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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote]True, but why can't we approach one another without using words like indoctrination and brainwashing. Why go to the place where it is suggested believers are stuck in the dark ages with our myths, our opiate. See how that could shut down discussion from the start? [/quote]

Those terms were actually used applying to specific things certain posters said, and the approach those posters were taking with their children was distinguished from the approach other posters are taking with their children.

To me, if you have to focus on having five other adults always reinforcing the fact that your child should believe in God, and you're sending them to all kinds of extra classes, youth groups and other activities designed to reinforce that belief, that's a type of indoctrination, and whether you like it or not, indoctrination is an accurate word for it. That's the type of environment where children grow up to fear that if they ever question the belief structure of the group they will be ostracized and lose everything.

If you have to make an effort to make sure your children and your home life is all about God and your religion on a 24/7 basis so that your children grow up to believe as you do, that's a type of indoctrination. You are trying to cause them to believe in the specific way you want them to believe. Again, that's the type of environment where children grow up being afraid to question.

If you have to force your older children to go to church to "worship God," do you really believe your God wants that coerced attendance, and is it really worth driving that wedge between you and your children? Obviously some posters think it is. Do you really think they're feeling "God's love" under those circumstances, or are they resenting you and your religion?

My point in putting some of those comments in the communist context was to show how it sounds when someone is not talking about belief in your religion, and demonstrate how some of those posts sound a little over zealous and a little creepy.

If it looked creepy or offensive to you when described in the context of communism, perhaps you might want to look at your parenting style and ask, "Is it possible that I'm going over the top and driving my kids in the other direction?"

On the other hand, there are some parents posting on here who are comfortable with their own faith and have confidence in the choices that their children make. They are educating their children about religion by demonstrating their own beliefs to their children and living a life that exemplifies their beliefs.

Ask yourself, "What happens if my child chooses a different spiritual path or decides not to believe?" If your answer is, that's fine with me, as long as he/she is happy and healthy, that's great! [b]If your answer is something different, then you might want to look at what's driving you that way, and why you're putting so much emphasis on trying to cause your children to believe something specific, rather than trying to give them the framework to make their own choices.[/b] [/quote]
I am not making anyone believe anything, I am living out my beliefs and my kid(s) see that because they live with me.  I am not constantly drilling into my kid 'you have to believe in God' and then send them to 50 different faith based activities to try to convince them to belive. That is not authentic and will not work.  I believe in God as real presence, existence, not as an abstract concept. I believe in building a relationship with my Creator. That is what my kids will have to do as well. And they will see how their parents do it, that is the example we are setting. I think you do not have an understanding of faith, God and what that means. You are making a lot of assumptions that are just not true, at least for a lot of people. You do not believe in God, which is fine, but that does not mean that because I do I am "indoctrinating" my kid, it does not necessarily work that way. [/quote]

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