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Would you raise your children religious just to fit in?

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406 comments (301 - 325)

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No. I would teach them to think critically and question everything. They may be ridiculed by those who don't follow their religious morals, but they will live happier lives.

Gohan Level 7 Jan 30, 2018
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Nope.

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Ha, ha! I never once took any of my children to church. I talked about the way religion is a commercial business enterprise. I let them know my beliefs, and explained those beliefs to them. But basically I just let them make their own decisions. So now, they are all grown. One is agnostic, but the other two are conventionally religious.

marga Level 7 Jan 31, 2018
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No, I'm not that stupid or willing to abuse children.

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Certainly not! In fact, I distanced myself from an old friend who decided to raise her children as Christians, despite the fact that she and her husband are atheists, so they would "have the right social connections."

I told my daughter what I believe (or don't believe), and her father (who became religious after we split up) tried to indoctrinate her into his sect. He died when she was 9, and it didn't truly take. We attended and were heavily involved in a Unitarian Universalist congregation, where she was exposed to many different belief systems in religious education. Since I homeschooled her, I was able to make sure she read the Bible as literature, and understood its history.

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No that is a form of mental child abuse!

0

I told my kids at a young age that I did not go to church because I did not believe in organized religion. I said to them that if they had an interest in church that they should seek out many churches, and not just pick one to attend. I did all that I could to raise them as open-minded, free thinking/questioning, skeptical individuals. Beyond that, I really don't have any control over their decisions now that they are adults. But I will love them regardless. And I'll also continue to be a parent and remind them that nobody likes an asshole, and that everyone should strive to be a decent human being (if and when necessary).

1

My kids have Catholic grandparents. For a short while they both wanted to be Catholic. I told them go ahead, you'll have an easier life if you can manage it. They even went to Catholic school for a couple years, where they were shown the movie "God's Not Dead" ... the difference between my attitude and that of the atheists in the movie really struck them, especially the way all their classmates ate it up. Anyway they are both atheists now.

Lauxa Level 5 Feb 18, 2018
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I gave my boys the choice to believe what they want. I surely never had the right answer about that. I did however try to teach conscientious living and human compassion as best I could. I Think it’s much better that the forced religion of my childhood that alienated and devastated my family.

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Absolutely not. I taught my daughter to think for herself and not blindly follow someone because they tell you it's what you should do. I taught her to do her own research and trust her instincts. I hear my grandson use the exclamation "Oh lord" or "Jesus" and I always find myself saying "where?" or "do you see him?" in jest. Since his other grandmother has clouded his thinking with religion, it is difficult to get him understand that Jesus was just a man that was talked about in a book and that he is not alive today. Being that she is Southern Baptist they tend to confuse the children with the whole resurrection and spirit deal. Oh and don't get me started on the concept of hell!

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Absolutely not. I taught my daughter to think for herself and not blindly follow someone because they tell you it's what you should do. I taught her to do her own research and trust her instincts. I hear my grandson use the exclamation "Oh lord" or "Jesus" and I always find myself saying "where?" or "do you see him?" in jest. Since his other grandmother has clouded his thinking with religion, it is difficult to get him understand that Jesus was just a man that was talked about in a book and that he is not alive today. Being that she is Southern Baptist they tend to confuse the children with the whole resurrection and spirit deal. Oh and don't get me started on the concept of hell!

0

That would be child abuse. But I suppose many do it.

MarqG Level 5 Feb 23, 2018
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I did not, and they were just fine with it. One or two still believe in the invisible friend but none of their children are baptized either.

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No. That being said, I took some time deciding whether or not I was going to when I had mine.

When my ex's family (Baptist) and my family (Catholic), started a tug of war for the "souls" of my children, and after a few more instances of religious abuse by my family members, and years of finding I was an outcast no matter what church I explored, I just walked away from it all and kept my kids out of church.

My 16 year old recently told me how glad she was that I didn't force her to be religious. To be fair, though, I also didn't force them NOT to be religious. I think if one of my kids came to me and asked, I would consider letting them go if it was something they wanted to explore.

Fortunately, that just never happened.

0

No. That being said, I took some time deciding whether or not I was going to when I had mine.

When my ex's family (Baptist) and my family (Catholic), started a tug of war for the "souls" of my children, and after a few more instances of religious abuse by my family members, and years of finding I was an outcast no matter what church I explored, I just walked away from it all and kept my kids out of church.

My 16 year old recently told me how glad she was that I didn't force her to be religious. To be fair, though, I also didn't force them NOT to be religious. I think if one of my kids came to me now and asked, I would consider letting them go if it was something they wanted to explore.

Fortunately, that just never happened.

0

Oh hell, no!

I'm a Mémé (grandmother) now, but I raised my daughter in a Unitarian Universalist congregation for the community and their amazing religious and sex education programs. I never tried to push my lack of belief on her but insisted that she make conscious, informed choices about belief. She learned about paganism from my life partner and Christianity from her father.

She and my son-in-law are raising their daughter in a UU congregation now.

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I would raise them to know how and why to fit in and its disadvantages.

0

I am Jewish but never was raised religiously, more a feeling about who I was than about a god. As I grew I found it to be more about heritage. That's how I raised my son. Now 30 and married to a practicing Christian, I worry for my unborn grandchildren.

1

I raised three kids without religion. They are far more comfortable talking about their lack of faith than I could ever afford to be. I must add that one of them decided to be Catholic. Ironically she was my wild child. As adults they have excellent morals and I'm very proud of how they treat people.

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No way.

2

I raised my children to make their own choices, a right I never had.

2

Absolutely not! I'd try to instill in them critical thinking, and hopefully they'd make a decision that is right for them.

1

We raised our kids in the church but stopped attending. Our 2 youngest are learning disabled. When my husband and I stopped believing we never discussed it with the kids but realized they stopped talking about Jesus. So either Jesus gave up on them or he wasn't real and whatever "relationship" they had had been facilitated and maintained by us. That's when I really knew we had been scammed

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