Do you think it's wrong to force your beliefs on your children?

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   TMApseyposted 13 years ago

   Do you think it's wrong to force your beliefs on your children?

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   Sunny2o0oposted 13 years ago

   Part of raising children is indoctrinating them with the behaviors and beliefs that are necessary for them to become functioning members of society.  There is no such thing as a value-neutral education.  So no, I would not argue that it is wrong to teach your beliefs to your children.  I would, however, argue that it is wrong to force your beliefs on your children, or to raise them in such a way that they become incapable of thinking for themselves.  No on has the right to compel others to believe as (s)he does, and I don't care what the relationship between the people in question might be.

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   klevifushaposted 13 years ago

   Well, that depends on what you consider beliefs. I personally think that it is wrong to force religious beliefs on children.

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4. 60

   Elizabethvanoposted 13 years ago

   I would bet that many people would say that forcing beliefs on your children is wrong, simply because of the wording. Forcing is such a harsh word and it’s often interpreted as implying no choice.  If that’s what you’re asking (which is how I'm going to interpet it), whether it is religious beliefs or political, I would have to say yes, it’s wrong to force your beliefs on your children.

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   SilentReedposted 13 years ago

   I would have to disagree with the use of the word "force". Parents love their children and it is out of this love that they pass on to them the teachings and attitudes they believe they will need in order to survive and be a part of society.Beliefs and religion plays an important role. I would rather they acquire the capacity to be tolerant and have respect for the beliefs of other people.

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   cooldadposted 13 years ago

   It depends on what you mean by "beliefs".  I hope to teach my children how to think independently and provide them with the necessary tools to be able to make good life decisions.
   
   If by beliefs, you mean religious beliefs, I do think it is wrong to force them.  I think it's fine to share your religious beliefs with your children as long as you expose them to all forms of religions an explain to them how you arrived at your belief system.
   
   I still remember my mother dragging me to church every Sunday and that made me dislike religion at a very impressionable time in my life.  I was only exposed to one belief system and it took me a while to figure things out on my own.

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7. 63

   dan-1posted 13 years ago

   I strongly oppose forcing any kind of religious, political or social beliefs other than good morals on children.
   It is wrong to force all of your beliefs on your children but not to teach your beliefs to them. Being a good parent encompases a wide range of things such as: being a teacher, a friend, an authority figure, a source of inspiration and an example to follow. With that said, there is a fine line between teaching your children about your beliefs and forcing those beliefs on them.
   When it comes down to it I don't feel it is wrong to force good moral values on your children but this is the only belief I would ever be able to justify forcing on a child.

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   Heymichelleposted 13 years ago

   My parents forced me to be catholic, or at least raised me that way and then they gave me the option to choose for myself once I was old enough. For a while I went between being agnostic or Christian.
   
   If you don't teach them something about religion, or your religion then they won't have a background for it. Religion provides a good basis for morals and values. Plus it involves a lot of history to teach, which only enriches a child's education.
   
   I say it's fine, and I'm still a child so I hope my opinion accounts for something.

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   IntimatEvolutionposted 13 years ago

   This is an amazing question.  I wish you had posted it in the forums to be debated.  But anyhow, this is an individual preference type of question.  There are no right answers or wrong answers. Only personal experience...
   
   As for myself, I can only tell how I went about it with my son.  I am a Christian.  For the first 12 years of my son's life I raised him in my faith.  He has been baptized and he has participated in countless church activities from singing in the children's choir to bible school.  When he was 12, he had a long talk with me and told me he didn't believe in it.  That it just didn't "work" for him.  You know, it took lot of guts for him to do that.  I am deeply in love with Jesus and my religion.  He isn't.  Years have gone by now and Zach still doesn't believe.  He is a very scientific, logical kid.  Belief in the supernatural does not interest him. 
   
   I find that it is more challenging as a parent to teach my son the importance of living right without the air of religion being influential in my life lessons for him.  The best I can do is to teach my son to be respectful of all kinds of religions, people and ideas.  To be compassionate towards his fellow mankind and to spread joy whenever he can.  So far, he has done extremely well and I very proud of my self-proclaimed atheist son.  Thank you for this great question!

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10. 70

    danielleantoszposted 13 years ago

    To force them on your children? Yes.  However, raising children is about teaching them right from wrong in the way that you see fit.  I do think parents should also teach their children to think for themselves.

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    Dee aka Nonnaposted 13 years ago

    I think your operative word is force.... and yes I believe it is wrong to "force" your beliefs on anyone.  Children, however, just being part of a family structure pick up on our beliefs...in most homes it's not forced....it just happens.

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    tamarindcandyposted 13 years ago

    Depends on the belief, I suppose. Religion? Put that away. Beliefs in certain things like "gay people are fine and gay marriages are perfectly all right"? Yes: kids should be taught acceptance from a young age.

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    edhanposted 13 years ago

    It is the moral we are teaching our kids. No need to force them to have what we believe in but instead explaining to them about your belief and allowing them to accept for themselves.
    
    But it is more important to teach them about moral issue.

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    wilbury4posted 13 years ago

    Belief is the individuals choice, it can not be forced from one person to another.
    You can teach children what is right and what is wrong, such as to be kind and helpful is good but murder and theft are wrong, these are fact. But a belief in a God, or aliens, or ghosts for example are concepts that are build by each child/person individually.

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    HOOWANTSTONOposted 13 years ago

    Force is the wrong word, children believe everything, so from my experience, My children were raised without a drunk for a father or a smoker or drug addicts for parents, we did sport and live a healthy life. My children are now adults and continue to seek those qualities in life. Yes it is important to teach your children who Created everything..."Jesus Christ" and follow his teachers all found only in the KJV bible....

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    thomasczechposted 13 years ago

    It depends on the interpretation of "force". It is the parents duty to raise up his/her child(ren) properly and to become good citizen s of their community. A parent or parents have their beliefs, so of-course they will pass those beliefs on to their children. it is right and it is expected. Other families may have different beliefs from your own but that does not mean they are wrong, just different. And it is their duty to pass those on to their children. It is also important while doing this, to raise the children to think for ones self, so when they become adults, they will be leaders and not followers and raise their children the way they see fit.

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    catydid52posted 13 years ago

    I was one who was brought up with forced religion and was forced to not participate in sports,movies,plays,dances because they were against my 'religion'. The bible does say to train up a child in the way that he should go, but it doesn't say force it on them.  If you believe in prayer, then pray that after a child has been taught right from wrong, and God's principles for daily living that child will come to accept God in their life according to the love that God has for them. Children respond to love, adults respond to love, not because it is forced on them, but because we have free will to love, accept or reject God.

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    Dave Mathewsposted 13 years ago

    It depends upon whether your beliefs coincide with society or not.

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