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Originally Posted by Chris
Because your previous post bears absolutely no relationship whatsoever to the reality of what goes on in a normal family home.
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I'm not sure how you deduced that. In my opinion, the role of a parent is to guide a child to be the best they can be without using forceful tactics. Speak to the child as you would any other person. don't talk to them in silly child-talk. call things by their proper names, explain things so the child understands the best they can (appropriately for age),
listen to the child (which is something so many people seem to not do these days and are too intent on just telling a child what to do or what to think) and help that child reach an equilibrium where they are able to express their thoughts and feelings to a level you can understand. With psychology diplomas under my belt, which include but are not limited to child development and cognitive development (and with a 13 year old daughter and a sister 10 years my junior whom I saw grow up, plus my mother was a childminder whilst my sister was between the ages of 2 years to 11 years), I do have some experience in children, how they learn and raising them. I am fully aware of what happens in a home, and in my home I will not use force of any kind to make a point, be that smacking or shouting, or press an ideology/preference such as religion, sexual orientation or musical tastes, to give a few of examples.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris
With the possible exception of Guardian-reading households, families do not sit round the dinner table holding dispassionate seminars on comparative religion. Kids want to know what makes the world go round; every adult has a view on the answer to that question and every adult is free to offer it. Anyone who goes round the houses saying "some believe this, some believe that" will pretty soon be pestered with the response, "but what do you believe?" Actually, it's as likely to be "what do we [i.e. we as a family] believe?".
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I'm afraid that I may not have been quite as clear as I could have been. I believe that schools play a bit part in teaching children about religion. But teaching about religion, as already mentioned, is not the same as indoctrination. The later being quite dangerous in certain circumstances. You are absolutely correct - children do want do know what makes the world go round. And thank goodness they do. I'm still trying to find out myself! if we ever stop questioning, it would be the end of us. And when that child asks a question, it is the role of the parent / main caregiver to give a valid and unbiased answer. And yes, I will offer my answers to explain that different people have different views and beliefs - that is extremely important. and
if I am asked what my opinion or view is, I will give it honestly and openly and justify those opinions with reasoning and rationale. My daughter has not been brought up by myself or my partner to rely on what a hive mind thinks. We want her to think for herself.
For example, I am in no way religious. But I do understand that it holds great value to many people, and that's great. My partner is somewhat religious. Not an every-Sunday churchgoer, but she celebrates Easter and Christmas and welcomes Christenings and Baptisms as 'the right thing to do'. My partner's mother and family is even more religious and will attend church and mass more often. My daughter has never, ever been forced to go to church and she is always offered the choice to either go along or stay at home. It is always phrased as "Would you like to come to church?", with no emphasis towards either option and with plenty of time for her to make her mind up. She has been many times with my partner (obviously, I do not attend) and as a 13 year old girl believes that religion if not for her. I have never ever told her not to believe in a God, or rubbished religion to her. Her mum has never ever told her she should believe in a God and has never 'bigged up' religion to her. she has made a balanced and thought out decision derived from learning what she can and asking very sensible questions. she is well aware that religion can be very beneficial to some people, but likewise, she is aware that not everyone feels the need to have religion in order to live as a good and moral person. The big thing is however, that she may well change her mind at any time. She may now decide that actually, religion is for her. And I will be happy with that, because I know that it will be her own choice (provided she is not indoctrinated by another, external force).
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Originally Posted by Chris
Insisting that every comment should be prefixed by "IMO" is a fun trick for winding up other posters on an Internet forum but its applications in real life are severely limited.
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It is my opinion. If I were to state what I said as a fact, it would be incorrect as others would not necessarily feel the same. I do understand fully that anything I or anyone else says does not mean it should be held in the same regard by any other person. I'm sorry you feel that my stating my opinion as somewhat of a get-out. it is not meant as that. it is meant to indicate that what I say is how I, and possibly I alone, feel on the topic. It's what debates and debate-forums are for. If everyone stated everything they said as a fact, it would simply be an argument or argument-forum as everyone would be so blinkered and blind to other options than nobody would ever consider someone else's view as valid. That, I believe, would be very sad and very selfish and would 100% halt any cognitive or practical progression.