Quote:
Originally Posted by Sliver
At the very least, I am strongly opposed to indoctrinating children with BS and potentially damaging beliefs, traditions and rituals (eg circumcisions, boys alone with priests, etc). If people want to join areligious clubs and teams, there are plenty out there. Adding in teachings from a book or two that have been outdated for a good couple thousand years is poor parenting imo.
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I occasionally go to church.
I have never been alone with a priest or minister or the like. I didn’t have to get circumcised to attend church or join a congregation (in fact, no one has ever asked if I am not and I’m not aware of anyone else being asked either).
One can certainly go to a church, listen to the sermons, take away from them what you want, and not believe in so-called fairy tales or allegedly outdated teachings or whatever it is you are ranting about. Indeed, not much of most mainstream Christianity is fire and brimstone anymore and most sermons in most churches are about social justice, trying to be a better person, using biblical stories to teach about wisdom or love or understanding, and lessons that are more or less about general positivity. Some churches are into the whole prosperity gospel too, but that is another topic.
Can you live a good, moral life without going to church? Of course. But some of us need some encouragement and reinforcement, and church helps with that.
Regardless, it should be noted that areligious clubs and teams and groups have their share of moral and ethical lapses too, and kids in them are sometimes subject to damaging behaviors and acts too.