Religion At a Young Age

[keyodie]

So, what is your opinion on preaching/teaching religion to young children?

Personally, I think parents should wait until they're at an age where they're more mature and understand how big of a decision it is instead of preaching at such an impressionable age.

[Caunion]

I agree with that idea. Of course, it's essential to teach children morals and the like, but from a secular perspective. But I think the reason why religious parents and figures teach religion to children at such an impressionable age is because the children might not want to become part of that religion. Now, while I understand this applies some cases and of course, there are those who join a religion on their own volition, but it can not be ignored that most children adopt the religion of their parents at an early age.

However, I think it's important that the children are taught all the religions. Just giving a basic understanding of them and showing them that there are many religions to choose from and that it is their choice which religion they want.

[ladytera]

Since I'm killing time while running diagnostics on my main computer, and I was able to get my work computer to run a usable version of firefox, I'm thinking I'll spend some time playing. I've missed it. So, let's shake things up.

Teaching religion from a young age is essential from the point of view of the people responsible for teaching it to children, namely their parents. Aside from the whole fear of God thing that helps with discipline, since he didn't grace us with eyes in the backs of our heads, for parents who truly have faith, it is an essential part of who they are as people, how they act, what they do. It can't be separated from their day to day lives. If parents were to keep their children from their faith out of some misguided idea that they were too impressionable, it would limit their children's ability to understand them as people, and to understand why they have the rules they do. Since the two posts in this topic come from folks who don't particularly follow a religion, unless you want to include science in that category, I can understand why your perspectives would be more of a philosophical idea of is it "right" for parents to subject their children to their fantasies (in Caunion's case) or their unsubstantiated beliefs (in Keyodie's case). But let's start with one premise first, and then I'll address the other points. Parents have a right and a duty to raise their children as they see fit, and unless there is provable abuse, no one else has the right to interfere with their teachings. So, in other words, while this might be an interesting philosophical debate, it's a moot point in reality.

As to waiting until they get older and understand what a big decision it is, that's just a little silly. We teach our children all sorts of things from a very young age. And it has been proven that the best time for them to learn the foundations of larger concepts is while they are young. If a person believes faith is an important part of life, it wouldn't make any sense at all to wait until the child was old enough to understand before beginning the explanation. We teach kids to count, to learn their letters, to know their body parts, to look both ways before crossing the street, the name of the state they live in, mostly all before kindergarten. They can't read, so why should they know their letters? They don't have a grasp of math, so why should they know their numbers? You're not going to let them out of your sight or away from your side near a street, so why would they need to know to look both ways? They don't understand the concept of what a state is, or how big the country is, so why do they need to know which one they live in? We teach them all of these things as a foundation for later understanding. At some point in their education, we teach them critical thinking (at least if they're lucky) so they can sort through all the things they've been told over the years, and determine for themselves what is accurate. Why would you think that giving them less information on a subject that will have a huge impact on their lives would be a good thing?

As to teaching kids different religions, I don't disagree with that entirely, but again, that is up to the parents. Personally, I think the concept of a God is a good start for most kids, as they get older and start to question the details, you provide them with further information, including other perspectives, until they get old enough to start looking for the answers themselves.

Since I'm sure you guys might not agree with this view point, let me pose a couple of questions. Caunion, if you had never been taught Christianity, how would you know that there is no God? Keyodie, if you had never been taught Christianity, how would you know that there might be a God, or it might be something else? If I were to impose my point of view on what you could be taught, and say that the original theory of Evolution has been disproven, and therefore you shouldn't be allowed to hear anything about it until you're old enough to make up your own mind about it, and understand what a huge concept it is, wouldn't that make me closed minded and oppressive? Why would you consider it less closed minded and oppressive to deprive a child of the right to know the God their parents know?

As to most children following their parents religion, I don't know what scientific evidence there is for that, but I'd guess, just from the number of Christians on the planet, that you're probably right, but why do you think that's a bad thing? Why should religion be any different than anything else in the parent/child relationship? Many children follow the same career paths as their parents, many children have the same accents and speech patterns as their parents, most children have the same eating habits as their parents. Most children have the same overall life philosophy as their parents. It comes from having lived with them for 18 years. I know there are times when I sound darn near identical to my mother (and boy do my sisters laugh at me when that happens). I know I have a lot of the same logic and thought patterns as my father. On the other hand, I often catch myself with facial expressions I picked up from living with my second husband for 7 years. When you have long term associations with people, you tend to take after them in a lot of different ways, why would you expect that something as all encompassing as faith would be different?

I can also say, from the point of view of someone who has faith, I would never dream of depriving my children of the peace and love that comes from having a relationship with God. I would also never force it on them once they are old enough to make those choices (ask Ammy). But, I would have been remiss in my responsibilities as a mom had I not tried to teach them how to find their own way to Him when they're ready.

[keyodie]

I'll start working on a response, and will post it later when I have the time. I have to go study for a chemistry test. Woohoo!

[Raivynn]

As a parent myself, I have chosen not to raise my daughter as any religion. I wish for her to grow up religion free until it's something she wants for herself, then I will help her in any way I can and show her all aspects of religion and religious beliefs.

She gets taught very minor things in nursery and I'm sure when she starts school next year there will be other things she'll learn there and if she has any questions she will get an unbiased answer.

