Is right to indoctrinate one's children with ones' religious belief?

This is my personal opinion and I respect others. I think that parents should teach their children to be godly than being religious. There are a lot of people who are religious but lost. I think that teaching children to be religious is not the answer to their spiritual needs. You can give a religion to someone, but you can not give someone eternal life. thank you.

It's pretty pitiful that a question like this needs to be asked. 40 years ago, I doubt anyone would have asked it. It was "off the top" that teaching our children about God was part of parenting. The scriptures tell us to teach our children about God, and the scriptures. Religious? Hmmm... Yet, teaching children about God & the scriptures, how to pray, and God's moral value system is necessary. We live in a fast-growing "godless" society which has been aggressively pulling out of acknowledgment of God, and if we are 40 or older... we have noticed this change and can see the results of it--in our society. Just in my lifetime-alone...I've watched this change. Without acknowledgment of God and a reason for moral values, it leaves children open to sinking to the lowest, common denominator in behavior. Not only does it rob them of relationship with their Creator, but they have nothing to really anchor themselves to, it restrains them from knowing where the limits are. Just take a look at what young people of today are up to and how they think. These are the people that will run society soon. As prophesied in the scriptures, there will be a moral decay in society where people will call bad--good, and good-bad. Parents must teach and model acknowledgment of God to their children if they want them to be able to survive this ever-darkening world of sinful decay, where love is "waxing cold", and people are doing whatever they feel like, while not caring less how it affects others or society.

I believe that your kids can decide what they want when they are of the legal age, and probly will and complain and be ungreatful about their childhood. As long as you arent teaching them things that are harmful to the cummunity or to themselves than ya I think its up to the parents to teach whatever is responsible. If its love of sports or politics or hobies than no one would say two words but try to use your religious beliefs and its always those that dont agree with your beliefs that throw a fit about it. The same people that cry about equality and rights of the idnividual want to throw a fit about how you raise your kids in your home??? Maybe we should drop government in schools cause its not teaching enough communist or marxist views and closing them off to it, the very same system that you complain about has given you the freedom you have to do what you are doing. I am raising my kids the way I think is best and if someone dont like that than they can keep it to themselves they dont pay my bills and my kids havent been a burden on anyone but me so worry about your own home.

If a child belongs to a family and the parents have a particular interest in music or in sports do the parents normally have any reluctance to instill the love of those things in their children or do they instead share them gladly because they have a love of these things? I would guess that most parents share the things that they love and value with their children, and if the parents love and value religion, it would be logical to think that they would share, or attempt to share, that love of religion with their children. I see sharing these things as a part of normal family life... The parents are who they are and are doing things naturally. The children pick things up even without being taught as the children are actually in a state of hyponosis. (aquiring massive amounts of information through attention, concentration, focus, and relaxation). Relgious training may also assist in the development of strong charactor and values.

I can only give you my experience and thus an opinion based upon it. I am the mother of two great young men. They are my step-sons by laws of marriage. They are the children of my heart and the only children I have or will ever have. They have been part of my life since they were barely 4 and 6. They are 27 and 30 now. I have been divorced legally from their father for 11 years. I have been seperated from their father for much longer. I had legal physical custody of the youngest despite my seperation from his father, the oldest was already in University. I am on good terms with their mother now but this was not always the case. So to my opinion. Their mother is an aethiest Their father was a agnostic (he passed away two years ago) I am a recovering Catholic, a spiritulist, and a pagan by my nature. I have also studied comparative religion formally. So my kids got it all. On the day I married their father their mother told me that I was not "allowed" to expose them to any religion. I was not "allowed" to ever take them to church, especially not a Catholic church. I was not "allowed" to ever read to them from any religious book and especially not the Bible. I stared at her nearly cross eyed and then laughed hysterically at her. Yes directly in her face. Casually explained to her that in my house, under my roof, within my domaine...I would do whatever I chose to do up to and including talking to and about any religion(s) or G~D. My sons were exposed to it all. They read the great Christian philosphers, the great Islamic philosphers, and books from every other religion. They learned from the Bible, the Talmud, and the Quoran. They read about the lifes of all the great religious leaders. Yes they went to church(s) many of them. They went to jump up right of center Evangelical churches in the South and staid Catholic services on Christmas Eve. I once proved Evolution and Creationism did not really conflict using the Bible (Genesis) to my youngest son. I truly believe that children, their hearts and minds, are sponges. They must be exposed to the world. In truth they must understand at a minimum the worlds major religions to understand the basis of the conflict between them. They must understand the truth of the lines that of Judaic, Islam, original Christianity are from a single line - that of Moses and Abraham (Abram). They should understand Catholism was the first organized Christian church and what that means. They need to understand the difference between religion, church, faith. At the end of the day parents should tell their children why they have made the choices they made regarding faith and religion. They should expose them to a broad range of age appropriate materials. Children will ultimately make their own decisions.

