a parents duty. And any Christian that does not I believe will answer to God.

Answer 6

Yes, and I dont care what religion you are. Worship is a family thing. If you are going, and you want to teach your children about your beliefs, then why not. Schools force evolution on kids, I think thats wrong. It should be up to families to decide what their children are exposed too.

Answer 7

Forcing is an awful strong and also wrong word. You should bring your children up in the way in which you want them to walk as adults. It is the parents obligation to teach their children...otherwise others will be doing it for you, and they may not have your children's best interest at heart!

The Bible gives much good advice to parents and to children. Here are is an example...it is just as important today as it was then....

Deuteronomy 6:1-9: "“Now these are the commandment, the regulations and the judicial decisions that Jehovah YOUR God has commanded to teach YOU, so as to do them in the land to which YOU are passing over there to take possession of it; 2 in order that you may fear Jehovah your God so as to keep all his statutes and his commandments that I am commanding you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and in order that your days may prove long. 3 And you must listen, O Israel, and take care to do [them], that it may go well with you and that YOU may become very many, just as Jehovah the God of your forefathers has promised you, as respects the land flowing with milk and honey.

4 “Listen, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah. 5 And you must love Jehovah your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your vital force. 6 And these words that I am commanding you today must prove to be on your heart; 7 and you must inculcate them in your son and speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road and when you lie down and when you get up. 8 And you must tie them as a sign upon your hand, and they must serve as a frontlet band between your eyes; 9 and you must write them upon the doorposts of your house and on your gates."

So really it is our responsibility to help teach them the things that can keep them safe in this troubled world. You are not doing them any favors by with-holding the valuable information that the Bible contains!

Answer 8

yes i think its wrong to force religion on children, a child should be taught about different religions, and left to decide on their own when they are old enough.

it really bothers me how much parents and schools force Christianity on children, my little sister was baptized when she was one year old, she was incapable of making that decision herself, i feel it should have been left until she was 10/11 maybe even older, and someone has asked her if she wanted to be baptized.

schools sing religios songs regardless of whether or not they have children of different religions attending the school. any child who isn't christian simply can't attend assemblies, they are sat outside the hall, is it right to make those children separate?

i say we should teach ll religions to our children and let them research on their own, if they choose to follow then good for them.

Answer 9

All parents want their children to believe as they believe. They should be given the same opportunities that you had to learn about religion.
Yes sometimes children need guided and forced to attend church when they would rather play Nintendo. Moderation and the opportunity to learn is key.

Answer 10

I was raised in church and my folks had certain rules that I had to abide by. Now that I am older and know God for myself, most of those same rules have stayed in my own home. My daughters are grown and moved on, but they will tell you were the got there foundation in life.
Living for Jesus.<><