2007-12-05 12:20:40 · 19 answers · asked by DavinaOpines 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Telling a child (or someone unable to reason) they could/are going to Hell is abuse.
2007-12-05 12:31:21 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Teaching it to them isn't exactly a problem. When I was in sunday school, I was to understand that hell was a place where very bad people went. But if you were sorry (or something like that, I forget) then god would forgive you and let you into heaven. Religiously speaking, that seems like a good lesson.
But using hell as a disciplinary tool is just wrong. If a child does something small, say break a lamp or says a bad word, the first parental action shouldn't be to yell "DON'T DO THAT OR YOU'LL GO STRAIGHT TO HELL!" but should be to correct the action of the child, and punish based on severity and circumstances.
2007-12-05 13:24:59 · answer #2 · answered by trainboy765 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hmmm Well, I'm not sure how I feel about it. I don't think it's exactly moral anyway. I'm sure most children live through it just fine, but I think that parents who emphasize hell all the time to a young child who is going to be frightened of such a place could pretty much qualify as emotional abuse, don't you? I mean, if it doesn't then what the hell does?
I don't really think my parents were over the top at all about hell and they weren't overly religious, but they did teach me that hell exists and they told me that it was a horrible place of eternal torture. That in itself traumatized me, I would have to say.
2007-12-05 12:27:48 · answer #3 · answered by A 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Ah, abuse. The single most abused word in the English language.
With nothing to fear, what kind of world would that be. The fear of hell has saved many lives, no doubt.
Btw, I was brought up knowing about hell, and it didn't bother me one way or the other.
2007-12-05 12:27:34 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Is it abusive to teach a child to NOT touch a HOT stove?
I think not teaching about hell is abuse.
I think not teaching children to brush their teeth is abuse.
Would you prefer to let a child decide if he wants to brush his teeth when he turns 21?
By then he won't have any teeth left!!!!
Pastor Art
2007-12-05 12:34:02 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Abuse is hitting your child causing injury. Abuse is tormenting your child with insults and degrading, hurtful comments. You may not agree with religion, but it hardly rises to the level of abuse. By associating it such, you dilute true abuse.
2007-12-05 12:24:34 · answer #6 · answered by wigginsray 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Teaching them that it does not exist would be abuse, because it would ensure that they will go there if they die before they gain they ability to reason and learn the truth.
2007-12-05 12:24:09 · answer #7 · answered by unfit_commander 5 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Unfortunately, people are taught this nonsense from childhood through adulthood. At least kids eventually learn there is no tooth-fairy and no Santa Claus.
Telling me I am damned to hell is no different than telling me that Santa isn't going to bring me any presents. Let your kids know that Santa, Jesus and Leprechauns are all myths.
2007-12-05 12:31:46 · answer #8 · answered by Aldo the Apache 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
It's borderline abuse for sure.
It's no better than the stories about the boogie man. People need to realize that children can behave just fine without threats of torturous punishments..
2007-12-05 12:24:34 · answer #9 · answered by t_rex_is_mad 6 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Why sugar coat the truth? There is an alternative to Hell, you know.
2007-12-05 12:24:21 · answer #10 · answered by N L 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