Your Child's Religion Is My Business Too

[Colpy]

My child's religious upbringing is no ones business except my own.

Exactly.

 

[Bar Sinister]

Teaching religion in schools can be a really ugly can of worms. It is very difficult for anyone, no matter how fair, minded to teach comparative religions without showing some bias. The only way I can see it working would be if it was made an elective at a level where students are capable of some sort of independent thought and were warned beforehand that the course content might not be to their liking. This probably excludes most grades up until high school.

 

[Dexter Sinister]

My child's religious upbringing is no ones business except my own.

Fair enough, until they try to peddle it to me. Then it becomes my business, and they'll get short shrift from me. Teach them George Carlin's zeroth commandment: thou shalt keep thy religion to thyself.

 

[s_lone]

My child's religious upbringing is no ones business except my own.

I disagree. Your child doesn't belong to you. It is not your possession.

Of course, you naturally and rightfully have more influence on how your child will grow up than anybody else. You are your child's ultimate guide in this world. But to the extent that your child is part of society at large, then your child's upbringing IS everybody's business.

While I often disagree with your views, I have no doubt that you are a good parent and that your children will grow up or have grown up to be good and positive citizens. But if for example, you'd constantly be posting crap about the necessity to eradicate homosexuals, I would worry about the upbringing of your children and would consider it my business even more than I already do.

What do you think Gerry?

 

[Dexter Sinister]

... to the extent that your child is part of society at large, then your child's upbringing IS everybody's business.

That's exactly right. The community, not the parents, raises the child.

 

[karrie]

But to the extent that your child is part of society at large, then your child's upbringing IS everybody's business.

The problem I see s_lone, is that when it comes to religion, that is a double edged sword. Freedom of religion conventionally applies also to the freedom to raise your children according to your religious views. If we start making it habit to tread on that freedom to ensure that children are brought up according to the values of society at large, with no one standing out as odd, then what happens when society at large no longer fits with your particular view of what religion is? What happens when society at large is mainly, let's say, Pagan? You've set a precedent that the religious instruction of your children is to be left to what's most popular and integrated.

 

[JLM]

The problem I see s_lone, is that when it comes to religion, that is a double edged sword. Freedom of religion conventionally applies also to the freedom to raise your children according to your religious views. If we start making it habit to tread on that freedom to ensure that children are brought up according to the values of society at large, with no one standing out as odd, then what happens when society at large no longer fits with your particular view of what religion is? What happens when society at large is mainly, let's say, Pagan? You've set a precedent that the religious instruction of your children is to be left to what's most popular and integrated.

Right on Karrie. When it comes to religion I doubt if anyone has answers that are more valid than anyone elses. I have reasons to believe in a supreme power because I know what I've seen, but I'm also willing to listen to other explanations. There are both good and bad aspects of Christianity. Many hopeless alcoholics have been saved, maybe not by God, but at least by their belief in God. :smile:

 

[gerryh]

Fair enough, until they try to peddle it to me. Then it becomes my business, and they'll get short shrift from me. Teach them George Carlin's zeroth commandment: thou shalt keep thy religion to thyself.

you want to close your door on those that evangelize, that's your business. No one is telling you or forcing you to listen.

I disagree. Your child doesn't belong to you. It is not your possession.

Of course, you naturally and rightfully have more influence on how your child will grow up than anybody else. You are your child's ultimate guide in this world. But to the extent that your child is part of society at large, then your child's upbringing IS everybody's business.

While I often disagree with your views, I have no doubt that you are a good parent and that your children will grow up or have grown up to be good and positive citizens. But if for example, you'd constantly be posting crap about the necessity to eradicate homosexuals, I would worry about the upbringing of your children and would consider it my business even more than I already do.

What do you think Gerry?

Like I said, religious upbringing is the parents responsibility. The state has no business sticking it's nose in.

 

[CDNBear]

Like I said, religious upbringing is the parents responsibility.

Ya, and so many of them are doing a bang up job.

The state has no business sticking it's nose in.

Sure, so long as parents aren't teaching their kids to be bigoted zealots.

 

[gerryh]

take a look at texas for what can happen when the state sticks their nose into religious upbringing..... then come back with your smart ass comments.

 

[CDNBear]

take a look at texas for what can happen when the state sticks their nose into religious upbringing..... then come back with your smart ass comments.

My point exactly. Because parents dropped the ball, you now have a state run by offspring raised to be bigoted zealots.

Good call Gh, thanx for the help there...:smile:

 

[gerryh]

My point exactly. Because parents dropped the ball, you now have a state run by offspring raised to be bigoted zealots.

Good call Gh, thanx for the help there...:smile:

:roll: for some, school has not helped at all.


In texas, one of the school boards has been taken over by republicans who have been pushing their brand of "education". I believe it was the introduction of creationism into the curriculum. This was posted sometime ago.

 

[CDNBear]

:roll: for some, school has not helped at all.

Agreed.

In texas, one of the school boards has been taken over by republicans who have been pushing their brand of "education". I believe it was the introduction of creationism into the curriculum. This was posted sometime ago.

Again, you simply keep making my case. A group of people, who were raised in the doctrine of fundamental Christianity, who believe that homosexuality is a sin, and God made the world in 7 days, have taken over.

Had their parents been stopped from indoctrinating them into this bastardized version of Christianity, we wouldn't be seeing this, would we?

 

[gerryh]

No Bear, I'm not. You are missing my point. This is a prime example of what can happen when the state sticks thief nose into ones faith. It could quite easily go in the other direction with judgement being passed on a particar set of religious beliefs.

 

[CDNBear]

No Bear, I'm not. You are missing my point. This is a prime example of what can happen when the state sticks thief nose into ones faith.

Homosexuality is not a religion, it's a sexuality, and I'm not missing anything.

It could quite easily go in the other direction with judgement being passed on a particar set of religious beliefs.

I'd be ok with that. I'm not a huge fan of organized religion. It's as dangerous, as it is beneficial, IMHO.

 

[gerryh]

So, I imagine then that if the star decided to teach that atheism is the one and only way and that relious beliefs are nothing more than delusion, a mental defect, you would have no problem with this?

 

[CDNBear]

So, I imagine then that if the star decided to teach that atheism is the one and only way and that relious beliefs are nothing more than delusion, a mental defect, you would have no problem with this?

I most certainly would take issue with that.

 

[AnnaG]

I disagree. Your child doesn't belong to you. It is not your possession.

Nope. But kids are the responsibilities of parents.

Of course, you naturally and rightfully have more influence on how your child will grow up than anybody else. You are your child's ultimate guide in this world. But to the extent that your child is part of society at large, then your child's upbringing IS everybody's business.

Which is ignored as long as the child does not step out of bounds. There's an awful lot of leeway there.

That's exactly right. The community, not the parents, raises the child.

When the kid is out in the community, I agree. When the kid is with the parents the community isn't unless the parents aren't tending the kid and the community is.

 

[JLM]

I'd be ok with that. I'm not a huge fan of organized religion. It's as dangerous, as it is beneficial, IMHO.

:lol::lol::lol: I think the organizers are probably more dangerous than the religion......:lol::lol::lol:

 

[AnnaG]

The state isn't always reactionary, too. Sometimes it thinks it needs to insert itself in people's business even if there's no reason to.