like they do with santa claus? when kids ask their parents about santa, it's at that point that most parents tell their kids the truth.
i'm wondering, if kids ask their parents if their god exists around the same age?
also, if my 9 yr old asked me if santa was real and i told her with absolute certainty that he was, she would be inclined to believe me and proceed to tell all of her friends the good news. if i kept up the charade, she would continue to believe in santa. santa would just be part of her life.
is this what happens in religions? the kids start to not believe, but the parents reinforce it enough over and over again that the child continues to believe?
2007-11-28 00:27:09 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Yea, basically, but when it comes to something like an Abrahamic Religion you are told to believe, you are told you BETTER believe or you shall suffer eternal damnation and other scare tactics to the point where you stop questioning it....
Santa on the other hand....well, whats the worst that can happen? Ya stop getting presents or maybe lumps of coals in your stocking....
2007-11-28 00:37:35 · answer #1 · answered by Dr. Facepalm 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, we're not exactly "religious" though we have a religion. But, yes, they do ask. When my son was about 12 yrs old he asked about it. I told him what I honestly believed and explained to him that I have no way of proving it to him or anyone else... that this was something that some people seek and some don't...some people don't seek, but still end up experiencing something that leads them to believe. He accepted my answer and continued to be somewhat indifferent... he didn't really claim a religion till last year (he's 17 now). Though he did join in on holidays and some "rituals", he never really got into it much.
Yes, I believe that is what happens in extremely religious homes. The parents just keep telling the kids over and over that it's Absolute Truth.
Heathen
2007-11-28 09:26:26 · answer #2 · answered by River 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Riegan,
The sad fact is many of the children are not ready to give up on Santa in the early school years and other playmates push their knowledge upon them. At that point, the parent must either 'fess up or cause a rift between the children and their friends. This is not something that a "good parent" wants to do. The religious debate generally happens earlier as the children are participating in religious worship with their parents at home and at their place of worship. I believe in GOD and two of my children are also faithful followers. The third is not and has not decided to do so. That will be his decision as it was the others. To become a faithful follower, one must be old enough to make that decision and do so on their own accord. Have a great week.
Thanks,
Eds
Amelie,
I really like Your Answer! Thank YOU...
.
2007-11-28 08:39:08 · answer #3 · answered by Eds 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Strangely enough I was more inclined to question when I was a child than my daughter ever was. Did you realise that not all parents and children are the same? And that faith is based in personal experience more than reinforcement?
2007-11-28 08:36:28 · answer #4 · answered by Amelie 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Until the child is old enough to rationally consider the arguments themselves, and decide...Yes, that's pretty much it.
At the age when someone is ready to really rationally consider the world, the religious hope that when the question comes up, hopefully they've had enough time to at least have a preference (prejudice?) towards deciding on maintaining the religion that the person "held" as a child.
2007-11-28 08:30:38 · answer #5 · answered by Skalite 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Mine is only 4. She already asked me if god was real right after she asked about a church and I told her what it was for. I told her some people think so, but I don't. She then said that was silly. Smart kid.
I figured out Santa a few years before I figured out God, but my parents didn't actually tell me either one. I just knew that it was impossible.
2007-11-28 08:34:16 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 0⤋
I don't recall asking my parents if god was real, I just took that as truth. I do remember deciding that Santa wasn't real around 9ish.
I certainly wish I had dropped more hints to my daughter that Santa wasn't real. When she found out at 11 that he wasn't, it was a fairly emotional "betrayal" for her.
2007-11-28 08:35:49 · answer #7 · answered by Pirate AM™ 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
She would beleive... but then one day, probably pretty soon after if she is nine already, she would find out santa was not real.... And after that, when she is in her teens, she will start to question all other aspects of her life, including her religion.....
Its part of growing up and discovering who we are and what we think and discovering our place in this world.... I beleive we all all drawn to seek the truth, which leads us to question our beleifs in the first place...
2007-11-28 08:32:45 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
The child may continue to believe in Santa until the evedence to the contrary overwhelms their belief.
At that point they may start feeling negative thoughts towards the pairent for systematically lying to them for so long.
2007-11-28 08:43:58 · answer #9 · answered by Sly Phi AM 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
children in religious families are very much not encouraged to even consider the possibility that their god doesnt exist. even the thought of thinking about it is considered heresy and blasphemy and whatever term the specific religion uses...
it would take a huge leap of faith or unfaith for a child who grows up in a religious home to disengage from his/her religious beliefs, probably bigger than the leap taken by non believers who suddenly find god.
2007-11-28 15:52:11 · answer #10 · answered by joe the man 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