Is it abuse...?

Question

To brainwash children into a religion? Surely they should have the right to choose when they are old enough to understand.

Ryan Z hit the nail on the head. Some of my friends are Muslim and do not have a choice even as adults, unless they give up their families. Ok, they're happy but I'm sure there are people in the world who aren't, people who want to marry outside their faith etc.

Answer 1

Well, seeing what it does to their education, I think so!

Answer 2

I was going to slide past this question until I saw the responses. As a result I have a couple of questions (and my own answers,too!).

When do you teach someone about religion? 18 years of age? 12? 3? Who knows. I believe that you start teaching kids about the parents' religion(s) as soon as formal education begins. Taking small kids to church weekly can hardly be called brainwashing - there ain't nothing to wash in a four-year-old brain! And they will be educated in the ways of religions in attempting to help others and love God. What's bad about that?

Obviously, anyone is able to choose what they believe - even kids. A child may not believe that the church is good or helpful. They may well feel the same way about arithmetic! Later experience will show them the value of the mathematics, later life may show them the value of religion. Or not.

Brainwashing? Bad term. Rights? 4 years old? What rights are we stripping them of?

Answer 3

Abuse is a bit of a strong word, and should not used so lightly. And it's the parents choice as to how they raise their child. I'll agree that the way some parents raise their children, is ridiculous, stupid and dumb. But in reality, it's still the child's choice when it comes to religion. My mother was, 'brainwashed' when she was a child, but still rejected her religion.

If some punk off the street 'brainwashed' a child, well that's a different story, 'n reality still falls under the parents responsibility to watch their children, ask the right questions, ask enough questions, and prevent any kind of harm from coming to the child.

Although some types of harm, aren't that easy to prevent...

Answer 4

When the time came that my daughter was interested in religion I bought a book for children explaining the different religions. She picked the one she wanted.
I most religions it says not to force people but men are only secure with themselves when other men belief the same.
I guess God will have once more send a holly person to clear up the chit mens minds.
I Wonder how many will need to be sent until all realise that its not what you belief but that you belief.

Answer 5

Of course it is not abuse. Surely every parent has the right to educate their children in the moral issues which they will need later on in life i.e. right from wrong. To let your your children decide when they are old enough is also another form of "brainwashing".

Answer 6

yes!
I also dont believe that religion should be taught in schools. It is, what you say, brainwashing.
The only way that any religion can survive however, is to brainwash it's children. If they were left to decide for themselves, there would be very few followers of any religion in the future.

Answer 7

It is easy to judge these things when you are outside it but the plain truth is that humans are social animals and positively like this type of group mentality and therefore the real abuse will be leaving them out.

The dissatisfied, on the other hand are those who later found love or a different understanding outside the "system". But in my experience, given time, they too revert to form. its all idiocy.

And children want to do what their parents do anyway so by your model we should not send them to school.

Answer 8

Its abuse to brainwash anyone. But to teach young children about god is the sensible thing to do to teach right and wrong and morals. Then when they are old enough to make a c hoice it is an informed choice not one made in ignorance.

Answer 9

I don't think it is an abuse to bring up your child to have a religion.My view is to be honest about what you believe, personally I don't have a religion and do not believe in god but whenever my children have asked me about things I have always said its up to them to decide what they believe...I would not pressure them either way. Abuse occurs when someone is forced into something religious against there will and this can take many forms, it can all be caused by how an individual interprets there particular religion and how they can twist this for there own ends.Whilst ever there is religion someone somewhere will abuse it unfortunately

Answer 10

im not sure what you mean by brainwashing, are they beaten or tortured in any way. toothpicks to keep the eyes open.

how is being taught something is hardly brainwashing. you learned history in school and even though half of it is wrong do you feel that you've been brainwashed.

most of the laws in this country are wrong, but you follow blindly, does that mean that most of the people in the us are brainwashed by the government?

Answer 11

Normally I would say no: the parents have a right to bring their children up in their values, and if - like me - the children later choose to find a different path from their parents, that's their choice.

But then the other week I saw a documentary on the extreme "godhatesf@gs" cult, where they were instilling children who could barely talk to harang and harass people, and I'm now not so sure....