Why do Christians act like "accepting Jesus" is a voluntary process ...?

Question

while simultaneously insisting that children be indoctrinated?

is it the knowledge that, left to their own devices, few would choose to believe such nonsense?

Answer 1

Looking both ways when you cross the street is a voluntary process. However, I indoctrinated my children about it just the same. Does that answer your question?

Answer 2

Leviticus 18:22 'Do not have sex with a man as you would with a woman. It is an abomination. Why would a God of love say such a thing? Did you read the answers to Peach's question? Like it or not, they were smug and hateful. Whether anyone cares to admit it or not, Christianity plays a big part in our laws. It's Christian groups that organize protests against gay marriage and abortion clinics, raise a fuss over stem-cell research, etc. EDIT: Just let gays get married. It's so little to ask for, but it means so much.

Answer 3

Well, I'm a Christian, and I don't believe that accepting Jesus is a voluntary process. Faith is given, not taken. And in that faith, we bring our children up in the fear and admonition of the Lord, "marking" them in baptism as being part of the family of God. Of course they are indoctrinated, families do that.

But I also believe that you are correct in your second premise, that few would choose to believe, if left to their own devices. Only I'll go further, NONE would choose to believe if left to their own devices. Yes, we start out as atheists, unless God intervenes. Psalm 51:5 proves your point as well as mine. Mankind has lost the ability to maintain fellowship with God from the fall of Adam forward. We all stand in condemnation before the Lord without his grace and mercy.

To you, this is rubbish. But I thought I would at least give you a Christian perspective, albeit a minority view.

Answer 4

Life is about the choices that we make. At a certain age we become accountable for our actions and whether or not we continue to believe in our beliefs lies within us to make those choices. So accepting Jesus Christ is indeed a voluntary process. The decision is ours to make. The question of sticking with our decision until the end that is left up to the decider. Indoctrination or Brain washing is just pure rubbish. I went to school. I think that is mandatory here in the U.S. and that is one of the places where precisely I learned in more ways than one to think for myself!

Answer 5

An encounter with the concept of religion is inevitable for any child. Who better to introduce the concept than the parents, rather than radicals and extremists bent on absolute conversion?

How can religion be nonsense? The doctrine itself may not be appealing to some, but the institution of religion is the very foundation of a country and of democracy itself. Could it not be possible that a greater being plays a part in even the most human designs?

Answer 6

by the way, there are many Christians that did not come to know Christ until their adult life, so they were not indoctrinated as you call it. My children came to know Him at a young age- at they had a choice, to continue to follow Him or not. Faith in Christ, by the way, is not nonsense- it is the most beautiful thing to know that we can have a personal relationship with the living Lord. Sorry if you choose not too- however for those of us who do, it is the greatest thing.

Answer 7

Sounds like you don't know much about Christianity. Accepting Jesus is a choice. Nobody can force you into it. It is ANY parent's wish that their child follows their belief. Specifically in the Christian religion people have to choose to become baptized. Churches will not baptize anyone that is too young to make that choice (keep in mind I'm talking about being baptized NOT christening...they are different). If a child forced into it, then that parent did not follow God's wish....because it is God's wish that we willingly and voluntarily accept him.

It also is not nonsense. It is one's belief and faith in God. I'm sure you CLAIM to be open minded...but realistically, you're not, because you would not be calling other's beliefs nonsense. I'm Christian and would never speak about another's beliefs or life style that way.

Answer 8

Here are some facts for you to consider in your trip thru life !!!

http://www.carm.org/doctrine/100truths.h...

Here is some fulfilling prophesies that we are now living in !!!

A. Some would depart from the faith and go into devil worship-1 Tim 4:1.


B. People would mock about the last days and not believe-2 Pe 3:3; Jude 18.

C. People would become lovers of themselves-2 Tim 3:1,2.

D. People would be disobeying their parents-2 Tim 3:1,2.

E. People would be grateful for nothing-2 Tim 3:1,2.
F. Homosexuality would increase-Lk 17:28,30; ref Gen 19:5; Ro 1:24,26,27.

