Do you think children should be exposed to the Torah, Quran (Koran), and the Bible?

Or do you think they should be exposed to these teachings when they are a bit older (teenage years) to decide if it is a religion they want to practice.

I know many Christian faith religions baptize their children at a very young age. I just wonder if that is fair to do when they are too young to really understand the religion in the first place.

What is your take on this?

For me personally I would rather let a child become an adult and have him or her choose what best works for them then being exposed or forced into a religion that they might not even enjoy or agree with later on.

This is an extremely delicate question for me personally. Even though I have never had children so I never had to deal with the consequences of it.

Children love to believe in fairytales. We allow our children to believe in things like Santa Claus, reindeer whose nose can glow red, and the tooth fairy, etc.

I don't think there is any harm in allowing, or even encouraging a young child to believe in a "God" or "Goddess", or Fairy Godfather, or Fairy Godmother, or guardian angels, or anything along those lines.

However, I think where the danger comes into play is when the concept of a God is taught to the child in very specific ways. Like teaching the child that a specific God exists, or that this "God expects" this or that kind of behavior.

I would prefer to be truthful with the child. Let the child know that any behaviors I expect from the child are indeed my own expectations as their parent.

If they want to discuss imagined spiritual beings, then I would discuss this with them and allow them to tell me what they think these beings are like and what they think these being expect from them, etc.

Then I would address any concerns I have. I would support the behaviors that I feel are productive and constructive. I would voice my concerns about anything that I personally feel could be negative or destructive.

After all, a child could indeed imagine that some "spiritual character" is directing them to do bad things, or condoning bad behavior. If that were the case, I would then challenge the child that perhaps this particular spiritual "angel", "fairy Godmother", or whatever they are imagining to commune with, may not be such a good person themselves.

It's obviously a delicate psychological exchange. No question about it.

But I certainly wouldn't want to discourage a child's imagination or belief that they are in touch with some magical or divine source. I would absolutely want to encourage that, but at the same time I would want to monitor it to be sure that it doesn't evolve into some sort of a psychological game to merely justify "demonic behavior" in the name of a spiritual "angel" or "god".

So it's an extremely delicate topic to be sure. Encouraging a believe in the mystical whilst simultaneously monitoring for pragmatical psychological effects is a delicate business for sure.

But in the end I think it's far more constructive and positive to allow the child to develop their own sense of spirituality rather than to just shove dogma down their throat, or to discourage it altogether as being nonsense. I believe that "dreams" should be encouraged.

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When the Child Reaches Maturity

If I'm telling the child a Santa Claus story and the child says to me, "Dad I don't believe in any of that crap anymore". I certainly wouldn't argue with them. I'd just say something like, "Well you've got to admit you did enjoy these stories at one time"

If the child then asks me what I believe I'd just say the following:

"Learn as much as you can. Be the best you can be at everything you do without becoming competitive with anyone other than your very own self. Realize that everyone deserves the same respect that you would like to have for yourself. And above all else, always be true to your self."

If the child is old enough to ask this question, then the child should be old enough to also comprehend the answer.

If the child presses on and asked, "Do you believe in God".

I would bend over close to the child (who has now become an adult) and whisper, "A believe in Santa Claus is optional".

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When does a child become an "Adult"

Legally? What it is? 18? Maybe 21? Depending on laws?

But if we ask this question truthfully a "child" becomes an adult when they stop believing in Santa Claus. And that can be as early as 4 to 6 years old. It's clearly different for different children.

When their onto the Santa Claus Scam their officially an adult as far as I'm concerned. As a parent you have now become the mentor of a full-fledged mature human being. And you'll be the mentor of the adult for another decade or so. If you treat them as an adult intellectually from that point forward you'll have a friend for life.

If you continue to treat them as a "child" for that decade or so, they will grow to resent your lack of respect for their "humanity".

That's the mistake that far too many parents make. And this the reason why so-called "children" (i.e. Teenagers under 18) are so rebellious.

They've been adults for over a decade and they are just plain SICK AND TIRED of being constantly treated as if they are still "children".

Nature Herself doesn't not recognize "18-years-old" as some sort of concrete barrier where a human being suddenly crosses over and magically transforms from a "child" into an "adult".

That whole concept is an absurdity to begin with.

The process is far more gradual. But the "enlightenment" probably occurs around 4-6 years old when they catch onto the Santa Claus scam.

Trying to shove a religious scam down their throats for the next decade is probably not a good idea.

Hmmmm Yep have to agree with Abracadabra, this is a tricky one..

My children where brought up to believe in God, there was never a doubt in our home that he was real and everything that we did revolved around that..

So as such, my ex wouldn't allow any fairytales, no santa, no easter bunny, no movies or tv that could have any detremental effect on their beliefs..

Bummer this is probably going to get someone to say something dumb like how can you be contrlled like that..Well to get it out of the way early , we where so don't both with that I dont want to go down that road again..

Ok, sooooooo for me, who grew up with a head full of fairy tales, I just swapped them for a God and continued in my fairytale world..

But as for my children,
Well none of them Go to church anymore, they all stil believe in God, but 4 of them really want nothing to do with God in their lives, 2 still do..

So looking at it now, no matter what I think it wouldnt I would have still done it the same as thats how we lived so its what they saw,
I guess its a little like me saying should I teach my children Australian culture , well I dont know wnything else so they just learn it..

So if you come from a home where your whole life revolves around any religion, then you children are going to be subjected to it..
Is it good for them..

Well my children so far havent been in any trouble, they are good hardworking, mischievious young adults who have manners and believe in helping others.
They don;'t judge by culture and never push their beliefs or disbeliefs onto others.
They love and forgive easily and are pretty stable young adults..

