The Labelling of Children as XYZ Religion, abuse?

~ iDikko

Why is it acceptable to label a child with its parents religion?

Jews, muslims, catholics, protestants etc..  Can you for one second imagine the idea of labeling a small child a marxist, leninist, labor, liberal, democratic, republican?  I should hope NOT!

For this purpose I shall loosely define a child as being less than voting age in whatever country they in, I do this because if we are not yet going to think that they have the mental capacity and decision making processes in place to be able to make what we call responsible political decisions then why on earth should we be under the misapprehension that they have they capacity to make religious, cosmological and moral choices!

It seems to me that if we had leninist or marxist schools opening around the place we would hit the roof, so why then do we permit these sectarian schools to operate when so far as I can see all the accomplish is to highlight and magnify the differences between us all and historically we know where this ends – bitter and bloody wars!

Grh!

iDikko

39 thoughts on “The Labelling of Children as XYZ Religion, abuse?”

  1. I’d guess it comes out of the old attitude that children are, essentially, their parents’ property, to do with as they see fit. It’s been modified over the years, and softened, but elements of it hold on.

    On the other hand (and somehow there’s always an other hand), if I had kids–which I don’t, but I’ve been close enough to enough kids over the years to feel passionately about how they’re raised and educated–and was told I had to send them to a religious school, I’d be mad enough to spit tacks, and I’d be calling it indoctrination and everything else. So the argument cuts both ways.

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  3. I know ppl who define their children mormon republican etc etc…..heck my parents did to us for the longest time and my dad still throws a fit about my democratic brother and sister. He knows with me being a libretarian he still has a chance of me agreeing with his rants so its not as big a deal I guess 😉 but were also vegetarian our children are too, but they are allowed to eat meat if they want. (they dont want to) If we go to Mcdonalds i tell them that chicken nuggets have chicken in them (we own chickens) and they do not want them. They ask whats in hamburgers i tell them beef. If I tell them there are vegetables in the veggie burgers they will choose those. I try so hard to not have my children be defined vegetarian because their parents are. I know when they are teenagers they may get more of a true feeling about what they want in their diet. its hard and I just hope they dont get mad at me that they didnt get want to eat chicken nuggets one day but at the same time I give them the choice now (they are 4 and 7) so i dont really think it will be an issue. I wish more parents would treat their children like mini adults.

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    2. Well if it is any consolation, the children that stay vegetarian will be healthier in the long run. I have a friend with four children eldest will be 19 soon and youngest is 10. At this point they are all still vegetarian by choice, the eldest is the most stringent one, I think because she always raised them to think of it as “never eating anything that has a face” and has explained the heath reasons and moral reasons why she chose that path for herself as a teen back in the early 90s. As long as they are getting all the nutrient they need from a vegetarian diet, as my friend’s children do, then all is good and you are doing them a great service!

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      1. Thank you, and yes my 1 year old eats meat bc I say so but at the time he can ask questions I intend to answer them and let him know. Sometimes its hard because ppl think I force it on my children but once they can ask for things like chicken nuggets I want them to understand and make the choice for themselves. Its a hard topic with a lot of ppl. but I guess its a lot like religion too in a way, and thats how we are trying to introduce/do almost everything with their lives. Questions answers it does get tiresome but it really fits our style of parenting.

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    3. Dear iDikko on fluidplans,

      Thank you for writing the post “The Labelling of Children as XYZ Religion, abuse?”

      This post is entirely my thoughts and ideas with supporting opinions of iDikko’s and or sodonemormon’s comment(s).

      I think we should tell children (I do not have any now but based on my own experience as a child) that these are some ideas about religion that are out there in society. We can inform them that there are different ideas, beliefs or points of view, and ideologies in every society. Then we can let them try some of them and let them make their own decisions on religious topics as they become young adults and are at the age were they are starting to form opinions.

      I do think there is a difference between letting a child know about religions and different gods and aggressively indoctrinating a religion on a child. I know people who were virtually hammered on the head every day about religious ways and (ROTC ways, a whole other story) and feel today that part of their childhood was screwed and skewed (no pun intended) up. Even if a child is not forced to go to a religious school, I think that people need to let other people have their own opinions. Bible pushers may still subject a child that is not forced to go to a religious school to a certain religion like catholic ways. This is just as bad because it will turn that child away from the bible pushers religion because the child’s first reaction might be that they do not want to hear about something that is being pushed onto and towards them.

      I agree with sodonemormon’s point of view 100%. I am 27 now and have graduated from college. I have an older sister as well. We were both raised to accept what our parents ate. We did not know it at a young age like sodonemormon’s children but our parents was showing us what they thought were the best and healthiest foods to eat and were setting a good example (in their opinion (that I agree with now)) that we as older adults could keep or branch off of depending on how much we “liked” or “disliked” and or agreed or disagreed with how we were raised in the category of food choices.

