Children and your beliefs

Have you ever seriously considered introducing them to any other religion or philosophy, such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Agnosticism, or Islam? If not, why?

No I haven’t, nor would I ever. I believe in absolute truths so it would be very hypocritical of me to teach my children other ways.Could you image the conversation: Son, I believe that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and life and anyone who doesn’t believe in him will parish, But if you choose to be a Buddhist, that’s OK too. He will either think I am not firm in my own convictions or I that am not overly concerned with his salvation.I am flat out trying to raise my children to be Christians, and I have no apologies for that. If I firmly believe that the only way to Heaven is through Jesus Christ, then to teach my children a way that I believe would lead to eternal death would be foolishness? My children will ultimately make the decision to accept Christ or reject him, but my wife and I will do our best to see that they accept him.

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Jason B

Take them gently to those doors, 'Steban, where choices are required as to which to open and which to avoid. Do you have a fantasy life? It balances well with reality and the two keep each other in check in a healthy mind and keep the mind healthy. The reality of a girl you love started with a dream, a fantasy. Think on it.

The admonishment is respect for all peoples. Bias for a certain kind of peoples inteferes with personal and social well-being.

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My children will ultimately make the decision to accept Christ or reject him, but my wife and I will do our best to see that they accept him.

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I totally agree with your depiction. The only thing I fear is that children in this position will only become part of a religion in order to please their parents, not to save their soul. I am sure you are a good parent, don't get me wrong, but just from my experience things of a religious nature are handled best with a gentle disposition. I, myself, was made to feel guilty if I even thought of missing a church function. Needless to say, it ultimately was up to me to choose my religious convictions, but feeling forced into something didn't exactly make christianity that appealing. It turned out to be a square peg in a round hole situation, but I still resent the thought that forcing kids to go to church magically turns them into perfect christians. Lead by example, not by edict.

As an atheist (thinking about getting children, if possible, in the near future) I will tell my children of the options at hand and give them the choice. My girlfriend (who is a pagan) and myself will not force our thinking upon the child.
The only thing I will try to avoid is when they try to get within a sect where our relationship might be hindered by religious views. If he/she choses to be religious, so be it.Lucy

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"Death & Dead" were found 827 times in 751 verses.Thats a Whole Lotta Suffering

No, you're assuming I believe as you do about the big bash in heaven and the eating the pie in the sky thing.I haven't got to that with them cos they haven't asked and i'm not going to fill their heads with other peoples interpretations of heaven and hell and punishment by an angry God at such an impressionable age.Very rarely does the end justify the means. If the means is fear intimidation, and forcing one's beliefs on another for their own good in the long term.Does the end of saddam in Iraq justify the means by which it happened ???.. and what of all the innocents ???

I will agree it is easier for a child to grow up a Christian (in the USA anyway). However I think it is wrong to push beliefs on an impressionable child. My system is with facts. You do not go beyond the facts as you do not know and there is no reason to pretend you do.
My wife and I will teach our daughter this system. (By the way ANY DAY NOW!!! I WILL BE A FATHER!!!).
I will not stop her from becoming a Christian.... I would however be disappointed she didn't have free thought

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My site The Atheist BibleMy New Debate Fourms!

RingoKid states:

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Very rarely does the end justify the means. If the means is fear intimidation, and forcing one's beliefs on another for their own good in the long term.

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Does the end of saddam in Iraq justify the means by which it happened ???.. and what of all the innocents ???

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That's just the point, Kid. Using fear and intimidation on your kids can only produce neurotic fundiebots who can't think for themselves. Similarly (though off-topic), Gulf War II did indeed kill thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians and some 900 americans in addition to putting Saddam out of commission. In neither case does the end justify the means, if we consider all the results and not just the ones we consider worthwhile.regards,
Esteban Hambre

I consider it morally reprehensible to raise a child in a religious faith. I consider parents who do so to not love their children, but instead to be using their children as a means of reinforcing their own beliefs.This message has been edited by contracycle, 07-28-2004 07:34 AM

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Uh no Schraf...the lord's prayer doesn't go "Our mother which art in heaven" and i wasn't raised catholic...
...however in Maori mythology their creation myth has a sky father and an earth mother but they haven't asked me bout that one in a christian context yet

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I'll probably just say it was a mans world back then and in a sense it still is so they naturally made God a man, cos men are funny like that...

