Religion & Young Children

[Locke]

Originally Posted by btimbit

I'm with you here. I never liked religion class, until in High School we spent a few months learning about other religions. I found that incredibly interesting as it focused more on the history side of things. That kinda changed my outlook. I'm still not religious in any way, but it was interesting to learn about

Education must have changed a lot since I was young. I went through Catholic school and I never got any of these 'indoctrination' vibes. We just had an extra class for Religion.

And I'm with you, learning about other Religions was fantastic.

Largely because I think it gives some real insight and understanding of other cultures.

The only real downside was the occasional obligatory Mass, which, as you get older, you learn how to skip or you sit through them.

Learning other culture's beliefs is, in my opinion, fascinating.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by Locke

The only real downside was the occasional obligatory Mass, which, as you get older, you learn how to skip or you sit through them.

No joke, one of my favourite memories of High School was having to get creative to skip mass, and other assemblies.

They started posting teachers at every exit before that period, so you either had to get a head start, or sneak around and find one random unguarded exit. Then they started posting a teacher at the exit of the parking lot, until my friend Chris ran over the vice principal's foot in his trans am, then they put the school cop there instead. No matter, we just started parking across the street in the C-Train lot.

Was like our own stupid mission impossible

[Hack&Lube]

I have clear memories of other kids trying to evangelize me in on the playground in 3rd grade. Thinking back on it makes me cringe a little and also realize they were learning this behavior from their parents and religious environments. The funny part was I was already raised in a religious household so I just nodded. The worst part was when I was young and got scared into believing into possession and the devil. We had a car trip to BC where I was in tears and scared out of my little mind the whole way because I kept believing I was getting possessed if I even thought a single bad thought.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by btimbit

No joke, one of my favourite memories of High School was having to get creative to skip mass, and other assemblies.

They started posting teachers at every exit before that period, so you either had to get a head start, or sneak around and find one random unguarded exit. Then they started posting a teacher at the exit of the parking lot, until my friend Chris ran over the vice principal's foot in his trans am, then they put the school cop there instead. No matter, we just started parking across the street in the C-Train lot.

Was like our own stupid mission impossible

I cant even tell you how many High School Masses I spent getting a buzz on at the Hop-in-Brew.

I remember being an idiot and getting caught trying to ditch mass and one of the teachers at the door just making eye-contact with me and then start whistling and staring at the ceiling.

Buh-bye!

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by Locke

Education must have changed a lot since I was young. I went through Catholic school and I never got any of these 'indoctrination' vibes. We just had an extra class for Religion.

And I'm with you, learning about other Religions was fantastic.

Largely because I think it gives some real insight and understanding of other cultures.

The only real downside was the occasional obligatory Mass, which, as you get older, you learn how to skip or you sit through them.

Learning other culture's beliefs is, in my opinion, fascinating.

We have had one kid in the public system, and another in the catholic system for a number of years.

They really aren't all that different, just a "mandatory" religion class in the catholic system, and masses every once in a while - which have had "hymn sings" with Katy Perry songs.

We are a household where religion is important, so we attend church regularly and talk about it a lot. But we are also very pro science and ACTUALLY caring for people (the current war on trans and LGBTQ people for example), so we chat about how we can reconcile modern understanding of those types of things into having an "orthodox" faith.

[White Out 403]

Ugh Ill organize my thoughts better another time

[Locke]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

We have had one kid in the public system, and another in the catholic system for a number of years.

They really aren't all that different, just a "mandatory" religion class in the catholic system, and masses every once in a while - which have had "hymn sings" with Katy Perry songs.

We are a household where religion is important, so we attend church regularly and talk about it a lot. But we are also very pro science and ACTUALLY caring for people (the current war on trans and LGBTQ people for example), so we chat about how we can reconcile modern understanding of those types of things into having an "orthodox" faith.

Oh no....thats where I draw the line. Thats where I'm tying a noose made from my own shoelaces and looking for a sturdy beam.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

If you’re not religious yourself, or have close family who are religious, then it’s quite unlikely your children will embrace religious faith. So what you’re teaching them at that point is how to regard people with different beliefs. And the answer should be with tolerance and empathy.

You spelled "smug superiority" wrong.

[GGG]

My kids go to a catholic school because it’s closer I was raised a Christmas and Easter Catholic and don’t believe. The approach I took with these topics was the same thing I did with Santa. I asked them what they thought and if they thought that made sense.

Jesus died at the kitchen table when my 9 year old said something about religion class and my 7 year old said “You believe in that crap” and my 9 year old replied “No, but if you write some stuff about being good and Jesus they give you good marks”

Santa lasted a little longer.

So I think kids follow their parents and won’t accidentally become religious. I also think exposure to religion likely leads to not really caring one way or the other .


Now as a teenager my daughter trolls teachers with answering all or work in the context of abortion and LGBTQ rights. I think it disappoints her that they don’t react. Haven’t found the system deficient except around sex Ed. Though even there their discussion around valuing one self and self esteem as been generally positive so lack the technical details on BC.

[Mr.Coffee]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

If you’re not religious yourself, or have close family who are religious, then it’s quite unlikely your children will embrace religious faith. So what you’re teaching them at that point is how to regard people with different beliefs. And the answer should be with tolerance and empathy.

Kids have asked me what I believe, and I’ve always told all of them (my) truth. I believe that people should believe what they want or need to believe.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by ResAlien

I’m far from religious but if you framed it that way you made your position very clear while pretending to remain neutral.

Personally I did something similar without the dismissive verbiage. Some people believe this, others don’t, you can decide which you’d like to pursue.

If she wanted to go to church with a friend I said ok go for it and we’d have a quick discussion about it when she got back. As she got older and more curious about my beliefs I’d share them but trying to remain truly neutral was my goal. It’s good for some people and bad for others, you gotta trust your children to make those decisions themselves you can’t do it for them.

