Is it fair to brainwash our children?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I get the how useful it is for humans to have morality and love of God but find it questionable to teach kids about just one religion because that's what I was taught by my parents who were taught by theirs.

I wonder if as parents its our responsibility to introduce them to all major religions, as well as concepts of agnosticism and atheism?

I think it's our responsibility to raise decent, moral children. Many parents have chosen exposure to one religion as a way of doing that, but there are many ways to accomplish the same goal, as many parents have, with and without religion.

Personally, I don't see the benefits of instilling "love of God" into kids. God is an invisible, supernatural being that many good people, including some children, don't believe in. Better, to instill love of, and respect for each other and the law.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teaching your children about your religious beliefs are not brainwashing.
As long as you teach them to be tolerant to other belief systems.

Depends on how you phrase it.

"I believe that this is what happened..."
vs.
"This is what happened..."

[Anonymous]

Is it fair to brainwash children into thinking that everything in life can be chosen?

[Anonymous]

My kid, for family history and environment, is exposed to various religions already but I think religion is not a product you buy browsing on Amazon all possible reviews and ratings..
My religion plays a very important role in my life, it gives me hope in eternity, a sense of belonging and a way to face gracefully suffering and challenges in this world. I want to pass it on to my DC because I would like religion to be for her too a great source of comfort, hope and beauty

[Anonymous]

Never mind religion - the whole act of raising a child is "brainwashing".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid, for family history and environment, is exposed to various religions already but I think religion is not a product you buy browsing on Amazon all possible reviews and ratings..
My religion plays a very important role in my life, it gives me hope in eternity, a sense of belonging and a way to face gracefully suffering and challenges in this world. I want to pass it on to my DC because I would like religion to be for her too a great source of comfort, hope and beauty

I hope that you're keeping in mind that you can tell your daughter about your religion and how important it is to you without telling her that she must believe it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it works to teach young kids multiple religions. It's already hard enough to teach one religion. I think the best that you can hope for is that your kid is flexible enough that when he/she gets older, he/she can be open-minded enough to learn about other religions. This requires teaching a kid nuance and the fact that the world is complicated and simplistic theories aren't always correct in practice, which is a non-trivial thing.

Teaching things to kids in narrative form (as religion does) works well because humans take to narratives very easily. Telling a story to convey a message is the best way to teach young kids something. Trying to teach kids multiple religions is like trying to teach kids multiple, contradictory stories. It's not going to work, if only because it's confusing because kids don't actually have any sense of perspective. The first religion that you teach is going to provide the perspective/lens through which a kid will understand things. This idea of teaching kids multiple religions comes from adults who want a certain end result but who have forgotten what it's actually like to be a young kid.

You can teach them ABOUT multiple religions, just like you can teach kids about multiple forms of government. I think you're confusing teaching kids multiple religions with teaching kids to BELIEVE in multiple religions, or to tell them about various religions, and then tell them they must choose one to believe in. That would be rough.

[Anonymous]

Some people don’t consider it brainwashing. It’s our values.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can only speak from my own experience being raised Mormon. We were talking taught that it was the only true church, and the other churches are called stuff like “the great and abominable church” and “the whore of the earth”. Fun stuff to learn as a kid! Of course most adult Mormons don’t actually believe that, but it was taught to me as a young kid in the 80’s.

I’m not religious now, but l find religions that are accepting of other religions (like Buddhism) more appealing.

Monks can be very cruel when needed and Dalai Lama did some weird pedo like stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most people don’t know how to teach morality without religion.

Sadly true

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get the how useful it is for humans to have morality and love of God but find it questionable to teach kids about just one religion because that's what I was taught by my parents who were taught by theirs.

I wonder if as parents its our responsibility to introduce them to all major religions, as well as concepts of agnosticism and atheism?

I think it's our responsibility to raise decent, moral children. Many parents have chosen exposure to one religion as a way of doing that, but there are many ways to accomplish the same goal, as many parents have, with and without religion.

Personally, I don't see the benefits of instilling "love of God" into kids. God is an invisible, supernatural being that many good people, including some children, don't believe in. Better, to instill love of, and respect for each other and the law.

I agree but concept of god is comforting when facing depression, troubles or grief.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get the how useful it is for humans to have morality and love of God but find it questionable to teach kids about just one religion because that's what I was taught by my parents who were taught by theirs.

I wonder if as parents its our responsibility to introduce them to all major religions, as well as concepts of agnosticism and atheism?

I think it's our responsibility to raise decent, moral children. Many parents have chosen exposure to one religion as a way of doing that, but there are many ways to accomplish the same goal, as many parents have, with and without religion.

Personally, I don't see the benefits of instilling "love of God" into kids. God is an invisible, supernatural being that many good people, including some children, don't believe in. Better, to instill love of, and respect for each other and the law.

I agree but concept of god is comforting when facing depression, troubles or grief.

So are whiskey and opiates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid, for family history and environment, is exposed to various religions already but I think religion is not a product you buy browsing on Amazon all possible reviews and ratings..
My religion plays a very important role in my life, it gives me hope in eternity, a sense of belonging and a way to face gracefully suffering and challenges in this world. I want to pass it on to my DC because I would like religion to be for her too a great source of comfort, hope and beauty

I hope that you're keeping in mind that you can tell your daughter about your religion and how important it is to you without telling her that she must believe it.

PP here. Of course I am aware she is a person with a free will. Right now I want her to get to know what is important in my life hoping it will help her too. Parents do it all the time in other aspect of parenting too. For example I am encouraging her to eat food I think is healthy, practice a sport I think will help her be strong or sign her up to classes to learn skill that may serve her well in adulthood.
I am a parent, I am trying to guide her in the way I think will make her a functiional adult. Once she will be an adult will be up to her to make decisions about her own life

[Anonymous]

*sorry for the spelling issues

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My eldest kid is only 10 and I don’t need to “teach” these things. She has been exposed to Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Shintoism, atheism, and agnosticism simply by existing in the world and being an intellectually curious person.

How old are your kids that this is even a question?

Being exposed it nit being educated or understanding