G. People would be without self-control in sex-2 Tim 3:1,2,6; Rev 9:21, Lk 17:28,30; Jude 7. Is this not the great sex generation?

H. People would love pleasures more than God-2 Tim 3:1,2,4. Remember, these were all predicted centuries ago as part of the signs that we are at the time of the end.


I.People would be taking drugs-Rev 9:21. The Greek word for sorceries, in Rev 9:21, means pharmaceuticals or drugs.

Note: Fifty years ago, many people seldom locked their doors at night. There was little or no profanity on television, radio, or in the movies. One of the biggest problems in public school was gum chewing. Those days are long gone.

There is hope on the horizon, check out the future below !!!

#1: The Rapture Of The Church (This could happen now) 1 Thess. 4:15,17; 1 Cor. 15:51,53

#2: The Judgment Seat Of Christ (This will happen in heaven where believers will be judged according to their works and receive or lose rewards. 2 Cor. 5:10; Romans 14:10-12

#3: The Marriage Of The Lamb (This will happen in heaven) Rev. 19:7

#4: The Seven Sealed Book - The Crisis (This will occur right after the rapture) Rev. 4

#5: The Tribulation (Known also as: Jacob's Trouble & Daniel's 70th week)

#6: The Second Coming of Christ (Will be visible and invincible) Rev. 1:7

#7: The Millennium (The Reign of Christ on Earth For one-thousand years) Rev. 20:4

#8: The Final Revolt Of Satan - Revelation 20:7,9

#9: The Great White Throne Judgment (Where Sinners Are judged and cast into the lake of fire) Rev. 10:11,15

#10: The Destruction Of This Present Earth And Surrounding Heavens 2 Peter 3:10,11

#11: The New Creation Of Heaven And Earth - Revelation 21:1

IF YOU WANT THE RIDE OF YOUR LIFE AND A SECURE FUTURE !!! TRACK AND DO THE FOLLOWING !!!

[Rom 5:8] But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
[1John 1:8] If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
[1John 1:9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
[Rom 10:9] That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
[Rom 10:10] For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
[Mat 10:32] Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

Answer 9

We believe it's the word of God that was supernaturally preserved for all these years. There are historians who have proven that the bible has been Miraculously preserved more than ANY OTHER literary work. Accepting Jesus is a voluntary process. Right now I am indoctrinating you and you have the choice to reject or receive Jesus who died for you on the cross as your personal Lord and saviour. What will you do? I'm frankly astounded at your lack of concern over the lies and twisted perverted stuff our kids are REALLY being taught at this point. you should really have concern over the generations to come. I think you are blind. I pray God opens your eyes in Jesus' name.

Answer 10

where do I begin:
accepting Jesus is a voluntary process bc/ I've seen
a) someone who went to church their entire childhood end up atheists &
b) drug addicts who were never in a church become believers

now - as a believer you would want to raise a child up in the belief system that you too have adopted. That goes for any faith, religion, or lack thereof.

Letting a child choose for themselves doesn't mean you don't educate them. That's like asking someone to pick their favorite book out of a list of books they've never read...doesn't make sense.

Finally, you can't leave children to their own devices bc/ ultimately someone will come along and "preach" whatever they believe. I put it in quotation marks bc/ by preaching I don't necessarily mean any religion in particular, but there is a continuous stream of influence around our children today in the form of peers, teachers, mentors, friends, family, media, etc...that push what they believe in one form or another.

It is not stupid or controlling to educate your children with what you deem worthy of knowing for whatever faith. What hurts a system that was meant for good (rearing your children to be responsible and caring citizens that contribute), is when parents teach by words and then go and do the opposite of what they tell their children to do. This is where you get a lot of confusion and this is where the family fails its youth.

Answer 11

Most people initially share the beliefs of thier parents and then naturally develop thier own as they grow and mature, but Christianity is a widely accepted religion that seeps so deep into the roots of this culture and country that people will naturally accept it. Thats not a knock on it, thats just the truth.