Should Parents Raise Their Child(ren) Into a Religion?

leaf's wierd:

It won't kill someone to be religious. Really.

Actually, religion has killed millions, possibly billions.

dru for vendetta.:

Actually, religion has killed millions, possibly billions.

Wars fuelled by religion have killed millions, possibly billions.
Wars in general have killed more than trillions of people.

leaf's wierd:

Wars fuelled by religion have killed millions, possibly billions.
Wars in general have killed more than trillions of people.

War isn't the only religion sanctioned death. Sacrifices, honor killings, cult suicides, denying medical treatment to kids, etc.

If you read ancient law codes or the Torah, you can see numerous things that warranted religion sanctioned death without any war involvement.

I still think it's erroneous to say religion kills people though. Some religion may motivate people to kill each other, but there are others that do not within the same religion- it coms down to people and culture. The culture of how we interpret religion is more meaningful.

For example, Deuteronomy is sacred literature to most Christians, but I don't think most modern Christians think adulters and people wearing two different fabrics should be killed. But in Ancient Israel, Deuteronomy was a constitution believed to be handed down by Moses to protect the people from abusive kings and was highly valued in a literal way. Things change.

I'm not saying that religion actually carries a pistol, but to pretend religion has no danger and has never contributed to death, pain, rape, etc. is just wrong and lies. For people who believe in Christianity and the Bible, God has called for so much bloodshed, including pulling unborn fetuses from 'infidels' and raping women if they aren't virgins. [If you rape an infidel, you have to marry them after.]

What's worse then? To be raped and then killed, or raped and then married to your rapist?

That's the thing. Religion can be pinned on a lot of deaths, I agree there, but it's not so much a cause of death as it is an excuse for it.

Times, for the most part, have changed over the past several hundred years, though. A lot of the religious-based deaths in places like the United States generally wouldn't happen, and if they did, killing, raping etc, is still against the law. Those who commit such atrocities on other people will generally get what's coming to them.

^ It's certainly an indirect cause, if not direct.

Here's my 2 cents. Raise your kids as you see fit. Some will raise them to make their own decisions while others will raise them in stricter less choice given environment. But to say "oh let the kids decide" is absurd!! Please tell me what kid could possibly know what's good for them without the guidance of the parents? If a kid had his way, Breakfast, lunch, and dinner would all be Sweets and candy! They'd park themselves in front of the TV instead of school or exercise. Might would make right ! Bullies would rule!! Let's face it, kids are NOT the nicest people, they see a toy or something another child has, and they try to take it or scream & cry about not having it. As for the God the kids would follow, well, It'd be whatever they couldn't understand or what they feared.. SO YES!! It is important that the parents step in and teach the little kiddo's their values and religion. Religion (regardless if you like it or not ) is the biggest building block of ANY civilization. It establishes an order to the otherwise chaos that would run amuck if no one had any semblance of a moral code or feared consequences to a law from some God... YES there are nuts out there!! YES some parents shove their beliefs down the kids throats. People seem to forget that kids grow into teenagers, then adults, and during that journey they are all forced to question what they believe in. Even as Adults most people don't have a clue what they believe in. Here's something that EVERY parent should teach!! Do unto others as you would have done to you !! It's called the Golden Rule. Religious or not, everyone should agree on that. I believe it's important to teach kids a moral code that goes hand in hand with religion. Even though there are abuses all over, even though some kids are the victims because of a bad parent, it doesn't mean the religious part is the reason. People are free to believe in what they want, so let them teach their kids what they want. In the end the Kids will make the decision of what they want to believe in anyways.. PEACE!

^But that doesn't mean morals cannot be present without religion. Morals are universal, and not exclusive to it. I'm not religious in the slightest. I never have been, and yet I have morals, the same as everyone else.

madmachio:

Here's my 2 cents. Raise your kids as you see fit. Some will raise them to make their own decisions while others will raise them in stricter less choice given environment. But to say "oh let the kids decide" is absurd!! Please tell me what kid could possibly know what's good for them without the guidance of the parents? If a kid had his way, Breakfast, lunch, and dinner would all be Sweets and candy! They'd park themselves in front of the TV instead of school or exercise. Might would make right ! Bullies would rule!! Let's face it, kids are NOT the nicest people, they see a toy or something another child has, and they try to take it or scream & cry about not having it. As for the God the kids would follow, well, It'd be whatever they couldn't understand or what they feared.. SO YES!! It is important that the parents step in and teach the little kiddo's their values and religion. Religion (regardless if you like it or not ) is the biggest building block of ANY civilization. It establishes an order to the otherwise chaos that would run amuck if no one had any semblance of a moral code or feared consequences to a law from some God... YES there are nuts out there!! YES some parents shove their beliefs down the kids throats. People seem to forget that kids grow into teenagers, then adults, and during that journey they are all forced to question what they believe in. Even as Adults most people don't have a clue what they believe in. Here's something that EVERY parent should teach!! Do unto others as you would have done to you !! It's called the Golden Rule. Religious or not, everyone should agree on that. I believe it's important to teach kids a moral code that goes hand in hand with religion. Even though there are abuses all over, even though some kids are the victims because of a bad parent, it doesn't mean the religious part is the reason. People are free to believe in what they want, so let them teach their kids what they want. In the end the Kids will make the decision of what they want to believe in anyways.. PEACE!

