In the God Delusion, Dawkins makes a big stink out of there being no "Christian children" or "Muslim children" because children aren't capable of rationally deciding these things for themselves. He instead proposes we call kids, "children of Christian parents" or whatever faith the parents' are raising their children in.
Well, last weekend my kids attended a birthday party. One of the children there was Jewish. He was running around with his yarmulke on his head, prayer thingie tucked into his pants, his forelocks growing out (pretty orthodox for my neck of the woods)... It just made me sad to think of his chances of escaping the beliefs of his parents. I know we've discussed this before, and I don't think it's abuse or the kid should be removed from his home. But I also don't think it's right to raise a child believing they will be punished by a god if they don't conform to the religious standards of their parents.
Don't know what I'm trying to achieve with this thread. I guess I'm just expressing my sadness at what I saw. It really does break my heart thinking of what this child would/will go through if/when he starts questioning the faith of his parents.
Well, last weekend my kids attended a birthday party. One of the children there was Jewish. He was running around with his yarmulke on his head, prayer thingie tucked into his pants, his forelocks growing out (pretty orthodox for my neck of the woods)... It just made me sad to think of his chances of escaping the beliefs of his parents. I know we've discussed this before, and I don't think it's abuse or the kid should be removed from his home. But I also don't think it's right to raise a child believing they will be punished by a god if they don't conform to the religious standards of their parents.
Don't know what I'm trying to achieve with this thread. I guess I'm just expressing my sadness at what I saw. It really does break my heart thinking of what this child would/will go through if/when he starts questioning the faith of his parents.
