Do you have the same beliefs as your parents?

[piscesmoon]

This follows on from another thread about collective worship in schools. I wonder how many people follow the belief system that they were taught by their parents and how many think entirely differently?
I ask because I have Christian views and took my DCs to church from babies. They are all Christened. They have all rejected it. This doesn't bother me-I wanted them to have the experience in order to make up their own minds. It hasn't upset me or changed our relationship-they are all lovely, caring, young men who anyone could be proud of.
Am I odd in this? Do people have expectations of what their DC will believe?

I think that those who have a faith have a long history of children leaving it-it is so common.
Atheists-on the other thread-don't seem to be open to the idea that their DC may find a religious belief on their own. They don't want them 'indoctrinated' and they expect them to be atheists as adults.
Is there anyone who has rejected their parent's atheist belief and found a faith? Has it altered your relationship-made life difficult with your parents? And vice versa of course.
I am just curious-it has aroused such passions.

The short answer is yes. I will expand if DS will ever let me out him down!!

My parents are both Christians but I'm an atheist's. Though even as an atheist I would LOVE my children to find a faith. I intend to make sure they learn about Christianity and other faiths. I honestly wish I could have some sort of bolt from the blue that would change my heart and make me a believer.

Interesting question!

No, is my answer.

Grandparents: staunch atheists ("no-one of any intelligence whatsoever could possibly believe all that nonsense" to use a direct quote)

Parents: agnostic. Open to ideas, but no commitment. I was brought up with no religion, was not baptised, only went to church with Brownies and for other people's weddings and a couple of Christenings.

Siblings: one truly agnostic, but actively exploring and very curious, one fairly firmly atheist (I think)

Me: Christian - baptised aged 30. I'm lucky that no-one has a problem with it (though secretly might think I'm a bit peculiar ) I'm not really sure where my faith came from, I just know that I've always had it, even through my totally secular childhood.

No. absolutely not. But that was my choice i was brought up in their faith and made my own decision when i was old enough. they are mostly cool about it is just odd occasions when it is an issue.

I was raised Jewish. My dad has been an atheist for as long as I can remember (my parents are divorced and have been for about 35 years, I'm 41).

My mum still practices Judaism, but in more of a cultural way than that she actually goes to Synagogue. And she doesn't keep Kosher.

I am very spiritual but not involved in any organized religion. I believe in a higher power and so on.

My dad thinks this is insane and how could I when he's taught me better?

Basically, we just don't discuss religion.

I don't discus it with my mum either, other than she hopefully tells me when the holidays are (its Passover, for example, right now. Or maybe its over, I'm not sure) so maybe I'll do something about them.

My husband, BTW, is also an atheist. We have not yet discussed how we are going to raise our currently not quite 10 month old son. But keep in mind we live in Northern Ireland, so probably not Jewish.

Thanks for replying-I have never started a thread before so didn't know if it would take off! That is interesting MrsCadwallander, I admit to knowing many atheists with Christian parents but very few the other way around.

my mother simultaneously believes in the catholic doctrine and that aliens put us here as an experiment and my dad believes that we're just matter existing in a chaotic universe and that there is no existance before or after life... that we just end.

so no... not really

personally i believe there are higher powers and spiritual forces but i'm not overly concerned with what they are... i live a good life and try and be a decent person and hope that whatever god, spirit or giant turtle judges me when i die agrees.

We don't tend to discuss religion. I grew up believing my mum had christian beliefs and was quite surprised to discover she is an atheist. My father came from a very catholic family and I think he still has catholic beliefs but doesn't go to church ever.

I was christened catholic but have only set foot in a catholic church once since and that was to attend a funeral. I get the impression that my father is dissapointed that I am not a practising catholic but you can't just baptise a baby and expect them to follow that religion.

I won't be having my children christened, we had a thanksgiving blessing for ds and I was concerned that we were being hypocritical by doing that.

My grandparents were devout Catholics, my parents (and their siblings) are devout Catholics.

My siblings and I are all devout Catholics. There are four of us (two brothers, two sisters) one of us is single and the rest of us are married to devout Catholics. None of us lived together before marriage and (as far as I am aware) none had premarital sex.

We're all bringing our children up to be Catholics too. So far, none of them have rejected it - the oldest of the next generation is 19, the youngest is 20mths.

My Mum was devout Christian (CofE), my Dad "cultural Christian" I guess(went to church for hatches/matches & dispatches as they say)

I'm a Christian (CofE), my brother is what would probably be classed as agnostic - one nephew (23) definitely atheist, the other nephew (25) is doing the RICA course to become a RC, so we are a right hotch potch in our family, but nobody minds (Politics caused more rows TBH, Dad staunch Labour & DB a raving Tory )

Too soon yet to know what my DD (4) and DS (2) will decide, but they love coming to Church with me ATM & DH (a lapsed Baptist, if there is such a thing) is happy (as am I) that they learn about the Christian faith & make their own minds up when they are older.

