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What are your thoughts and experiences on religion, spirituality, and children? This could pertain to the children in your life—whether your own offspring, or that of close friends or family, or young people you encounter in your chosen vocation, etc. etc. This could also relate to your own experiences as children.
I think about this more as my son has gotten older and begun asking questions—particularly about what happens when we die. And in a few years, I’m sure my newborn daughter will begin to ponder the same things.
Although I’m an atheist and am not much into rote religious ritual (I say that only objectively, not judgmentally), I have a very strong Jewish ethnocultural identity and hope that my children will feel similarly about their Jewish heritage—although the choice is ultimately theirs and theirs alone.
I actually don’t care one whit if they do or don’t believe in a higher power. I don’t think it would be wrong to have a preference (as most people do). I’m just truly indifferent on the matter. As long as they don’t turn into religious fanatics, I have no issue with them believing in the underlying concept of religion. Nor would I want them to be #AtheistEdgelords of the Richard Dawkins variety.
While we both believe in prayer neither i nor my husband were into any kind of ritualized religion. As we lived sort of unmoored from our cultural roots, we did not really pay attention to Hindu holidays as they came and went, except for a few we celebrated with friends. My children grew up with annual visits to India where they visited temples and celebrated religious special days but otherwise oblivious of religion. They knew the traditions but we did not practice any. As my in laws lived with us for a while i asked my father inlaw to teach them both a prayer, which they both recite to this day, especially before exams. Both my children have grown up spiritual on their own. My son has more books on Hindu religion than i do and has read them all. He has asked me to recite prayers with him when i visit. He recites Hindu, Christian and Muslim prayers daily and has an altar. I taught my grandchildren a couple of prayers and they remember them. My grandson is spiritual, not sure about my granddaughter, whether she is or not.
I think people are naturally drawn to religion and spirituality or not. As a parent i think one should be open to what they seek spiritually even if we ourselves are not.
I think people are naturally drawn to religion and spirituality or not.
Thank you for sharing, cb. On this one point, I think it’s natural for all people to explore issues that implicate religious and spiritual matters. Where they ultimately land is probably broad and varying combinations of nature-versus-nurture, like many human traits and tendencies.
I believe that children should be exposed to religion. Later they can take it or leave it. Of my 4 grown children, 2 have joined the Catholic Church, because of their spouses, one is a devout Presbyterian, and one is an atheist. Go figure.
I was taken to Sunday School as a child. I can’t say I got much out of it, but my grandmother and mother used to have us say our prayers before we went to sleep, and this is what has stuck with me….the feeling of being protected, feeling like I can “let go, and let God”, and the hope that there is a heaven where I’ll see those who have passed on before me.
I haven’t been to church for years, but I still consider myself a religious person.
What are your thoughts and experiences on religion, spirituality, and children? This could pertain to the children in your life—whether your own offspring, or that of close friends or family, or young people you encounter in your chosen vocation, etc. etc. This could also relate to your own experiences as children.
I think about this more as my son has gotten older and begun asking questions—particularly about what happens when we die. And in a few years, I’m sure my newborn daughter will begin to ponder the same things.
Although I’m an atheist and am not much into rote religious ritual (I say that only objectively, not judgmentally), I have a very strong Jewish ethnocultural identity and hope that my children will feel similarly about their Jewish heritage—although the choice is ultimately theirs and theirs alone.
I actually don’t care one whit if they do or don’t believe in a higher power. I don’t think it would be wrong to have a preference (as most people do). I’m just truly indifferent on the matter. As long as they don’t turn into religious fanatics, I have no issue with them believing in the underlying concept of religion. Nor would I want them to be #AtheistEdgelords of the Richard Dawkins variety.
I’ll share more as others chime in.
Good post, frankly I dont really think it matters whether you believe or not, if there is a God, I see you as saved. My best friend was an Atheist and I considered him to be the holiest man I have ever met. On a higher level than me for sure, dude taught me so much about the bible.
Last edited by Hannibal Flavius; 05-11-2024 at 09:35 AM..
