A Violation of personal liberity?

Question

This came into my head as a result of some of the response to people in their defense of being pro-life. A large part of their argument outside of murder was that it the fetus had no choice in regards to life or death. So here is where my question begins. A child has a young and very malleable mind. They do not have the capacity to make rational decisions and will often make choice that please their parents or gain their parents attention because they want to be loved. In most cases if a child says he does not want to go to church he is forced by his parents or in other cases the child is taken and put into schools that promote the families respective religion. The child has no real choice in the matter

So my question is that by forcing/indoctrinating/whatever your children into your religion aren't you also violating their personal liberties and their right to choose later on because they don't know any better and you have given them no real choice in the matter?

Answer 1

An excellent question.
And the answer, of course, is yes.

Answer 2

No, that is not violating a child's personal liberties. A child can still choose whatever religion they want later in life. While they're still children, parents have a right to choose what they believe will be best FOR THE CHILD. This extends to religion, but includes many other things as well.

The way I look at it is...parents should be able to raise their children however they want, religion or no religion, as long as there's no abuse involved, and as long as their children are taught morals (don't lie, don't steal, et cetera).

I know many atheists who were raised by religious people and vice versa. My husband was raised mostly by his mother, who is an apathetic atheist. He is a non-religious theist.

Answer 3

Is this what happened to you?
Because personally- I feel that IF training up a child to be more like Jesus--is wrong.. Then NO child should be born to this earth. I have a child & instead of her being an inconsiderate spoiled brat- she is compassionate to others- she has good moral values- and never confrontational-(unless she sees someone being wronged) You know- I think I would like to see the world full of kids that were taught about Jesus & learned to walk HIS walk--instead of following the failure of men- because mankind will ALWAYS let you down- PUT you down & TREAT you as a second class citizen. So if raising my child in church is viewed as abuse- so be it- Because she & I are not here to impress anyone in this sinful world- we are here to do what we can to help mankind & show the love of Christ- My DUTY is to see to it- she has the opportunity to learn as much about Him as she can. If she chooses later- to walk away- it is her choice.

Answer 4

Children do not have "personal liberties". They are the responsibility of their parents. That why they need "parental consent" to do anything!
That's how the law views it.
As far as the issue of teaching kids a religion, I say let them decide for themselves when they're older.
Hopefully, they'll outgrow it.

Answer 5

You have made the very common error in believing that children are just little 'people'.
They are not.
Children are young animals who need to be _trained_ to be people. If left to their own devices, they would be just like so many orangutans or maybe chimpanzees. They must be trained to be people and since they need to be trained as such, they have no "personal liberties", and no "rights" other than the right to be cared for, loved, not abused, educated, trained in the proper way.....

Answer 6

So, you want to ban parents teaching children about religion ? Does that make you a fascist, or just a communist ?

Answer 7

The same could be said for all types of socialization, but without it human socities would cease to exist.

Answer 8

Life is MUCH higher in priority!
btw, my parents did not force me to go to church
or to become a Christian!
I said "no" at first and my parent's love
for me was unconditional - not depending upon me
becoming a Christian or not.

Answer 9

I believe children cannot make decisions that last the whole of their lives as children, and thus should not be initiated into a faith tradition.

Answer 10

That's just life.

You can't expect parents to isolate their children from their own culture and traditions until they're old enough to decide for themselves who or what they want to be.

Answer 11

Children aren't to decide. The Bible warns parents to train up their children. It also tells what happens when this isn't done.