Christening babies and forcing children into a religion anyone else think that's wrong?

Question

As a mature person you can follow any religion you want, but I think the children should be left out of it until they're old enough to actually understand what they are being taught. To me it seems that by baptising and christening babies, communions, confirmations, etc. you are forcing young children into a religion. They should be able to explore different faiths and decide how they feel about it when they actually understand things, like maybe 13-16 years old. Little kids have no clue what any of it means, they just do as they're taught and told. Forcing a faith on them all their young life gives them no chance to actually THINK about what it is they are subscribing to, tehy just do it because that's all they ever knew.

for that second person that answered:

Darling I'm 15 years old and have no children thank you. And I don't see how I can "put my hands on" your family.

And I am not singling out any SPECIFIC faiths here. I'm saying leave religion out of thier lives till a certain age just as you would with talk of sex or anything else.

If I ever have children I will not teach them that god is real or not real because it's not my place to say. And yes teaching Atheism to them is just as bad as Theism. I wouldn't want my children to believe what I believe just because I was their mother. My philosophy is to make choices on things based on knowledge and understanding. I believed in God when I was younger, but as I got older and sought out information, I changed my mind. I am lucky though to have parents who never told me I had to believe. They do, but they never said I would go to hell or anything if I didn't. They know my views and respect them even though they don't agree.

Answer 1

I also like how they go around as little kids, quoting scripture and acting like everything is a sin.

It's sad.

It disgusts me that these kids learn things before they even understand them, and then when they're older and hear things in the bible about stoning, and rape, and incest, and slavery, etc, they won't think that it's wrong.

Answer 2

Another viewpoint that hasn't been mentioned, babies are baptized (I don't use the term "christened" although we're probably referring to the same rite) as part of a covenant between God and his people, where we have our children marked as God's property, just like the parents are. Too many parallels to Old Testament circumcision to ignore, if you're defending adult baptism only.

I don't think there is any way to "leave the kids out of it," though. You have to remember that even "no religion" is a religion! And children do follow their parents' beliefs -- or non-beliefs, for that matter. What's sad is when the child says at 13-16 years of age, that you, the parent, are wrong, and now each of you will consider the other a fool.

15 years old? You're kinda young to be thinking of things this far along in theology, I'm impressed.

Answer 3

The parents are the masters of their child until the kid moves out. It is reality....which can be rather unfortunate sometimes. If you believe that the government could somehow stop this supposed "child abuse" you would impeding on the parent's right to privacy and right to religion. Plus, Republicans (and most sane people) would scream at you for hours. Honestly, I don't believe this really is child abuse. Would a 5 year old really know that he would be destined to be a Muslim? Most likely he knows nothing of Islam at that age--especially if he were growing up in a Christian house. Say some 3 year old overheard the word "satanist" and said she wanted to be a satanist. Would you SERIOUSLY let your 3 year old daughter become a satanist if she didn't know what it meant? What the parents of that 3 year old were devout christians? Don't you think that they would be pissed or at least upset if someone MADE them take their 3 year old daughter to a satanist service? Let adults make adult decisions. I am still a child, technically, so I, like the rest of the world, should respect that....though sometimes unfortunately.

Answer 4

This is a two way street but you wouldn't bother to think of that would you? Most religion teaches good values and morals...if they wish to stray from that when they are older that is their choice.

Jesus said let the little children come to Me. And that whoever does not recieve me with the faith of a child will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

If everything taught is false anyway what have they lost? Certainly atheism doesn't give them any more hope or teach them better morals. Most of your so called morals come from the Bible anyway so get over it.

Answer 5

disagree. First, as a parent it is your job and obligation to influence your children towards what you think is best for them. Secondly, I know children who have a better grasp on their beliefs than some adults. Thirdly, it's the same thing as saying don't teach kids what the rules are early bc/ they don't understand them until they're older. Kids may not know that running out in the street can get them killed - they don't have to know - the fact is that YOU DO so you teach them not to play in the road. Finally, when a person becomes an adult - they still have the choice to believe everything they've been taught or to turn away from it. Happens all the time.

Answer 6

Parents raise their kids to be what they want them to grow up as, and the child will learn for themselves when they are old enough. I know many people that were brought up catholic, and have converted to other religions. Unfortunately, we do not have a say in the way other kids are raised. Some are beaten, some are loved.

Answer 7

I am an atheist.

Much as I prefer what you suggest, raising children neutral, it really doesn't matter much how children are raised. A little sprinkling of water on their forehead, and mutterings by somebody is not forcing religion on them. As children, they have little understanding of what is happening. As they grow to adulthood, they will begin to question, and that is a healthy thing. Most teens question, and will be mature enough to separate the truth from the lies, regardless of how they were raised (even if they were raised as fundies).

Answer 8

As parents we teach our children the ways that we think are best, religion and otherwise. If the intent is good, and no one is being harmed, it's no abuse. It's leading them in what we feel is the right direction, and most certainly won't hurt them. That's our prerogative, THEY... like us can choose as adults what they believe or IF they believe, like we do. It's certainly no worse than giving then NO hope or any other hard nosed perspective that they may ALSO decide against as adults.
Is it just as WRONG if we are avid cross country skiers and we "force" our kids to go with us? Or avid campers? Or love to watch boxing? There's way too many "objectional" activites that people love to attempt to draw a clear line anywhere. That's how parents operate, we involve our kids in what we think is GOOD.

Answer 9

No I don't believe in infant baptism but I do believe that parents have the God-given responsibility to raise their child(ren) with spiritual values. (Deu 6:6,7; Eph 6:4)

Of course, when the child is mature enough, they should make the decision about following a certain faith for themselves.

In fact, as you get older you are responsible for your own faith in God's eyes; you can't hang on your parents' spirituality forever. (Gal 6:5; Rom 14:12)

Answer 10

For the first thirteen or fourteen years of my life, my parents took me to church service with them. At about fourteen, I told my parents that I don't believe any of it, so I never attended hurch service with them again.
I don't have the feeling that I was forced into religion - - - I was exposed to religion, not forced.
Even if a child of fourteen or fifteen is made to go to church with the parents, he is not being forced into religion, only into church. Religion is only a belief. Belief can't be forced on anyone. They can be made to say they believe, but that's not really belief.
My own two children were not subjected to any superstitions. They have no fear of ghosts, gods, evil eye, devils, nothing. My daughter, who is a veterinarian had her first four years of college in a church sponsored school. She often helped her friends with their religious classes, but believes none of it herself.

Answer 11

I'm opposed to forcing anything to do with spiritual matters, but I understand that parents need to have the right to raise their children in their own beliefs. Sooner or later, the kid will be old enough to decide for himself. And as to having been brainwashed in the meantime, chances are this works against the religion in which they were raised almost as often as against it.

In the end, we all have to decide for ourselves.