Is God Important in Parenting?

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   crankaliciousposted 8 years ago

   Do families that worship God have stronger bonds than those that don't? Is believing in God fundamental to being a good parent?
   
   Read the following article and see what you think. This study on religion and parenting is the largest of its kind and is a very interesting read:
   
   http://jezebel.com/godless-parents-are- … 1682844001

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      Kathryn L Hillposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, it is important. But it is beyond discussing. If you want to ask me why I believe that establishing the belief in God is important in early childhood and beyond, I will tell you ... but I hate to have the arrows and bullets fly at me after I give my answer.
      
      I tried to read the article but why should I? I know quite well that raising children with a sense of their Creator, reverence for their Creator and love of their Creator, along the ability to tune into that Source directly, is vital to a successful and happy life.

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         crankaliciousposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         Sure, don't read the article, because science doesn't matter, right? That article, which is about one of the longest and largest studies ever done, shows that familial bonds and the sense of right and wrong are as strong or stronger among families who are not religious.
         
         That doesn't mean that religion isn't important or can't be important, it just shows that it is not a determining factor in how familial bonds and a sense of right and wrong are determined.

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   Live to Learnposted 8 years ago

   I read your article. I think the author is confusing belief in God with religious dogma. I can agree that people who aren't caught up in 'church' are probably in a better position to raise children free of some prejudices.
   
   But, it is important to determine what is 'better' in way of raising children.  I think what we have here is an article where the author wanted something to be true and searched for information to use to validate their claim. Anecdotal evidence leads me to question many of the claims made in the article.

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      crankaliciousposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      So you're going to value anecdotes over hard science?
      
      This was based on a huge study. Since Athiests and the non-religious are generally deemed less worthy in this country and vilified for not believing, the study simply suggests that those people are as good at parenting as the religious.
      
      In other words, you do not need God to be good, but it's not about one being better than another. It's just a study that suggests that multiple approaches work fine and that moral superiority cannot be claimed just because there's a belief in a god.

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         Live to Learnposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         Anecdotal evidence gleaned from personal observation. So, yes, seeing is believing.
         
         But, I have no problem accepting that anyone who works at being a good parent is one. No matter what their personal beliefs. Conversely, anyone not putting an effort into their job as a parent will be bad at it. No matter their personal beliefs.

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            crankaliciousposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            I agree. Although sometimes you can work at being a good parent and still feel like you're bad at it.

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               Live to Learnposted 8 years agoin reply to this

               That's life.

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            wildernessposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            Idaho legislature is again debating the problem of parents who refuse to supply health care to children because they had another child die for lack of simple health care - the parents deny care because "God will heal my child if He wants him or her healed.
            
            Does that qualify as good parenting?  They are certainly trying to be a good parent...

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               crankaliciousposted 8 years agoin reply to this

               If ignorance qualifies as good parenting, then they're trying, I guess. A parent whose child dies because they deny that child medical care due to their religious beliefs should be put in jail. That certainly seems to be a case where the state needs to step in.

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                  wildernessposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                  While there are actually people that think vaccines for children are a real danger to that child, those that deny health care have no such belief - they are quite well aware that a little antibiotics or blood transfusion has enormous benefits. 
                  
                  And while I agree the state needs to step in, it isn't that simple for religious freedom rears its head immediately.  About all that can be said is that children are not chattel, owned by the parent to do with as they please, and then one also immediately confronts teaching children myth as truth and denying known facts like evolution.  Not simple at all and I understand what the legislature goes through, particularly in a highly religious state.

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               Live to Learnposted 8 years agoin reply to this

               Yes, let's use the fringe rabble to denounce all religion. That makes perfect sense.Had we used that logic in the last presidential election you'd be too busy bemoaning a Hillary presidency to respond in this thread.

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                  wildernessposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                  LTL, while that is probably the worst possible of the examples, we find parents teaching children that being gay is a sin, and that discrimination against gays is something God wants.  We find both hidden and overt racism being taught.  We find children learning that man and dinosaurs co-existed when the earth was created 10,000 years ago.
                  
                  And these are NOT "fringe rabble" - they are common, everyday people that we work with, live alongside and our kids play with.  But bashing religion wasn't the point - I mean to comment on the idea that trying hard means being a good parent, regardless of what actions are being taken.  It wasn't about bashing religion.

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                     Live to Learnposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                     It may not be religion bashing, or it might be. You say they are teaching their children that being gay is a sin and it is acceptable to discriminate. My observation is that those who openly make such statements are too old to be raising children and are not the primary influence on any children. It is guestimated that 77% of Americans identify as Christian. I find it odd to believe that the majority of Christians feel the way you are suggesting since we have made great strides in equality where LGBT rights are concerned. If the majority of America is Christian we can assume that the majority of Christians support LBGT rights so, again, I question the tendency to use the beliefs of fringe groups to make statements on religion in America.

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                        wildernessposted 8 years agoin reply to this

                        I would find it odd if the majority of Christians felt that way, too.  But that is a long ways from the "fringe rabble" you mentioned - again, the point is that there is a significant number of people, mostly Christian but not all, that find gay rights are contrary to God's will, nature, or some other reason and teach their kids to discriminate as a result.  But it isn't limited to Christians, Muslims, or even pagans or atheists.  I think you will find people of all "faiths" that hate anything different and will concoct excuses to keep them subdued and out of sight.  It is the nature of man to fear the unknown.

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   Aime Fposted 8 years ago

   There was recently a case here where parents were charged and sent to prison for refusing to get their sick child (he had meningitis) to a qualified doctor/hospital until he had stopped breathing and he died.  They have their own natural medicine business and put their trust in God to have the natural ingredients heal him.  Big round of applause for the justice system in this case from me.  I say believe what you want and if you'd like to refuse care on your own behalf then that's swell, but your religious choices shouldn't prevent children from receiving care, at least not without being held responsible for negligence. 
   
   Anyway, no, I don't believe that God or religion is important in parenting.  It seems a little counterintuitive to me that a third party/omnipotent being might be considered necessary to strengthen bonds between parents and children.   I can understand how participating in the same activities and taking interest in each other's interests strengthens bonds, but that's definitely not specific to God/religion.  You could make the same claim that watching your kids perform their ballet strengthens the bond between parents and children, or soccer, or fishing... but I doubt you'd hear many people say that watching ballet is necessary to be a good parent.  Rather, it's the more general idea of supporting your kids and sharing your life with them that's important.

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   Kathryn L Hillposted 8 years ago

   God helped bring about the procedures used to save lives and prevent death.
   God comes forth through the discoveries and inventions of man.
   God wants us to tap into them and prevent death.
   He also wants us to learn how to be proactive to avoid whatever causes cancers, immune disfunctions, infections, etc.

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      Aime Fposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I'm glad you feel that way but unfortunately many people see modern medicine as interference or faith in man as opposed to faith in God.

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   psycheskinnerposted 8 years ago

   If God is important to you, it is part of parenting.  If not, not.

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