Religion and children

[Ravenshire]

I think raising kids in an environment where judgement, punishment and disapproval from some ultimate authority is, essentially, child abuse. It's why I've never allowed my kids to be dragged off to church. No sleepovers on Saturday night with known every Sunday worshipers, unless it's understood that my kids comes home before service, no going to that "fun" thing with their friend at the local church and certainly no door-to-door jeebus salesmen allowed to talk to them. I just can't see burdening a kid with that level of guilt, fear and lack of self-esteem.

On the other hand, the wife and I have always been open about all the christer taboo subjects like sex (especially my sex before marriage stance), sexuality, race (I hate that term, but don't know what else to use), drugs, belief and lack thereof and you know what? We managed to raise a couple strong, independent (too much so at times ), free thinking, open, honest, caring kids. Neither is pregnant or strung out on drugs. They aren't bigoted by race, gender, sexual preference, social status or any other bullshit, made-up differences. One is bi and a self proclaimed atheist. The other is a bit boy crazy and a self proclaimed agnostic (reasoning her own way around to atheism). She asks the toughest (to theists) religious questions.

Neither carries any guilt she didn't earn through her own actions and they're things they should feel guilty for. I think we did ok, especially compared to their friends parents who "put the fear of gawd into them" and are now dealing with rehab and extreme sexual promiscuity in one case and teen (15-year old) intentional pregnancy in another. Yes, I know there are good christer parents who can claim the same thing but to me the averages seem low on the christer side.