Child Abuse of a FAR DIFFERENT Kind

1. 84

   gmwilliamsposted 5 years ago

   
   Is raising a child in a religion a form of child abuse?   Should children elect whether to be in a religion or not?  What is the deleterious effect of children being forced in a religion?

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2. 93

   MizBejabbersposted 5 years ago

   I don't believe that raising a child in the parents church is a form of child abuse, but I have only my own experience and that of my children to go on. As a child, I found going to Sunday School to be a pleasant experience and the so-called "vacation Bible schools" fun and something to which I eagerly looked forward. Later in life when I got old enough to question the fairy tales I'd been taught, I was allowed to choose my own way. I gave my children the same experience.
   I think it may become a form of child abuse when the parent or parents attend a very strict church, and the parent makes the children attend church every time the doors are open, sitting through screaming tirades from the pulpit. The preacher preaches hell-fire and damnation and sends all, including the children, on guilt trips because they are taught they are sinners and unworthy. Children can loose self esteem when they are taught unworthiness.
   In extreme cases, some cults calling themselves churches resort to corporal punishment by adult members upon child members to keep them toeing the line, and that does become child abuse.
   As long as the church teaches the children that their God is love, and that Jesus is love and loves the little children, it can help build self esteem and goodwill among the little ones. They can make lasting friendships in the churh. After they get older, they can choose their own path.
   I think the problem with children losing their religion when they start growing up isn't necessarily that they start questioning their church's teachings, but that the church changes their teaching from "Jesus loves me" to "you are unworthy sinners" right when they most need to be taught love. Perhaps that could be considered a form of child abuse.

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   1. 76

      wildernessposted 5 years agoin reply to this

      Would it be child abuse to restrict a child from the love of God?  To instead start it on the path to eternal damnation, torment and pain?
      
      Intent counts in such questions.

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      1. 78

         lobobrandonposted 5 years agoin reply to this

         If your child does not know you and you punish the child for that, you are a horrible father.

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      2. 84

         gmwilliamsposted 5 years agoin reply to this

         You don't really believe this?

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         1. 76

            wildernessposted 5 years agoin reply to this

            Whether I do or not is irrelevant: the parents DO, and that was the point.  When their intent is to provide a path to eternal love rather than eternal damnation can it, in any way, be called "abusive"?

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            1. 84

               gmwilliamsposted 5 years agoin reply to this

               Of course the parents do.  They instill psychotic fear in their children.  They make their children schizoid, being fearful of enjoying life because they will be somehow damned.  They are killing the life out of their children.  Religious is superstition, no more no less.

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3. 56

   The0NatureBoyposted 5 years ago

   Being the severally punished curious child I was who overcame it, my answer is a definite yes.
   
   According to my communicating with older American Natives, the primary reason most Native nations were such a peaceful people is because they didn't instruct their children, the parents would warn the children of their actions' consequences and allow them the opportunity to experience it for themselves. I, on the other hand, was raised by a punished Christian mother who desired to reason with her children but being a Louisiana raised African-American descent without answers for her reasons, except in a few cases, she would only say don't ask so many questions and or punished us. My experiences taught me there are at least two different outcomes to everything and had I not gone through them I couldn't be the person I am, I would have been a coward seeking to please as people-en-mass are.

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