She knows mummy wears a Mjolnir and a Valknut, which she calls Mummy's hammer and Triangle respectively lol. But that's as far as my beliefs go. If she grows up being something other than Asatruar, I have no problem with that at all. She is free to choose her own path in life, it's not something I or anyone else can give to her.

You can teach good morals, values and respect without the added bonus of religion, any religion.

Just my two penneth...

[Lady Dark Moon]

I can see both sides of the argument. Raivynn, I admire you for letting your daughter make her own choices. Ladytera, you have a point as well. If I were a Christian parent, I would certainly raise my kids to be Christian. A strong faith certainly does make life easier and provides moral foundations upon which to build on. If the kid accepts the faith, why not? Believing in God won't kill anyone, and I assume we're not talking about extremists/fanatics here.

Personally, I wouldn't mind being Christian. Or Hindu. Or pagan. Or whatever. But I was raised in a nonreligious family, so my current perspective is too... indecisive... open-minded... a bit cynical, perhaps... to truly believe in any established God. If I could, I might. But right now I can't wrap my mind around it.

The goal of anyone's life is to achieve happiness. If instilling a religion at a young age leads to that, sure.

[ladytera]

LDM, nicely put. The indecisive, open-minded, cynical feeling is what those who teach faith to their children seek to protect them from. That way when the time for questioning arises (an it always will arise), they have a foundation to start from. Sometimes, that leads them deeper into the faith of their parents, sometimes it leads them to an entirely different path, but it doesn't leave them stuck in quicksand, not knowing what questions to ask to find the answers they seek.

[Rhovanion]

I personally don't agree with raising kids into a religion. But that's probably because I wasn't raised into one and have parents who always wanted us kids to find our own path - whatever that may be. And probably because I was also raised in a country that's practically non-religious by default. Religion is considered a private matter here and a personal choice. We don't know what religion (or lack of) our friends, politicians, teachers, celebrities, TV-show hosts etc belong to. It's none of our business (the way we see it) and we also don't really care. Unless the person in question is very open about it of course. But we're just not that kind of people here - to be shouting off the rooftops our beliefs or point of views.

A parent only wants what's best for their child. If teaching them religion from day one is what they consider the best for their child, then so be it. It's just not what I would do or something I'd advocate.

[Rhovanion]

Dec 21, 2008 16:58:33 GMT -5 ladytera said:

LDM, nicely put. The indecisive, open-minded, cynical feeling is what those who teach faith to their children seek to protect them from. That way when the time for questioning arises (an it always will arise), they have a foundation to start from. Sometimes, that leads them deeper into the faith of their parents, sometimes it leads them to an entirely different path, but it doesn't leave them stuck in quicksand, not knowing what questions to ask to find the answers they seek.

I'm probably only speaking on behalf of myself here but as someone who grew up without a faith I never once went through a "questioning" phase. I never found myself wondering where we came from or how the world came to be. I never felt like I needed any answers or to ask any sort of questions. But I guess I'm just weird

[ladytera]

Jan 5, 2009 20:41:34 GMT -5 Rhovanion said:

Dec 21, 2008 16:58:33 GMT -5 ladytera said:

LDM, nicely put. The indecisive, open-minded, cynical feeling is what those who teach faith to their children seek to protect them from. That way when the time for questioning arises (an it always will arise), they have a foundation to start from. Sometimes, that leads them deeper into the faith of their parents, sometimes it leads them to an entirely different path, but it doesn't leave them stuck in quicksand, not knowing what questions to ask to find the answers they seek.

I'm probably only speaking on behalf of myself here but as someone who grew up without a faith I never once went through a "questioning" phase. I never found myself wondering where we came from or how the world came to be. I never felt like I needed any answers or to ask any sort of questions. But I guess I'm just weird

You're young yet, dear. You never know when the questioning will hit, or what form it will take. It often has little to do with where we came from, more often it has to do with where you as an individual are going, what's right or wrong, and the biggest one of all, why? Not why anything particular, just why in general. Sooner or later, everyone has a crisis of faith, whatever that faith might be.

[Esteleth]

I can imagine my parents point of view: There they where, with me on the way. My mom was a new Christian; my dad had returned to the faith after a long period of questioning. And now I'm about to be born. How could they not tell me about their Savior? They love me--they don't want me to miss out on what God has to offer.

So, I guess I'm of the minority who was raised 'religious', but they didn't shove a Bible down my throat. Instead, they were very open in my faith and taught me the truths of the Bible, leaving salvation as my own choice. I can still remember when I got saved at a very young age. (6) I was reading (for reading was the most amazingful thing in the world to me a pamphlet outlining how to get saved, and I remember thinking "Wow! I can know Jesus just like Mommy and Daddy!"

Now I'm very thankful to be raised in a Christian household. First off, I'm sure that if my parents raised me to have an "open mind" I would've ended up as Wiccan--not a path that I want to be on right now. XD Second, I have a firm foundation to go to when I'm questioning or doubting: my parents. I think this also makes our relationship stronger. Sure, I have my fights and disagreements with my parents--what teenager doesn't?--but I'm glad that I can talk to them about the faith we share. Christian parents are supposed to be spiritual guides for their children, anyways.

So when I have my own children, I'll probably do what my parents did with me: teach them about Jesus, but the decision has to be up to them.