(September 25, 2012 at 2:06 am)Ciel_Rouge Wrote: 1) the very common and fundamental one: CHOICE OF RELIGION. Most religions decide it FOR YOU even before you are able to comprehend what religion IS.
Freedom of thought seems like a key component of being a person; I don't see how that would change for an immature (in the developmental sense) person.
However, if I'm a parent and my child is following a religion that I believe to be quite harmful to his/her development--say, a religion that condones rape, or requires human sacrifice--aren't I obligated to act in what I believe are the best interests of my child, and attempt to de-convert my child?
Quote:2) BODILY INTEGRITY - another favourite of mine, especially regarding Islam - this particular religion seems to be a bit disrespectful of the integrity of human body, both male and female. And once again, the surgery is done and decided without ever asking the PERSON who is later going to become and ADULT who will be INFLUENCED by this decision.
What if the surgery involves, say, cutting a hole into the child's throat to form an airway, and without this procedure the child will die?
What if a child suffers from something like gangrene, and refuses to have their leg amputated, endangering their life? As a parent, wouldn't I be obligated to intervene in my child's decision?
Quote:3) PERSONAL FREEDOM - for instance, such things like the time you go to bed, the food you eat - I am not talking about extremes like "kids" who want to stay up and play computer games all night or eat only chips. I am talking about respecting sound, reasonable choices like children who hate a particular kind of food and are still made to it eat even though not eating it would not have any dietary consequences.
Who decides what is "reasonable"? What if eating the food they didn't like was to build character--to prepare the child for living in the real world?
“The truth of our faith becomes a matter of ridicule among the infidels if any Catholic, not gifted with the necessary scientific learning, presents as dogma what scientific scrutiny shows to be false.”
