Shouldn't children be taught about all religions and allowed to make their own educated decision?

Question

I never said anything about teaching it in school, I'm totally against that. My older children are 13 and 17, are they too young to decide? I think not.

Answer 1

YES!!!!

I cannot more strongly suggest that it is the parents responsibility to make childen aware of all spiritual beliefs and then let them decide.

My 14 year old son recently told me that he did not think there is a God. He knows I do. I told him that there are a lot of people who agree with him.

Answer 2

At home, yes. At school, no. Teaching all religions at home is a good idea, but not too prctical. In almost all cases, the teacher ( the mother ) has her own religious beliefs. Those will be pushed. A strong believer in Christianity or Islam would make a poor teacher of Hinduism or Buddahism. A follower of Shinto would not be able to teach the other religions equally - - - his own beliefs would be stressed more than the others .

Answer 3

I believe we should encourage our children to get answers for themselves. I hope to open my child's mind to new ideas and other perspectives, that there are more than one answer for everything. I believe there is a god out there. I want my son to have that same choice and know that I will support him in whatever he decides. I am here to guide him. I feel he will stand firm in whatever he finds because he would have found it for himself. Its my job to teach values and ethics. The rest is up to him. The key is keeping an open door to discussion. I let him know that I value his opinion, even if I don't agree. If there is no fear to share his thoughts, then I am apart of shaping that decision. I'm not my sons best friend. I am a parent. My son has rules and he knows what they are, and the consequences for them. He is being taught to respect different people. A thing in this age which seems lost to a great deal of our youth. Mainly because the parents are disrespectful or ignorant in what they themselves chose to hate or oppose. I hope that my son meets new people with an open mind so that he may truly know them.

To reply to some of the other answers out there. I regret religion has been taken out of school. With high school becoming more like college, courses on religions should be availible. With a teacher without a one-sided view, who isnt recruting, be allowed to give a broad view of religions in general.

Answer 4

I think all parents should be free to make their own decisions about if and how to handle religion, even if I disagree with it.

Unless someone can prove that a family is seriously abusing or neglecting their child, parents, and NO BODY else should make this decision.

(an example of religious abuse would be the polygamy cults where girls as young as 14 are FORCED to marry and breed with much older men, who are sometimes their uncles. In extreme cases like this, I say the welfare of the children trumps the "religious freedom" of the pedophiles who invented this religion so they can have access to little girls)

Answer 5

No. not about all religions.

Children should be taught about what all "religions" and loving non-religions agree as valid:

a few examples:

1.Do unto others as you would have them do unto you (law of recipriocity)

2. Have compassion when someone else is experiencing pain or trajedy.

3. Be a peacemaker rather than a trouble maker.

4. Be charitable to those who are unfortunate.



(well I am sure you get my drift.)

Then as young adults our children would have free will to choose harmony or disharmony and the free will to explore all the religions and belief systems.

Answer 6

I think we should try hard to teach children how to think, and rarely what to think. There are exceptions, of course, such as we should teach them not to run in the street and not to stick a knife into anything but food. Religions are based far more on opinions than on universally acknowledged facts (such as the effect of gravity and the warmth of the sun), so focus their learning on how to evaluate the opinions of others. Also, it may help to remember that each of us is driven to make our own mistakes. That leads to the best definition of learning I've ever heard: to err and err and err again, but less and less and less. Cheers

Answer 7

Parents have the right to choose the religion in which to raise their children but should also be open minded enough to explain the different religions to them when they are old enough to differentiate. When they are adults, they can make an informed decision about how or if they want to worship.

Answer 8

Is there an actual, functioning, rational ADULT here?

I'm a high school teacher. Would you like me to regale you with how well children do with all the OTHER choices adults---through inattention, neglect, time constraints, poor education, or fuzzy-headed wishful thinking like this question---ALREADY allow them to make on their own?

It's not a pretty sight.

Be the GROWN UP, for cryin' out loud. If you make a life, YOU are responsible for shaping it, molding it, guiding it, teaching it, AND correcting it. Yes, eventually, your children WILL rebel . . . it's part of the process. Give them something to rebel against, and be careful not to make it one of the things that count. But their *eventual* ability to make decisions on their own does not mean they don't need your guidance NOW.

It's not "forcing it on them" or "ramming religion down their throats" to make them part of your life and traditions.

Answer 9

Generally I agree with that concept.

I know people who reared their kids with a more "Universalist" viewpoint, then allowed their kids to go to church with their little friends as they got older. After a while, the kids usually discovered that the dogmatic teachings were not their cup of tea. There are people who really need that kind of stricter structure.
I grew up going to Souther Baptist churches. I personally do not agree with any religion that tells the kids that they are bad, lays a guilt trip on them or lowers their self esteem.

Answer 10

present them with a summary or outline. Children with tend to go with what is working in their respective homes...what parent and siblings do. There is plenty of time as young adult to scout-out and investigate all other faiths...I did, but still went back to original and regret ever leaving

Answer 11

In my opinion, they should be allowed to study whatever religion(s) interest them and they should be able to make their own decision as to what they are going to believe in. I have a 17 yr old as well and I fully support him finding his path on his own... it is his path after all.