I regularly watch videos made by atheists on youtube in order to understand their perspective more, and in order to challenge my own beliefs. If we’re honest with ourselves, we can learn from just about anyone. Every person has a unique experience which leads to their own unique outlook. I am often spurned to do more research into my own beliefs because of something I watched in one of these videos.
Recently, one of the videos I watched made the argument (and I’ve heard it before) that Christians indoctrinate their children with their own faith, causing them to be closed-minded and intolerant of other religious beliefs. He went on to explain how he raised his children to be free thinkers, not promoting any particular religion over another, and thus allowing his children to decide for themselves what religion, if any, they wanted to identify themselves with.
In some ways, he’s right. I teach my children what it means to be a Christian. I model my faith before them, and hope that they adopt it as their own. I do this because I think it is truth, and therefore important to put into practice, both for me and my children.
Although some parents would lie (or “fib”) to their children about minor things for various reasons, no good parent would purposely lie to their children about something major that would be life-altering. If Christianity is true, then I must raise my children to believe that it is true as well.
Concerning those who raise their children to be “free-thinkers,” they are in reality doing the same thing that I am. They are raising their children to adopt the same belief system that they have: that religion is either unimportant or even harmful and to be avoided.
My children will not become Christians simply because I am a Christian. I hope, however, that they will see my example and place their faith in Christ themselves. I can already see my daughter doing this to some extent, and pray that it will continue and increase in the years to come.
I appreciate how even-handed you are with your argument, but I find flaws with it. “If Christianity is true, then I must raise my children to believe that it is true as well” directly contradicts your later assertion that “My children will not become Christians simply because I am Christian.” Which is it? I believe it is the former. A child is just that – a child. They have the mind of a child – the gullibility, the inability to understand that life opinions should be interpreted by themselves, not ingrained at them at an age when they have no recourse for dialoguing meaningfully about it or researching it deeply. Just because YOU believe Christianity is truth, who is to say that they will? Each of your children is a person entirely different from you. You would never sit your children down and say, believe in so-and-so politician, would you? Of course not, because politics is very complicated, and who knows if your children are really Democrats or Republicans or Independent at heart? No one yet, certainly not them. Why is it OK, then, to sit them down and say, believe in so-and-so savior? Who knows if they are Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim, agnostic, or atheist at heart? People who teach their children to be free-thinkers are not “in reality doing the same thing” that you are doing. (Most of) these parents do not teach that religion is bad, they teach that it should be understood on a person’s own terms when that person is old enough to think and understand for herself. You are teaching that all other religions aside from Christianity are innately wrong.
Two totally different things.
Thanks for your comment, Brittany. I truly appreciate being challenged in my beliefs and practices. It truly helps me to think through my position more, and thus live a more congruent life.
Regarding your question, “Which is it?” I see no reason why I need to choose one over the other. My two statements did not contradict each other. My first statement spoke about my intentions, and the second spoke about the reality that I cannot force anyone to believe what I believe. Although I do see your point that they are at a stage in which they will believe pretty much anything I tell them, there will come a day when they will choose to accept or reject what I have taught and modeled for them.
When an atheist, agnostic, or another raises a “free-thinking” child, he parents in such a way as to trivialize religion. He may say, “Choose your own personal faith, if any at all,” but this is taken to mean “Which particular religion you choose in not important. There is no absolute truth regarding religion. I haven’t selected one, so it doesn’t really matter which one you choose, if any at all.”
I not only have a moral obligation to teach my children the truth about these things, but a factual obligation as well. I believe that Christianity is true to the degree that I believe the earth is round. It is a fact. So to me, to raise my children without regard to my belief in God would be to lie to them.
The Bible tells us to “Impress upon our children” our faith. It tells us to talk about the biblical truths when we lie down, when we get up, when we walk along the road (Duet 6:4-9). A christian parent is commanded in the Bible to do their best to train up their children in the faith. And it would be unbiblical and unchristian and unloving for us to raise them any other way. It may not be politically correct to teach my child that Jesus is the way and the only way, but I believe that is the best way and the only way that I can raise my children without disrespecting God.