[TRIGGER WARNING] how does religion exist in educated first world countries?

[Foxscotch]

Doesn't any parent tend to teach their kid about their ideals and ways of life?

they should teach them about morality and making good choices
but beyond that it's unnecessary to indoctrinate your children. teaching your kids to eat food that is undeniably healthier for you is not even remotely comparable to this

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[TristanLuigi]

the reason why religion is still around is because it gets passed down from generation to generation

and also because of how forgetin terrible it is to realize that your religion is bullstuff and that youve been blind to it for so long. i'm pretty sure some people commit Self Delete because of epiphanies like that so it's probably healthier for them to stay believing.

Natural selection

As a family member of a very christian family, my parents and everyone in my family take it seriously. My parents want me to know at early age (4-5 years) because they want me to be informed and have an influence on the religion I'll be following for the rest of my life. I might of worded my answer wrong, what I meant is religious parents want to inform their children on THEIR religion at an early age.

I think that's, on some level, morally wrong to do this. It's, to use an example from earlier (and the Oatmeal), like telling a child what their favorite color is for the rest of their life... young kids aren't capable of such independent thought. It's indoctrination! Belief in whatever is fine, but forcing it on kids that won't think to question it is screwed up.

I find it funny how skeptics accuse parents of forcing their religion down their own kids' throats. Doesn't any parent tend to teach their kid about their ideals and ways of life? In most cases, the kid doesn't openly resist it until they are older and make a different decision for themselves. It's not much different from telling your kid to eat vegetables instead of fats because you believe vegetables are a better alternative for your kid.

On top of that, if a parent is going to a church and has kids, wouldn't they bring the kid to church with them? Should they hire a babysitter to watch the kid while they go to church for fear of forcing their kid to believe something? Maybe when the kid is six years old or so, they'll throw a bunch of religions out on the table (and a special "NOT A RELIGION!!!!" card labeled "atheist") and tell their kid to choose for themself.

It is forcing it down their throats, though. And the fact that the kid isn't going to even consider resisting is the worst part.

You wouldn't outright tell your kids which political party they should vote for at a young age. Why would you do that for religion? I'm very grateful towned my parents for not forcing their politics and religion onto me.

[Moppy]

Well, is it any different than giving your kids life advice that you consider truth?

[Ipquarx]

I find it funny how skeptics accuse parents of forcing their religion down their own kids' throats. Doesn't any parent tend to teach their kid about their ideals and ways of life? In most cases, the kid doesn't openly resist it until they are older and make a different decision for themselves. It's not much different from telling your kid to eat vegetables instead of fats because you believe vegetables are a better alternative for your kid.

Often times even if it's not the intention of the parents to force it onto them that's quite often the effect it has. Skeptics do frown at deliberate forcing though, of course. Young children are a lot more impressionable, critical thinking faculties haven't been developed yet, and they'll basically believe whatever they're told if they're told it enough (Santa, case in point.) These beliefs are a lot harder to shake even if they're completely and totally illogical, like so illogical they don't even begin to make sense. I'm talking the-earth-is-flat, homeopathy treatment level illogical. Especially for something that isn't actually falsifiable like religion, even when they're older they'll often only consider changing their minds if they see something which actually directly contradicts their beliefs that a god exists and will end up holding onto that belief simply because they were taught it from a young age.

There's also a clear distinction to be made between eating healthy foods (Which are backed up by actual experimental evidence) and religion.

[Foxscotch]

Well, is it any different than giving your kids life advice that you consider truth?

like what?

[Moppy]

like what?

You seriously cant think of anything you parents told you as a kid?

[Foxscotch]

You seriously cant think of anything you parents told you as a kid?

I'm asking what kind of life advice you're talking about
like, telling your kids that they should help someone who has fallen down, or that they shouldn't make fun of people for being different than them, are completely reasonable. so in that case, yes, it is far different from giving your kids life advice

[#Jeetlor]

Its not shoving it down their throats, the thought of that is far exaggerated. If the parents believe and think it right then why not? The bible says wants you to teach your kids too.

[TristanLuigi]

You seriously cant think of anything you parents told you as a kid?

"Eat your veggies" is different than "have faith in God."

Its not shoving it down their throats, the thought of that is far exaggerated. If the parents believe and think it right then why not? The bible says wants you to teach your kids too.

I recognize that parents aren't doing this maliciously. They're not trying to be evil or like Riddler's Youth, they just think they're saving their kids. Unfortunately, it has the same effect of indoctrination.

[Moppy]

I'm asking what kind of life advice you're talking about
like, telling your kids that they should help someone who has fallen down, or that they shouldn't make fun of people for being different than them, are completely reasonable. so in that case, yes, it is far different from giving your kids life advice

No that sounds about right. Advice like be polite to others, dont take things that arent yours or dont take candy from strangers. Hows that different?

"Eat your veggies" is different than "have faith in God."

Its sorta not.

[dirtymurphy]

religion has always been around in every place where people live. it still exists in first world countries because it's always existed in europe, america, canada, australia so it'll continue to exist. pretty obvious and this thread is probably bait.

[Siren]

It's not much different from telling your kid to eat vegetables instead of fats because you believe vegetables

Apart from actual evidence that eating vegetables over fats will be healthier for you.

For the most part I haven't seen people really use religion for anything other than understanding morals and such, it doesn't really get pushed as you must do this and this is how everything works, I think when you start to believe it's set in stone it becomes a problem

[TristanLuigi]

No that sounds about right. Advice like be polite to others, dont take things that arent yours or dont take candy from strangers. Hows that different?

Because that's how you be a functional and safe human being, while religion is a deep, personal, and philosophical concept. Advice like "eat your veggies" is pretty much universally good advice even if you don't believe it, while "have faith in God" only makes sense in its own belief system.

[Foxscotch]

No that sounds about right. Advice like be polite to others, dont take things that arent yours or dont take candy from strangers. Hows that different?

because those things are about other human beings. teaching your kids not to hurt people is nothing like teaching them that if they don't live a certain way they're going to burn forever

[Moppy]

religion has always been around in every place where people live. it still exists in first world countries because it's always existed in europe, america, canada, australia so it'll continue to exist. pretty obvious and this thread is probably bait.

Yeah it is, but it is interesting to talk about.

Because that's how you be a functional and safe human being, while religion is a deep, personal, and philosophical concept.

While that is true, when parents teach their kids about their religeon (most of the time) it really is to set them on the path to be a good person that lives a good life.
Not following this advice, to the parents, mean their kid is not going to live such a good life.

because those things are about other human beings. teaching your kids not to hurt people is nothing like teaching them that if they don't live a certain way they're going to burn forever

Well, in my opinion, the bad consequences should never be the focus of most lessons.
But if the parent legitimately believes that then telling their child to believe something that will help them avoid a bad fate is the rational thing to do.