Is it better to raise your child in one religion or allow them to to experience a variety of churches?

Question

It is too often when people refuse to question their spirituality simply because "it is what their parents believed". I personally would not impose my beliefs on my child because I want them to make a choice of their own when they are older

Answer 1

I believe the child should be raised with the parent's faith, but given free choice if they don't agree. That is how I'm raising my son. He will know what I believe in (wicca) and his father's faith (Lutheran) but decide for himself when he is older.
He doesn't show much faith in either, and that is okay too. I just want him to know that people do have religious beliefs and not to judge them.

Answer 2

I believe with my whole heart in God of the bible. I teach my children about about God and other children at church. The kids LOVE going to church. The morals of the bible are wonderful and God is loving and answers prayer. When they are older and leave they have the freedom to worship who they want and how they want. If they believe in Jesus as I do, then they must come to Him on their own because everyone has to call upon the Lord on their own....we dont automatically get saved because our parents are.
If I didnt believe in God then I would not tell them about God. I would probably be doing what you do because I have no definate beliefs of who really is God. But I do have certainty and solid foundations in the Word of God. I believe Jesus is the ONLY way to eternal life (there is only one way to heaven, not through every god people worship) and I want us all together in the afterlife because I love my children. It is because of my love that I pass down to them the teachings of Christ.
If you are open minded and kind and considerate of other people you will see that there is nothing wrong or uncommon in this way of raising children. This has been the teaching of most of our forefathers, why should it suddenly be shunned by the opinions of those who have no faith or those who follow every wind of doctrine out there from all religions?

Answer 3

You can bring up your child with the religion you are practising right now especially if they are young. Because once they are an adult and learn philosophy at school their minds and thinking about religion might changed.

But everything depends on how the parents whant to choose that for their children. Once they are out on the world most of them stay with the religion that they were brought up with and most of them decide they do not want to practise a religion, or if they find that special one of another religion they might convert and like it.

So there are many options and differetn ways to approach this

Answer 4

My sister is struggling with this idea now herself. She has a 18 mo old boy & wants him to learn "ethics" and some general things about being a good person... not that she & her husband can't instill that at home.
We grew up Lutheran, but neither of us believe/practice that now.
Her husband is half Jewish/ half doesn't care about church Christian...
So she is thinking of taking her son to a Unity Church- they have a good childrens program. They also incorporate some other religious thought into the teaching, occasional quotes from Buddha, Rumi, etc.
She said she may also take him to the Unitarian Church which is very open to free thinking... and maybe the occasional Lutheran thing w/ our father just so he gets a bit of that even tho we don't subscribe to it anymore.
She and her husband are both "spiritual but not overly religous"--in that they believe in God and learning to be good people, but agree that they don't want to force him to go to Church every Sunday as well.

Answer 5

I would go with letting the child experience a variety of beliefs and practices.

Answer 6

I don't agree. Children need that sense of community that the "family faith" participates in. Is your child's health important enough to settle on one doctor -- or should you bring him to a pediatrician, then a homeopathist, then your doctor, and then.....you get my point. A child needs to learn as much as he/she can about one faith and then use that as a benchmark for later. What would happen if you allowed your child to experience various kinds of school? Public school one year, charter school the next, religious the next, etc. Your child would end up very unsettled. Your child's religious upbringing is very important -- let him/her decide when he/she is capable.

Answer 7

If a person believes in one religion they would be a fool to let their child go to a different Church. I myself believe all religion is nonsense and would never allow a child of mine to attend any church.
Kisses Betty B.

Answer 8

as long as it's a christian church it doesn't hurt to 'shop around.but beware teach from the bible and worship christ.if not don't go .question for you you said i want them to make a choice of there own.what if your child wants to be a lesbian,a porno star,a tweaker,etc.. according to you .IT'S THE CHILDS CHOICE. thats why the bible says to bring up a child in the lord.then if he or she turns from the lord it will be there choice, not yours..children are young they can be miss lead very easy.and by the way if your against christianity.what if your child choose jesus christ?

Answer 9

Allow them to experience a variety. But why do they have to be churches?

Answer 10

How about teach them the truth. Give them the Word of God. And if they figure out what they believe at an early age good. To enter the Kingdom of God we must be as a little child.

In Jesus Name