If your 20 or 30 something still practices the faith they were raised in

[Anonymous]

If your 20- or 30-something still practices the faith they were raised in, what factors do you think contributed to that? How did your teen or college student "make their faith their own?"

We go to church as a family and pray at meals, try to live out the values of our faith, etc. Right now I would say our teens are nominal Christians. They would assent to the gospel and all that goes with it as being "true," but they don't orient their lives toward this truth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your 20- or 30-something still practices the faith they were raised in, what factors do you think contributed to that? How did your teen or college student "make their faith their own?"

We go to church as a family and pray at meals, try to live out the values of our faith, etc. Right now I would say our teens are nominal Christians. They would assent to the gospel and all that goes with it as being "true," but they don't orient their lives toward this truth.

Your kids are probably different from you in other ways, as well. No reason to think that their religion should be exactly what you taught them when they were younger. Times change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your 20- or 30-something still practices the faith they were raised in, what factors do you think contributed to that? How did your teen or college student "make their faith their own?"

We go to church as a family and pray at meals, try to live out the values of our faith, etc. Right now I would say our teens are nominal Christians. They would assent to the gospel and all that goes with it as being "true," but they don't orient their lives toward this truth.

Your kids are probably different from you in other ways, as well. No reason to think that their religion should be exactly what you taught them when they were younger. Times change.

They will make their own choices as adults, and I will respect them. But I think it’s ok to try to cultivate a faith in them while they’re children and pass down values and a worldview.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your 20- or 30-something still practices the faith they were raised in, what factors do you think contributed to that? How did your teen or college student "make their faith their own?"

We go to church as a family and pray at meals, try to live out the values of our faith, etc. Right now I would say our teens are nominal Christians. They would assent to the gospel and all that goes with it as being "true," but they don't orient their lives toward this truth.

Your kids are probably different from you in other ways, as well. No reason to think that their religion should be exactly what you taught them when they were younger. Times change.

They will make their own choices as adults, and I will respect them. But I think it’s ok to try to cultivate a faith in them while they’re children and pass down values and a worldview.

Parents can present and encourage certain values and a worldview, but it may be hard to actually pass down such things. Actually, it sounds like you're trying to control your children's religious choices into adulthood and are asking how other parents successfully did that.

[Anonymous]

Brainwashing. Please stop perpetuating it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Brainwashing. Please stop perpetuating it.

Are you Buddhist? If not, try this thought experiment. Do you think it's brainwashing when a Buddhist mom takes her children to temple? I'm guessing not. When religions are "foreign" enough for us to see them clearly, we recognize that they're cultural practices -- part and parcel of a person's cultural identity. Therefore they feel off limits to our judgment.

Of course, ALL religions are cultural practices. Even the one practiced by your nosy annoying neighbor. They're brainwashing only in the same way that all other cultural customs, traditions, and norms are "brainwashing."

Anyway, OP, I think that understanding the cultural nature of religion is actually the key to raising a child who will continue to practice the religion as an adult.

If your child truly experiences the religion as a crucial, integral part of his or her cultural identity, s/he'll be far more more likely to remain involved, or drawn back into it, once she's an independent adult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Brainwashing. Please stop perpetuating it.

Are you Buddhist? If not, try this thought experiment. Do you think it's brainwashing when a Buddhist mom takes her children to temple? I'm guessing not. When religions are "foreign" enough for us to see them clearly, we recognize that they're cultural practices -- part and parcel of a person's cultural identity. Therefore they feel off limits to our judgment.

Of course, ALL religions are cultural practices. Even the one practiced by your nosy annoying neighbor. They're brainwashing only in the same way that all other cultural customs, traditions, and norms are "brainwashing."

Anyway, OP, I think that understanding the cultural nature of religion is actually the key to raising a child who will continue to practice the religion as an adult.

If your child truly experiences the religion as a crucial, integral part of his or her cultural identity, s/he'll be far more more likely to remain involved, or drawn back into it, once she's an independent adult.

Agreed. Meanwhile, your children, once they are adults, could differ from their parents in many ways, while still being responsible adults. Some of the differences could include their religious practices,

Also, consider that religious practices involve believing things, that differ from one religion to another, that come only via faith. There are no facts to back up them up. If your children become more fact-oriented as they mature, it may be that they begin to question the religion that they were taught as children, and choose another religion or no religion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Brainwashing. Please stop perpetuating it.

