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Religious Indoctrination and Child Abuse
Should it be legal to teach Children religion?
I havent even mentioned religion to my Children. They are far too young to grasp the concept, and I would prefer their minds developed independently.
I know of a young boy who is in foster care. His carer has taken it upon herself to put him in a Catholic School. The boy is convinced that Catholicism is something he wishes to undertake, yet has said he is scared of his first confession as he has too many sins!
Permission was not granted for the Catholic training and indoctrination from the childs Birth Mother, but now she is being asked for written concent for the Child to take his first communion! The Mother doesn't want to grant permisson, yet doesnt want to dissapoint the Child as he THINKS this is what he should do.
.....the mental abuse constituted by an unsubstantiated threat of violence and terrible pain, if sincerely believed by the child, could easily be more damaging than the physical actuality of sexual abuse. An extreme threat of violence and pain is precisely what the doctrine of hell is. And there is no doubt at all that many children sincerely believe it, often continuing right through adulthood and old age until death finally releases them. -Richard Dawkins
"Children in State schools should not be exploited by religious groups and organisations. A secular education system should aim to impart factual information to encourage children to think, to question, to examine differing viewpoints and, if need be, to reject the primitive concepts of their ignorant parents and forebears.
Religious belief in the supernatural, of a universe existing for only 7000 years, of Adam, Eve, Noah and the slavery of the Hebrews in Egypt, has no part in preparing a child for life in this century.
We can no longer stand aside While children are brainwashed into believing in virgin birth, restoration of life to dead and decaying humans and into belief in demons, ghosts, angels, cherubims, unicorns or persons rising visibly to 'heaven'.
Nor can we be blameless if we allow children to be taught that believing in a Jesus of the gospels guarantees eternal bliss in a never-ending 'heaven' of the imagination.
Our children need to be told that they are responsible for their own actions and that guilt and punishment for immoral behaviour cannot be offloaded to an innocent scapegoat. They should be told that ethics are determined by society, not by ancient writings of ignorant men or undemocratic organisations sponging on society for their own benefit." Athiest Foundation
I wasn't even raised a Christian. My Mother was an Athiest and my Father was a non-practicing Catholic, yet the Christian doctrine still dominated my beliefs until my late teens. I picked up enough of it merely through other people.
I believe kids should be old enough to understand that they are JUST opinions, not Truths. And should be taught a variety of religions to pick what best suits their own beliefs. Children should not be taught religion at all!
An 8 year old professing that Catholicism is the right religion for him, while being scared of it, just stinks of something very off!
I havent even mentioned religion to my Children. They are far too young to grasp the concept, and I would prefer their minds developed independently.
I know of a young boy who is in foster care. His carer has taken it upon herself to put him in a Catholic School. The boy is convinced that Catholicism is something he wishes to undertake, yet has said he is scared of his first confession as he has too many sins!
Permission was not granted for the Catholic training and indoctrination from the childs Birth Mother, but now she is being asked for written concent for the Child to take his first communion! The Mother doesn't want to grant permisson, yet doesnt want to dissapoint the Child as he THINKS this is what he should do.
.....the mental abuse constituted by an unsubstantiated threat of violence and terrible pain, if sincerely believed by the child, could easily be more damaging than the physical actuality of sexual abuse. An extreme threat of violence and pain is precisely what the doctrine of hell is. And there is no doubt at all that many children sincerely believe it, often continuing right through adulthood and old age until death finally releases them. -Richard Dawkins
"Children in State schools should not be exploited by religious groups and organisations. A secular education system should aim to impart factual information to encourage children to think, to question, to examine differing viewpoints and, if need be, to reject the primitive concepts of their ignorant parents and forebears.
Religious belief in the supernatural, of a universe existing for only 7000 years, of Adam, Eve, Noah and the slavery of the Hebrews in Egypt, has no part in preparing a child for life in this century.
We can no longer stand aside While children are brainwashed into believing in virgin birth, restoration of life to dead and decaying humans and into belief in demons, ghosts, angels, cherubims, unicorns or persons rising visibly to 'heaven'.
Nor can we be blameless if we allow children to be taught that believing in a Jesus of the gospels guarantees eternal bliss in a never-ending 'heaven' of the imagination.
Our children need to be told that they are responsible for their own actions and that guilt and punishment for immoral behaviour cannot be offloaded to an innocent scapegoat. They should be told that ethics are determined by society, not by ancient writings of ignorant men or undemocratic organisations sponging on society for their own benefit." Athiest Foundation
I wasn't even raised a Christian. My Mother was an Athiest and my Father was a non-practicing Catholic, yet the Christian doctrine still dominated my beliefs until my late teens. I picked up enough of it merely through other people.
