Choosing a religion before the age of 15

[Steinninn]

There is a law where I live that each child should be registered under the mothers religion at birth. Sounds ok, right. Well, there are some people that debate that it is not.

To begin with, the mother and the father have nothing to say about this. The child is registered under the mothers religion without asking the mother.

And changing the religion after birth isn't so easy. I'm not 100% sure how that goes, but I'm pretty sure that the child has to approve.

They compare it to registering a child into a political party at the age of 1. No one wants that, right.

And I kind of agree on the hole thing. I don't think a child should be deciding their religion until at least the age of 15. And if this law get's changed here, it will be 18.

What do you guys say?

 

[Stellify]

I haven't heard of anything like this before. It's interesting..

...Are there any consequences to the child for being registered as a member of {insert name here} religion?

My first inclination would be to say that it's rather foolish to register a child like that until they are old enough to decide which religion they would like to be a part of.....Are there any benefits for registering children like that? ie: census information, taxes, etc?

 

[rojse]

There is a law where I live that each child should be registered under the mothers religion at birth. Sounds ok, right. Well, there are some people that debate that it is not.

To begin with, the mother and the father have nothing to say about this. The child is registered under the mothers religion without asking the mother.

And changing the religion after birth isn't so easy. I'm not 100% sure how that goes, but I'm pretty sure that the child has to approve.

They compare it to registering a child into a political party at the age of 1. No one wants that, right.

And I kind of agree on the hole thing. I don't think a child should be deciding their religion until at least the age of 15. And if this law get's changed here, it will be 18.

What do you guys say?

No child should be said to belong to a particular religion - they do not have the intellectual capacity to claim to have a comprehension of the religion they are claimed to have joined.

If we are going to talk about the age a child can be in a religion, I'd make that the same age where they can legally sign a contract.

 

[Storm]

What's the point of reistering religion in the first place? Why is it difficult to change?

 

[arthra]

Yeh Steinninn..

I'm totally unfamiliar with the laws in Iceland about this or what the political issues are there..I understand that the Evangelical Lutheran Church is an established religion there.

But Baha'is would I think not be involved in anything that smacks of partisanship..

As you are probably already aware the age of maturity for us Baha'is is fifteen years of age.. Many Baha'is declare their Faith at fifteen years of age even though they are in Baha'i families.

- Art

 

[bobhikes]

It is basically the same practice in the United States without official registering.

Children of most mixed couples get brought up in the religion of the mother. Children of non-mixed couples get brought up in their religion. The children never have a say in this.

We have no rules against changing religion when you grow up. So once you live the nest you can choose your own religion but by then you are comfortable in your own religion and choose not to find another.

I apologise. I saw an interesting topic, I have no knowledge of the Baha'i faith.

 

[Storm]

It is basically the same practice in the United States without official registering.

Which is not the same practice at all.

Children of most mixed couples get brought up in the religion of the mother.

Source?

 

[arthra]

I don't think this really has much to do with Baha'i Faith as such.. More like a practise in Iceland maybe which is Steinninn's home..

- Art

 

[BruceDLimber]

Greetings!

I have no knowledge of the Baha'i faith.

No problem whatever; you're most welcome here!

And if you'd like information about the Faith, please ask! We'll be more than happy to tell you about it (no salesman will call)!

Bruce

 

[BruceDLimber]

Hi, Storm!

I love your "Coexist" signature!

Now as soon as you figure out how to add a Baha'i nine-pointed star to it, you'll be all set!

Best,

Bruce

 

[Storm]

Hi, Storm!

I love your "Coexist" signature!

Thank you!

Now as soon as you figure out how to add a Baha'i nine-pointed star to it, you'll be all set!

I'm afraid that's beyond my own capabilities.

 

[tumbleweed41]

Iceland has "freedom of religion", however the Lutheran church is the official state sponsored church.
Citizens are required to pay an aprox. $6.00 USD monthly tax to the State sponsored Lutheran church, unless they register as another religion that is approved by the government. Then the tax goes to that church. If you are not registered with a church, or your church or religion is not officialy recognized, your tax goes to to the University of Iceland.
All children under the age of 16 are registered under the mothers religion. However, by law, parents are required to consult with their children over the age of 12 if the child changes religions, and have them registered as such.
Apparently all the registration is for is to decide what oginization or church gets the monthly tax.

Is Baha'i officialy recognized in Iceland?

 

[Storm]

Ah, I see. Sounds fair to me.

 

[Steinninn]

Iceland has "freedom of religion", however the Lutheran church is the official state sponsored church.
Citizens are required to pay an aprox. $6.00 USD monthly tax to the State sponsored Lutheran church, unless they register as another religion that is approved by the government. Then the tax goes to that church. If you are not registered with a church, or your church or religion is not officialy recognized, your tax goes to to the University of Iceland.
All children under the age of 16 are registered under the mothers religion. However, by law, parents are required to consult with their children over the age of 12 if the child changes religions, and have them registered as such.
Apparently all the registration is for is to decide what oginization or church gets the monthly tax.

Is Baha'i officialy recognized in Iceland?

And for what is the money used in the university? Study on the bible

The aprox. $6.00 is only for a person of the age of 18 and over.

The Bahá'í faith is recognized in Iceland, yes.

 

[Steinninn]

I don't think this really has much to do with Baha'i Faith as such.. More like a practise in Iceland maybe which is Steinninn's home..

- Art

I guess what I was rely asking is, what do the baha'is think about this. If we had a choice, and both parents were baha'is, would we register our children into the baha'i faith.

 

[J Bryson]

Well, this just sounds stupid. I'm iffy on the Atheist argument regarding children being described as Jewish children, Christian children, etc, if they grow up in practicing families, but to actually have to register a religion for a child at birth, before the child is able to process a conscious thought? I fail to see the purpose.

 

[Storm]

It's a tax thing, J, as explained in post #12.

 

[Smoke]

I guess what I was rely asking is, what do the baha'is think about this. If we had a choice, and both parents were baha'is, would we register our children into the baha'i faith.

I'm not a Baha'i, but I suspect there would be no objection. Registering one's religion is not the same as registering as a member of a political party. In Egypt, Baha'is have been fighting for years to register themselves and their children as members of the Baha'i faith. Egypt requires all citizens to register their religious membership, and had formerly forced them to choose among Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, leaving Baha'is who refused to belie themselves without necessary legal documents. Egyptian Baha'is who were fighting the legal battle had said repeatedly, though, that they would settle for not having to declare another religion on their documents and identity cards, and they appear to have won that concession. The Supreme Administrative Court ruled on Monday that Egyptians may leave the religion field blank on official documents.

Egyptian court removes barriers to ID documents for Baha'is

However, my understanding is that the Baha'is would have been just as happy to be allowed to register themselves and their children as Baha'is.

 

[arthra]

Steinninn wrote above:

"what do the baha'is think about this. If we had a choice, and both parents were baha'is, would we register our children into the baha'i faith."

There is a form in the United States where a parent can register their child as a Baha'i youth but it is internal to the Faith of course and has nothing to do with taxes or the government.

One of the side issues this raises is that Baha'i communities cannot accept money from any non-Baha'i source.. So if say a government wanted to give us tax money I believe it would be refused or returned to the government.

- Art

 

[Storm]

One of the side issues this raises is that Baha'i communities cannot accept money from any non-Baha'i source.. So if say a government wanted to give us tax money I believe it would be refused or returned to the government.

Interesting. So do Baha'i organizations in the US reject tax-exempt status?