I believe that people should always have the choice to decide what they want to believe in, especially children. What we should do is exposure them to as many options as possible in a neutral manner. I want my children to know about other people's beliefs and faiths yet respect their choices. How and what they want to believe in is up to them and entirely their choice because ultimately, they are responsible for their lives and their hearts. It will never ever be my choice or my decision.

I think parents should teach their children about what they believe, but also allow the child to make the choice and not force them to believe what they do, or how they believe. I don't expect my children to have the same level of faith that I do, because I have experienced things they wouldn't, so they need to grow and learn on their own. All I can do is teach them the basics and teach them my thoughts and experiences. ANd respect their own decisions.

I'm a parent myself and my stand is that its not up to ME to decide if my kids want to follow a religion or what religion they follow if any....I'm a Pagan Buddhist and though I've taught my kids about my personal path I've also taught them about other religions as well and have given them numerous resources should they want to explore further (and they have on occasion)....They'll know when they are ready if they are ever ready what path they want to walk and thats IMO how it should be... Jsut because our children are of our flesh and blood doesnt mean they are automatically an extension of us to such a degree that they'll naturally believe as we do...they are their own ppl and should be allowed to figure it out for themselves and have our full support with whatever choice they make...

Of course if religion is bad then it's bad to teach children about ones' religion, but if religion is good then I it ought to be taught In my household (and yes I have children) its taught that ALL religions are good and valid but also that just like group in society ALL religions also have their "bad apples", but that DOES NOT make the religion itself 'bad'... Have I raised my children with my Pagan Buddhist beliefs? NOPE....Its not my job to tell them what to believe..Thats something that when they feel the time is right they'll decide for themselves...I have taught them about Paganism and Buddhism mind you but I've also taught them about Christianity, Satanism, Native American Spirituality, Vodou, Judaism, and the list goes on....I also make sure they have all the resources I can possibly provide them with so they can learn about the various religions and spiritual paths...I think its important to be educated on ALL religions...not just for yourself but in order to better understand the ppl you come in contact with on a daily basis which in the case of children is at school, in the neighbourhood, at the playground and within the family etc...In our family/extended family we have Christians, Pagans, Catholics, Jewish, Wiccan, Atheists, Agnostics and so on..so IMO its important for them to be educated on at least the basics ya know..

If parents don't raise their kids with their religious beliefs, they are teaching the kids that either the parents don't think religious beliefs are important enough to pass on to kids... or their kids aren't important enough to teach them things that are important to them.

if I ever have children, I would raise them broadly Pagan, but encourage them to search and learn as their own soul takes them. should they later find spiritual fulfillment elsewhere, at least I will have given them a good and questioning mind and a sound moral foundation. I don't think not indoctrinating your children means you don't beleive your religion is good. it just means that you respect that your child is an individual, just as you are, and is just as capable of making spiritual observations as you are. they may even be an older soul than you are yourself.