I believe kids should be old enough to understand that they are JUST opinions, not Truths. And should be taught a variety of religions to pick what best suits their own beliefs. Children should not be taught religion at all!
An 8 year old professing that Catholicism is the right religion for him, while being scared of it, just stinks of something very off!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Tantalite on -
We indoctrinate our children everyday into our cultural bekiefs, our moral beliefs and indeed by a character and behaviour. Being a parent is the greatest responsibility one will ever have. The power we have over our children can mould thinking individual and uplift and independent soul to encourage question adn be responsible to themselves. Saddly, it can also be the most devastating thing that can happen to a child.
Giving this power and influence over to another group or person with out fully understanding the consequences is the most irresponsible thing a parent can ever do whether this is a religion, set of morals or just idolitary of a person or thing.
Abuse has many masks. Unfortunately the missuse has lead to abuse not being taken seriously and there a few none to bright people who have government and departmental authority over riding the rights of parents who do not truly understand the concepts of the true meaning of abuse.
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Permalink Reply by DodiaFae on -
Wow, great discussion, Leith!
Personally, I agree that teaching a child the threat of the Christian Hell is tantamount to child abuse. Never thought of it that way, but I guess I've always believed it.
That foster care mother should be horsewhipped. I do realize that the child was probably removed from the birth mother's care for a reason, but she should still have a say in his upbringing, because there is always the chance that she will regain custody of him. The foster mother should have considered that before "Christianizing" that little boy. (Though chances are that she did consider that, and just didn't care.)
Reminds me of the episode of The Simpsons where Bart, Lisa, and Maggie were taken from Homer and Marge and given to the Flanders to be cared for. First thing they did was take them down to the river to be baptized. Marge hadn't baptized them because she wanted them to decide, but the Flanders didn't give them the choice.
I personally plan to teach my child(ren) about my path, but will make sure he understands that there are many paths to explore, and will encourage that exploration.
Incidentally, one of my brothers is an Atheist, and Richard Dawkins is one of his heroes. Like that quote.
BB ~DF
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Permalink Reply by Leith on -
Yes, I thought of the Flander-esesesss as well.
An update to that story is, the Birth Mother emailed them to say she would give her consent, but not until the child was older and knew what he was getting into. It wasnt a NO!, it was a NOT YET!.
She then had all visits and comunications cut off!! She has not seen her son in over 4 months now. The only communication she has had was an email saying her fortnightly visits were being reduced to once every 3 months and that the foster carer has the right to force whatever religion she sees fit onto the child!!!!! It has been 4 months and no further communication has been recieved, and all requests for visitation has been ignored.
The Birth Mother has a legal document that states it is HER right to decide the childs religious up-bringing. Legal work is now under way.
There is obviously something VERY wrong and corrupt going on here!
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Permalink Reply by Samhains on -
Well my religion is an oral tradition, I believe that if we did not teach our children the religion then it would be lost. Alot of religions that did not have written word are orally past down to generation to generation.
SO yes, I believe we should be allowed to teach, just not one government aproved religion.
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Permalink Reply by Leith on
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My sons mother has been sneaking in christian shit to my son. He used to come over chanting OM NIMAH SHIVIAH and I had words to His Mother about religious indoctrination. Now she has converted to catholicism and has him singing Jesus Loves The Little Children and telling me "Jesus Died so People Could Live". I told him that it was just a story and not to believe everything his mother tells him. He got very cross at me and yelled at me that it was true. We stayed in a motel last saturday and he found the bible in the draw. He asked me what it was about and so I told him it was about killing children and animal and all sorts of nasty stuff and wasnt for children..... which is true.
I got a phone call from his mother the day I dropped him off to her and she asked me what the book was. I told her it was the bible. She ripped into me over the phone screaming how dare I tell him that. I asked her if she had bothered to actually read the bible as it was full of infanticide, rape, incest, violence, animal sacrifice, stoneings, drunken freasts ETC ETC and should have an R rating...... she yelled some more..... I tried to ask her not to teach him about religion as religion has no place with a 5 year old. She claimed she taught him about all religions... BULL SHIT.... she wants to send him to a catholic school.
Children should not be taught religion as truth, but just as they are... STORIES!
All religions are bullshit, even the majority of what is called Paganism.
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Permalink Reply by Samhains on
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What would you have us alldo though?
No more can they say I can't teach my children about the oral traditons that have been passed down any more than I can tell then to stop lying about santa and jesus.
Freedom of speech even if it is a lie right?
There has to be a global catastrophy and a few billion people need to be wiped off the planet..we need to start again.
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