What can we do for American children?
America is a difficult country for children to be atheists. When the media is constantly determining what is "in," teens are constantly under pressure to conform. Religion is everywhere; even the movie industry has begun pandering towards religious groups.
Furthermore, this is a country where parents have the ability to control their kids' religious activities. There is no law against parents bringing their sons or daughters to church at an early age. But there should be.
It is unacceptable for parents to raise their kids into a religion. Religious indoctrination of children is nothing short of brainwashing; when you are young, you think that everything your parents do is right. If you start regularly attending church at age 3, it's pretty damn likely you're going to grow up to be a Christian. My mom (my dad's an atheist) put me in Hebrew School at 5. I was a theist until I was 12, and that's only because my HS teachers that year were horrible.
For a while, I thought that children should be exposed to all religions when they're young. Now I believe that we should be completely shielded from religion; maybe if we're educated in a completely secular fashion, we will eventually realize that religion does not provide answers.
Unfortunately, I doubt this will ever happen in America. There is no way a law forbidding parents from raising their kids religiously will ever make it into Congress. So what can atheist kids do to prevent our peers from being brainwashed?
…Well, I have no idea. But this is a problem that we must address. Please leave your ideas. Thanks.
posted by Anonymous @ Saturday, September 24, 2005
7 Comments:
It is not feasible, nor it is reasonable (in my opinion) to legislate what parents can and cannot teach to their children. The solution is not to outlaw the teaching to children of certain things but to educate the population in general about religions, sciences, history and so on as to create a society where everyone is free to believe anything they want but people have access to other points of view, where people are open to views different from theirs and educated enough to tell what is real and what is myth. So what we can do to help the kids as well as everyone else? Educate. This does not mean forcing our views on other, but spreading the word to those who are interested. It means to be patient in explaining our point of view, not confrontational or condescending. We need be knowledgeable about things we talk about and have a lot of patients and understanding to be successful.
Good luck.
Personally I think kids should be exposed to mythology -- teach them the religions no one believes in anymore, so whrn they are taught modern religions, they'll wonder why some silly stories are myths, while others are given an utmost respect. Start 'em thinking.
And you make a very astute observation -- while organized religion may not appeal to kids, personal religion is overwhelmingly the "in" thing among young people.
Not teaching religion does not mean atheism is being taught. Just like how not teaching Chinese history doesn't mean anti-Chinese ideals are being taught.
going to sunday school when youre three is hardly brainwashing, first of all, 3 year olds understand and remember nothing, so all they do is like draw and crap, second, it pretty much just teaches them to be nice to each other and to not kill anyone or deal drugs when you grow up, everyone has the right to worship in anyway they want, i could worship jesus, a fly or myself and no one can do crap about it
-joe
Little kids believe in Santa, mature teens wouldn't. Enough said.
Religion is simply a case of people believing in Santa too long. Except it's God this time.
Just so you know, bobkul, I'm against a lot of those things as well.
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