Did/would you send your kids to church and/or Sunday school?

[DangerAardvark]

Why would you send your kids to a place where they're taught something which you yourself don't even believe? Morals exist outside of the church you know. You think they won't notice the hypocrisy?

 

[lxskllr]

My daughter went to a Christian school, and she now goes to a Catholic school. I send her to those so she isn't in public school. I'm anti religion, and I don't go to church. Other than school, my daughter doesn't do any religious training. She's free to go to church if she wants, but so far she's only gone once with a friend.

 

[Chaotic42]

Assuming I have kids, when they are old enough to decide, I'll let them.

 

[JulesMaximus]

He can go if he wants to. I don't though.

 

[Modelworks]

I went from age 5 till about 14 and it helped me more than it harmed me. Society might be a better place if more kids went to church. It is a nice thought that parents will teach kids all about morals and how to be responsible but most parents don't spend enough time to even know what their kids ate for dinner or what the kid is doing when the parent isn't home. I would rather a kid look to something he learned in church than sitting at home on the couch watching the latest rap video for life lessons and knocking up his 14 yr old girlfriend because its just something people do.

 

[Chaotic42]

I also regret that my kids will face social discrimination and perhaps even violence because we are not Christian.

You really think that?

 

[Mr. Lennon]

I went to sunday school all the way until I received my first communion. I was then forced to spend the first 2 years of high school getting my confirmation. I hated every bit of it besides the one retreat we were required to go on. 90% of the kids there were in the same boat as me, so no one gave a shit and ended up fucking around the whole retreat.

It was around the time the priest molestation shit came out that I decided bail the catholic church and religion in general.

Morality is not a by-product of religion. Morality is simply a beneficial evolutionary trait that has helped our species survive long before religion reared it's ugly head.

 

[Eli]

Hell no.

 

[LtPage1]

Teaching your kids lies is not a value.

 

[Bryophyte]

The religion isnt the problem, its the in-laws. One thing i have learned in my 5 years of being a dad is telling the relatives to fuck off. Its not their child and its not their decision. If they want to be ass holes about what you choose for them, you dont have to be around them or even talk to them.

Yeah, I learned that early on in parenting. My mother-in-law and one brother-in-law are very religious (some kind of baptist-like nondenominational church) and I ended up having to put my foot down with them fairly hard, back when my oldest was very little. The last time I had to deal with the subject, which was, thankfully, maybe 9 years ago, my brother-in-law yelled at me that "just because you're going to hell, that doesn't mean you should take your kids with you". He knows the keep his damned mouth shut around me now. :awe:

 

[CraigRT]

I think the only thing I agree with that has been said is that it can be good for socializing your kids. I don't really believe in religion at all, and would have no problem totally skipping on that on raising children, but the most valid point so far IMO has been that its' good for kids to meet other kids, while everyone is on good behaviour, etc.

Other than that, I think religion is a complete and utter waste of time like most other normal people.

 

[Mr. Lennon]

I think the only thing I agree with that has been said is that it can be good for socializing your kids. I don't really believe in religion at all, and would have no problem totally skipping on that on raising children, but the most valid point so far IMO has been that its' good for kids to meet other kids, while everyone is on good behaviour, etc.

Other than that, I think religion is a complete and utter waste of time like most other normal people.

There are plenty of other activities and groups you can get your kids into that don't involve religion. I met a bunch of friends playing baseball, and generally everyone was well behaved.

 

[theprodigalrebel]

This will definitely become a problem for me someday. I don't believe in God and have no desire to have my future kid(s) indoctrinated into religion. My mother should be okay with it because she has now accepted my position on religion and no longer tries to revert me back to the faith. But the rest of my extended family and my in-laws? Wonder what shitstorm they'll conjure.

To answer your question, OP, I don't think you have to send your kids if you don't have any real emotional attachment to your faith. Before I grew a pair and admitted I was an atheist, I was in denial and for all intents and purposes, muslim in name only. At that point, I used to ponder questions like these and think it'd be important for my kids to have some sort of religious identity so they could integrate into society and not be viewed as outcasts or misfits (religion is serious business here, even more so than in the US). But religious folks often like to argue that faith alone can instill in a person the value of human life, honesty, selflessness and other behaviors beneficial to society.

And that is wrong. Good parenting and setting a great example at home (by action, not just words) plays a much bigger role IMO. My Dad was sort of a non-practicing Muslim. Sure, he had a Muslim burial, used to pray on occasion and observed religious holidays - but his actions very often were driven by his own code of ethics and morality. His views on various topics were driven by his own understanding and rationale, and very often contradicted those driven by blind faith. I think I will probably end up like my Dad - except I will be an atheist and not a non-practicing member of a faith.

 

[MotionMan]

I went to Sunday School and Hebrew School and was Bar Mitzvahed and confirmed when I was growing up. My kids are doing/will do the same.

I learned a lot more than just about religion. As I did, my kids will learn about their family's culture and will learn another language (besides the ones taught in secular schools). They will learn good morals and will get to see some non-school friends on at least a weekly basis. And they have SNACK!

I am not very religious, but our temple is an important part of our lives.

MotionMan

 

[Zeeky Boogy Doog]

No way I'm sending my kids. I hated every bit of it. I had to go every Sunday since before I could remember until I was 16, I played in the orchestra at one church, 2 services every Sunday, had to sit through the full service for one, went to the youth service for the remainder of the other, as well as did the Sunday evening youth group shit.

