Youths Faiths

@USAF

In that case, I think it would just be an influence. Which I do think happens.

~shrug~

As noted, you can't grow up without influence.

I think I'll try to teach my kids—if I have any; I doubt I will...—how the personal morality class at my Catholic school goes. "This is some stuff in the world, this is what the Church thinks, and this is a way for you to determine how to think about it regardless." Teach them how to think, not what to think, and they just might go along with whatever it is you believe on their own. That's far better than trying to force the issue...

The point was that they were never brainwashed into brainwashing their children...

The main matter is intent. The parents basically want to make their children religious, not influence them. That doesn't mean it's going to work out that way.

This, for example, is influence. You're not trying to make them do anything, but you're still trying to give them a nudge in the right direction. This, as opposed to punishing your children if they 'screw up'.

edited 5th Sep '11 8:00:58 AM by Heartbreaker

That little fucker will be taught how to think intelligently. THE KALAMA SUTTA WILL BE YOUR BEDTIME STORY. ACCEPT NOTHING AT FIRST GLANCE. ALWAYS QUESTION. ALWAYS SEARCH. ALWAYS THINK.

Or I will be very disappointed in you, little Aondeug.

edited 5th Sep '11 8:00:53 AM by Aondeug

I used to think that religion should have an age restriction on it and that you would only be able to pick one when you're 18 or over to ensure you get a fair chance to make up your own mind rather than have someone else make it up for you.

Hopelessly unenforceable, I'm sure

Well... I forgot to amend that post to note that it would substitute "what the Church thinks" with "what I think" since I'm no longer a Christian in any meaningful sense, but otherwise...

I guess I'd be kind of disappointed if my kids were radically different, politically, but I wouldn't be surprised...

@Heart

That counts as a religious upbringing.

That's the point...

Just to make sure, you realize that I meant USAF was describing a religious upbringing, right?

Well, I was using a religious-based course I'm taking as an example. I probably wouldn't impart any specific religion on my kids. We almost certainly would never go to church, unless my wife was more religious than myself. That said, I wouldn't try to stop them if they wanted to go to church on their own, for any faith. Hell, I'd be interested to see what other churches were like.

That's it. We should take kids on regular field trips to different churches! Atheists can rent the meeting hall...

Taking kids to a wide variety of churches, mosques, temples, and wats would be amazing...I wish my family did that with me.

No, I meant what you said before about the teenage rebellion thing.

Well, Aon, I'll try to remember that. I'm going to be the worst awesome parent ever!

I don't follow, Loid... care to elaborate?

What you said in post 59. That is pretty much the average religious upbringing. Also, I'd disagree because you said brainwashing but it was in quotes so I'm good with it.

~shrug~

My parents were never particularly religious, and I suppose I'm a product of that. Ah well. I can't really tell other people how to raise their kids...

My parents made me go to church for a few weeks, then they stopped going but I was having fun so I'd go on my own, clearly their liberal approach didn't pass on to me. So I don't think there would be a perfect approach if you did want your child to believe something.

edited 5th Sep '11 8:54:54 AM by Loid

I think youth faiths are (IMO) wrong, take "vacation bible school" they tell the edited, watered, "non-violent" bible stories. They are bullshitting the kids ad indoctrinating kids.

That's not to rope in children. The point of not giving them the violent stories is that they're not mentally prepared for it.

Relevant Ratfist is relevant.

Well of course the camps are going to show the bible in a positive light, let's not be silly here.

Brainwashing is too strong a word to use. It requires deliberate, malicious tactics to really be brainwashing. Sending your kid to summer camp or making them go to church does not qualify. Religion based boot camps though are clearly brain washing and abuse.

Aong has a good a point. It's part of normal child rearing to share cultural/ moral values and teaching to your children. Your religious and spiritual beliefs are part of that.

One could argue that it's being negligent to your child's identity not to share your 'cultural roots' with them

That is the crux of the matter. If one is not allowed to share with their child what they think is “good”, how exactly IS one suppost to raise a child?

I have no fucking clue. Though it's mostly religious beliefs that get such whining in my personal experience, but...religion tends to be a big thing for many people. Myself included. Again I won't force them to be Buddhist and I would encourage any interest in other religions or a lack of one, but the little bastard would have a great deal of exposure to Buddhism and be raised with Buddhist morals.

edited 5th Sep '11 9:27:43 PM by Aondeug

That was a rhetorical question, of course.

I ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS, JUSTICE. YOU KNOW THIS.