Raised in the faith.

[antagon]

So, I'm going to be an uncle... again.

An interesting debate has come up about raising kids, and whether it is a best bet to raise kids in a particular religious tradition, or inform them and expose them to options and let them choose for themselves.

Now, my brother and I had no choices, particularly. We were baptized and all and before we could remember we were part of a Christian, Catholic tradition. We went to Catholic schools, were alter boys, all of that. I support this approach because I feel that half the purpose of faith is to raise kids in it and expose them to the world through the 'what would Jesus do' perspective.

Going to university, I encountered some of the kids who were wrapping up the quest which my sister-in-law condones. I found many of these folks to have missed the point. The newly-acquainted to faith adult may be beautiful for some, but I would not want my kin to fit that mold, to put it tactfully.

I could be missing something from my brainwashed perspective, and I invite y'all to discuss.

 

[Douger]

Leave them alone. If they are destined to be public property they will be plenty fucked up without your guidance.
Relax and watch Murkin Idolatry.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

My biggest mistake was not raising them to know God.

 

[del]

“The great end in religious instruction, is not to stamp our minds upon the young, but to stir up their own; not to make them see with our eyes, but to look inquiringly and steadily with their own; not to give them a definite amount of knowledge, but to inspire a fervent love of truth; … not to burden memory, but to quicken and strengthen the power of thought.”- william ellery channing

 

[JakeStarkey]

Channing, a Transcendentalist, has some merit but lacks breadth. Raise your child in your faith with an absolute respect for other faith traditions, teaching that they when of age may wish to explore other paths.

 

[Luissa]

I am agnostic, but my son goes to a christian day care, and I am actually going to start going to church again so he can go to sunday school. I loved sunday school and vacation bible school as a child, plus I want my son to make up his own mind. I will also teach him to respect all beliefs.
And next year when he enters pre school I am thinking about sending him to catholic school, until he is in the first grade. The Catholic school system here is great, and it has all day pre school and kindergarten, and it is cheaper than day care.

 

[kurtsprincess]

So, I'm going to be an uncle... again.

An interesting debate has come up about raising kids, and whether it is a best bet to raise kids in a particular religious tradition, or inform them and expose them to options and let them choose for themselves.

Now, my brother and I had no choices, particularly. We were baptized and all and before we could remember we were part of a Christian, Catholic tradition. We went to Catholic schools, were alter boys, all of that. I support this approach because I feel that half the purpose of faith is to raise kids in it and expose them to the world through the 'what would Jesus do' perspective.

Going to university, I encountered some of the kids who were wrapping up the quest which my sister-in-law condones. I found many of these folks to have missed the point. The newly-acquainted to faith adult may be beautiful for some, but I would not want my kin to fit that mold, to put it tactfully.

I could be missing something from my brainwashed perspective, and I invite y'all to discuss.

Why does it have to be an either/or thing. Why not give them the continuity of your faith while also exposing them to others?

 

[Mr. H.]

Create an environment that will allow a child's eyes to remain open, their mind to remain free, and their heart to embrace others. They'll find God. Maybe not yours, but they'll live a life of wonder nonetheless.

 

[antagon]

So, I'm going to be an uncle... again.

An interesting debate has come up about raising kids, and whether it is a best bet to raise kids in a particular religious tradition, or inform them and expose them to options and let them choose for themselves.

Now, my brother and I had no choices, particularly. We were baptized and all and before we could remember we were part of a Christian, Catholic tradition. We went to Catholic schools, were alter boys, all of that. I support this approach because I feel that half the purpose of faith is to raise kids in it and expose them to the world through the 'what would Jesus do' perspective.

Going to university, I encountered some of the kids who were wrapping up the quest which my sister-in-law condones. I found many of these folks to have missed the point. The newly-acquainted to faith adult may be beautiful for some, but I would not want my kin to fit that mold, to put it tactfully.

I could be missing something from my brainwashed perspective, and I invite y'all to discuss.

Why does it have to be an either/or thing. Why not give them the continuity of your faith while also exposing them to others?

said continuity would involve said exposure. i would characterize the other side of the coin as being exposure without involvement/immersion in any one given tradition as to not bias the 'outcome'.

having gone to a catholic highschool, i would argue that that system is perhaps the most comprehensive religious history and comparative study available before university, rather than merely a catholic brainwashing exercise. there is some of that in the mix, though

 

[antagon]

Create an environment that will allow a child's eyes to remain open, their mind to remain free, and their heart to embrace others. They'll find God. Maybe not yours, but they'll live a life of wonder nonetheless.

i've seen these lives. are they preferred to lives of purpose? i suppose cliches like 'its never too late' can apply to this argument, but i've seen the religious late bloomers. without judging them (and begging pardon for the generalization), i would say that it is a different style of faithfulness.

 

[del]

Channing, a Transcendentalist, has some merit but lacks breadth. Raise your child in your faith with an absolute respect for other faith traditions, teaching that they when of age may wish to explore other paths.

that's exactly what channing meant, imo.

 

[JoLouis]

Raising your children in faith is like raising them in an intellectual vacuum.

 

[editec]

I tried to raise my son as a believer.

He wasn't buying it.

 

[Madeline]

The function of faith as ritual, community, etc. has value -- to some folks, enormous value. But the function of teaching ethics to a kidlet is and should be the parents' responsibility. If you do decide to sign them up for religious instruction, keep an eagle eye on what they are being taught, particularly the girls.

It's also your responsibility to remove them from a church or mosque or temple is the spiritual guidance they are being given is directly contrary to the values you hope they will have as adults.

 

[Mr Natural]

The best thing you can do is keep your kids are far away from that nonsense as you can.

 

[del]

Raising your children in faith is like raising them in an intellectual vacuum.

i take it you're from an extremely religious background.

 

[JoLouis]

Raising your children in faith is like raising them in an intellectual vacuum.

i take it you're from an extremely religious background.

So you agree with me? Cool!

Actually, my parents sang in a church choir but weren't at all religious. So I know a lot about the bible... but wasn't raised like that.

 

[del]

Raising your children in faith is like raising them in an intellectual vacuum.

i take it you're from an extremely religious background.

So you agree with me? Cool!

Actually, my parents sang in a church choir but weren't at all religious. So I know a lot about the bible... but wasn't raised like that.

i know an intellectual vacuum when i see one.

 

[HUGGY]

Raising your children in faith is like raising them in an intellectual vacuum.

i take it you're from an extremely religious background.

So you agree with me? Cool!

Actually, my parents sang in a church choir but weren't at all religious. So I know a lot about the bible... but wasn't raised like that.

They couldn't find any where else to sing?

It's not a big deal..but iit sounds unbelievable.

 

[antagon]

this is panning out to be a cool discussion. a wide spread of opinion with a wide spread of conviction.