Is religious indoctrination of children unethical?

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Dannicus

New member
I ask awesome questions don't I? ;-)
I agree for the most part that parents should raise their kids according to their values but what if they are religious extremist like say that Mormon sect FLDS (?) or JW's or faith healing only or any other extreme type of religious belief which steals the kids childhood?
Hey "Not a Member" that's pretty rough, the only thing my parents told me if I was bad was that I would get coal in my stocking... Which isn't much worse than the usual orange and pack of socks that I got. :-/
Two G in regards to Jehovah Witnesses I definitely think someone should step in and get those kids out of that environment.
 
The Bible teaches us to inculcate the love of Jehovah to our children from the womb.

If Jehovah teaches this, would you not agree that it would not unethical.

Deut 6:4-9

4*“Listen, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah. 5*And you must love Jehovah your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your vital force. 6*And these words that I am commanding you today must prove to be on your heart; 7*and you must inculcate them in your son and speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road and when you lie down and when you get up. 8*And you must tie them as a sign upon your hand, and they must serve as a frontlet band between your eyes; 9*and you must write them upon the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Do you think God is happy when you practice another religions celebrations and practices and then disguise it as Christian? Should our worship of God be pure of other standards and practices?
 
I think it could be. I do not see anything wrong with people teaching their children about their religion, or about religions in general. However, I think teaching it as absolute fact, and expecting your child to follow your own beliefs is not ethical in the least.

I think it actually infringes on individual rights. While, you have the right to express yourself, I don't think you have the right to force anyone into your set of beliefs, or to be disappointed if they decide to choose a different path in life.
 
everybody has a right to indoctrinate their kids..theistic or atheistic indoctrination..its all indoctrination..its almost impossible for kids to live free of religion in this over-religious world.
 
I remember very clearly being told that I would go to hell to burn in a lake of fire screaming at the top of my lungs forever... and that nobody would come to help me... unless I accepted Jesus. I was 5 years old. Can you imagine?
 
Of course not, Parents have every right to teach kids religion, when the child is old enough they will choose for themselves.
 
Families should share their faith & beliefs with their children.

A person's religious practices, traditions and beliefs are very deeply ingrained and a huge part of your life and world view-- to hide that from your child would be like hiding who you really are.

It would be practically child abuse to hold your child at such arms-length that you do not really let them know what you think or belief or practice just because you are so scared of "indoctrinating" them.

The whole idea of it is ridiculous... parents should teach children what they believe. Religion has always been not just a family, but community, thing, and part of enculturation, socialization & assimilation.
 
In my opinion, only ideas based in evidence should be taught to our youth. Even then they shouldn't be forced on to them. Take Evolution, most science teachers will say things like "This is how it's believed to have happened" or "The evidence leads us to this conclusion." This in my opion is an HONEST way to teach our youth. Not using fear tactics or brainwashing. In my opinion, teaching a child that he deserves to be tortured for all of etirnity unless he accepts an invisible un-provable diety as his master, is sick. Just because it's normal doesn't mean it should be acceptable. If I introduced a new religion brainwashing my kid my in to thinking that he is actually the son of God and when he reaches age 21 he will gain super powers, so I pulled him out of school and homeschooled him teaching him how to access his powers. You guys would probably call that abuse. It's wrong to brainwash kids. Period.
 
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