I resented my family for a long time for making me go so often to do something I hated and because I felt like they were lying to me; I would never put my kids through the same. I would protest against my child being forced to go, but when they're getting old enough to explore their options and make their own decisions I would be more than happy to drive them myself if that's what they want.

 

[Mr. Lennon]

No way I'm sending my kids. I hated every bit of it. I had to go every Sunday since before I could remember until I was 16, I played in the orchestra at one church, 2 services every Sunday, had to sit through the full service for one, went to the youth service for the remainder of the other, as well as did the Sunday evening youth group shit.

And here I thought I had it bad.

 

[child of wonder]

You really think that?

Absolutely.

Kids are mean.

 

[AVAFREAK182]

Absolutely not. Had views forced on me.

BTW OP, awesome avatar.

 

[SlitheryDee]

You really think that?

Oh yes. The only people who know I'm an atheist are my Mom, a select few friends I don't even talk to much anymore, and ATOT.

The social discrimination bit is a given around here. I do not doubt one bit that it would happen if it got around that I was an atheist.

The violence part isn't even beyond comprehension, although I don't imagine it would come in the form of a mob lynching or anything like that. More likely some hillbilly would provoke me into an altercation because he doesn't know an atheist is a different thing from a Debbil wurshipper.

 

[HydroSqueegee]

you can also look at it this way. How much of your youth do you remember? I have a few vague memories from when i was 4, a few from when i was 5... i mean really? people are worried about brain washing young children with religion? Like others have said, they're too young to really comprehend whats going on. All they know is they get to color drawings, make macaroni and glitter projects, sing lots of fun songs and play with a bunch of kids their age. My 5 year old even has a few kids from his class on his baseball and soccer teams at the YMCA.

I went to a catholic daycare when i was little, then went to church every sunday till i was 8. We moved states and the church going tapered off by the time i was 10. And every sunday i dreaded going, sitting through the preaching (once i was old enough not to be with the little kids), wearing uncomfortable clothes... But I didnt have a choice not to go. And i really dont remember much of being there or being brainwashed because i was so young. I grew up to form my own opinions.

My kids go and are at the stage where they wont remember much. And i doubt they'll go once they wont be in the daycare anymore. Any time they dont want to go, they dont have to.

I want them to be able to form their own opinions about religion. I'll give them my views when they finally think to ask me. But my apathy and cynicism for life in general runs deep in my veins and i dont want them to be jaded to the world like i am.

 

[soulcougher73]

you can also look at it this way. How much of your youth do you remember? I have a few vague memories from when i was 4, a few from when i was 5... i mean really? people are worried about brain washing young children with religion? Like others have said, they're too young to really comprehend whats going on. All they know is they get to color drawings, make macaroni and glitter projects, sing lots of fun songs and play with a bunch of kids their age. My 5 year old even has a few kids from his class on his baseball and soccer teams at the YMCA.

I went to a catholic daycare when i was little, then went to church every sunday till i was 8. We moved states and the church going tapered off by the time i was 10. And every sunday i dreaded going, sitting through the preaching (once i was old enough not to be with the little kids), wearing uncomfortable clothes... But I didnt have a choice not to go. And i really dont remember much of being there or being brainwashed because i was so young. I grew up to form my own opinions.

My kids go and are at the stage where they wont remember much. And i doubt they'll go once they wont be in the daycare anymore. Any time they dont want to go, they dont have to.

I want them to be able to form their own opinions about religion. I'll give them my views when they finally think to ask me. But my apathy and cynicism for life in general runs deep in my veins and i dont want them to be jaded to the world like i am.

You not remembering is all part of brainwashing. You are not supposed to know you were brainwashed. Would defeat the purpose.

 

[child of wonder]

You not remembering is all part of brainwashing. You are not supposed to know you were brainwashed. Would defeat the purpose.

My parents are very religious and have been trying to covertly teach my kids about god since they were very little.

2 years ago my 5 year old was arguing with me about god.

Brain washing can happen at any age. Why do you think there is a Sunday school? To get them indoctrinated early. If parents didn't push religion on their kids, the kids wouldn't care about it.

 

[HydroSqueegee]

You not remembering is all part of brainwashing. You are not supposed to know you were brainwashed. Would defeat the purpose.

seriously?

:awe:

 

[soulcougher73]

My parents are very religious and have been trying to covertly teach my kids about god since they were very little.

2 years ago my 5 year old was arguing with me about god.

Brain washing can happen at any age. Why do you think there is a Sunday school? To get them indoctrinated early. If parents didn't push religion on their kids, the kids wouldn't care about it.

I know that. That is what i was trying to say. You take them when they are young and impressionable and make them believe in God etc. Hell they believe in Santa and the Tooth Fairy at that age as well because we tell them they are real. Most likely if you dont get them early the more likely they wont choose religion later in life on their own. Hence the brainwashing/indoctrination comments people make about children and church.

But i was replying to Hydro's comment about not remembering things from 4 or 5 other then you finger painted etc. That may be true but the church/religion will still leave its impression on the child wether they realize it or not. Hence the brainwashing comments.

 

[Vette73]

Never, until they are old enough to make the decision themselves.

Forcing religion on the very young is child abuse.

Yep I will let my son decide when he gets older what he wants.
Until then I raise him to know right from wrong and try and do good. Don;t need religion for that.