Do you think that the parents should encourage their children to follow a religion? Obviously, many do and their thoughts on a specific religion is implemented in them, therefore they stick to it. However, as they grow older, they could possibly switch religion or simply be atheist. Here's another sub-topic to think about: Do you think that parents who adopt children around the age of 10 be allowed to encourage a particular religion on them? Do you think it's healthy or do you think that at that age, the children are able to make that specific choice by themselves? Also, take into consideration that the children may already have a religion that differs from the religion that their foster parent practices.
I grew up going to church. My parents are both Christians. I was baptized at the age of 9 by own choice. And I haven’t gone to church in about 4 or 5 years. Though I do consider myself a Christian, regardless. I work with them and all that too. I think that if you are a Christian, Muslim, Jewish, or whatever... Yeah. Teach your kids. They need a basis from what to choose. You can’t really say any religion is false or wrong without SOME knowledge. And I know a guy. A good friend of mine, he’s a Reform Jew (aka an Atheist) and even he agrees that religion, from a young age isn’t a bad thing. It gives people a better moral base then having Nothing.
Teach, don’t force. I was never forced. Now the kids that are taught to kill in the name of faith or religion, I’d disagree with that.
However, if the child was adopted at around the age of 10, should his/her foster parent's still teach their religion to him or do you think that they should leave him alone? Hypothetically, what if he/she already practices a religion on his own? I think that it may be great for parents to teach their children religion because a lot of them teaches them morals and ethics which is beneficial to making them a better human being. Due to religion, it taught many people to love each other but then on the other hand, it caused many uprising and intense violence. Religion can have its pros and cons in our society simply because everybody has different opinion and views.
Parents are people too, right? They're going to have their personal feelings If they feel to steer the kid in that direction fine. It's if they force feed the kid to go. When I was 15, I said I'd had enough of church. That's when a lot start to question faith as well, right? So I say one the kid hits a certain age, they have the right to choose. But for a lot of families, church and religion is just something that’s done. You can't always change that. And I think it'd be unfair to the parents if that's how they did things.
I've also heard of adoptive parents exposing their children to their religion through their culture. It depends on a lot of variables. There’s no right or wrong, really.
Heres the way I see it, say a Christian family adopts an atheist kid at the age of ten. They tell him he's going to church, or he's going to Hell. They force him to go, the kids ends up in jail at the age of 16 for rape and/or murder. Its wrong to force someone. At the same time, where else to kids learn most of the stuff they use later in life? Their parents.
In all my life, with a Christian mother and a Catholic father, no one ever told me I had to believe one way or the other. Sure, I was baptised and I went to church as a kid, but I haven't been in in like 4 years. Do they have a problem with it? No, but I learned of my religion through them. I believe what I believe, and that was helped through my parents. So yes, I think its alright if a parent suggests and tells their kid about religion, but to give them an ultimatum of life or eternal damnation, then I think its wrong.
I think parents shouldn't be forcing their children to do ANYTHING, they can suggest it, and depending on whether the kid trust the parents, the kid will make the choice, but I don't think the kid should make a decision in a primary school/elementary school (is this forum British?), the parents need to make sure their children really understand EVERYTHING.
Zack Wrote:[No, it's not British.
Thank God. :lol:
I think that parents should encourage their children to participate in their religion. While it is a matter of faith the tangible benefits of moral background, loving community and expanded influence beyond the basic curriculum of schools and sesame street. What I don't encourage is that parents indoctrinate their beliefs into little children. Even as one studying to spend my life encouraging people into faith - I believe it should be done with maturity and intelligent choice (and that's biblical too BTW). While a child is too young to make such decisions themselves their parents should take them to church with them, but they shouldn't force it on them as they get older. Certainly also if an older child wants to "shop around" parents should accommodate them as well.
I think the foundation of morals and ethics should be beneficial for a child because that particular child will need certain guidelines to follow to develop a "good" character. Now, I'm not necessarily saying that people without pure morals to follow are bad but I think it would assist the young minds to perform certain things that are good in the eyes of their society. I concur that if a child decides to change their religion preferences, it should be solely up to to them if they view differently from their guardians. People change their character every single day and develop certain attributes that will assist them to differentiate their character. People view religion differently which is why we have an abundant amount of religions nowadays stating that they're the correct one.