What are the early signs to watch out for that your child is becoming religious?

Question

I caught the little bugger watching a Jesus cartoon the other day. He quickly changed the channel to a science program when he heard me enter the room, but I knew what he was watching. And on the walk to school in the mornings we go past a church and he always dawdles at this point craning his neck to try to peer through the doors, then looks guilty when I tell him to stop looking at that building. What can I do to make him as militant as I am about atheism?

Answer 1

star for you, i see where you are going with this and i am curious to see what i expect to be many hypocritical answers.

Answer 2

Honestly, you need to let him indulge his curiosity about religion. If it's a forbidden fruit, he'll be even more interested to find out what you're hiding from him.

Teach him about religion--the good, the bad, the ugly. Teach him about the history of religions. The more he knows, the less appealing religion will be.

The worst thing you can do is to try to stiffle his curiosity--it might make him more prone to approaches from destructive cults and/or mainstream religionists.

Answer 3

Mam,I would be care full as you're walking on thin ice here.
I agree with
Brother L.C. & Miss Jeancommunicates. and will add this.
Out of the mouthes of babes you have perfected praise.
It is better that a millstone were hanged around your neck and thrown into the sea than to bring harm to one of My (God's) children. (paraphrased)
Even at this tender age your child knows that God exists and to deny your child the right to know the Creator of the heavens & earth. May God used this to open your eyes to the truth...

Answer 4

I know this is your child but maybe your child has there own mind which should be encouraged, maybe he is interested in learning about Jesus maybe he is made curious by the fact that you say it is wrong, children always like to challenge parents why not let your child grow on his own instead of trying to make him what you want him to be

Answer 5

I am an atheist, I was brought up Lutheran after my two years in Viet nam and seeing what man does to man I came back to the U.S. in search of answers to religious questions. After many years of research and study and clearing away the bull **** I became an atheist. Let your children make their own path in life.I did and very happy I did.

Answer 6

Don’t let him watch religious programming; they tend to gloss over the nasty bits of the bible in favor of the very few stories that a child won’t be frightened of. Read to him directly from the Old Testament, and then ask him to discuss what you have read often. Don’t suggest a way to ‘interpret’ what you have read, instead ask him what he thinks about a god that would act that way. You will have your son back watching PBS in no time. Good Luck.

Answer 7

Share stories with him about how man has taken religion and corrupted it to hurt others for profit.

You don't owe these organizations a damn thing. Keep his mind skeptical and open to actual truth.

I say this as someone who actually understands the attraction to Jesus, but has zero time for the cult surrounding it.

Answer 8

Matthew 19:14
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Answer 9

you can't force a belief or even a non-belief on anyone. don't hinder him if it is something he is moved to do. who knows, you may just be blessed by the outcome.

the point is though, that God will do whatever He wills. the love you have for your child is dim when compared to God's love for him, and He has a path for every person's life. you would be doing drastic harm to yourself and family to stand in the way of what God has for you and he.

Answer 10

Well no offense, but that's bad parenting right there. My parents are religious and I'm an atheist. They don't like it, but they accept it. If your child wnats to explore religions, let him. No one is brainwashing him. He's only brainwashing himself. If he decides that none of the religions suit him, then he will probably follow in your footsteps. But really, it's his desicion.

Answer 11

I think you can tell if a young child is becoming religious, if you discover him painting frescoes of the resurrection on your walls with the contents of his diaper.