      This topic also applies to lifestyle choices and behavior/manners. I believe and know that as a child of 4 or 7 years or even at 12 and 13 years I did not understand what my parents were trying to do. It felt like all the chores or punishments of running around the house were mine. My sister would get to be in charge when our parents went on vacations or business trips, why was that? Because she was more mature and responsible. I knew this at some level but hated not having any power or responsibility delegated towards me. Partly because of this seemingly unjust balance of responsibility and partly because I WAS Immature I would be argumentative, disgruntled, and or fussy and uncooperative.

      I also agree with what sodonemormon said about treating “their children like mini adults”. If you give your child chores at night but tell them they are helping out with dinner- setting the table and sweeping for example than they will see it a s fun part of the evening and not just as a task that their parents are ordering them to do. I don’t know about other kids but I enjoy setting the table, sweeping, making the salad, and getting ingredients for my parent’s dishes and such activities. I think part of why I enjoy these types of things so much is because I was invited to be part of the dinner process. I was given a feeling of being including instead of hearing and being told, “Go do this” and or “get this because you have to do this to be able to do something else”. For me it was not a rewards program, it was do you want to try making cookies? And for bread, here is how we use the flour to roll the dough, do you want to try it? See what happens when you don’t have enough flour on your hands? it gets sticky. Even if I never learned the dish (like for bread) I got to try making it and I felt like I was helping no matter how small the task was.

      As sodonemormon pointed out, parents try to give the best lifestyle and food choices to their children in hopes that they will use those good choices later on as they grow up. I think what you learn as child stays ingrained in you even if you choose to deviate from it later on because you already know what the original option is like and can always go back to that “good way” of living and or eating.

      Sincerely,
      Sam Sutlive.
      Posted May 4, 2015 at 8:25pm.

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  4. You’re supposed to teach your child about God as they are growing up. Personally I find this offensive. While it’s not our choice whether the child chooses to love God or not it is our job to teach them about Him and then when they are old enough it’s between them and God. Have a great day. I will be praying for you.

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    2. Dear Christianliving2014,

      Thank you for posting your opinion on the topic of raising children, religion, beliefs, and lifestyles.

      I am not judging but would like to objectively ask you a few questions about your comment and or response to iDikko’s post “The Labeling of Children as XYZ Religion, abuse?”

      You posted:

      “You’re supposed to teach your child about God as they are growing up. Personally I find this offensive. While it’s not our choice whether the child chooses to love God or not it is our job to teach them about Him and then when they are old enough it’s between them and God. Have a great day. I will be praying for you.”

      How is the child’s or young adult’s decision theirs if it is “between them and God”?

      In your comment or response post you have stated that we are “supposed” to teach our children about God.

      I personally do not know what God you are referencing. I would assume you mean Christ or Jesus because someone commented about Noah and the Christian Bible. There are many Gods and I would like to clarify which God you mean so I can make sure to read your comment response correctly.

      And how aggressively and how frequently are you advocating that parents teach their children about God?

      In my opinion if someone teaches their child aggressively about God then that child would be more inclined to believe in God and to choose God as a guide because God had been ingrained in them as a young child. On the other hand if someone taught their child about God in an informative non-oppressive non-aggressive way then the child may still choose God but they would do so because they truly wanted to not because they were pressured and pushed to (or too).

      Sincerely,
      Sam Sutlive.

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  5. All children are born Atheists. Yes, I am very aware that this is a controversial statement but it does not change the truth of the statement. No child is born with a belief in any deity. Their beliefs are indoctrinated into them by their previously indoctrinated parents. The parents feel obligated to pass on their beliefs to their children and those children pass it on to their children and the cycle continues. It isn’t until someone within that circle starts to think critically that the cycle ends.

    The child would be better served to not have it’s parents indoctrinate them with any type of religious beliefs. There is something called the “Age of Reason” to which the child is able to make their own choices. Christians WILL NOT wait until the AOR because they realize if they do not get them while they are young, they do not have a fighting chance in hell.

    Once the child is old enough to realize that donkey’s can’t talk, rabbits don’t chew their cud, a man cannot survive three days in the belly of a giant fish, a 600 year old man did not build a big ass boat in the middle of the desert (even Ken Ham can’t build an ark without MILLIONS of dollars, yet we are to believe a primitive 600 year old man and his three 100 year old son’s did it with primitive tools) and no man ever walked on water, the child will recognize the religion for what it is…complete and utter ignorance!

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  6. I’m not religious and I’m letting my child chose. Now my family insists that she attends Catholic Church and classes. I would rather her explore what she prefers most. I was forced as a child and now claim nothing. I’d rather her find her own way.