The curate at our Church has two atheist parents - his father vehemently so (and apparently didn't speak to him for about two years when he found out he was "wasting his life" & becoming a priest)

I don't understand why people expect their DC to think the same way they do?

Mum married Dad when he was a Catholic priest and she (up to that point) was a devout Catholic too. 6 months after they married, they were received into the CofE. Then Dad retrained and was a CofE priest until he died in 2008.

My FIL is a Methodist Superintendant Minister.

My DH is a CofE Deacon (due to be ordained priest this summer). I will have been confirmed 20 years in December. I am still growing in my faith but it is a major part of me.

DH and I are the odd ones out though. My BIL and SIL are agnostic. My DB is also agnostic. He stopped going to church aged about 12.

It is nice to know that people have an interesting mix, without it causing family breakdown. I think it all adds to the rich tapestry of life.

I thought that I would just bump it up one more time. Although interesting it has been a a very small sample.

My DM was very Catholic in her beliefs and her ways, although I suspect it was a form of rebellion against her father (long story).
My DF is a cultural catholic embracing their morals but doesn't believe in God. He brought me up to be very open minded and was very disappointed when I went to study religion at uni.
Soon cheered up when I told him I was specialising in wichcraft and feminology.

I am very involved in the Church and take the spiritual side of my life very seriously; my DM is agnostic and DF is a believer but doesn't attend Church. DH is also a believer but doesn't go to Church every Sunday - but always Easter, Christmas and probably at least once a month. DS goes to a wonderful young people's club with a Christian theme. I would hope DS grows up with a strong faith but I am realistic enough to know that it may not happen.

I am very involved in the Church and take the spiritual side of my life very seriously; my DM is agnostic and DF is a believer but doesn't attend Church. DH is also a believer but doesn't go to Church every Sunday - but always Easter, Christmas and probably at least once a month. DS goes to a wonderful young people's club with a Christian theme. I would hope DS grows up with a strong faith but I am realistic enough to know that it may not happen.

Sorry, haven't answered the OPs comment properly - my faith has not affected my relationship with my parents - I was bought up to always 'think of others' and do a lot of voluntary work etc and the way I now do a lot of this is through the Church. My DM is a very 'logical' person and has read the Bible thoroughly (more so than me) but does not feel any form of belief. To be honest we don't discuss it in great detail - just I have friends of different/no faith - it all adds to life's rich tapestry!

I'm a Catholic, my mother is an atheist (but enjoys carol services etc) and my dad is a vague anglican and has probably been to church 30 times in his adult life. My family is quite mixed with baptist, methodists, catholics and anglicans. I have always had a strong faith from being a very young child but I didn't get it from my parents or school. Must be in my bones .

My Mum was a committed christian (Cof E),and so were the immediate members of her family I know about - parents,uncle,brother.My dad and his mother went to church at Christmas,Easter,Remembrance Sunday - but when Mum died Dad started to attend regularly - I don't really know what he believed though.

I was christian until about age 35 and I'd say I am agnostic now(or confused!).My sister and her husband are believers and very invoved in their church.

Mum wasn't exactly happy that I left the church,and that we didn't have DD christened,but it didn't affect our relationship.

Yes. We are all fairly bad Catholics.

My GPs all attended church (methodist), my parents did when younger, and do very occasionally now, for hatched, matched and despatched, and the odd Christmas or Mothering Sunday service.

They sent me to Sunday school every week, and I made a commitment myself at 7. DH and I are both Christians, and involved with our church. OUr DC attend with us, and at present both would profess a Christian faith

It is nice to know that people have made up their own mind, some at a young age. The prevailing view on the other thread seems to be that the parent will tell them 'the truth' (according to the parent)and the DC will be intelligent enough to comply i.e. they WILL follow the parent and no one should be able to tell them another side. I think that an intelligent DC can weigh it up for themselves and will not be indoctrinated.

This is timely.

My DH is atheist/agnostic I returned to Methodism shortly before DCs arrived having gone to Sunday School and been very involved as a teenager. I would say my beliefs are very mixed up but wanted my DDs to have a chance to choose. Older DD decided a couple of years ago that she didn't believe in God which was fine. In the meantime younger DD was getting more and more involved at church and being roped in for many things.

Then yesterday I found out by accident (looking at her facebook messages v. bad I know) that she has lost all belief but does not know a way out and feels a hypocrite. I would love to talk to her about it, but can't because I don't 'know'.

MIL and my parents have both got involved in the church as a result of our attendance, doesn't make anything easier for her.