Bringing children up within a religion?

Question

Do you believe that you should choose a religion for your child, or educate them on religion and let them make their own decision? And why do you believe this? And what religion are you part of?

Quite a few questions, but I'm just interested in what peoples views are on this.

Answer 1

believe that children should be brought up to understand all sides that they can, so that they can decide on what feels right to them. Whether it be Wicca, druid, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, christian etc etc
I myself am a Wicca witch, but any children i have i don't expect to follow me unless they want to. They could be an atheist for all i 'll care! as long as they know wrong from right and that actions have consequences and are prepared to accept responsibility for anything they might do good or bad, then i don't mind. I believe any one person adult or child has the right to decide for themselves.
I was brought up CofE and did i get it shoved down my throat? yep! i didn't enjoy it one bit especially when i 'felt' it really wasn't for me, but i was cornered on all sides. It's taken a lot of time and effort to make my family realise i am happier now and more centred in myself. I believe in myself more and have greater confidence in my own life than i ever did as a child.

Answer 2

I believe in letting people (including children) make up their own minds.

I was not raised in any religion (nor educated in any religions) and my rural neighbors are private people and never talk about religion - so I had a clean slate. It had certain advantages.

I don't belong to any religion, but I am spiritual and I know God exists. So not being raised in religion will not necessarily produce atheists - I started out agnostic and now theist.

~ Eric Putkonen

Answer 3

I think a religion is a good moral framework for children to learn although as with everything in life balance is the key.

If you expose them to a way of being and a way of treating others from your own behaviour they will soon see the hyprocrisy in the hierarchy of a religious order, and will be able to judge for themselves when they are mature enough.

I believe that everyone makes their own way to their God and we all know its basically about being kind to our fellow humans and our environment. Ultimately gaining in spiritual growth.

I was raised Irish Catholic, but am in the process of researching various orders. I'm verring toward Quakerism.

Answer 4

In a discussion with a colleague, I said my kids will pick their own when or if they want. He (being a practicing Christian) looked at me horrified and said if I didn't introduce them to something then they wouldn't choose any! Which I thought was an odd way of looking at things, I guess he meant without a seed then no tree would grow.
St. Ignatius of the Jesuits was famed to say "Give me the boy until he is seven, and I will give you the man."

Answer 5

Instead of concentrating and focusing on teaching them a religion focus your time on educating them into being productive citizens in society.

Religion is not going to support a life for them. I will keep my children free from the grips of religion which creates closed minded people.

Answer 6

Raise them to be open minded free thinkers. If they then choose to follow a religion then it is there choice. I am an Atheist. There are way to many closed minded, hidebound people in this world. Forcing a religion on a child is wrong.

Answer 7

It comes from a primitive view of the divine as a ruler or king, who could be obeyed and/or feared. With the instructions of Jesus, a clean version of the divine replaced into presented, the loving father. right here there is not any reason to concern. Sin exists to be sure which you find who and what you're. This discovery effects interior the authentic acceptance of God's love and forgiveness. The suffering that we bear as a effect of our sins brings us closer to the suffering of Jesus. In different words, we learn via failing. It and additionally you're all portion of God's plan. there is not any longer something to concern, and each thing to love. Kuma

Answer 8

Both my parents believed in a god but neither followed an organised religion. Both had fairly strict religious up-bringings, my father, especially, in a time when people would be shunned for not attending church (he was born in 1898), although he believed his parents had their doubts. My father openly admitted that his marginal, belief in god could easily have been the result of his early introduction to religion. That knowledge already being there when he began to reason for himself.
Because of this, my siblings and I were brought up as Atheists but religions and god were one of our main topics of conversation. We were taught from the outside looking in, not from the inside looking out.
My siblings and I were not christened and, up to around the age of three, were kept away from people who would 'preach' as apposed to 'teach'. We are all strong Atheists and grateful to our parents for breaking the belief chain.

Answer 9

I believe in teaching my children the truth. They have both chosen to follow Jesus, like me, because they trust me, but they are taught about other faiths. I guess some day they may fall away (lots do) but God is powerful, and they have both given their lives to him (their choice not mine) so I believe that even if they fall away, they will return to Jesus one day. It's between them and God, I won't disown them ,it's not like that in christianity, I will simply pray.
I was raised in an environment where all views were embraced and I changed my mind about that when I met Jesus, so I'm not a product of my parent's views either.

Answer 10

that's OK and not a sin... as a catholic and as was partner had very strict catholic upbringing and both of us sort of rebelled ......we still do and believe in our inherited beliefs but gave our kids the options and sent them to state school were we hoped they would be given a wider view ...they did get it but the local church not catholic did have a wider input than I liked did think the state would have been or stepped back and let a broader picture been seen ..as it turned out our kids decided on our religion with no pressure from us they still not been confirmed or anything else but they class themselves as catholic .....or maybe its you are what you want to be ..they are intelligent educated free thinking people within a very mixed religious family back ground ..with respect to all religions ....their choice