If kids are left to themselves and decide that they will eat nothing but sweets, they will fall ill. If they are left to nothing but television and games, without school or education, they will fall stupid and incompetent. Clearly children need to be controlled in this area.

If they are left without religious guidance, what great misfortune will befall them? That's right, nothing. There is plenty of morals to be had without religion, even more so, I'd say.

Xsoteria:

If kids are left to themselves and decide that they will eat nothing but sweets, they will fall ill. If they are left to nothing but television and games, without school or education, they will fall stupid and incompetent. Clearly children need to be controlled in this area.

If they are left without religious guidance, what great misfortune will befall them? That's right, nothing. There is plenty of morals to be had without religion, even more so, I'd say.

What great misfortune? Well, I'd say a lot. Most morals originated within religions. Unless there is somewhere where morals originated from other than religion.

I'm not saying that today that's the case, I'm just saying from the beginning of human history.

Just look at the morality of preChristian civilizations. They weren't very nice. Not saying there never was or isn't a moral sense outside of religion. It's just a lot more visible and abundant in Christian vs pagan. Now I'm not saying a kid wouldn't learn decenty or grasp a moral scope without religion in todays world, it's just easier in todays world becuse everyone seems to have their own religion anyways.

^
Are you saying all the Jews were evil, nasty people? Like that Jew Jesus of Nazareth and his mother, the Virgin Mary? They weren't Christians.

occupy druscilla.:

^
Are you saying all the Jews were evil, nasty people? Like that Jew Jesus of Nazareth and his mother, the Virgin Mary? They weren't Christians.

No, but they followed a religion. They were Jewish.

madmachio:

Just look at the morality of preChristian civilizations.

What civilizations are so barbaric?What makes these Christian civilizations so superior? Where do you think Christians morals came from?

The Pies Endure:

What great misfortune? Well, I'd say a lot. Most morals originated within religions. Unless there is somewhere where morals originated from other than religion.

Just because morals found their way into religion, doesn't mean that people without religion are too inherently evil or stupid to figure out that you shouldn't kill, cheat, steal, or lie. Being in the list of the commandments doesn't make a moral code religious.

Back to the question first posted! Kids are like sponges, they absorb whatever is the home life. They learn the good or bad, religious or Godlessness. Its just like if their parents are rasist, the kids might turn out prejudice wouldn't they? They are a product of their environment. Religious or not its the job of the parents to pass down the knowledge and views to the offspring regardless if its socially acceptable. Its just gonna happen that way

^
But the question isn't will parents, it's should parents. Do you have an opinion on that?

occupy druscilla.:

^
But the question isn't will parents, it's should parents. Do you have an opinion on that?

Isn't it the job of a parent to teach their children the same principles that they themselves find important? Would you pass on the same views that you have? Wouldn't you pass on life lessons you've learned ? Religion for so many people is a essential part of their life and its woven into how they approach and handle most everything. So whether you agree with it or not, its not up to you to decide. Just like it wouldn't be up to me how you raise your kids. You'd teach them what you find is important. Now whether they stick with whatever we teach them is up to them.

Xsoteria:

If kids are left to themselves and decide that they will eat nothing but sweets, they will fall ill. If they are left to nothing but television and games, without school or education, they will fall stupid and incompetent. Clearly children need to be controlled in this area.

I think you just described the plot of Jimmy Neutron, minus the science and the alien abductions.

madmachio:

Just look at the morality of preChristian civilizations. They weren't very nice. Not saying there never was or isn't a moral sense outside of religion. It's just a lot more visible and abundant in Christian vs pagan. Now I'm not saying a kid wouldn't learn decenty or grasp a moral scope without religion in todays world, it's just easier in todays world becuse everyone seems to have their own religion anyways.

So.... you're equating pre-Christian religions to Anarchy?... Words... cannot describe how incorrect that is. Barbarism is something present in all religions, and all people. I wouldn't say the Crusades, or the Salem Witch Trials were particularly "civilized" either.

Just what was so barbaric about the Norse, Greeks, or Egyptians compared to the "civilised" Christians?

madmachio:

Isn't it the job of a parent to teach their children the same principles that they themselves find important? Would you pass on the same views that you have? Wouldn't you pass on life lessons you've learned ? Religion for so many people is a essential part of their life and its woven into how they approach and handle most everything. So whether you agree with it or not, its not up to you to decide. Just like it wouldn't be up to me how you raise your kids. You'd teach them what you find is important. Now whether they stick with whatever we teach them is up to them.

That, I agree with.

Out of the Greeks, Norse, Roman, Egyptians, Aztecs, or any multitude of older pre-Christian civilizations would you want to live in? Or does good ol Christianty work fine?