by Peter S. Ng

Created on: May 09, 2008

There should not have to be any debate on this topic because I believe there is no right or wrong. It is entirely a preference so I think it is O.K. for parents to teach their children about the religion that they themselves believed in. I think that is the intent of the topic the teaching or passing of one's religious believes onto the next generation. For all intended purposes, I think it is up to the parents to decide on what type and how much religion they want to expose their children to. Personally, as a Christian, I cannot fathom the thought that Christian parents would not want their children to learn about Christianity. Similar, I would think that Muslim parents or Jewish parents or those of any other faiths would also want their children to learn about their religion. Naturally, for those who do not have any religious beliefs, it is also up to them to decide on whether religion should play a part in their children's lives. Having said that, I really don't see any harm in teaching children about religion. Bear in mind, though, my discussion is along the line of mainstream religion and not what some would consider as cults.

If a parent has no religious inclination, it does not necessarily mean that they do not want their children to be exposed. Maybe it was more prevalent a few decades ago in third world countries and not as much in the U.S. Many Christian denominations used to open schools and hospitals and embarked on spreading the gospel through humanitarian aid programs. Families tend to associate church/outreach programs with a good education, health care and even free food. Naturally in participating in these programs, children or families often are exposed more or less to some Christian teachings and beliefs. For some parents, their purpose for their children was not that of spiritual nourishment but rather that of physical or intellectual needs. My pastor from my old church was one of those who received a college education through a church program and ultimately became a pastor. On the other hand, there are also those whose stance might be that, all religions fundamentally teach one to be good. So there can't be any harm in having your children exposed to religion.

Whether you believe in a God or not, you cannot avoid religion. It is everywhere around us, from TV programs to radio broadcast. In addition, as much as religion is part of our life, it has become in some instances a tradition, family or from a secular/commercialized perspective. As

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>