Do Children Need Religion?

[Æsahættr]

Strange, because, to me, if we ceased to exist completely (ie there is no soul), you wouldn't even be conscious of being dead........so presumably it is the thought of your life coming to and end that bothers you ?

Yes, to an extent. There's also the occasional thought that you're wrong about consciousness coming to an end after death, or maybe that you will experience the last moments of your life for eternity. All totally irrational, so it can be stopped by a good old bit of reason. It also helps to be very motivated about things you find important, so you can give as much meaning to your life as possible. Fear doesn't stand a chance against positive emotion and logic.

 

[Green Gaia]

Children need love, structure and support. That can come from a religious community, but it can also come from other places as well. So I do not think that children NEED religion to be well-rounded and happy. But I do believe that in our world today that it is a good idea to expose children to religious beliefs and ideas and let them form their own beliefs about these things, because they will be confronted with it sooner or later and I think it's better for them to know what's coming and how to answer with their own beliefs.

 

[Quiddity]

Children need love, structure and support. That can come from a religious community, but it can also come from other places as well. So I do not think that children NEED religion to be well-rounded and happy.

Do you think one needs love, structure and support to be happy?

~Victor

 

[Green Gaia]

Do you think one needs love, structure and support to be happy?

~Victor

I think those things go a long way in raising a happy child, but I try not to deal in absolutes.

 

[Mercy Not Sacrifice]

I tend to agree with maize here. Raising children in a nurturing and caring environment, where they are encouraged to express themselves in a creative but civilized manner, takes a much higher importance than making sure they believe a particular theology.

 

[Ernesto]

Alot of converted atheists have a hard time with ceasing to exist thing.
Lets face it, it`s not the nicest of thoughts.

But merely because it's not the nicest of thoughts doesn't make in untrue. It is by thinking "oh, how gloomy" that a lot of people convert to a religion. It seems to me that if a lot of people - even if it's not most of them - who belong to a religion do so because they're scared of what will happen to them after death, then that really poses questions about the validity of that religion. If it is mainly just a spiritual cushion to rest your denying head upon, that is.

 

[Radar]

i would not have developed alot of later traits as easily. like sensitivity, compassion, and interest in religion

That's funny because this came easier for me when I left faith behind. I am now more tolerant, more compassionate, more accepting of others than I was before. I am a much better person and happier person now than I ever was when religion played a part in my life. Losing religion was the best thing that happened to me, now I love more and judge less.

I agree with Maize and MNS(mercy not sacrafice)... and I would add that I don't think people in general need religion.