Religion until a certain age

[attilavolciak07]

I am 14. My local friends and my sisters (who basically are the head of my house) have tryed to get me from refraining from being an Athiest. But that is the path I have chosen. I think that religion is not the best thing for younger children to be influenced by. Many children pick up their religion from their parents at an early age, thinking it is the right and correct one, like their parents.
In my opinion, children should not be 'given' a religion at birth. I was baptized, but I don't want to be Christian. If children get the religion from the parents, I don't believe it is one they will actually want. We should wait until kids are 18 or at least older to teach about all religions and have them choose the one they see best.

What do you think? Should religion be something that you should discuss and decide later in life or from the beginning? :hmmm:

[Chaigidel]

you should not be introduced to the mystery of faith until you are 40

[Thanatos]

you should not be introduced to the mystery of faith until you are 40

... says a guy who's not 40.

[motiv-8]

I am fairly convinced that one of the main causes for the prevalency of atheism amongst young adults today is the religious education that is forced upon them, one way or another, during early childhood, a time in which complex theological applications or even simpler matters of faith or virtue cannot be fully understood. The bitterness that it contrives is self-evident.

[Lord Anubis]

They shouldn't be taught religion ever and no I don't worship Anubis.

Who else got this ad?

[Senno]

They shouldn't be taught religion ever and no I don't worship Anubis.

Who else got this ad?

I got a similary one, same "Ministerial Preparation" different picture.

[Lord Anubis]

I got a similary one, same "Ministerial Preparation" different picture.

Is this it?

[Gauvin]

They shouldn't be taught religion ever and no I don't worship Anubis.

Who else got this ad?

I did, and am now ordained. They accept all major credit cards!

[boofhead]

As a parent I am responsible for the totality of the personhood of each of my children. That includes everything physical they require (food, exercise, play, clothes, bedroom, house); everything mental they require (good school, homework, educational tools, games, toys, conversation); everything emotional they require (discipline, comfort, understanding);and everything spiritual they require.

Now in all the above categories it is up to my wife and I how we choose to deliver said benefits to our kids. Some may do it one way, we do it our own way based upon what we think is best for them. Some others may do it better, but hey, we just do it the best way we know to do it.

So our kids attend a Christian Grammar School (with chapel services & stuff about God) and all attend Sabbath School each Saturday morning.

Our kids are free to make their own decisions when they are of age - it's up to them. However at this time in their lives the decision is up to us, and we make it. I think it's very important for a growing child to develop various spiritual and moral understandings - I'd rather have children who get some of their ideas of good/bad from a church than from Power Rangers or Spongebob.

[Lord Anubis]

Our kids are free to make their own decisions when they are of age - it's up to them. However at this time in their lives the decision is up to us, and we make it. I think it's very important for a growing child to develop various spiritual and moral understandings - I'd rather have children who get some of their ideas of good/bad from a church than from Power Rangers or Spongebob.

I wouldn't want my kids thinking they'd go to hell if they do one bad little thing I would rather teach them good/bad myself rather than ideals from an ancient book written by crazy old men in a cave.

[boofhead]

I wouldn't want my kids thinking they'd go to hell if they do one bad little thing I would rather teach them good/bad myself rather than ideals from an ancient book written by a crazy old man in a cave.

The church they attend doesn't believe in hell.

And the Bible was written by many, many men, only a few of whom ever lived in a cave

Look, if they reject the church later on fine. I rejected the church of my parents when I was 14. But it still taught some valuable lessons - about judging others, forgiveness, love, inner strength, compassion etc. So even if they do reject it, it can't hurt them, only do them a favour.

[attilavolciak07]

The church they attend doesn't believe in hell.

And the Bible was written by many, many men, only a few of whom ever lived in a cave

I still believe that book was created by some man who wanted to be famous.

[motiv-8]

I still believe that book was created by some man who wanted to be famous.

None of the men who were responsible for the Gospels ever became 'famous' in terms we would recognize... They were either crucified, stoned, or simply faded into obscurity.

The church they attend doesn't believe in hell.

Sounds suspiciously Seventh Day Adventist. Am I right??

[attilavolciak07]

Kids don't require anything spiritual. As a (let's say) 9 year-old, they don't give a dang about religion. Parents should not control how a child should think, in a way, it is brain washing.

[Trey]

Kids don't require anything spiritual. As a (let's say) 9 year-old, they don't give a dang about religion. Parents should not control how a child should think, in a way, it is brain washing.

Buddy, we've brainwashed from every direction since we've entered this world. Everything we're taught has spin on it. In a way, it is brain washing.

[boofhead]

Buddy, we've brainwashed from every direction since we've entered this world. Everything we're taught has spin on it. In a way, it is brain washing.

True that. How can a parent not have an influence on the way his child thinks? Just mere conversations are enough to influence a child. "Don't do that, little Johnny, it's mean." BRAINWASHING!

[Kiljaden]

What do you think? Should religion be something that you should discuss and decide later in life or from the beginning? :hmmm:

Firstly I want to congratulate you on coming to the only real rational conclusion at such a young age. Good job, and don't let the religious convince you of something for which there is no evidence. IF you are going to believe in something, have a damn good reason for it!!

I voted no because the question is worded poorly. Where I do not believe that children should be indoctrinated at a young age to believe one specific religion, I DO believe that it is important for them to learn at a young age that religion exists and in hundreds of variations.

Children should learn the mass diversity of things to believe in BEFORE they select one (if any) to believe. Even then, they should still get more life experience and shouldn't definitively select any belief while they are still very young, however that is not something I could or would want to control.

Umm no its the parents perogative to hand down their values to their children.

I bet athiest parents do the same to their kids as religious parents do.

Values and religion are two separate things. You are not a good parent if you don't teach your children values, morals, virtues, all that good stuff - but indoctrination into mind-stopping baseless faith is not something I'd consider a positive value.

[Pfundner]

Values and religion are two separate things. You are not a good parent if you don't teach your children values, morals, virtues, all that good stuff - but indoctrination into mind-stopping baseless faith is not something I'd consider a positive value.

you seem to think of religion as some brain-washing set of rules and laws. its not (although i admit a small minority of fundamentalists use it that way). its a moral code that is telling people how, apparently, god wants them to live they're lives. heck the whole gospels is about a guy telling people to live moral lives, love thy neighbour etc! so religion and values are actually extremely strongly linked, and although i dont agree with indoctrination many religious parents pass on some really good morals

its like what boofhead said:

Look, if they reject the church later on fine. I rejected the church of my parents when I was 14. But it still taught some valuable lessons - about judging others, forgiveness, love, inner strength, compassion etc. So even if they do reject it, it can't hurt them, only do them a favour.

[Dayman]

I don't think children should be taught religion (indoctrinated in, not educated about), but far be it from me to tell other parent's how they should raise their children. It's not my right.

[boofhead]

OK, let's assume all religion is crap, fairy tales....that means kids shouldn't be taught them, am I right?

Well, whatever you guys do then don't teach your kids about Santa Claus, or the Easter Bunny, or the Tooth Fairy, or Leprechauns at the end of the rainbow.

That would be misleading them, and though they may gain some boundless joy at the experience and cherished memories of childhood from such beliefs, it would still be wrong, right?

Raise them to be the know-it-all 5 year old who on the first day of school tells all the other kids "Santa is not real".