Is the religious indoctrination of children unethical?

[Vay]

I got criticized pretty heavily for a little protest post in the "Bible stories for children" parenting thread -

[post edited by moderator to remove comments in reference to a specific individual]

...so I thought I'd start this here. Maybe these would be a good jumping-off point:

Let me say right off the bat that I don't completely agree with Dawkins in his general assessment, although I do strongly support his moral stance on this issue.

Basically, my position is "Teach a child about one religion and you indoctrinate her; teach her about many religions and you inoculate her." (Of course I realize in reality it's not that simple - plenty of people who are educated on "comparative religion", in the absence of accompanying lessons in skepticism, nevertheless latch onto vague New Age spiritualism, "surrogate religions" such as conspiracy theories or the like.)



(Coincidentally, my month-old baby girl was 3.5 kg!)

[Fortigurn]

Thanks to TempoGain for cleaning up the thread; I'm currently in the Glorious Communist Republic of Awesome, and my internet access is about what you'd expect it to be.

[Battery9]

I wish I knew the answer to this, but it's such a difficult thing to answer. What makes things ethical? And there are soooo many different types of worshippers in each section...it's hard to know.

[SillyWilly]

How about I raise my kids the way I see fit, and you do the same with yours? If I want to raise my child a Muslim, who are you to tell me it's unethical? Are you a higher authority on ethical behavior? Is the government? Is the majority? Please.

If teaching your child the doctrines of a certain religion is unethical, what is the alternative? Leaving him to choose his own way? If you have ever raised a child you would know that's a ludicrous thought. Without guidance a child will become an undisciplined immoral criminal.

And for all those out there who think teaching their children that there is no God is somehow "ethical," think again. You're only indoctrinating your child with your own "religion," which is no religion at all.

So, no, teaching your own child the doctrines of your religion is not unethical, in my opinion.

[ThreadKiller]

... what is the alternative? Leaving him to choose his own way?

Yes. Any child raised in a loving and stable home is probably going to turn out alright.

The alternative to religion is not an unabashed atheist orgy. Morality exists outside of religion.

[TheGingerMan]

Children should experience religion from a cultural aspect, not as any kind of dogma.

I personally think the prime time for a young person to experiment with religion is during the teenage years. Anything earlier, and exposure is either too much or too little.
As with any school of thought, it should not be taught until the children are old enough to ask poignant questions.

[Vay]

How about I raise my kids the way I see fit, and you do the same with yours? If I want to raise my child a Muslim, who are you to tell me it's unethical? Are you a higher authority on ethical behavior? Is the government? Is the majority? Please.

I can "tell" you I think it's unethical, give you my reasons and hope to influence you without imposing any standard on you. People these days seem to be confused about this, thinking they should be able live in their little emotional comfort zones and not even have to be exposed to contradictory opinions or information. I think it's why young people these days can't constructively accept criticism (according to numerous articles).

And I don't think I'm required to be an expert on ethics to raise an opinion or question in a forum.

If teaching your child the doctrines of a certain religion is unethical, what is the alternative? Leaving him to choose his own way? If you have ever raised a child you would know that's a ludicrous thought. Without guidance a child will become an undisciplined immoral criminal.

The alternative is to try to raise him/her to have the tools to make their own evaluation when they reach adulthood, after the point where their credulity makes them easy targets for beliefs practically no thinking adult would accept without having been indoctrinated in them at an early age. Admittedly, I haven't yet done this successfully, but it seems to me a worthy goal.

Here is a resource I've been interested to read on that topic:

Parenting Beyond Belief

As for the part about undisciplined immoral criminal, who said anything about "no guidance"? Teaching morals and ethical conduct doesn't require religion. Look at the Scandinavian countries. Their crime rates are ridiculously low, and they are about as apathetic when it comes to religion as a place can get.

In fact, when it comes to moral guidance, I think even what religious people give their children is basically a heavy dose of what's socially acceptable with a smattering of very carefully cherry-picked items from their preferred religious text.

And for all those out there who think teaching their children that there is no God is somehow "ethical," think again. You're only indoctrinating your child with your own "religion," which is no religion at all.

How about not telling the child "There is/isn't/are/aren't any god/s", but simply waiting until the question is raised, and then answering it honestly with "I can't be certain, but I don't think so. What do you think?"

[Super Hans]

If teaching your child the doctrines of a certain religion is unethical, what is the alternative? Leaving him to choose his own way? If you have ever raised a child you would know that's a ludicrous thought. Without guidance a child will become an undisciplined immoral criminal.

It alarms me that time and again, the rudest, most condescending and patronising of all people tend to be those who favour the forcing and entrenchment of religion upon others.

[Battery9]

I think it's immoral to have children.

[sandman]

I'm not in any way a religious type, but I know a fair bit about many of them gods, goddesses, jesuses, mohammeds and all of them others, too, to an extent. My kid will know about them all, too, as best I can impart. What he does with that information is up to him. Am I about to hide his head in the sand from all those wierdoes, or should I try to show him what its about? Am I about to send him to CHURCH? God forbid! I want him to KNOW.