What religion should your kidds be??

Should be is a problem. I rather doubt that anyone else has a right to speak to this issue. So long as parents do not recklessly endanger their children, how they raise them is no one else's business. Inevitably, the decision will be made by the parents, without outside interference, save for the pressure that priests or ministers would bring to bear.

junotuyan- Welcome to A2K!

I don't think that there is an easy answer to this question. There are so many variables. The important thing is, that the couple needs to decide BEFORE the child is born, and thereafter respect the decision.

My parents left it up to me, in theory. Neither are religious, one was raised Methodist, one was raised Jewish. I studied lots of religions, including going to church and temple with each set of grandparents, and settled on agnostic with a fondness for Zen Buddhism and Judaism.

I agree with Phoenix that the most important thing is to discuss and decide before the child is born; further, before the couple makes any lifelong commitments.

I think it should be illegal for anyone under about the age of 15. Before that it's not education-just brain washing.

My situation was quite similar to sozobe's - neither parent was religious. In my case, one was raised Presbyterian, and the other Orthodox Jewish. I read a lot and tried out some possibilities, and have found no organized religion that works for me.

Well, it really should be the child, who decides what religion it wants ... and gets. (You can do so from the age of 14 onwards in most European countries.)

Depends on the religion (some require that children be raised in that religion) and the wishes of the parents. Once the kids are old enough to make their own decision, they may choose either, both, a different religion entirely, or none at all.

(Didn't know that, mac! Interesting.)

Walter, the problem is that religion is one of those things that are hard to control for "choice." I'd imagine that overwhelmingly, children choose the same religion as their parents, since it is one of those bedrock things that are learned before critical thinking is well developed, and can be hard to shake. People do, of course, but it is hard for multiple possibilities to co-exist.

I understand about after 14, but from 0-14?

Well, starting at the end, sozobe, to get a religion, you most have to get baptized (in Christian religions) and undergo another kind of ceremony.

Children are baptized nowadays later than decades ago here, junevile/adult batisms are quite common in all (Christian) churches.

I agree, children usually get their parents religion. But I know quite a few couples, who leave this open ... until their children decide themselves.
And since we have obligatory classes in religion/ethics in schools here, children learn a lot about other religions as well.

An aside: about 30% in Germany are without any religion.

30%? Interesting. I wonder what that percentage is here.

What I am saying is that those who leave it "open" are themselves making a statement. Most religion does not coexist well with "open". "God absolutely exists, and His word is recorded in this text" is the foundation of most religions.

Well, nearly 15 years ago we got 17 million new citizens mostly without any religion at all :wink:


Using the most valuable colection of links at the A2K Portal :wink: :
10% (1989)

OF course they demand that children are raised in it. It's so much easier to indoctrinate a 4-year-old than an 18-year-old. Religions are delusional, not stupid.

I think all kids should be satan worshippers. Nothing says "quality education" like sacrificing a goat and drinking it's blood.

MUAHHHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

MUAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

I think children should be able to choose their own religion and not be forced into something.

You think 30% of the Germans not being religious is high? Here in the Netherlands it is 40%, with less than 10% of the people going to Churches, Mosques, Synagogues or other temples on a weekly basis. Well that's Europe :wink: I'm officially Roman Catholic myself, but I never go to Church. That I say I am Roman Catholic, is more somehow tradition - that has to do with Dutch history ("verzuiling"), but I don't think you people are interested in that so I'll spare you :wink:

"Verzuiling" seems to have the same consequence than "cuius regio, eius religio" 400 years earlier (The reason for me being a RC)

(I thought "ontzuiling" started later?)

"Verzuiling" was the name for the dividence of the Dutch society in four groups: Roman Catholics, Protestants (Dutch Reformed and (normal) Reformed), Socialists and Liberals. The religious groups were the most isolated, with their own schools, political parties, churches (of course), radio stations, newspapers etc etc. There was some interaction between Socialists and Liberals, but that wasn't much neither. This dividence lasted until late '50's of the 20th century. My father experienced it too: as a Roman Catholic he went to a Roman Catholic boy's school, he was not allowed to even date an non-Catholic girl and so once in a while they fought with the Protestant boys - sort of tradition :wink: In the 60's this separation at last ended, and nowadays there seems to be no dividence anymore - except in the - Orthodox Protestant - Dutch "Bible Belt" (approximately 400,000 people). The thing you call "ontzuiling" is the process that started in the 60's, so the process that people from different "zuilen" (parts of society) come closer to getter: Catholics marrying Protestants, no separate newspapers anymore etc. Nice fact: eventually my father DID marry a Roman-Catholic girl.

In my house there were several ways of thinking and religions, however, my mother wanted me to choose what to do about it, so, nobody in my house was allow to take me to church or any other religious gathering until I was old enough to choose for myself.

That is what is happening with all of my nices ans nephews till the day and it is working perfectly.

I am wiccan and in my religion it is important but not necessary to acknowledge the birth of a child in a 'religious' ceremony. I did that for my OWN comfort. and I will in no way force it on my daughter. She was but a few days old and will have no memory. It served no purpose to anyone but me and it will stay that way. Of course , if she asks questions I will answer them according to my beliefs as everyone does. But never will I make her think what I say/believe/practice is concrete and the only way to do things. I think taking on that behavior with your child no matter what you believe in gives them the chance to become secure in thier own religious beliefs... or your religious beliefs if you so choose to pass them on , instead of trying to dodge the 'who/what/when/why' questions with the typical answer of "" because that is how it is"". Leaving religion an open question / answer subject in your life and being honest invests more security in your childs up bringing then anything else when it comes to religious standings. ( my opinion). But for one to pass on such religious security, they must first have it themselves. And to be truly secure and comfortable with your beliefs , I think you must ask yourself the who/what/where/when/why questions. And of course.. the big "What if there is no _____?" As I have said before, noone knows what happens after death or wether or not there is an afterlife. Noone has died and lived to tell us about it. :-)