Is it morally irresponsible to teach childeren about religion?

reply to post by born-indigo

According to this article in livescience.com,

Kids with religious parents are better behaved and adjusted than other children, according to a new study that is the first to look at the effects of religion on young child development.

John Bartkowski, a Mississippi State University sociologist and his colleagues asked the parents and teachers of more than 16,000 kids, most of them first-graders, to rate how much self control they believed the kids had, how often they exhibited poor or unhappy behavior and how well they respected and worked with their peers.

The researchers compared these scores to how frequently the children’s parents said they attended worship services, talked about religion with their child and argued abut religion in the home.

The kids whose parents regularly attended religious services—especially when both parents did so frequently—and talked with their kids about religion were rated by both parents and teachers as having better self-control, social skills and approaches to learning than kids with non-religious parents.

But when parents argued frequently about religion, the children were more likely to have problems. “Religion can hurt if faith is a source of conflict or tension in the family,” Bartkowski noted.

Why so good?

Bartkowski thinks religion can be good for kids for three reasons.

First, religious networks provide social support to parents, he said, and this can improve their parenting skills. Children who are brought into such networks and hear parental messages reinforced by other adults may also “take more to heart the messages that they get in the home,” he said.

Secondly, the types of values and norms that circulate in religious congregations tend to be self-sacrificing and pro-family, Bartkowski told LiveScience. These “could be very, very important in shaping how parents relate to their kids, and then how children develop in response,” he said.

Finally, religious organizations imbue parenting with sacred meaning and significance, he said.

Other articles show some positive benefits of belief in God or religion/religious participation in general:

Churchgoers live longer.

Thinking about God calms believers, stresses atheists.

I'm sure I could find many more positive articles by just doing a google search, but people will believe according to their agenda, myself included.

God bless

sezsue

No, it is not morally irresponsible to teach children about religion, so long as you teach them about all religions. In this day and age, with such high religious tensions, it would be morally irresponsible NOT to teach children the aspects of all the major religions in a non-biased, scientifically structured Comparative Religions class.

However, we can't even get basic Philosophy into the public education system, so good luck with this idea.

Originally posted by Baloney
Children should NEVER be exposed to religion. Exposing them to any books and organizations that breed HATE is just wrong. Such behavior should be considered child abuse and should be made punishable by law.

That's if they are breeding hate,

I am sixty years old, I was raised in the church had a family full of preachers,

I was only taught love.

Love of God, Love your neighbor, God Loves you.

Respect you parents.

I have been to many churches in my life time and it was always about love,

reply to post by Annee

Children need to be encouraged to think independently. Parent "sheep" creating Children "sheep" only perpetuates the cycle.

We want to stop the cycle?

Look where is has gotten us.

If that were true

Why now are the churches empty?

I researched many religions as an adult, I sat in pastors offices that were full of books on different religions,

I cleaned house for a pastor her library was extensive and she was a gay rights activist.





[edit on 123131p://bFriday2010 by Stormdancer777]

and another thing if this dechristianization of America is so grand, why is America going down the tubes?

The changes I have seen in my few short years has been enormous, from the drug abuse, to the disrespect, for ones parents, I would have never talked to my mother the way I see kids talk to theirs now days.

And yes, I demand respect from my children because I deserve it, and earned it, and my grandchildren.

and don't even get me started on the school system.

[edit on 123131p://bFriday2010 by Stormdancer777]

Very good topic OP..and i agree with you very much about religion as a whole..
I always hate to see children being 'indoctrinated' and dragged around services and fed lies, superstition and well.. all together nonsense. Same goes for the education system mind you, just in a different way!..
Children are highly impressionable little sponges and i have met a number of people in my adult life who have severe issues from being raised strictly catholic or christian such as extreme relationship and sexuality problems, emotional states they themselves cant understand, fear, shame, humiliation, thinking themselves traitorous as they may grow away from the religion that was forced on them from birth and that alone causes psychological problems after years of religious brain washing.
Children CAN be raised with morals, values and respect for their world and others and grow up to be decent people without such forced belief systems..certainly, teach them about all the different faiths in the world, they shouldnt be kept ignorant about religion, but when old enough to, they can study them all themselves and make up their own minds..
And yes I do realize many have escaped religions forced on them unscathed, but not all do..

reply to post by Stormdancer777


Hello Stormdancer,

I think the problem with the world is not really about if we have religion or not. I think people have adapted to the material world way too much, people have became more selfish. Many live much more for the world of flesh, their individual self and material body more so then they live for things of Spirit.

In the lose of organized religion...many just left Spirituality completely.

My beliefs are not what gives me my morals and values though.

I do agree that drugs are a large problem in this change...addictions cause you to LIVE for that addiction...people become lost to their own self. Things of material can be an addiction too. America gained too much too fast I think.

I think there are many angry people that feel that they grew up in a lie when it comes to religion. I know some that this caused them to turn away from things of spirit all together.

Originally posted by LeoVirgo

I think there are many angry people that feel that they grew up in a lie when it comes to religion. I know some that this caused them to turn away from things of spirit all together.

What my hubby says is: "We lost our front porches" - - there is no community any more.

Since religion is really about Fear and Control - - is that what we really want? I don't.

In my opinion - - it is the single family that is the major cause of the downfall of community. Remember when people lived in extended families? When Respect was not only mandatory - but necessary because you had to find a way to get along and put up with everyone's idiosyncrasies?

If families didn't live together - they bought homes near each other. On one block you could have parents - brothers - sisters - aunts - uncles - etc. People learned love and compassion for all - for those different then them - for different ages - etc. If a mother had to work - there was always another relative to watch the kids. Kids were not shipped off to paid caretakers.

