Should children from Christian parents be 'Christian children'? (ritual, moral)

[kai]

are we talking about christian children only , what about muslim children or jewish children , jewish faith schools or islamic schools

[fantôme profane]

I mostly agree with Richard Dawkins on this one. I believe that it is best to allow children to choose their beliefs for themselves without undo pressure from adults. For this reason children should be exposed to as many different cultures and beliefs as possible, and encouraged to explore for themselves and to keep an open mind. We should not really expect them to commit to any belief system until they are old enough to understand it.

Of course not everyone is going to agree with this. Some parents will wish to raise their children within a specific culture and indoctrinate them as much as possible into their own faith. And that is their right. I would not wish to see my own pluralistic views imposed on anyone.

But I also don’t think that a democratic government should be funding any sectarian schools.

[kai]

Originally Posted by fantôme profane

I mostly agree with Richard Dawkins on this one. I believe that it is best to allow children to choose their beliefs for themselves without undo pressure from adults. For this reason children should be exposed to as many different cultures and beliefs as possible, and encouraged to explore for themselves and to keep an open mind. We should not really expect them to commit to any belief system until they are old enough to understand it.

Of course not everyone is going to agree with this. Some parents will wish to raise their children within a specific culture and indoctrinate them as much as possible into their own faith. And that is their right. I would not wish to see my own pluralistic views imposed on anyone.

But I also don’t think that a democratic government should be funding any sectarian schools.

i agree sectarian is the right word

[fantôme profane]

Originally Posted by kai

are we talking about christian children only , what about muslim children or jewish children , jewish faith schools or islamic schools

For the record the examples Dawkins used in this film included Muslim and Jewish schools in the Middle East, and Orthodox Jewish and Evangelical Christian schools in London.

c0da2006 posted links to this documentary a few weeks ago, and anyone who is interested can download it or watch it online. Root Of All Evil, Documentary.

It is basically Richard Dawkins attack on religion (actually just the Abrahamic Religions are mentioned). He does make some really good arguments but overall I think his focus was much too narrow and his bias is clearly evident.

So to answer the other question, yes sometimes Richard Dawkins can be an arse. (but so can we all)

[c0da]

Originally Posted by kai

are we talking about christian children only , what about muslim children or jewish children , jewish faith schools or islamic schools

No, any faith. I just used Christian as an example.

[c0da]

Originally Posted by fantôme profane

It is basically Richard Dawkins attack on religion (actually just the Abrahamic Religions are mentioned). He does make some really good arguments but overall I think his focus was much too narrow and his bias is clearly evident.

So to answer the other question, yes sometimes Richard Dawkins can be an arse. (but so can we all)

Yep, thats why I asked the 'is he an arse' question. He's a very smart man and he had clearly done his homework when preparing the documentaries, but like you said, his focus is narrow.

[joeboonda]

It is very good and wise for children of any faith or non-faith(?), question their religion. I know I did when I got older, as did my parents having been a raised in and practiced a certain religion, actually became born-again. Later, my Dad and I requestioned things again, both of us eventually becoming rooted and grounded in Christ.

[James the Persian]

Originally Posted by c0da2006

Is it fair to label children a religion because of their parents beliefs?

No, but it is fair to do so because of their beliefs/practices. My children are too young to have much of a clear idea what they believe (I hope that they will continue in the Orthodox faith as they grow older, but that is up to them). In terms of practice, though, they clearly are Orthodox. They've both been baptised and Chrismated, both take the Eucharist at every Divine Liturgy, the oldest prays etc. For the moment, then, they are Orthodox and should be categorised as such. In the future, who knows?

Are faith schools good or bad?

I'd say that they are, as a whole, neutral. Not all of them segregate people (my son's school is RC but he and several others are not RCs, some aren't even Christian). They provide something that secular schools may not and which certain parents value. I value, despite my serious reservations about the RCC, the general Christian tenor of the school and, in particular, the much stronger emphasis on discipline and morals in my son's school than the secular schools around it. It is also one of the best schools in town. I have no doubt, however, that there are other faith schools that are generally not so good nor do I think that faith schools are appropriate for everyone.

Is Richard Dawkins an arse?

My personal view is that he is. He is an atheist with the sorts of views about his own lack of faith that I find amongst certain fundamentalists about their own faiths. I see very little tolerance or understanding in his views, which strike me as arrogant and patronising. He is not simply skeptical but rather militant. I don't accept such views as anything but bad amongst those who are religious so why should I accept them when coming from an atheist?

James

[c0da]

I'd say that they are, as a whole, neutral. Not all of them segregate people (my son's school is RC but he and several others are not RCs, some aren't even Christian). They provide something that secular schools may not and which certain parents value. I value, despite my serious reservations about the RCC, the general Christian tenor of the school and, in particular, the much stronger emphasis on discipline and morals in my son's school than the secular schools around it. It is also one of the best schools in town. I have no doubt, however, that there are other faith schools that are generally not so good nor do I think that faith schools are appropriate for everyone.

Yeah, there a couple of schools round where I live which are 'RC' or 'C of E' which take in children of other faiths. I was speaking more of the academy type faith schools that are cropping up which are bankrolled by an outside investor (for example Peter Vardy of the motor company sponsoring a Christian faith school in the UK somewhere, I forget where) which, because of the outside funding, have more choice on the pupil intake and curriculum. Apologies, I didn't really make that clear.

[sojourner]

I think many times we (especially in America) bias our religious views in favor of individualism, and we tend to forget about the organic nature of the Church and the Chrisitian faith. The unique thing about Christianity is precisely its organic nature. Believers are part of the Body of Christ. Since God ordains us to live in families, and ordains parents to raise their children "in the way they should go," then that necessarily identifies children as part of their parents' faith, just as they are part of their parents' household. I'd be agreeing more with James here.