What are your thoughts and experiences on religion, spirituality, and children? This could pertain to the children in your life—whether your own offspring, or that of close friends or family, or young people you encounter in your chosen vocation, etc. etc. This could also relate to your own experiences as children.
I think about this more as my son has gotten older and begun asking questions—particularly about what happens when we die. And in a few years, I’m sure my newborn daughter will begin to ponder the same things.
Although I’m an atheist and am not much into rote religious ritual (I say that only objectively, not judgmentally), I have a very strong Jewish ethnocultural identity and hope that my children will feel similarly about their Jewish heritage—although the choice is ultimately theirs and theirs alone.
I actually don’t care one whit if they do or don’t believe in a higher power. I don’t think it would be wrong to have a preference (as most people do). I’m just truly indifferent on the matter. As long as they don’t turn into religious fanatics, I have no issue with them believing in the underlying concept of religion. Nor would I want them to be #AtheistEdgelords of the Richard Dawkins variety.
I’ll share more as others chime in.
We simply discussed things such as politics and religion with our two daughters, often at meals or when we had guests. I am culturally Greek Orthodox, my agnostic wife is culturally Protestant although she practices Buddhist meditation as part of her Kung Fu training, but my daughters have also discussed the basics of Islam and Catholicism with our guests. The youngest (the Mechanic) also once looked at some of my books on Daoism but soon brought them back with that "why?" look she has for people who like Schlager music. They are now both teenagers, and neither are religious.
Only the Mechanic as asked what happens to people when they die, so we just explained what different people believe but said that we do not really know.
I believe that children should be exposed to religion. Later they can take it or leave it.
And that belief is by no means uncommon. My wife, brought up nominally Catholic but agreeable to raising a Jewish family, has said she likes the idea of our children going to Hebrew School (of the Sunday School variety) because if they have the baseline knowledge and exposure, they’ll have the option to participate later as much or as little as they want.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hannibal Flavius
Good post, frankly I dont really think it matters whether you believe or not, if there is a God, I see you as saved. My best friend was an Atheist and I considered him to be the holiest man I have ever met. On a higher level than me for sure, dude taught me so much about the bible.
I appreciate the kind words and sentiment.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Harry Diogenes
We simply discussed things such as politics and religion with our two daughters, often at meals or when we had guests. I am culturally Greek Orthodox, my agnostic wife is culturally Protestant although she practices Buddhist meditation as part of her Kung Fu training, but they have also discussed the basics of Islam and Catholicism with our guests. The youngest (the Mechanic) also once looked at some of my books on Daoism but soon brought them back with that "why?" look she has for people who like Schlager music. They are now both teenagers, and neither are religious.
Only the Mechanic as asked what happens to people when they die, so we just explained what different people believe but said that we do not really know.
Just today, my son declared that one of his little buddies “knows everything.” When I assured him that no one knows everything, he said, “But God does!” I replied, “If you believe in God, sure!”
My wife laughed and said (good-naturedly), “That’s what you get for sending your child to a religious preschool.” To clarify, this is a very low-key Conservative synagogue where religion is gently taught, but not pushed, in the Early Childcare Center. After all, half of the kids in my son’s daycare and preschool classes are non-Jewish, which, ironically, matches the demographics of the public schools I attended first through twelfth grade.
A lot of his questions focus on what happen after we die. He’s not quite old enough to quite understand what death means, but I don’t want to make it a taboo (and therefore scary) subject. I also say that while I personally believe that nothing happens after we die, no one knows for sure, and different people believe different things. I then ask what he thinks. I make sure to keep things age-appropriate and promise that while everyone dies eventually, he won’t for a very, very, very long time (technically the tiniest of white lies, but the probability and statistics are strong enough on my side that it’s almost a truth).
I believe that children should be exposed to religion. Later they can take it or leave it. Of my 4 grown children, 2 have joined the Catholic Church, because of their spouses, one is a devout Presbyterian, and one is an atheist. Go figure.
I was taken to Sunday School as a child. I can’t say I got much out of it, but my grandmother and mother used to have us say our prayers before we went to sleep, and this is what has stuck with me….the feeling of being protected, feeling like I can “let go, and let God”, and the hope that there is a heaven where I’ll see those who have passed on before me.
