Christians, how would you feel if someone called aside your children without your consent, to teach them about Buddhism, Wicca, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism. . . .do you feel that would be appropriate?
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2007-07-01 05:32:05 · 22 answers · asked by Smiley 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Assume we are talking about children 5 and under.
2007-07-01 06:19:42 · update #1
No. I think that what kids are taught is solely up to the parents. Mine will be Christian, but not as strict as some Christian homes are. I'm going to try to teach them Christianity and once they come to the age of accountability its their call they will become responsible for their actions I'm not gonna try to overtake them in that sense
2007-07-01 05:56:48 · answer #1 · answered by Some girl 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't say this because I'm anti-religious...
NO child should be raised to accept ANY religion. Parents think it's "their right" to impose everything they believe upon their child. That is irresponsible and cruel, even if you have good intentions. Children are very impressionable, which is why you can make them believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy and so on. However, when you continue to believe in your own unseen being - God - you are teaching them to do the same, and thus they will approach every situation in life with some bias, first of all that God does exist. I understand the idea of wanting to save your kids, but think for a moment. Do you really think that your child's spirituality is legitimate if he has been taught all along that it is "right?" He has to find it for himself. It is all the worse if this is the ONLY perspective to which he is exposed.
Let children be. They will grow, in time. When they are mature, they will truly be able to make their own decisions if they have not been indoctrinated already. If they choose Christianity, so be it. But when you take away that choice - and yes, you DO take it away because children internalize so much, though of course I know some people turn from their upbringing in the end - you are taking away freedom as well as the spirituality you wish your child to have.
All that being said, equal exposure to all religions is fine, though you should also encourage questioning. It is not for a PARENT to decide what knowledge a child has! That is SELFISH! You do not OWN your child, you have created him and take care of him. No person's free will should be owned, taken away, or restricted by another just because that other wants him to believe as he does. How would you like it if someone restricted access to knowledge YOU wanted?
Exactly.
2007-07-01 06:15:34 · answer #2 · answered by Skye 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No. Here is an example of why. Years ago when my girls where in grade school (late 80's) there was a new text book that was part of the new school year books, etc.
The material was teaching something from eastern mysticism of envisioning and taking control of a candle flame that they created with in their minds.There was other stuff also, but can't remember all of it today, it had nothing to do with education of a 3rd grade kid. Every parent showed up at the school and raised a stink, that book was pulled and gone. As I recall all over the county parents where complaining and that text book was removed.
In class room activities I think it would be OK to do color pictures and history, why it is, etc.and such for various "holidays" of the children in that class room.
The history behind the Christmas tree, the history behind the menorah, nothing big just a short thing so all the kids in that room know each other better.
Similar to the pages everyone did in grade school of this holiday and the calendar page and a little story of "St Patrick day" for example.
2007-07-01 05:58:21 · answer #3 · answered by coffee_pot12 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I live in a country were Children have 1 1/2 hours religion-classes a week and they learn about all religious beliefs. No problem with that. I'm Christian my two boys are Agnostic and thats ok for me.
No not to a child under 5. I think they are to young to understand religion.
2007-07-01 05:52:17 · answer #4 · answered by Sternchen 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As a Wiccan I can safely inform you that WE are not an Evangelizing Faith. We do NOT go out and "convince" people of the "correctness" of our Religion. In fact we tend to do the complete opposite. We discourage folks from taking up our ways. OUR ways are NOT easy to follow, require a LOT of HARD work, and the simple act of BEING a Witch means that we have to put up with a LOT of outside hatred. WE don't follow our Faith to be rebellious, cool, or just different. We folow our Faith because it SPEAKS to our Spirits, enables us to establish and maintain a CLOSE and personal relationship with Goddess and God, without ANY intermediaries or interpreters of what Goddess/God has in mind for us.