And the best way to prevent them from one day being indoctrinated by some religion or cult is to expose them to religion.

You don't have to take them to church but you can discuss things with them, like why one of their friends might wear the scarf, or a kippah. Or why some go to a church every Sunday or why some structures are called a mosque or a synagogue...simple things like that. Why some celebrate religion on Sunday while others celebrate on Saturday.

Or what different faiths believe in. The more information children have, the better the decisions they make.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by redforever

And the best way to prevent them from one day being indoctrinated by some religion or cult is to expose them to religion.

You don't have to take them to church but you can discuss things with them, like why one of their friends might wear the scarf, or a kippah. Or why some go to a church every Sunday or why some structures are called a mosque or a synagogue...simple things like that. Why some celebrate religion on Sunday while others celebrate on Saturday.

Or what different faiths believe in. The more information children have, the better the decisions they make.

My mother was raised in a home where her mother was a devout Christian. When my mother had us 3 kids she soon started taking us to Sunday School while she attended services. After a few years my brother rebelled and fought to not go and my sister and I rode his coat tail and in the end she stopped taking us.

That said I did attend an Evangelical Church in my 20's. I was curious and wanted to learn why my grandmother and to a lesser extent my mother believed there was a God. I left 16 years later having serious doubts that a God exists.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by Locke

Have you taught her about Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy?

Santa Claus is a creepy ####### and I will die on this hill.

- slave owner
- pervs on kids at all hours of the day in all places
- promotes a culture of mindless consumerism
- the fat #### eats way more than his fair share of food despite the poverty around the world. And then he proceeds to deliver gifts proportionally to people's existing wealth
- the carbon footprint of getting all that food up to that fat #### and his slaves is too ####ed up even for me to think about right now


Frankly you could apply these same bullets to "God" with a minor adjustment to the lens.

[Whynotnow]

I grew up in the United church and we still go occasionally, honestly I like the ceremony of it, the time for reflection and most of the sermons are quite frankly about topical world events and not overtly scripture based.

So for our kids we have discussed that many people believe in some other power, and there’s nothing wrong with that as long as it doesn’t bring hatred or other negative effects. We’ve explained that we believe in the scientific description of the universe and evolution but also admit we can’t fully explain how this was all created in the first place and so many religions try to deal with that. We have on pe kid who shows no interest and another who seems pretty curious about it all.

[craigwd]

I'm an atheist but am fascinated by religion and the effect it's had on history and the comfort it brings to so many people - so I did a lot of reading and learned as much as I could about all of 3 main ones and their "spin offs". Knowledge about them makes one appreciate art and culture on a whole other level, as well. And movies - you really understand the classics a lot more.

My dad is religious and as a kid I was aware, but eventually made up my own mind.

When the time comes, I'll probably just explain the same things to the kids and let them find their way.

[Engine09]

Originally Posted by Whynotnow

many people believe in some other power, and there’s nothing wrong with that as long as it doesn’t bring hatred or other negative effects.

That's the thing, at its best religion brings comfort to some, even if false and not based on a shred of evidence. At its worst it's responsible for absolute atrocities throughout history to this very day. People are inherently good and will do what's best for themselves and their fellow humans, to make people commit truly horrific acts, you need religion.

Is it not important to respect truth? Should we not continue to strive to understand our existence and leave superstition behind?

I'll never pass up a chance to bash magical belief. Religion deserves no respect and to teach anything of the sort to children is to put them at such a disadvantage when they're just beginning to learn about our world.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Engine09

I'll never pass up a chance to bash magical belief. Religion deserves no respect and to teach anything of the sort to children is to put them at such a disadvantage when they're just beginning to learn about our world.

This is just the sort of cynical view about "religion" that accomplishes absolutely nothing positive, and only serves to marginalise and alienate "religious" people everywhere.

Not everyone who is religious is superstitious; there is MUCH more to it than that. A better approach would be to be more inquisitive and curious than judgmental from the start—your rude and dismissive responses to people are not going to help them see through any harmful beliefs they may actually have, and is more likely to further entrench them.

That does NO ONE any good at all.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

Santa Claus is a creepy ####### and I will die on this hill.

- slave owner
- pervs on kids at all hours of the day in all places
- promotes a culture of mindless consumerism
- the fat #### eats way more than his fair share of food despite the poverty around the world. And then he proceeds to deliver gifts proportionally to people's existing wealth
- the carbon footprint of getting all that food up to that fat #### and his slaves is too ####ed up even for me to think about right now


Frankly you could apply these same bullets to "God" with a minor adjustment to the lens.

Sir...I like the cut of your Jib. Do you any pamphlets or perhaps a newsletter I could subscribe to?

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

Santa Claus is a creepy ####### and I will die on this hill.

- slave owner
- pervs on kids at all hours of the day in all places
- promotes a culture of mindless consumerism
- the fat #### eats way more than his fair share of food despite the poverty around the world. And then he proceeds to deliver gifts proportionally to people's existing wealth
- the carbon footprint of getting all that food up to that fat #### and his slaves is too ####ed up even for me to think about right now


Frankly you could apply these same bullets to "God" with a minor adjustment to the lens.

Just before Christmas ,I was trying to get my kid to take a shower and she was refusing. I told her, you know how Santa know when you are sleeping and awake... he also knows when you are taking showers. The looked at me with a serious straight face, and said; "Daddy, that is kind of creepy".

[Locke]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Just before Christmas ,I was trying to get my kid to take a shower and she was refusing. I told her, you know how Santa know when you are sleeping and awake... he also knows when you are taking showers. The looked at me with a serious straight face, and said; "Daddy, that is kind of creepy".

'Kind of?'

They throw people in jail for less than that.