I haven’t been to church for years, but I still consider myself a religious person.
That's nice, but different from my experience. I was terrified of God, because God knew what you were thinking and when you thought or did bad things, and he could kill you whenever he felt like it.
My parents had us pray, too, especially for sick people in our lives, and I prayed every night for God to make my cousin better, and she died instead. I knew immediately it was my fault, because sometimes when I said my prayers I was thinking about something else, and God killed her because I prayed wrong and God knew it and might now want to kill me, too. I prayed all the time for God to please not kill me while I slept.
I guess, yeah, God answered that prayer, because I am still here sixty years later, but what if I hadn't prayed for God to please not kill me? I might not have ever reached adulthood!
What are your thoughts and experiences on religion, spirituality, and children? This could pertain to the children in your life—whether your own offspring, or that of close friends or family, or young people you encounter in your chosen vocation, etc. etc. This could also relate to your own experiences as children.
I think about this more as my son has gotten older and begun asking questions—particularly about what happens when we die. And in a few years, I’m sure my newborn daughter will begin to ponder the same things.
Although I’m an atheist and am not much into rote religious ritual (I say that only objectively, not judgmentally), I have a very strong Jewish ethnocultural identity and hope that my children will feel similarly about their Jewish heritage—although the choice is ultimately theirs and theirs alone.
I actually don’t care one whit if they do or don’t believe in a higher power. I don’t think it would be wrong to have a preference (as most people do). I’m just truly indifferent on the matter. As long as they don’t turn into religious fanatics, I have no issue with them believing in the underlying concept of religion. Nor would I want them to be #AtheistEdgelords of the Richard Dawkins variety.
I’ll share more as others chime in.
If I were you, the very moment they ask a question "Who am I?" or "What happens after death?", you should ask them - what is that you remember before you were born? Conscious Self enters body between ages 3-5, and a lot can be recovered from THEM.
If the conscious something in the child remains conscious of itself as being distinct and different from the physical body in which it is, its physiological development will be so accommodated to the conscious something that it will be provided with the necessary channels for communication with parts of itself not in the body.
Therefore the mother in answering the questions of her child should try to understand that if that conscious something is not helped by her thinking in her questions to have confidence in itself and to remain conscious as itself, that it will be shut in by the senses of its body and will forget itself just as she has been shut in and has forgotten the time when her own conscious something asked questions of her mother similar to the questions which the conscious something in her child is now asking her.
If the conscious something were the body it would have no doubt at all about it, and therefore would have no occasion to ask either of itself or the mother. The reason why the conscious something asks, Who am I? is, that it has a permanent identity of which it is conscious, and with which it wishes to be identified. It asks, Who am I? in the hope that it will be told, just as one who has lost his way and forgotten his name asks to be reminded or told who he is.
If I were you, the very moment they ask a question "Who am I?" or "What happens after death?", you should ask them - what is that you remember before you were born? Conscious Self enters body between ages 3-5, and a lot can be recovered from THEM.
If the conscious something in the child remains conscious of itself as being distinct and different from the physical body in which it is, its physiological development will be so accommodated to the conscious something that it will be provided with the necessary channels for communication with parts of itself not in the body.
Therefore the mother in answering the questions of her child should try to understand that if that conscious something is not helped by her thinking in her questions to have confidence in itself and to remain conscious as itself, that it will be shut in by the senses of its body and will forget itself just as she has been shut in and has forgotten the time when her own conscious something asked questions of her mother similar to the questions which the conscious something in her child is now asking her.
If the conscious something were the body it would have no doubt at all about it, and therefore would have no occasion to ask either of itself or the mother. The reason why the conscious something asks, Who am I? is, that it has a permanent identity of which it is conscious, and with which it wishes to be identified. It asks, Who am I? in the hope that it will be told, just as one who has lost his way and forgotten his name asks to be reminded or told who he is.
I’m sorry, but I don’t think I understand.
Perhaps I’m just not smart or enlightened enough to get it—in which case, what chance do my young children have?
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