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OK, just checking to see if your religious sexism is unintentional or on purpose.

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I am flat out trying to raise my children to be Christians, and I have no apologies for that. If I firmly believe that the only way to Heaven is through Jesus Christ, then to teach my children a way that I believe would lead to eternal death would be foolishness? My children will ultimately make the decision to accept Christ or reject him, but my wife and I will do our best to see that they accept him.

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Well, OK, but that isn't why I asked the question.Glordag asked: And then you replied:

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That would be pretty tough to do.

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And then I asked you: I asked this because it seems to me that it isn't all that hard to help a child make an unbiased descision about religion if you make the effort.But anyway, why would you want to worship a God that would damn your children to hell for something as silly as not stroking His ego? Isn't their how they treat others much more important to God than if they bow down before him? If not, then why is Gos seemingly vain and insecure, like a human, needing constsnt glorification and reassurance that he is great?I was raised in a Catholic household. I went to CCD every Sunday for 18 years. Nobody ever asked me if I wanted to be a Catholic. I knew from an early age that if I didn't want a HUGE scene, I would never even bring up the notion of not going to church. I am now an Agnostic. I might have stayed with religion in some form if it hadn't been shoved down my throat.

I asked this because it seems to me that it isn't all that hard to help a child make an unbiased descision about religion if you make the effort.

I say it is hard because being a Christian makes it hard. Because:1. The Bible tells me to bring my children up in the way. I will be accountable for that.2. If I believe only one path leads to God, and I care about my child’s salvation, I couldn’t let them proceed down another path.I know ultimately I can’t stop them, but to hold their hands and purposely guide them down a road I believe leads to certain death, or to even turn a blind eye as they wonder down that road on their own, it’s incomprehensible.

why would you want to worship a God that would damn your children to hell for something as silly as not stroking His ego

A little off topic. Maybe we can get into that some other time.One thing that hasn’t been addressed here is can you truly support ALL decisions a free thinking, unbiased, enlightened child makes? What if he joins Al Qaeda? What if he joins the KKK? Could any loving parent support such a decision? And please don’t claim radical beliefs only come from radical parents. There are many instances where children were given freedom to make decisions and choose radical groups to follow.This message has been edited by Jasonb, 07-28-2004 01:33 PM

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Jason B

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One thing that hasn’t been addressed here is can you truly support ALL decisions a free thinking, unbiased, enlightened child makes? What if he joins Al Qaeda? What if he joins the KKK? Could any loving parent support such a decision?

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Well, no, of course not.I surely you hope that you don't think that Buddhism or Hinduism promotes anything other than ways of self-improvement.

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And please don’t claim radical beliefs only come from radical parents.

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Well, I think that your beliefs are pretty extreme and radical, and you are teaching them to your children.

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There are many instances where children were given freedom to make decisions and choose radical groups to follow.

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Really? Care to give some examples.I'm not talking about children who were not taught good values at all.I'd like to see examples/statistics of the many instances where children who were taught a good moral code without religion who then choose radical groups.I think you will find that the children who were taught to think about life, religion, and philosophy in a life or death, black and white way are more likely to become extremeists later in life.

quote: There are many instances where children were given freedom to make decisions and choose radical groups to follow. Really? Care to give some examples.

How about John Walker, the american Taliban. His father was quoted as saying "He wanted something pure. We encouraged him to look."You would agree that the Taliban is a pretty radical group, and by all accounts his parents were not radical in their beliefs.

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Jason B

As a Catholic I respect that these traditions contain many elements of truth. Therefore, I would consider someone who did not have at least some knowledge of them, and the arguments pro and con, to be poorly educated and ill equipped to live in a world where one is likely to live and work with persons of differing views.