Are you Buddhist? If not, try this thought experiment. Do you think it's brainwashing when a Buddhist mom takes her children to temple? I'm guessing not. When religions are "foreign" enough for us to see them clearly, we recognize that they're cultural practices -- part and parcel of a person's cultural identity. Therefore they feel off limits to our judgment.

Of course, ALL religions are cultural practices. Even the one practiced by your nosy annoying neighbor. They're brainwashing only in the same way that all other cultural customs, traditions, and norms are "brainwashing."

Anyway, OP, I think that understanding the cultural nature of religion is actually the key to raising a child who will continue to practice the religion as an adult.

If your child truly experiences the religion as a crucial, integral part of his or her cultural identity, s/he'll be far more more likely to remain involved, or drawn back into it, once she's an independent adult.

I think you made the case for the PP. It doesn't matter the religion. It's indoctrination. You've made it part of their culture and identity to "believe", regardless of which belief system it is.

[Anonymous]

Troll

[Anonymous]

I'm Muslim not Christian so not the same but similar thing. I doubt our American born and raised kids would ever be religious. However, they were raised in a Christian and atheist majority country so it was inevitable.

People who raised practicing kids were more religious themselves and more involved in local immigrant community. They were at the mosque at least once a day and had kids enrolled in some religious activity all through the year.

That being said, even among them, only half were successful. Mostly ones who kept kids living at home for college and got them married right after undergrad with similarly raised spouses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Troll

What's the trolling? PP made a statement of fact.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm Muslim not Christian so not the same but similar thing. I doubt our American born and raised kids would ever be religious. However, they were raised in a Christian and atheist majority country so it was inevitable.

People who raised practicing kids were more religious themselves and more involved in local immigrant community. They were at the mosque at least once a day and had kids enrolled in some religious activity all through the year.

That being said, even among them, only half were successful. Mostly ones who kept kids living at home for college and got them married right after undergrad with similarly raised spouses.

Sounds awful, for the kid, and very controlling. Make your kids live at home for college, make them spend a lot of time at the mosque, and marry them off to another muslim as soon as they graduate.

Irrespective of the religion, it sounds terrible. Hopefully, OP wouldn't do the Christian version of this. Not too many kids would react well to it.

[Anonymous]

Its no different than enrolling kids in catholic schools or join church choir etc. There are sports, scouting, tutoring and other fun activities too. Commuter college is mostly due to cost and marriages are often based on similar culture and ethnicity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your 20- or 30-something still practices the faith they were raised in, what factors do you think contributed to that? How did your teen or college student "make their faith their own?"

We go to church as a family and pray at meals, try to live out the values of our faith, etc. Right now I would say our teens are nominal Christians. They would assent to the gospel and all that goes with it as being "true," but they don't orient their lives toward this truth.

Same as it was when I grew up.
We go to church for the community and moral discussion and rituals and good vibes, but we never encouraged our children to believe the ridiculous paranormal claims. So they had nothing to reject and no trust was broken when they matured mentally, and they still enjoy church.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Brainwashing. Please stop perpetuating it.

Are you Buddhist? If not, try this thought experiment. Do you think it's brainwashing when a Buddhist mom takes her children to temple? I'm guessing not. When religions are "foreign" enough for us to see them clearly, we recognize that they're cultural practices -- part and parcel of a person's cultural identity. Therefore they feel off limits to our judgment.

Of course, ALL religions are cultural practices. Even the one practiced by your nosy annoying neighbor. They're brainwashing only in the same way that all other cultural customs, traditions, and norms are "brainwashing."

Anyway, OP, I think that understanding the cultural nature of religion is actually the key to raising a child who will continue to practice the religion as an adult.

If your child truly experiences the religion as a crucial, integral part of his or her cultural identity, s/he'll be far more more likely to remain involved, or drawn back into it, once she's an independent adult.

This poster is onto something. I continue to attend/look like I'm faithful because I enjoy the rituals and want to pass them onto my kids. It's not about the religion/beliefs. So strong/meaningful traditions.