Reply to Religious families-Do your children easily love God?

Forum Index » Religion

Reply to "Religious families-Do your children easily love God?"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I'm not trying to play gotcha. I'm trying to distinguish different parenting approaches to spirituality and religious education.

If you don't like the term indoctrination for the subset of practices I'm specifically calling out, then explain why the term isn't appropriate and why my reaction to it is wrong.

I've been consistent about which practices I've called indoctrination and, as I also keep noting, there are parents involved in this conversation who take a much more open ended and, I would say, respectful, approach to their children's spiritual development and religious education.

If you think the parents using the methods I've called indoctrination are actually doing something open minded that supports their children's education and spiritual growth - whatever path those children chose, then I'm open to hearing how I've misinterpreted what seems to be a dedicated effort to cause their children to believe exactly what, and in the way, that their parents believe.

If, on the other hand, you just don't like the word because you don't like the way it feels when it's applied to what you're doing with your kids, then perhaps you need to look at why the word stings, not the word itself. [/quote]

As I stated earlier, the word "indoctrination" may be used accurately as you interpret the rearing of children by these particular posters, but does not support the "discussion" you had described upthread. There is no good way to use it if you expect others to engage you on a mutually respectful level.

The word does not sting me. I am not indoctrinating my children. I am raising them in a family that holds faith in high regards. Let's imagine we do keep faith out of our parenting completely. What you're saying is that if my kids become adults of deep faith then that's fine, and if they become adults with no faith then fine. But if we (my spouse and I) conduct our lives as adults guided by faith and our dependent children notice this and ask questions and we answer to the best of our abilities with love and respect for others we are still doing them a disservice?

I don't understand being asked as a parent to step back and raise them without something we see as important on the off chance that something will stick that wasn't completely organic to them. We also emphasize a healthy diet and exercise -- is that bad? Why can't my kids learn on their own whether they want to eat less produce and more Velveeta by the bowl.

It seems to me you're coming from a place where religion is inherently bad or dangerous and children must be protected from it until they are strong enough to repel it on their own.

I may be off-base, but harping on your justification for the word "indoctrination" just seems odd to me.[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics