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Original poster

children can make their own mind up about religion when they grow up...

814 replies

AliGrylls · 07/04/2011 12:05

Okay I have just read this on another thread but this is a statement I hear quite a lot and want to ask the question.

If all you teach your child is atheism how will they make their mind up about religion when they grow up because they have no religion other than atheism?

They will know nothing other than what you have taught them so they have nothing to make their mind up about - they will be atheist, by default. If people genuinely want their children to make their own mind up they have to provide them with a reasonable alternative (ie, Judaism / Christianity / Islam).

I don't actually know any adults who have been brought up atheist who have thought all of a sudden "I believe in God, I am going to go to Church".

OP posts:
exoticfruits · 07/04/2011 23:09

I don't see how it's 'free choice' when we live in a 'Christian' country, where Bishops are in the House of Lords, the Head of State is also the head of the church, where religious education and acts of worship are compulsory in non-faith schools, where judges give lighter sentences to people of faith, where religious groups and bodies exert huge pressure on government decisions and attract large amounts of public subsidy.

We are replying to this-at least I am.

ivykaty44 · 07/04/2011 23:11

NZ has no state religion and a third of their population claiming no religion - does that mean they are laxer than the UK?

TheCoalitionNeedsYou · 07/04/2011 23:14

When they are grown up they can investigate these things if they feel the need.

TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 07/04/2011 23:15

Sorry Roseflower and exoticfruits you're making up what I said. I never said anything about fighting a Christian country - I said that if you are an atheist it is a battle to get your point across when our education, government, history and culture is built around a Christian tradition and Christian mythology (and other faiths founding myths to some extent) is promoted so heavily to children.

I never said anything about the UK being extremist and oppressive either.

exoticfruits · 07/04/2011 23:17

We quoted your words! You live in a free country. You have a free choice. You are an atheist and you are free to promote your views.

VodkawithRosie · 07/04/2011 23:18

Historically and culturally maybe it can be of interest and use, I disagree with the ideas themselves being taught as if they are fact.

TheCoalitionNeedsYou · 07/04/2011 23:20

ExoticFruits - Do you not think the religious beliefs of the parents influences the beliefs of the children? I mean it DOES seems to run in families....

VodkawithRosie · 07/04/2011 23:21

Haven't read the thread btw, which probably got horribly vicious 1.5 pages in

exoticfruits · 07/04/2011 23:21

They may want to do it before they are 18 Thecoalition and it is somewhat counterproductive if you stop them. My DS refused to go to church at 8yrs-was forcing him going to make him a Christian?!

ivykaty44 · 07/04/2011 23:22

But if your theory works exoctic - the schools will thrust religion upon my children as they are oblidged to by law and then the children will rebel and run as fast as they can in the other direction. I can can sit with my mouth firmly closed other than to make sure my dc can read and have choice of thoughts Grin and thus avoid influence myself and the outcome is my children see sense

DuelingFanjo · 07/04/2011 23:25

why do people think that Atheism is actively taught? It is possible to raise children without religion being a part of life and without actively making them anti-religion. You just don't mention gods or worship or rwligion in any way. ie you raise them with an absence of religion until they are school.

As soon as they start school parents who have raised their children this way then have to battle to not allow their child to be indoctrinated with religious teaching and they are then labeled as 'atheist' when really what they are is as untouched by religion as the day they were born.

I dread the day my child reaches school and has to be taught to resist this thing called religion which up until then will have no part in his life. it's a battle I would rather not have to fight but I will probably have to.

exoticfruits · 07/04/2011 23:26

I have just explained
Grandparents staunch methodist
father atheist
me Cof E
DCs atheist.

I don't think it runs in families at all. I grew up with lots of friends who were taken to church-some were very involved and are now atheist. I know people with atheist parents who are active members of a church.

Why should accident of birth mean that you hold a particular belief?

I don't know any adults who hold their beliefs because 'my parents told me so'!

Roseflower · 07/04/2011 23:27

Im pretty sure you kids would get exposed to religion at some points in their life, school or not.

Why all the cotton wool?

MillyR · 07/04/2011 23:28

There is a lot of focus on children making a choice to adopt something other than their parents beliefs in later life, and of course many people do.

But choosing something different doesn't mean that they can put all those beliefs behind them, and it not have any impact on their adult life.

And that impact can be really damaging, even if your parents are lovely people.

VodkawithRosie · 07/04/2011 23:28

Exactly Dueling

Why Rose?

exoticfruits · 07/04/2011 23:30

children will rebel and run as fast as they can in the other direction.

Do you know a single DC who became a Christian through school assemblies? I don't! The churches would be full if that was the case.

Why do you need to teach your DC to resist Duellingfanjo?-he isn't you.
My father had that sort of view-which I found highly irritating.

TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 07/04/2011 23:30

exotic you only quoted my words when I asked you and Roseflower to stop making up things that I said (like "the UK is extremist and oppressive" or not a "free country" - neither of which I said).

Meh. I will be disappointed if DS becomes religious - yes it's his 'free choice' (cough) but so is becoming a Tory or a caravan owner and I would be disappointed then as well. Smile

A1980 · 07/04/2011 23:30

I haven't read this but children will inevitably make thier own mind up anyway.
My mum is religious, beleives that god created the earth and asked ones where dinosaurs fitted into it as Adam and Eve were first on earth.......! I don't beleive in god, I believe that Jesus Chirst exisited but not that he was divine in any way. I didn't grow up a beleiver.

My friends family are muslim. They pray 5 times a day, no alcohol, etc the whole shebang. They're planning to do Hajj this year. My friend won't eat pork but that's the extent of it. She just doesn't beleive or care.

Roseflower · 07/04/2011 23:31

Why what?

DuelingFanjo · 07/04/2011 23:31

Rose, none of my family are religous. There's no reason at all for my son to have anything religious in his life until the day he attends school and has to sit in an assembly which may contain some religious stuff. I managed to get to the age of 11 without ever having learned the lord's prayer; I was forced to in my first year of secondary school after they asked us all to write it in our books and I was only able to write down the first two lines and the 'amen'.

ivykaty44 · 07/04/2011 23:33

so if children would get exposed to religion at some point in their lives school or not - why not leave it out of school life all together

TheCoalitionNeedsYou · 07/04/2011 23:33

ExoticFruits - I think the population of many parts of, say, Northern Ireland would disagree with you.

Roseflower · 07/04/2011 23:34

so if children would get exposed to religion at some point in their lives school or not - why not leave it out of school life all together

Even educational relgious studies? No more RE/RS at all?

ivykaty44 · 07/04/2011 23:34

our father who art in heaven give us this day are daily bread, forgive us for our tresspasses and those who tresspass against each other for ever and ever amen

ivykaty44 · 07/04/2011 23:36

tis garbage - sorry

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