Have your children been influenced by other's beliefes.

We do talk, but he is at the age now where he likes me more to listen. He says I don't listen enough. It is so hard though when you really feel you need to say something. Also My son is 18 and not in school and the information came from a friends dad. A man I like, but had no idea what his religion was. I still like him, I just don't agree with all that he believes. My son knows what my beliefs are, and I don't force them on him. I know he used to have the same or similar beliefs, I don't know what is going on, maybe it is just a phase where he wants to know more about things. Thanks for the reply and I hope your painting turned out well. Watch those fumes. God Bless.

I as well have tried to teach my children to be individuals. I allways incouraged them not to be folowers but to do their own thing. So far I believe they have done so. I pray they grow to trust in God and have a great life here and in the hear after. Thanks for your reply.

I don't believe in frightning young children, and I do believe that the parents should be the ones to introduce religion or ones beliefs to them. Whether it be at home or in church. I believe in free will and that as we grow up we do make up our own minds as to what we believe. Being of Christian belief I of course hope that my children will as well believe as I do. I do have faith and that is what gets me through my days. Thank you for your reply.

That is horrible that they would tell a 4 year old something like that. I'm not sure how the schools are now but I learned about evolution when I went to Catholic school, in 7th and 8th grade. In 8th grade I remember I had religion right after science class. In Science we would learn about evolution and were taught it wasn't technically what the church believed but it was the most scientific reasoning they had for how we got here. Then I would turn around and go to religion class and learn about creationism and the church's ideas. They actually let us make up our own minds, although we were guided to believe what the church did. I remember being 13 and believing that god created the world but not in 7 literal days and used evolution to do it (which is what many Catholics now believe). I enjoyed Catholic school despite my differing opinion on religion. I had a few incidents when I was little like when we did our First Communion in 3rd grade and when the other kids found out I wasn't doing it because I wasn't baptized they told me I was going to hell and refused to play with me for almost a week. (Not all of them, there were a few that were always my friends and stuck up for me). That was an eye opener. I was like 8 or 9 years old and I was thinking if this is how good Catholics were being taught to behave then I wanted no part in it and after that I saw all the hypocrisy of the religious. I remember being in Church in 7th grade and being the only kid in our pew that was actually listening to the sermon. All the other kids were giggling, passing notes and talking, completely ignoring the priests. I knew then that I barely believed what I was being taught but I wanted badly to understand and prayed and did what I was taught in church and tried to be a good person. I don't regret going to Catholic school. I chose to continue into high school and LOVED high school. It was a wonderful school and wish my girls could go there but it already cost over $8000 a year and by the time they are that age it will probably be over $10000. I do my best with my kids to balance their religious learnings at church, to make sure they know not everyone believes that way. They know I don't believe in god and neither does their grandpa (who lives with us) and their father doesn't care one way or the other.

At least she's having a positive experience...sort of. My parents were Atheists/Agnostic (difficult to tell back then...) and kids at school were very mean when they found out that I didn't really 'get' Christianity, or believe in it. I had to go to therapy because one daycare I went to...the lady told me about how sinners go to Hell, and that the devil would come and get me if I don't believe, etc. I was like three or four, so it was very traumatizing. I'd start teaching her about evolution as soon as possible. Does this Catholic school have a good science program? Do the kids learn about evolution and the Big Bang theory? If not, I'd consider switching schools, because children should be learning about these things. They aren't 'just theories' any more than gravity is 'just a theory'.

I agree with you, there are far more influnces for our children than I would like. I have no problem with different religions, but I don't think people should force Their beliefs on others. I used to have lady of a different religon come by the house, and I listend and told them this was not my belief, She came back often, but we usually didn't talk about religion. I respected hers and she mine. We just liked each other as people. I've been told to just keep talking to my children that even though they act like they aren't listening, that some of it is getting through. I can only pray so. If they only knew how much we need to protect them, but they won't understand until they get children of their own. The best of luck to you and yours. Thanks for your reply.

I guess my son is tollerent of other's religions or he wouldn't have listened to what his friend had to say, but at the same time I hope the reason he brought it up to me, was the fact that he wanted to bounce it off me. He knows I don't believe as this person does. And you want to tell them so, but you have to be carefull you don't say it in the wrong way the they feel you ar putting their friend down. That is never a good way to go, the get very defensive. Not that I would put the friend down. We like this person. Thanks for your reply. God Bless.

My mom went to a Catholic school and she had a friend from India who went there too. She said nobody would sit near the girl because her lunch always smelled really bad (like squid and octopus lol). My mom said she went to sit with her friend though so the girl would have someone to talk to.

I do believe everyone makes up their own minds. Of course Being of Christian Faith, I hope my Children are to. I don't tell them what to believe, but they Do know what I believe in. The son I am speaking of, was a regular Church member and has been babtised. He is going through something right now. Maybe A questionable period in his life. I pray he makes his way. Thank you for your reply.

Its wonderfull that you can talk to her in this way. I hope it lasts for all of you. It is such a hard world, we only want to protect them, to the best of our ability, whether it is every day problems or religion. We of all faith's want the same thing for the ones we love. Thanks for your reply. God Bless.

I was raised with Christian beliefs. My son's friend how ever believes in what I would not call a traditional religion. without telling what religion the person is. I will say I have never heard anything like it. And I don't believe there was any way it could have been took out of context. God does work in ways that are not of our knowledge. I believe he answers all prayers, just not as we would like, but what is best for us. thank you for your reply. God Bless.