Raising kids in the religious middle?? (churches, protestant, quote, faith)

[5FLgirls]

I'm "culturally" jewish. My husband was raised catholic but is non-practicing. We have four children under the age of six. We both believe in God (I think)but my husband doesn't agree with organized religion. [I think he'd be fine if we attended church weekly but I don't feel comfortable with that. And I don't really want to attend temple regularly and I know he won't set foot inside. All but our last child have had jewish naming ceremonies because I wanted them to have some form of religious identity] We've placed our children in a non-denominational Christian school which has a fabulous IB curriculum. They attend weekly chapel where they are told new and old Testament stories. They pray daily, first thing, lunch and end of day. They have a daily religion class in their classroom.

Has anyone else had an experience where they want to teach their kids about both religions but let them decide for themselves? Has it been sucessful? Unsucessful? Any advice? My daughter is already coming home with questions that I can't answer. Anyone have any answers?

[Padgett2]

One way is to use the Holidays, both Jewish and Christian, as a means to explain the whys and wherefores of that particular time or day. For example, I think yesterday was the Jewish New Year. This would have been a good time to explain how Jews handle clearing out the old things from the past and looking forward to a better life in the coming years. It's a good deal different than the regular Jan. 1 New Year.

[Tricky D]

I'm raised in a family of Christians, except that one half is Protestant and the other half is Catholic. If religion had no impact in the outside world I'd say that it doesn't matter, as long as your children know that you love them and that you believe in God.
Unfortunately this is not the case. The outside world will probably question how a Jew and a Catholic could even be married. And your children will one time or another be confronted with this question themselves.

If I speak for myself, when I was a child I didn't care about being Protestant or Catholic. My parents loved me and the didn't bother with church doctrine.
But then came a time that the outside world doesn't see you as an 'innocent' child anymore. They require that you make a choice, even when you (as a child) don't want to.
I just lost my faith in churches, I could not reconcile the church (as an institution) with a loving God. I've just realized that any group is intolerant, because that is what all groups essentially are. There has to be a difference or else there is no point in forming groups.

[songinthewind7]

Originally Posted by 5FLgirls

I'm "culturally" jewish. My husband was raised catholic but is non-practicing. We have four children under the age of six. We both believe in God (I think)but my husband doesn't agree with organized religion. [I think he'd be fine if we attended church weekly but I don't feel comfortable with that. And I don't really want to attend temple regularly and I know he won't set foot inside. All but our last child have had jewish naming ceremonies because I wanted them to have some form of religious identity] We've placed our children in a non-denominational Christian school which has a fabulous IB curriculum. They attend weekly chapel where they are told new and old Testament stories. They pray daily, first thing, lunch and end of day. They have a daily religion class in their classroom.

Has anyone else had an experience where they want to teach their kids about both religions but let them decide for themselves? Has it been sucessful? Unsucessful? Any advice? My daughter is already coming home with questions that I can't answer. Anyone have any answers?

You both believe in God and dislike organized religion. That's a start.
Let your kids know how you feel about your religions and teach them what you think is important for them to know.
Please don't push it down there throats and force them to attend church or you'll end up with kids that as they get older will resent you and probably resent the religion they were forced to hear about.
Too young now but as they get older, let them talk to people of other religions and do research.
Whatever feels right will stay with them and they can discard whatever does not feel right.
I take it that you and your husband are not too crazy about the religions you grew up with, probably because it was forced upon you. Don't do that to your kids, please.