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Old 06-19-2009, 11:17 PM
 
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
10,757 posts, read 35,366,611 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skbs View Post
Webster's def of brainwashing:1 : a forcible indoctrination to induce someone to give up basic political, social, or religious beliefs and attitudes and to accept contrasting regimented ideas

Focing them to GIVE UP basic religious beliefs.... well, if they were raised with these beliefs I don't think that they are brainwashed at all.... unless being RAISED with a belief system is being brainwashed... in that case YOU would be brainwashing your child by telling them to believe in no religion....
I have never told my daughter to NOT believe in any religion. I have pointed out there are several religions out there and once she was old enough, she could explore them.

My daughter actually attends church with a couple neighbors in our neighborhood, just to see what its like, I have no problem with that, its a way to learn whats out there. Her choice should be about her conscience, not mine.

I can't speak for your religion but the one I was raised in, it was about controlling, brainwashing and indoctrination. I won't do that too my daughter. My freedom of choice was taken away, I was manipulated and told things like if my Father didn't teach me (brainwash me) well enough so that I was saved, he too would go to hell with me. Thats ALOT of pressure to put on a child, that I would be responsible for his trip to hell.
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Old 06-20-2009, 12:48 AM
 
Location: Sacramento
2,568 posts, read 6,737,036 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lindsey_Mcfarren View Post
I can't speak for your religion but the one I was raised in, it was about controlling, brainwashing and indoctrination. I won't do that too my daughter. My freedom of choice was taken away, I was manipulated and told things like if my Father didn't teach me (brainwash me) well enough so that I was saved, he too would go to hell with me. Thats ALOT of pressure to put on a child, that I would be responsible for his trip to hell.

That sounds like a very radical religion. Do you mind sharing which religion it is?
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Old 06-20-2009, 12:02 PM
 
Location: The Midwest
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Well, my family is part of a non denominational church. Our church really doesn't care if you're Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist or whatever. We're just together for one specific reason: to LOVE GOD. And that's what I see as the problem with so many religions is that they're so caught up with their specific beliefs they forget about whats TRULY important. Sorry, a little off topic but back to the question.

So since we belong to a non denominational church, it's not like we have one specific, formally named religion (such as Catholic, Lutheran, etc.) other than Christianity. My four youngest (11, 10, 7, and 5) say they do truly believe (however I hope we're not brain washing them into believing) but my oldest daughter (13) said she doesn't know what she thinks. She said she's been told a countless number of times God is REAL, but she doesn't know if she truly believes that. We decided we wouldn't force her into coming to services with us, going to church events etc. If a child truly doesn't believe, what can you do? You can force them all you want, but if they truly don't believe, its pointless.
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Old 06-21-2009, 12:29 AM
 
Location: Middle America
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I don't really care. I was raised in a particular church, but never was given the impression that it was my only option. People need to make their own spiritual choices.
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Old 06-27-2009, 10:22 AM
 
Location: On the Ohio River in Western, KY
3,387 posts, read 6,611,151 times
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Absolutely I would help her explore her options! why would I want to force her into something that would end up causing her to resent me? I could push, but her response would be false, and her heart wouldn't be in it, and that's even worse IMO. We discuss religion already, and she asks all kinds of questions, so she is fairly educated about a wide range of faiths. If she finds the one that fits for her, I will be happy for her and support that decision.
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Old 06-27-2009, 08:29 PM
 
Location: Macao
16,265 posts, read 43,039,772 times
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Pretty interesting.

My parents are what you'd call 'religiously intolerant'. Meaning almost EVERYTHING is wrong that isn't exactly the same thing they believe in.

I find it fascinating when I meet religious people who aren't intolerant.

For me, because my parents are 'religiously intolerant', I feel I can't talk to them about many things at all, because to them, everything is wrong. So discussion is pretty much closed from the get go.

For my son, I hope to always be open, to at the very least, keep the discussion and dialog doors open. I'd like to be able to discuss things with my son, regardless of what he's thinking.
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Old 06-28-2009, 03:47 AM
 
1,091 posts, read 3,587,079 times
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Quote:
My parents are what you'd call 'religiously intolerant'. Meaning almost EVERYTHING is wrong that isn't exactly the same thing they believe in.
For people who subscribe to very rigid religious faiths in which there is only one path to "heaven", and anyone who diverges from it in any way is going to hell instead, it must be terrifying to see their children questioning this view.

How could "heaven" be heaven, when one's children are suffering eternal torment in a fiery pit?
Is it possible to experience "bliss" while one's children are being tortured?
In the afterlife, will God wipe away the memory that you ever had children, so that you don't have to suffer along with them?
And if he did, would you still be you?
I can't imagine a version of myself that would not remember I had a son, and wish he was with me. I can't imagine a version of myself that could enjoy a blissful existence in "heaven", no matter how fluffy the clouds or how shiny the halos, if I had to exist with the knowledge that my son was elsewhere, suffering.
Since these things could not exist for me (or, I suspect, for any parent), because of my fundamental makeup, my salvation would be intrinsically tied to his, if I believed in such things.

And that would make his compliance with my religion a matter of desperate and terrifying importance; I suspect I would be intolerant indeed, if I believed in such things.
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Old 06-28-2009, 09:23 AM
 
2,542 posts, read 6,898,052 times
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Jane72--that was a very interesting and thought-provoking post. Thank you.
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Old 06-28-2009, 11:52 AM
 
2 posts, read 1,831 times
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Yes, its their choice. Not mine, regardless of what I personally believe and desire them to do. They are individuals and have a right to live as they wish to, not as how someone guilts or forces them into being.
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Old 06-28-2009, 03:29 PM
 
Location: Victoria TX
42,579 posts, read 86,702,293 times
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Would you keep your kids out of school, so you can force them to believe what you believe about chemistry and mathematics and music and English grammar? If your knowledge of those things might be imperfect, how can you be so sure that the theology that was imposed on you in Sunday School at the age of 6 must be unqualifiedly true? If your faith is the true one, why have you so little confidence that your kids, after exploration, will arrive back at that truth through the application of their own freely expanded wisdom?
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