Now its every man for them self - - and "my own space". Kids live in their own worlds - with other kids living in their own worlds.

Lack of Religion is not the problem. Lack of family & community is.

My second post on this thread explains exactly why that post is thoughtless, foolish and wrong.

I think those of us with brains who had bothered to speak up all had a go at this mindless thread, haha! We can't really change the views of those who are ignorant enough flooding the thread with "no religion for our children."

reply to post by filosophia

No, it is not morally irresponsible to teach children about religion, so long as you teach them about all religions.

Why teach any at all? How is teaching several contradictory lies better than teaching one?

What about atheism? Do you regard that as a religion as well? Would you accept atheism being taught beside religion?

reply to post by doomblade_2712

Don't flatter yourself, my friend.

If you had any decent arguments, you might have changed somebody's mind.

The person claiming practical benefits (better-adjusted children) has the best pro-religion argument so far. Only it's not very good.

Originally posted by Astyanax
reply to post by filosophia

 

No, it is not morally irresponsible to teach children about religion, so long as you teach them about all religions.

Why teach any at all? How is teaching several contradictory lies better than teaching one?

What about atheism? Do you regard that as a religion as well? Would you accept atheism being taught beside religion?

Help me understand one aspect of this, if you please.

I have seen a number of people argue, fairly vehemently, about atheism not being a "belief." "Disbelief is not belief", is the common approach, as I recall. The purpose of this opinion, it seems, is that the atheist can claim that the Christian merely has a belief, while the atheist can claim some sort of fact associated with their perspective. This argument, however, is beyond the scope of my question.

My question is, if one is to teach atheism to children, is it taught in the sense that atheism is a belief, as you suggest that I need to teach Christianity, or that it is a fact, as the atheists claim that their perspective is?

For the record, I don't view atheism as a religion in any sense of the word (frankly, I fail to see how anyone could) and if I felt the need to teach my children about all other faiths (within reason) I would also comment that there are people who don't believe in God at all.

Originally posted by Annee
Didn't you just answer the first question?

For me, Religion and Morality are two separate issues. There are aspects of Organised Religion's views on morality that I can appreciate. For example: giving money to charity, helping those in need, praying for/wishing recovery upon those that are ill and suffering.

I do not believe finding fault in one aspect of a subject means the entire subject is faulty. My question to you is more along the lines of Morality. I am just curious about how you personally separate "that which I do for the sake of being good" and "that which I do for being good".

the united states has declined because we spend more money on the military instead of our school.. I have you seen that # little women- little vampire women. pride and pred- and zombies... since when do we have to dumb down a classic so our retarded kids can read them? little off topic there. but back to the main point. weather you teach your kids church stuff or not its pointless its all how they learn it or who they learn it from. hell hitler could teach kids about the church and they would come out hating jews.. I guess my point is its not so much what they learn but who.

Originally posted by Dark Ghost

Originally posted by Annee
Didn't you just answer the first question?

For me, Religion and Morality are two separate issues. There are aspects of Organised Religion's views on morality that I can appreciate. For example: giving money to charity, helping those in need, praying for/wishing recovery upon those that are ill and suffering.

I do not believe finding fault in one aspect of a subject means the entire subject is faulty. My question to you is more along the lines of Morality. I am just curious about how you personally separate "that which I do for the sake of being good" and "that which I do for being good".

"that which I do for the sake of being good" and "that which I do for being good"

Is there a faulty part in that?

I must be pro-active or something. I'm not seeing a difference.

reply to post by born-indigo



I could not agree with you more. Nice post and I am glad to see someone talking some proper sense. I am relieved that you have some real commitment to avoiding stupidity. Religion has been the root of all evil.

Its about time we focused that effort in regaining trust and belief in ourselves and each other.

Originally posted by Annee
Also religion is Fear based. To be good because of consequence is not being good out of consciousness to be good - just for the sake of being good.

This was the part I was hoping you would clarify on. If you think it is self-explanatory and does not require elaboration, then I will not bring it up again...

However, Why do you do good things? Is it because doing good makes you feel good inside? If this is the reason, then not doing good things leads to you not feeling good inside - which illustrates your actions are still based on fear of consequences. (Instead of fearing God's wrath for sinning, you are fearing your own self-examination if you do not do the right thing.)

[edit on 14/8/2010 by Dark Ghost]

reply to post by born-indigo


IMO, Religion gives us a good foundation for what is right and wrong. I believe that it gives people the basics of how man should seek to make the best he can of himself. The children learn the basics, then let them decide for themselves when they are old enogh to seek their own truths.

Originally posted by SunDawg
reply to post by born-indigo

 

IMO, Religion gives us a good foundation for what is right and wrong. I believe that it gives people the basics of how man should seek to make the best he can of himself. The children learn the basics, then let them decide for themselves when they are old enogh to seek their own truths.

And why must they have religion and god to do those things.

Why not just be personally responsible for self?

Originally posted by Dark Ghost

However, Why do you do good things? Is it because doing good makes you feel good inside? If this is the reason, then not doing good things leads to you not feeling good inside - which illustrates your actions are still based on fear of consequences. (Instead of fearing God's wrath for sinning, you are fearing your own self-examination if you do not do the right thing.)

But I don't Fear my own self-examination. I don't understand why I would.

Striving to be a better person as a contribution to man and society is only positive. Even if/when you do something that might have a negative affect - - the mind stays in positive to move the negative affect into a positive.

I Fear physical pain.