Cable Forum - View Single Post - Richard Dawkins says children need to be ‘protected’ from religion.

idi banashapan · 27-02-2015, 23:03

there's a difference between being taught about religion and indoctrination, the later being what is referred to by Richard Dawkins. I think anyone in their right mind wouldn't argue with that. to be fair, they actually couldn't argue with that unless they simply do not understand the difference.

Brainwashing of any kind is a very dangerous thing, be it religion, any ideology, propaganda or any other form of focusing a belief so tightly that rational and free thought processes become seen as dangerous or against the state / society / mainstream. The problem we have is that influence is far easier than we would all like to think. in fact, we are all subjects of it on a daily basis. Cialdini's 6 principles of influence (Reciprocation, Commitment/Consistency, Scarcity, Likeability, Authority and Social Proofing), can be seen every day in many, many places. religion is no exception to it. in fact, one could very easily argue that religion employs all 6 principles.

A knife in the hands of a skilled chef can create works of art. but a knife in the wrong hands is a very dangerous weapon. skills in influence are no different. if it's used for the wrong purposes, forcefully or used unwisely, it can create monsters. indoctrination by definition is to focus the subject's belief system around a particular ideology - in this instance, religion. this is vastly different from simply teaching children about what religion is.

in my view, children should be openly taught about what religion is and the varied types, but should not be forced to follow that ideology by anyone. if the child is subjected to all the religions and is allowed to mature being aware of what they stand for, then they can make their own choices when old enough. but labelling someone 'Christian' or 'Catholic' or whatever else when they don't have any real comprehension of what that means, let alone have a say in the matter, is just not right in my opinion. it's unfair and very selfish of those who forcefully (and it is forceful as the child has no educated or unbiased, cognitive, reasoned judgement or choice in the matter) bring a child into such an ideology.

27-02-2015, 23:03	#52
idi banashapan step on my trip Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 3,760	Re: Richard Dawkins says children need to be ‘protected’ from religion. there's a difference between being taught about religion and indoctrination, the later being what is referred to by Richard Dawkins. I think anyone in their right mind wouldn't argue with that. to be fair, they actually couldn't argue with that unless they simply do not understand the difference. Brainwashing of any kind is a very dangerous thing, be it religion, any ideology, propaganda or any other form of focusing a belief so tightly that rational and free thought processes become seen as dangerous or against the state / society / mainstream. The problem we have is that influence is far easier than we would all like to think. in fact, we are all subjects of it on a daily basis. Cialdini's 6 principles of influence (Reciprocation, Commitment/Consistency, Scarcity, Likeability, Authority and Social Proofing), can be seen every day in many, many places. religion is no exception to it. in fact, one could very easily argue that religion employs all 6 principles. A knife in the hands of a skilled chef can create works of art. but a knife in the wrong hands is a very dangerous weapon. skills in influence are no different. if it's used for the wrong purposes, forcefully or used unwisely, it can create monsters. indoctrination by definition is to focus the subject's belief system around a particular ideology - in this instance, religion. this is vastly different from simply teaching children about what religion is. in my view, children should be openly taught about what religion is and the varied types, but should not be forced to follow that ideology by anyone. if the child is subjected to all the religions and is allowed to mature being aware of what they stand for, then they can make their own choices when old enough. but labelling someone 'Christian' or 'Catholic' or whatever else when they don't have any real comprehension of what that means, let alone have a say in the matter, is just not right in my opinion. it's unfair and very selfish of those who forcefully (and it is forceful as the child has no educated or unbiased, cognitive, reasoned judgement or choice in the matter) bring a child into such an ideology. __________________ “Most people don’t listen to understand. They listen to reply. Be different.” - Jefferson Fisher