Do children have the right view of God?

Question

Children only know through their hearts what "God" is.
(To my Atheist friends: I'm talking about children who have been told there is a higher being, this isn't about whether or not they would believe in one in general- not the point here)

Jesus said "blessed are little children".

I remember as a small child who had been told there was a God but not taught anything, I had a very simple concept of "God"- love, power, protection.

If children die, they are said to go to heaven, even though they may not know about Jesus, or understand or anything.

Are we obligated to learn dogma as we get older, or is that view of God good enough? If it is good for a child, and children are more blessed, why would that stop being good as an adult?

What if there are adults that still have that simple view- do you think God would punish them?

Please explain your thoughts, and if you quote a Bible verse, please explain the significance.

Of course children are born Atheists. That doesn't prove or disprove a god, and that's not the point of my question.

Thanks for the verses Wickedaw- they seem to support my theory

Gunsandbroads- it is natural, but that doesn't mean it makes our ideas more accurate- it could be taking us in the wrong direction.

Answer 1

children are more free in their heart.they don't worry as much as adults do. adults are more open to the world, they worry about the bible and god more than children do. children are more pure in their heart and they aren't thinking about all the things out in the world.... they are just more free than adults.

Answer 2

I think children have the right view of everything. No, we aren't obligated to learn dogma as we get older but many are made to FEEL obligated by parents, churches, etc.

I think as long as we are good people we have nothing to worry about. There is a huge difference between knowing Jesus and knowing OF Jesus. Truly knowing Jesus is what counts. There are many who use the prayers passed on to them, attend church, preach from the Bible, etc., and never really know Christ, they only know of him. They superficially go through all of the rituals and motions out of fear of being cast into hell, only hoping that they have successfully reserved their ticket into Heaven. But they never truly try to live to be like Christ, to know the man Jesus and how he lived, how he thought...If you read the Bible yourself, or just study about Him in general, you will see there is nothing there to fear. Good people who help others, challenge those who would suppress their fellow man, etc. are doing just fine because they are living his message whether they have ever heard of Him or not.

I think the adults who have the simple view you mentioned have it right more than anyone else.

Also, you don't "earn" a ticket either. You do things for your fellow man because you want to help them. You do these things out of love and kindness. One thought of it counting as going towards earning your place in heaven, and you've just tainted it by making it a selfish act.

Answer 3

We are to have childlike faith. Jesus said of the children that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these. I think it is because the little children believe with their whole hearts. It's when we get older that we think we're too smart for God.

Answer 4

1Corinthians 13:8 - When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

References to 'becoming as children' are speaking of spiritual growth and maturity. Jesus referred to the Disciples as children in Mark 10:24.

Answer 5

I tell my children that there is one truth about God...

"God is Everything or God is Nothing" that's it, that's all. God either is or isnt...and i do try and teach my children that there are several paths to get to god...many people have many beliefs, and that not necessarily are any of them right or wrong....all are right for the individual that practices and believes them...

As for God punishing Adults for simplistic beliefs, well, i don't believe in that at all....i think that the more basic the better..keeping it simple.

Blessings to all.....
)o( Trinity

Answer 6

Jesus said unless you become as a little child you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. This refers to humility, the pride and arrogance of some people lead them to think of the Church as brainwashing or evil but they are the uneducated. There is a Baptism of desire for the children who would be Baptized if they lived, but Salvation is not a free ticket like the protestants think, you have to earn it by works of faith, feeding the poor etc.. going to Mass and learning the dogma. (truth about faith)

Answer 7

I agree...when young children are introduced to God, they tend to instinctively understand that he loves them and wants to protect them...I think it has something to do with trust. A very young child also trusts his parents implicitly...even if those parents don't deserve that trust!

However, I disagree with your perspective that children are born atheists. I'm not saying they aren't, but I'm not convinced that's a fact. I think it is entirely possible that children are born with an innate knowledge of God...that whole "knowledge of good and evil" thing. They may not know his name or what he wants from them, but I think they may know he exists and that he is the source of "good".

We're definitely not obligated to learn dogma...in fact, dogma draws us away from God. God wants to have a personal relationship with each of us...a relationship based on his purpose for creating us...and it seems pretty clear given the variety of gifts and talents in humans that his purpose for each of us is different. Dogma hinders that purpose by trying to cram us into a "one-size-fits" all set of rules to achieving that purpose. Children, especially very young ones, don't perceive any limits on their existence...they learn those limits later. I think God wants us to come to him as a small child...to put our complete trust in him that he will protect us and care for us...this frees us to do what he commands without the burden of fear or "I can't".

Answer 8

when i was younger my parents answered the questions i had about God. they never forced me. i asked them on my own accord. i asked about the children in Egypt all the way to Jesus' resurrection. as i got older i did my own research. with Christianity as well as other world religion. i don't believe i was brainwashed because i took the time out for myself to seek God.

we are born with no thought. to be an atheist means that you KNOW there is no God or gods.

we are born with no thought. we don't even have dreams until 2 to 3 months of age. so how can a child comprehend or KNOW that there is no God or gods?

it's a learned process from birth.

Answer 9

You are right, children have a more accurate view of God than adults. Stay young at heart..........blessed are the children, children have innocence that most adults lose and replace with fear, control, and judgement.

Answer 10

Like most things in life the more in depth an understanding we have the better choices we have to make, I try to teach my children whatever they would like to learn about and then let them make the final choice what is best for them.