Do you think it's fair?

Question

(a follow-up on my last Q)

When parents influence their child .... before the child is even old enough to have an opinion of their own?

Taking them to church, presenting the Bible, telling them "This is how it is!" "This IS what happened!!"

Its hard to take one seriously when they say that they began 'all of that' at such an early age. Their opinions just may be different if they had the chance to chose for themselves.

(I personally feel that children should be presented religion, then at an appropriate age, given the chance to chose for themselves what they believe)

Comments?

Yes, Im a parent. I have 2 boys.

Moiraes - You said it better than I did. =)

Answer 1

I completely agree with you. If/when my husband and I have children, they will be raised with knowledge of all religions, presented with scientific fact, and then allowed to choose what they would like to do when they are teenagers.

Answer 2

I agree with Moiraes only because that is how my wife wishes to present it to our children. I would prefer to just show them religious texts as we were shown Aesop's Fables or Greek Mythology-simply as nothing more than mythology. I would rather not give my child(ren) the choice of religion as much as I would just like them to either remain atheist/agnostic/whatever or to choose to follow a certain religion when they are old enough to choose such a thing.
I don't know how successful I can be with this as America is so steeped in Christianity's bullshit. I just have to hope my children are as strong willed and intelligent as their father and mother are/were(we were both raised christian in one form or another).

Answer 3

I do believe it can cause problems. I was raised to find my own path and I just happened to agree with my cultural beliefs, I was exposed to many religions and spirituality's throughout my life and my parents always told me to accept nothing as absolute truth but to look for the path that I chose. I did so and am very happy that I had the opportunity.
My husband on the other hand was raised in a devout Southern Baptist family. He was raised that this was what was right and anytime he questioned this he was to pray for forgiveness. He grew up with a lot of unanswered questions, anger toward the church and God and spent many years tormented by these beliefs. My husband has recently chosen to leave the religion he was raised with and has chosen to follow a path that he feels right with. He still has a lot of resentment towards his parents for forcing him to follow their beliefs and for the idea of punishment for his disbelief.

Our children are encouraged to study many religions and spirituality's and they have been very happy with their choices.

Answer 4

It won't work. Religious people have reminders of their religion around the house. Kids will ask questions about these pictures and crosses. They'll want to know about the church that the parents go off to every Sunday.
I think it would be almost impossible to keep religious beliefs from kids in a religious family.

Answer 5

I think you will find that when people grow up, they do indeed make their own decisions about what they believe, regardless of their upbringing, or maybe even because of it. I know alot of adults that had one religion or another shoved down their throats as children, that have chosen to believe in nothing, or have had the personal strength to develop their own belief systems. It is those too lazy or too ignorant to develop their own, that fall back on organized religion. And they defend their choice by insisting it is the ONLY way.

Answer 6

Adults are able to choose for themselves. What are you talking about. At a certain age people do make their own choices.
I think its better to educate them and give them the opportunity to know all sides. I am pretty sure that is what a Christian does. We raise our kids to know all about God and all about non-believers as well. Does an atheist give the same opportunity to their kids. No I doubt it. I don't think I will ever see an atheist opening up the doors of reason to their children. They have closed them all for themselves- they don't even know how to open them.

Answer 7

How do you teach your childeren right and wrong? Do you teach them to eat with chop stick or with forks or by hand, surely you will teach them one of the ways. Do you teach your children to wait, while crossing the street before the sign says 'walk', what if they do not listen and cross the street when it does not say walk. What if they do not want to listen to your instruction. How about when the Children are big enough, stronger than you but you never told them about watching for the sign. They crossed the street & got into an accident,because they did not know because you never told them or taught them. Whose fault is it now?

Answer 8

My kids are 6 and 4, they go to church with me. Do you suggest I hire a babysitter while I go to church?

Your kids and my kids will most be influenced by the way we choose to live our lives in front of them. Being a parent yourself, you know how wise kids are.

Answer 9

I agree with you. Not only do I think it is not fair, I think it is totally selfish and irresponsible of parents to force their beliefs on their children. Children are humans with their own spiritual paths of experience and self discovery. When you force a child to accept a belief you are limiting their spiritual growth.

Answer 10

Fair? I cannot comment on how a parent raises a child.