shirlykins is WRONG when she states that it is already being taught in the schools. NO religion is being taught in ANY PUBLIC school in the United States. She sees evolution as being some "far out" religion that is being shoved down the throats of "good christian children". Evolution is SCIENCE, a part of Biology and Genetics, and a very tiny part of that as well. It is based on SCIENTIFIC principles of Observation, experimentation, and hypothesis. The observations are made FIRST and only THEN does the hypothesis get developed FROM those observations. Crationism or "Intelligent Design" is NOT based on those Scientific principles. Creation scientists pose their hypothesis FIRST and then search fo ONLY that data that will "SUPPORT" their statements, The complete reversal of HOW Science is supposed to work. They are attempting to PROVE that something is or is not as it is. Scientists, TRUE scientists, see phenomena and try and figure out something that will explain their observations. They pruposely LOOK for something that will NOT fit in with their hypotheses. This enables them to further refine their theories and have them actually FIT the data that exists. NOT the other way around, they do NOT "force" the data to FIT their theories. The Theory of Evolution as originally proposed by Charles Darwin IS incorrect, NEW data has been uncoverd that has FORCED the revisions that followed that original Theory. Newton's LAW of Gravity is NOT as Newton first discovered it to be, NEW data has FORCED revisions to THAT as well. It's like that for ALL Scientific endeavors.
Back to the question: Christians would be appalled at someone trying to teach their children about other religions, therefore THEY have NO right to teach children of other Faiths about THEIR Faith. Learning about Religion is the respoinsibility of the parents of those children and NOT to be left up to others to inflict THEIR own viewpoints. Sorry for the slight detour but it DOES illustrate my point.
Raji the Green Witch
2007-07-01 06:19:53 · answer #5 · answered by Raji the Green Witch 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
the bottom line would be how old are your children? do they understand whats being told? its your childs decision in the end what they choose. thats why it saids to "train the child in the way he should go and when he is old he wont turn from it". would i want someone from another religion outside of christianity talking to my kids? no, cuz im a firm believer in the gospel, however i teach my children the gospel so im not to terribly worried bout an outsiders opinion cuz, they live with me and they are still hearing the gospel from me. can i say their wrong for spreading their thinking? no cuz they have the freedom in the united states to do so. (im only speaking of religion not anything that will throw them in jail or get them killed) you wont be with your children all the time so youll have to teach them yourself so they wont get confused or buy into the others belief!
2007-07-01 06:06:41 · answer #6 · answered by warrior*in*the*making 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Children shouldn't be taught anything without their parents permission at such a young age. Personally, I think 5 and under is too young to be taught any religion anyway. They don't understand complex concepts, etc.
2007-07-01 06:44:58 · answer #7 · answered by Heathen Mage 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If parents are supporting their children, they have say what the children should be taught and what they think is best for them regardless of what government or any individual as to say
2007-07-01 05:42:58 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No it is not OK. The parent needs to learn the word of God and then teach their children, also send them to a scool that teaches what the parent is learning.
2007-07-01 05:39:58 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
you could coach the origins of the Muslim faith, the places of their faith that coach against violence. you could practice that there are places interior the bible the place even God inspired violence against non-believers and used the Jews as His arm of Judgement. yet that doesn't recommend we would desire to consistently proceed to be violent. That substitute into for a time, 1000's of years in the past. part of what number diverse religions there are in Christianity and how they interpret issues differrently, clarify that that's what has occurred to a pair branches of Islam. Then tell them of the terrible issues that have occurred of their fatherland. they're in a persevering with state of warfare, woman and teenagers are killed brutally. they're persecuted for his or her faith. Have them close their eyes and picture a u.s. that appears like Bagdahd or Afghanistan. Describe the daily residing circumstances. Ask them how stressful it would be to alter into sour and offended and finding to absolutely everyone for a thank you to have administration. to easily do some thing. practice them a thank you to have empathy for others somewhat of a misinformed hated. practice them how Jesus grew to become none away, even the gentiles. coach them to look upon the physique of the Muslim faith as human beings, in simple terms like them.
2016-10-03 08:33:06 · answer #10 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