Thanks for posting, I used to not hold this opinion, but have lately been in more agreement.

The abuse of childhood done by religions/cults for their own purposes is immoral. All children are at risk, by definition, and parents should be able to influence and shape there children. I like the use of the word indoctrinate though, teach as fact opinion or fiction. I think the Flying Soaghetti Monster does a great job of teaching the absurdity of teaching the absurd.

I don't know if this is a matter of government, certainly in the physical abuse and in the tax exemption it is a government matter, but perhaps it is a socialization matter that the greatest success can be achieved in protecting children from the lies of the religion of their parents.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/22/2013 12:15PM by gentlestrength.

Another thread just mentioned nightmares about the church. I know I have them regularly.

I am coming around to this way of thinking, too.

Yesterday my 10 yo son asked me what religion we are, and I told him that is for him to decide, and he doesn't have to be the same religion as us (his parents), and he could wait and learn more when he got older and decide for himself or choose no religion at all. As I said these things I had a good feeling like I was giving him a gift.

Anyone that can't or won't recognize this form of child abuse should be embarassed. Indoctrinating a child against their will through a combination of incantations, call and response, information suppression, fear, guilt, etc is just as bad as physical abuse. I know this because I was physically abused AND indoctrinated as an unwitting child.

Why is this a line of thinking that someone would need to "come around to"?

I have felt the same way for the last several months. Of course, one can't help but influence children by nurture in the process of raising them, but the extent to which they are now subject to misinformation and insufficient information in developing mature opinions is unacceptable. Scientific literacy will become one of the most important social issues during the next century (or so I would like to think).

So what is a parent allowed to tell a child about religion? Can they take the kid to church, mention what they believe? I couldn't disagree with Dawkins more except tin extreme cases where a child is abused or in a repressive cult.Parenting is about sharing your values with ypour kids and parents have rights.