So all in all I dont think it has hurt them.

The only thing that they do not like is the hypocrisy they saw, but they relate that to eveything, None of them can stand for anyone to say something and do another..

Hmmm would I brainwash my littel horrors again.
But then again, we discuss everything inour lives and always have, None of them are not allowed to voice their opinions, and they all have the right to question any thing they disagree with, and to a point make their own decisions, as long as it wont hurt them or someone else..

I do agree with you abracadabra, they should be treated as adults, so far none of mine have rebelled as there is no need to, they talk to me, I let them know what I think, they make their decisions, and live with the consequences, as long as its not harmful..
And the majority of times they make the right ones, and when they dont then they learn from it, the same as we do

I think the best way to 'bring' religion into a childs life is to live that faith you hold dear.

Your children will then learn it at your knee by your actions.

and words will not be necessary.

they will grow strong in faith by the measure of faith that you live.

I think the best way to 'bring' religion into a childs life is to live that faith you hold dear.

Your children will then learn it at your knee by your actions.

and words will not be necessary.

they will grow strong in faith by the measure of faith that you live.

Must have need to say it twice...

darn mouse...

Sometimes its got a mind of its own.

I know they are wicked little things.

being exposed and being forced are not the same

I try to expose my children to things that I think they will enjoy and things that I think will broaden their wisdom


for instance, my daughter goes to a ballet class, if she doesnt seem to be 'getting' it , or enjoying it,, she will not be forced to go

similarly, my daughter goes to church, it is a childrens class which has trained professionals working with the children and has a value/boundary system as any other school does, its just a system based in the christian faith

I am bringing my children up in the way I wish them to go, and I can hardly afford to wait for all the OTHER influences in the world to make up their minds for them of which way that will be,,,

I think if you love and want the best for your children, you expose them to as many experiences as you can so that they have those experiences to draw from as they mature enough to decide on the ones they want to keep or discard...

My children have meandered in and out of many religions....under the watchful eye of their Mumma Cat, in their early years.

They have been exposed to Christianity in many of it's formats, including Catholicism, Baptist, Anglican and Presbytarian, Buddhism, Taoism, Ananda Marga, Muslim/Islam, The Bagavatghita, Hari Krishnas, Seventh Day Adventists, Paganism...and so on and so forth.


I choose to allow my children to learn of other and any religions, same as I allow them to learn of other countries, histories, and any of the Sciences...

...it is how I show respect to their individuality.

I'm with Jess. I have of one book case filled with books on theology, including several forms of scripture and eventually those shelves of books meld into my phylosiphy section.

My son wanted to go to church with his new best friend after we had moved. Fortunately it was non-denominational and the Sunday School often had field trips to other churches to learn about their beliefs.

By the time he was 11 or 12 he was bringing home arm loads of books from the library, on every kind of religious beliefs - some I have not even heard of.

He has a great open mind for such things, I think because he was exposed to so many different experiences, beliefs and he recognized the sincerety of those who believed.

I agree with MsHarmony, there is a difference between being forced and being exposed - but exposure must be broad enough so that the expereince does not feel like anything other than simply a new experience.

Children who go along with their parents or family as they practice their faith and they will do just what Ms Harmony stated elsewhere, they will try to "please their parents" by taking on their beliefs.

Knowledge is good and getting knowledge through eperience is great, but choice should be reserved until much many experiences and much knowledge has been attained.

That's just another reason that I use to think we should teach survey courses about various forms of religions in our schools. But now - I don't know, we can't even seem to get a consensus of three people at a time about what it means to be a Christian. Rather difficult to teach a survey course if half the kids in the class are goining to say "That's not what WE believe".

I agree, to an extent. Exposure should be a new experience and not be forced, however, children will want to be a part of those things their family are a part of and there is nothing at all wrong with that. THat is part of being a unit,, doing things together.



much like music has been a part of my life, for example, my children through the regular exposure (being AROUND me more than others) learned to enjoy and feel a part of the music I was a part of. THey will no doubt learn to enjoy other types of music and that is fine but they will always have the BASE that was imminent from being a part of MY life. Being God fearing was similar for me. IT was a part of my family and I was a part of the family and so the two went hand in hand, I was not forbidden from learning other things, but my base was in that thing that I was MOST a part of,, namely those things i MOSTLY did with the family I was MOSTLY in the company of.

NO.

Greatest Love Of All

I believe that children are our future
Teach them well and let them lead the way
Show them all the beauty they possess inside
Give them a sense of pride to make it easier
Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be

Everybody searching for a hero
People need someone to look up to
I never found anyone to fulfill my needs
A lonely place to be
So I learned to depend on me

I decided long ago
Never to walk in anyone's shadows
If I fail, if I succeed
At least I will live as I believe
No matter what they take from me
They can't take away my dignity

Chorus:
Because the greatest love of all
Is happening to me
I found the greatest love of all
Inside of me
The greatest love of all
Is easy to achieve
Learning to love yourself
It is the greatest love of all

I believe the children are our future
Teach them well and let them lead the way
Show them all the beauty they possess inside
Give them a sense of pride to make it easier
Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be

And I decided long ago
Never to walk in anyone's shadows
If I fail, if I succeed
At least I will live as I believe
No matter what they take from me
They can't take away my dignity

Chorus:
Because the greatest love of all
Is happening to me
I found the greatest love of all
Inside of me
The greatest love of all
Is easy to achieve
Learning to love yourself
It is the greatest love of all

And if by chance, that special place
That you've been dreaming of
Leads you to a lonely place
Find your strength in love


I like this as a answer by

Whitney Houston!