I do not think that religion is necessarily good or bad. It all depends, I guess. If I ever had children I would not teach them anything either way. If they asked what I thought I would simply tell them that I am an atheist and explain what that means. I would also tell them that other people think differently and if they were interested we could go to the library and take out some books on different religions. One might strike their fancy and I would support their choice to practice it.

obviously, You Have got Lots of good responses to the discussion, But let me response according to my Islamic View. I think the More Important Is what should one tell His Children when They ask about Other religions, Not only about ones' religion, Because Children will ask about Other religions too. In that Case I -as a Muslim- In a very Good situation, You see Jews Deny Jesus, Christians deny Muhammad, But Islam respect all, I Don't Have to tell My children To deny Judaism or Christianity Because Both of The two religions are Divine religions according to Islam. [002:285] The Apostle believeth in what hath been revealed to him from his Lord, as do the men of faith. Each one (of them) believeth in God, His angels, His books, and His apostles. "We make no distinction (they say) between one and another of His apostles." And they say: "We hear, and we obey: (We seek) Thy forgiveness, our Lord, and to Thee is the end of all journeys." That verse from The Holy Quran states all What I will Tell My Children, I will tell Them to believe In: - God - His angels - His books - His apostles - The Day of Judgment - and make no distinction between one and another of His apostles also [003:084] Say: "We believe in God, and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the prophets, from their Lord: We make no distinction between one and another among them, and to God do we bow our will (in Islam)." With regards

I don't teach my children about religion, I teach them about a relationship with God. Children almost have no choice if their parents want to indoctrinate them. I'm teaching my children by what I've been given from God. They will learn the basics of Christianity, teach a child the way you want them to go.... once they get older they will have a better understanding. I can't give them certainties only hope. My family grew up in the church, I was going to church 9 months before I was born so it would be hard for me to know anything else. I even went to public school and I still believe in God, so my upbringing never left me.

I think the problem with indoctrinating children in one specific religious belief is that the child can them sometimes grow up to feel guilty, wrong, or evil if they find that belief system doesn't work for them. I've known many people who have grown up being taught beliefs that made them unhappy, who clung to those beliefs simply because they were taught them, and then when they finally did change religions later had to deal with a lot of guilt and shame, often even hiding their new beliefs or path from their families. My own intentions are to teach my child many religious beliefs, but allow a certain emphasis on mine (and my husband's, which aren't the same as mine) to naturally occur because we celebrate those holidays and such. I intend to remind my son that he is free to make religious choices, and that as long as his beliefs aren't causing harm to others I won't be upset about them.

Hi headhunter, It would be quite natural for a child to be interested in her/his parents beliefs, but I believe that he/she should also be taught to respect the beliefs of others. Children should also be taught the reasons why some people are atheists. When they are adults, they can then make the choice for themselves. Teaching children that there is only one true religion, and this is it, only assures another generation of division. Thus the old problems continue. Blessings.

I believe that children should be taught their parents religion, but should also be exposed to other religions and encouraged to explore any that interest them. I do not believe in making the decision for the child that he join a particular church - that is a personal decision that should be made by them when they are old enough to understand and make that choice voluntarily.

I am pagan and my x husband is christian and we raised our son seeing both of the religions but let him choose what he wanted to go to and what he didn't and he is now almost 22 and Buddhist........so he found his own path without being pushed either direction

I think religion should be taught but I don't think it should be forced. I think that children should know about the religious beliefs of their parents and what that religion in tales, but I also think that they should be informed of other religions, so they can make an informed decision on what religion to follow that is if they want to follow a religion at all. I think it is wrong for parents to make their children go to church or prayer if they don't want to, to me this is forcing religion on them.

it depends on the parents really. some parents would want to raise their kids with the same religion as they have. one reason would probably be so that they can all go to church together? or so that they can pray to the same 'being' or something like that. but then there are parents that dont indoctrinate their kids when they are still babies. i had a teacher in my elementary years and she said she wants to let her daughter pick the religion that she wants rather than she make the decision for her. but even if a person already has a religion, for me, it doesnt matter because we could always explore other religions and seek which one is the best that suites us as an individual. religion for me is suppose to be a personal matter and it has to mean something to me as a person rather than just going with the flow as to what everyone is doing.