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  7. Raised as the child of a Southern Church of Christ preacher, I know that the Bible I was raised with tells its followers that they must train their children “in the way they would have they go”. I decided to do exactly that with my three sons who are now 20, 18 and 18. I had them study ALL religions from the time they were about 12 years old (same age I was when I dropped Christianity) and we discussed what they had learned, afterward. On what path I wanted them to follow, I explained that it is their soul and they may follow any path, or no path, they choose as long as it calls to their soul. I explained that I wanted them to understand where the people who follow these religions are “coming from”, what they believe, they doctrines, tenets, etc so that they can learn tolerance for the best behaved of them and still be able to argue their own choices intelligently with the nutcases of the various religions they will meet during their lifetime. We all have to deal with a few nutcases sooner or later, sadly.

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  8. Some parents feel that because they were involved in the creation of a child, the child is their property like some kind of arts and crafts project. Not true! A kid is too young to choose their beliefs, but they should always be allowed just that, a choice. While I agree with you that you should never force a child to go to a school of a particular religion, I don’t think those schools should be extinct. I chose to stay in a christian private school for many years, simply because the education, in that particular area, was higher quality than public school. But forcing a very young child on your beliefs, and not letting them explore for themselves? Thats abuse. There’s nothing wrong with suggesting your belief when their old enough. But forcing it, is brainwashing and abuse.

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  9. FiRest, I’d like to thank you for stopping by to visit my post, and then I’ll say that in my opinion, (which is only that, my opinion) I think that many parents try to “relive” their own lives through their children. They don’t seem to ever consider that the little human that is their child, is a complete individual. Yes, children can be shaped by biases or teachings in their homes or from people admire, but it seems to me that most times those things only point out purported differences. My poor mother still tries to tell me what to do or how to think (control my thoughts and behaviors) but now my grown son told her she needed to just give it up, because I am my own person with my own philosophies and my own life. I’m sure I’ve made mistakes with my own kids, but I’ve always told them to look at their lives &/or decisions from every angle before making a decision…. Their decisions can effect people they do not even know much less realize would feel an impact. I also tell them that when I, as their mom, tell them something, it is either only my opinion, or something I think they might want to consider before making their own decisions. I can’t ever do that for them because they have their lives to live and I have mine. May sound stupid, but they turned out to be very nonjudgmental, consider, and highly intelligent people. Sometimes we agree, but sometimes we don’t … Lol

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    1. very true, people tend to think if you aren’t doing it their way then you are wrong. if it’s a stranger you can laugh it off, but if it’s your parents, you have to put up with it until you are old enough to pay bills. it’s a lot of pressure.

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    1. well you have to consider that before the software is installed (language, ideas, etc.) we are animals. do you think animals believe in god?

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      3. Very great post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have truly loved browsing your blog posts. In any case I’ll be subscribing on your feed and I’m hoping you write again soon!

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    2. Dear False Prophet,
      The simple answer is that in my opinion we should show our children the options that are out there. There are many religions and many ways to believe in God and or religious practices.
      Sincerely,
      Sam Sutlive.

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      1. The above opinion was posted around 9:20 on May 4, 2015 and was responding to
        False Prophet’s Post:
        Should we raise our children as neutral as possible? How can that be done, do you think? Are we all born atheists? Keep on blogging in a free world – The False Prophet

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  11. We should encourage our children to think for themselves. While my parents really got pissed when I stopped believing in Christianity, I would be offended if my children DID. There is simply no reason to believe in religion these days other than emotion and conditioning. The worst part is once the kid is brainwashed then they want to brainwash their kids and it just never ends.

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  12. I agree with you there but I suppose it is somewhat inbuilt into religion to teach your children to follow and educate them in the matters of the world as much as possible. For some religion plays a big role, however I believe that it is up to the child to question the religion they may be in and to research and find their way into that which they deem to be right. The parent can only guide them to the ways they think is right, and for their child to be open minded enough to be able to think and decide for themselves. It is sad that there are so many divisions causing a rift between people of different beliefs.

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  14. I’m a believer, so why wouldn’t I raise my children to do the same? Having said that, I was sorry when one of my children told me he is now an atheist. I didn’t try and convince him he was wrong because he is now a grown up with his own opinions and a right to his beliefs.
    Forget about the institutions, parenting is all about the family unit and values. If you teach your children that it’s wrong to steal or to kill and that you should treat everyone the way you’d like to be treated yourself, you can’t go too wrong, can you?

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  15. Dear Marymtf,
    I agree and really like what you said here:
    “Forget about the institutions, parenting is all about the family unit and values. If you teach your children that it’s wrong to steal or to kill and that you should treat everyone the way you’d like to be treated yourself, you can’t go too wrong, can you?”
    Sincerely,
    Sam Sutlive
    posted 10:17pm May ,2015

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  16. Interesting, I’d never really considered this. Sometimes I say “raised Catholic” or something similar because I think a lot of religious practice is embedded in childhood – although, not mine, so I don’t really know – and that some people perform religious practices without thinking about it because they grew up with it.

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