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How important is religion in the development of a child?

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jpcmcposted 6 years ago
How important is religion in the development of a child?
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silentnomoreposted 6 years ago
I think that religion is important in the development of a child if it is a family belief. I was not a Christian when our son was growing up and while we talked to him about God and Christianity, we did not attend Church on a regular basis. It is a decision that I often regret. I do think that raising your child with a religion is the best way to go, but it is important not to smother them with it. My husband was raised in a very religious family and he says he felt smothered and when he became an adult, he chose not to attend Church for many years. He felt like he was forced to follow the religion, not encouraged to follow the religion - I think there is a difference. Now my husband and I attend Church together every Sunday and we volunteer on a regular basis. It is a wonderful day for us to spend together and with the Lord and we look forward to it every week. You child needs to know that there is a higher power in life and God does exist and He can change their lives.
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LailaKposted 6 years ago
I think that religion is very consequential for the development of a child because it offers them a feeling of security and an imagination of what God, angels, and prophets are. I think that no matter what the religion is, it is very important. Great question!
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MickSposted 6 years ago
Religion isn't important; however, the moral basis can be, look at, say, the Judiac based religions and the 10 commandments. Belief in a god isn't essential to teach children the value of those ideals.
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twosheds1posted 6 years ago
The answer really depends on whether the parents are religious. Religious parents, particularly Christian ones, generally believe that religion is very important in a child's development. There was a saint (I forget which) who said "Give the me child for his first seven years, and I will give you the man." The reason most frequently given is that religion instills particular values in children at an early age. There are other considerations as well, such as in Judaism, many traditions (Passover seders, Hannukah celebrations) while religious ini origin, have become more secular events that are celebrated by the less-religious as well.

The flip side is that atheists and other freethinkers generally feel that religion is harmful to a child's development. Many hold that children are incapable of thinking deeply enough about religious questions and to impose religious beliefs on young children especially forces them into roles in which they don't fully understand. For example, one often speaks of a Jewish or Muslim child, but we would never dream of referring to a child as, say, a Republican or Democratic child. As parents, our values tend to rub off on our children, but, at least with political beliefs, most parents allow their children to make up their own minds, and most atheists belive it should be the same with religion.

Further along the spectrum would be those who believe that ANY belief in the supernatural imposed on children does them harm. In the interest of full disclosure, I fall into this last category.
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junksellerposted 6 years ago
Rigid ideologies are like blinders on a horse. Sure they get the horse down the road, but he never sees the lush grass and sweet river at his flanks. I am strongly opposed to indoctrinating children into any belief system. Help guide them on their spiritual journey. Don't define it for them.
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d.williamposted 6 years ago
Religion is only important to the extent of indoctrination into any specific religion/cult. It is probably more closely related to emotional child abuse, as instilling fear, confusion, and mixed messages, into a child before they reach their age of reasoning can cause extreme mental and emotional problems later in life.
Parents use it as a tool to reinforce their own laziness of not having to teach their own children the difference between right from wrong.
It serves little purpose in our society, and causes extreme division between people, communities, and nations.
99% of the mental patients that i cared for throughout my career were damaged in the areas of confusion in their core beliefs about right and wrong, and fundamental "natural" sexual matters that their religions had portrayed as evil and sinful.
One does not need religion to be taught humanitarianism or spirituality.
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glmclendonposted 6 years ago
I think it is very important to train your child with the religion background. It gives the child a guide line to walk. Guidance in the way of life. Some will differ with me on this, but if you train the child and model behavior that is good in front of the child what is wrong with that?

In today's world, I would want every advantage I could get in raising my child. I would want the child to have a good future and a chance to have a family and provide for them as I would be trying to provide for my child and religion is the best way I know.

Stay Well
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rave1432posted 6 years ago
I honestly think strong morals beat religious views. I was raised by religious nuts. I grew up and pushed away from religion because I see what my family does. I see people use the church for money, and vice versa. I think children should follow the golden rule. Treat people the way you want to be treated. I will not take my child to a church and fill their head with things that might or might not be true.
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inevitablesecretsposted 6 years ago
As long as they have some sort of value system that includes generally being a good person I don't think it's that big of a deal. I do think though that they should at least know some Bible stories on the grounds that so much great literature refers to the Bible. Even if the kids believes that it is fiction they should at least have a general idea of the stories like Jonah and Noah
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