Do all religions put God first, before family and children?
Do all religions put God first, before family and children?For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.Matthew 10:35-36, NRSVWhoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;Matthew 10:37, NRSV“Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple.Luke 14:26, NRSVI’ve provided you with 3 verses authored by unknown authors of the New Testament gospels while featuring the character of Jesus of Nazareth. In these 3 verses the authors attempt to separate (to some degree) individuals from their families and communities (in most cases). This is how manipulation occurs and weak minded people become consumed by it (very sadly).Christianity is not a very humane or a peaceful religion (in context of their theological beliefs). I’ll provide you with two other verses from the New Testament which are not really kind.“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.Matthew 10:34, NRSVDo you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!Luke 12:51, NRSVMost religions place their religion before the family of their members for their religion might not survive if their members valued their family more. There some common verses in the Quran (Islam) too which place religion before family (wife/children).
Should religion be forced on a child?
Speaking from personal experience, the answer is a resounding NO. I went through an upbringing in a devout Lutheran family. Church attendance and belief in God was mandatory, no choice was given, and it was enforced. Unless I was sick, contagious, or hospitalized, I was expected to go. I was also raised in the whole "fear the Lord" thing, and asking innocent questions as a small child was considered the same as questioning God himself, meaning I was going to hell. I was also raised with a family who believed in Predestination, and was told many times growing up that I was chosen by a God who "loved" me to go to hell when I died, even before I was born, and that my cousins were chosen to be saved for being boys and minister's sons. When I got to be a teenager and old enough to understand, I began to question my faith and have a great many doubts. My family did not help me. Instead, they condemned me and insisted that I needed to just go to church and just plain believe, period. When I was almost ready to move out on my own, I realized that I no longer believed. That made things WORSE. I was harassed by family members at family gatherings(two of which were so aggressive and nasty that I no longer speak to them), compared to rather unflattering religious figures, asked repeatedly when I was going to come back to church or if I'd found a church, and handed me offensive books about religion that showed me what their thoughts of me were. One in particular boiled down to them suggesting that my life was crappy because God was punishing me. That sort of sh-t nearly destroyed me mentally and emotionally. When I was a believer in my teens and just getting out on my own, just exploring what my beliefs really were, I was MISERABLE. I had more depressed moments then as a believer than I do now as a Polytheist of my own choosing. It took me YEARS to work through the damage my family did to me. If I could have children, there's no way I would force my beliefs on them. I would expose them to different beliefs, let them learn what others believe in the world, and when they're old enough, let them decide the way I wish my family had done for me.
Should parents force religion on to their children?
If you’re at an age where you can make decisions for yourself, the best approach would be to find a defensible position for your chosen belief system, and then present this to your parents. Tell them that while you fully respect their right to believe as they wish, you are not of the same mind with them on the matter of religion. If it’s a question of being supported to live in their home or not, look into job opportunities, financial aid for on-campus housing (if you’re in college), or other means of leaving the family home. Don’t do this brazenly or with hubris. Take the time to look into every legitimate option available to you. If having a community around you is keeping you tied to a family that doesn’t respect your right to individuality, don’t give up, and don’t feel that you need to cut ties with your family either. It may be painful at first, to separate from them, but you can still love them and communicate this to them. “In all things, to thine own self be true.” -W. Shakespeare
How do religious families handle it when one of their children converts to another religion, the child being under 18?
Often badly. Depending on what they actually convert to. For evangelical Christians it would be in this rough order1. To another evangelical Christian sect.2. To a more "liberal" Christian sect.3. To the Catholic Church.4. To a non-Christian religion.5. Become an atheist.That last can have some pretty serious consequences, up to and including complete abandonment by family – being thrown out on the street.
Letting children choose their own religion?
My parents did that. They also didn't try to impose their own religious beliefs on me. "Test it, make it prove itself" my parents would say, "don't be gullible and believe it because some book says so". By the time I was a teenager I was as confused as the rest of the teenagers, too much info and too much rebellion (must escape the nest!). At least by then I had sifted through most of the info and only had to work through logical testing before making my decision. Is that better? Is that worse? As a child I was less secure about the universe and my place in it and children need security. Psychological research proves it, over and over. But I would NOT exchange my childhood for one with blind faith! We can't put all children in the same boat. Some need more security, more structure. Some are spiritually adept and able to understand that everyone has different spiritual needs and different reasons for choosing their theism/atheism (aka: religion). Chose a course of action that best suits the child and don't purposely give them more than they can handle.
Most religions encourage large families - and expect the children to be brought up in the faith. Does this mean being religious could be considered an evolutionary advantage?
No: it means that the religion gets more worshippers and money.Give a woman the opportunity and she will raise fewer children…but more successfully.The end result is the same.Actually, a religion might promote big families but people ignore it happily: see Catholicism in Europe.People frequently choose common-sense and religion plays catch-up.
How do all of you religious people put God before your family?
Putting God first in our lives does not mean having to make a choice with a gun to a child''s head. It means, giving thanks to God before anything else in your day...before you talk to your child, you talk to God...in the privacy of your room...before meals/after meals...when beginning a task and ending a task. In this day and age, making Church a more important destination than the baseball field or hockey arena.
Is teaching religion to children equivalent to child abuse?
Being that the world's great religions are simply tiny cults gone viral, isn't teaching falsehoods to children's fragile, curious minds equivalent to child abuse?
Why are children of overly religious parents often not religious at all?
Unfortunately, overly religious parents often put religion before their kids. Two of the Quorans I adore most were the subject of religious abuse, (among other abuse) and they are not the only case I know.I think religion is great if it’s an ingredient in a happy home, but not if it’s used as a cudgel to beat innocent children into submission.As the Creepy Bard, David Antony once said “There’s a fine line between being religious and being OCD.” When a religion becomes a compulsion that is more important than people, when it’s used to justify immorality, why shouldn’t the children want to flee?