I had a bad habit of thinking my parents were the smartest people on the planet when I was growing up. Therefore, it took me a long time to start to develop my own opinions that were different than theirs on debatable subjects, such as religion.
What was your experience?
2007-10-25 06:30:01 · 30 answers · asked by Linz ♥ VT 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I'm not saying I don't trust my parents. I just think that they might be wrong about certain things, but it took me until very recent years to realize this, because I was in the mindset of "everything my parents believe must be right."
2007-10-25 06:34:55 · update #1
I fell on my @ss...YET, i learned alot of adults lied too. even
today...
2007-10-29 04:53:48 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I trusted them to tell me the truth, but that didn't mean I'd have the same opinion. I guess I realized that they could be right, but I didn't have to agree with them. It's hard to explain what I'm trying to say here. I guess I picked up early on that some things are not static. Not everything someone says is a "fact". There can be differing "opinions". It takes some people a long time to pick up on that.
And I think I had trouble seeing that other people had different ideas than I did. I didn't get that what I was thinking wasn't necessarily what other people were thinking. An example - I had always thought the Jesus stories were just stories to learn from. Imagine my surprise when I realized other people actually believed them. It didn't occur to me that other people saw it differently. (And to believe THAT? People be crazy. Oh, and Santa - I never actually BELIEVED in Santa. I thought it was just a fun tradition. I knew damn good and well "Santa's" presents were hidden in the attic. I was entirely too rational as a child.)
2007-10-25 13:39:03 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
First, define "the truth" and then prove to me that said definition applies to every person on the planet at any given time.
I mean, honestly. I listened to what my mum told me because she was my mum- she did what she could to look out for my and my wellbeing, and to help me grow up with discipline, responsibility and compassion for other living beings. Parents don't need to press their religious beliefs onto a child to do so, because what's true for them might be very different from what's true for the child once they're grown, and it's all but scientifically proven that some of that religion crap can seriously mess a child up later on in life.
If a parent has personal views, they can keep them private, or at least expose the child to a variety of other beliefs and let the child decide from there once they're older. Anything else is pure brainwashing.
2007-10-25 14:23:30 · answer #3 · answered by Fire Falcon 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes I did too.
But during my teen age years I realized they never read the Bible, they didn't even own one.
And I realized that our church kept electing my Dad to the Board at the church and it finally occured to me that I'll bet none of them knew my parents didn't own a Bible.
When I became a born again Christian, while in high school, the very first people to persecute me for finding Jesus were my parents.
After I joined the Navy and went overseas, I read the Old Testament once and the New Testament six times. I did that in the absence of anyone telling me what to believe, except for a couple of Mormons on the ship.
With that education under my belt I could see how far off the church of my youth was, and after having a talk with the Pastor of that church on the Sunday around the July 4th weekend, soon after I got out of the Navy, I renounced my membership in that church and joined a Bible believing church in the town where I was attending college.
Pastor Art
2007-10-25 14:19:51 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
My father taught me that I should question everything, that blind faith in anything is not good. We have many different opinions on things, and we have nice long discussions about them. That is why my belief is strong, I was told to question and believe in what I think is right.
It is interesting to hear your experience knowing that you are an atheist, it seems like a lot of atheist grew up this way or grew up being told not to question the religion they were in. It is a very interesting observation to make about atheist.
2007-10-25 13:36:54 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I didn't trust my mother all that much, she was extremely depressed and slightly "off" after the death of my brother when I was a baby. We didn't get along too well - now we do, since I can understand all that she suffered. She also had a horrible childhood.
However, my father (now dead) was the most honest man I know - and super trusting even of people who didn't deserve his trust.
I never knew him to tell a lie, even when it was uncomfortable for him to tell the truth.
2007-10-25 13:40:09 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I trusted my parents to tell me the truth to the best of their ability.. My parents never claimed to be infallible and would often answer a question with "I don't know but we will find out." or "I think/believe____" (Having already prefaced me with when we say I think/believe it means others have different opinions)..
I have always believed that parents who attempt to appear infallible do their children a great disservice by both giving incorrect information and not showing their children they don't know it all.. Luckily I had parents who were secure enough in their own skins to show their children they were still open to learning what they didn't know..
2007-10-25 13:39:45 · answer #7 · answered by Diane (PFLAG) 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Mostly. I had a mind of my own but I also could see that they were usually right.
My parents never lied to me, not even about Santa or the easter bunny. I have no reason to doubt them. And when we all became Christians over the course of one summer it only made me trust them more - we all learned new things together.
2007-10-25 13:37:38 · answer #8 · answered by Blue Eyed Christian 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Mine was the same as yours. My parents honestly believe and live the Christian life. They believe that God is loving and wanted to help me avoid being tortured by him, so they told me he created me special and that he had a purpose for my life.
That was a nice wonderful feeling, until you realize that you aren't hearing from God, and start to wonder what is wrong with you. That leads to depression and questioning your faith, which you have been told is very bad and leads to hell.
It is a vicious cycle, but I can't blame them, because they are trapped in the same deal.
2007-10-25 13:35:47 · answer #9 · answered by ɹɐǝɟsuɐs Blessed Cheese Maker 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My parents believed it was okay to keep a collection of pornography "hidden" in the basement, an unlocked cabinet full of booze, a house filled with cigarette smoke, that it is okay to lie to protect your reputation, I could keep going but at least I no longer believe those things are profitable for making a contribution to society, so I guess I agree with you in a way.
2007-10-25 13:41:45 · answer #10 · answered by joe 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i believe all children grow up with the inate sense to trust their parents with the exception of abusers, it is not a "bad habit" and developing your own opinions is natural and I welcome and embrace my children when they are grown up enough to do so, in the meantime they can keep thinking I'm the smartest person on the planet
2007-10-25 13:34:08 · answer #11 · answered by Hope 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