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I Think Indoctrinating Children With Religion Is Child Abuse

Of course if you believe that indoctrinating children with religion is child abuse then you have to go on to say that indoctrinating them with atheism is also child-abuse. In fact you have to go on to say that indoctrinating them in any way and with any sort of value is child abuse, so let's close down the schools and stop all this indoctrination. Don't indoctrinate your children into road safety - let them find out for themselves what it's like to go under a lorry. I know people who take their child up a football match and indoctrinate them into supporting that team. How terrible that such child-abuse goes on! And for goodness sake don't let your children read books or they might get indoctrinated. And of course the greatest indoctrinater of all is the media. Do no Facebook, Television or Internet, have we got that clear?

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Cmstars · 22-25, F

I agree that parents should teach their kids criticisms of religion as well as sharing their faith with their kids (if they believe). My dad did both. But I'm curious of those who are agnostic/atheist on this thread will do the same towards religion. Are you as open to teaching them as well, so they can make up their own minds regarding this topic?

I may be wrong, but I get the feeling is may not go the other way.

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Pfuzylogic · M

@Cmstars
I think you have something there.

newjaninev2 · 56-60, F

@Cmstars Why would I have taught my daughter a creation myth? I didn't teach her the creation myths of remote South American tribes, so why would I have taught her [i]any[/i] creation myth?

Equally, with so many thousands of unsupported and unnecessary postulations about magical entities, why would I arbitrarily select one of them for her to consider?

I dd for her what my parents so kindly and lovingly did for me... I left her curiosity and wonder undisturbed

hippyjoe1955 · 61-69, M

@newjaninev2 So instead you indoctrinated her with your magic mud myth. Seems rather ironic how religious you are.

Pfuzylogic · M

@newjaninev2
It could be intimidating if she had a belief different than yours. It is much easier to quell her curiosity early so she doesn’t decide for herself.

Speedyman · 70-79, M

And you shouldn't have taught your daughter that nothing made something. You are constantly propagating myths yourself including the myth that God does not exist , so why not another? @newjaninev2

newjaninev2 · 56-60, F

@Speedyman You appear confused. I was saying that I did not indoctrinate my daughter with some or other creation myth, and that I did not infect her mind with unnecessary postulations about magical entities, and suddenly you're talking about 'nothing made something' (was it one of your magical entities that 'nothing' made) and fretting about whether or not your magical entity exists.

Who cares one whit about whether or not your magical entity exists? You further claim that I have stated that 'god does not exist'. Nonsense! When have I [i]ever[/i] said that?

suzie1960 · 61-69, F

@Cmstars [quote]But I'm curious of those who are agnostic/atheist on this thread will do the same towards religion. [/quote]
What were you taught about Santa Claus, The Tooth Fairy or any of the other mythical beings? The christian god is just another one of them. I taught my children that some people believe in these things.

Cmstars · 22-25, F

@suzie1960 The point is to provide your children with all possible information to make their own decision, I thought. Is that not ONE point of every post by an agnostic/atheist? That parents of faith are close minded about teaching their children, noncritically, about faith??

So agnostics/atheists are absolved of having to do this? Good to know we are judging by consistent standards.

suzie1960 · 61-69, F

@Cmstars [quote]The point is to provide your children with all possible information to make their own decision, I thought[/quote]
That's what I did. As there is no evidence of the existence of mythical entities such as "god", obviously I couldn't present any to them. All I could do was explain that some people believe these things exist.

In the case of Scientific Theories, I was able to show them some of the evidence they are based on.

Cmstars · 22-25, F

@suzie1960 And if they asked about "heaven"?

suzie1960 · 61-69, F

@Cmstars What about it? I just explained that it was part of the christian myth. I also took the opportunity to tell them about other religions' places of the dead such as Valhalla, Fólkvangr and even Sto'Vo'Kor.

newjaninev2 · 56-60, F

@Cmstars [quote]So agnostics/atheists are absolved of having to do this?[/quote]

Yes, of course.

Speedyman · 70-79, M

You are a complete fund of misinformation!@suzie1960

Cmstars · 22-25, F

@newjaninev2 And why is that?

CookieLuvsBunny · 31-35, F

@Speedyman You need to learn the meaning of words before you use them and improve your grammar significantly

newjaninev2 · 56-60, F

@Cmstars [quote]And why is that?[/quote]

For the same reason that we're not required to teach our children that the Harry Potter books are real, and then let them 'make their minds up' when they're adults

For the same reason that we're not required to tell our children that there's a bear hiding under their bed that will punish them unless they behave well, and then let them 'make their minds up' when they're adults

Or do you think that your particular creation myth and that your particular magical entity are somehow required?

suzie1960 · 61-69, F

@Speedyman [quote]You are a complete fund of misinformation[/quote]
You're describing the bible very well there. It must be the most comprehensive collection of BS ever put together.

Cmstars · 22-25, F

@newjaninev2 So much for letting them make up their minds.

Pfuzylogic · M

@newjaninev2
It isn’t unusual for those who believe in science to be preemptive and bind the minds of the youth.
Your indoctrination is fear based.

newjaninev2 · 56-60, F

@Cmstars So, you prefer to teach something as fact, and then later in their lives require them to decide whether or not you misled them?

Why teach it in the first place?

Isn't it rather unethical if what you choose to teach is merely what you yourself already believe?

newjaninev2 · 56-60, F

@Pfuzylogic [quote]Your indoctrination is fear based[/quote]

What indoctrination would that be? What's the underlying doctrine?

Pfuzylogic · M

@newjaninev2
You don’t even see what you are doing.
You are taking away choices because “you are right”.
Logic from feudal times and you are blind to it.

newjaninev2 · 56-60, F

@Pfuzylogic [quote]You are taking away choices[/quote]

I'm not requiring my daughter to make a choice in the first place, and I'm certainly not inventing stuff simply to generate the illusion of choice.

Do you feel there's some sort of merit in pretence and then following such pretence with... can you now decide which of the many things I taught you are pretence?

Pfuzylogic · M

@newjaninev2
You don’t need to blind others to those parts of God that are available.
When you are humble enough to realize you don’t know everything you might be able to provide for those you love.

suzie1960 · 61-69, F

@newjaninev2 It's religion that takes away choices. Follows are told what to think and taught never to question anything.

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