-
Wretched and Disturbing Christian Teaching
- Nov 25, 2008 at 12:10 PM
- By
- Comments (16) Total Views (266) Everyone can see this journal post.
EDIT:
Good parenting: Teaching your child that they are in control of themselves, their life, and their decisions, and that they should treat others they way they would like to be treated (a concept that predates Christianity and many other religions) and live a life they will be proud of and help others in need if and when they are able to.
Bad parenting: Teaching your child that their actions are evil, but unavoidable, caused by the devil, therefore not their fault. Teaching them that they will commit these evil acts even if they don't want to, and all they can do is pray for forgiveness. This negates the concept of personal responsibility completely.
Comments:
While I don't agree with not instilling self-esteem in your children, I also don't agree with making them think that they are so good that they don't ever need to be forgiven of anything. That's satan's LIE. Like the woman in the blog pointed out, she didn't have to teach her child to sin. That comes naturally. God doesn't WANT anyone to go to hell, that's why He provided the plan and way of salvation. That plan is found in a person, Jesus Christ. Of course it has to be an individual's choice to accept or reject that plan. Why people have such a problem with that I don't know. The only conclusion I can come up with is that they don't want to have to be responsible and accountable for their sins. Pride tells them they're 'good people' they have nothing to be atoned for. Again, a LIE.
Pride goes before a BIG FALL. It's not a new concept that people have always wanted to live their lives the way they want, apart from God's holy standards, you know...eat drink and be merry. Live and let live. They detest the idea of having to answer to a higher authority. Again, pride, arrogance, maybe lack of knowledge of the truth?
Regardless of whether they answer to God now or later, the fact remains that they WILL answer. Personally, I'd rather not have to hear the tragic words, "Depart from Me, for I never knew you." I don't want to be separated for all eternity from a loving Father who has always, and only, had my best interests in mind. But, that's me. Everyone else will have to decide and choose for themselves.
"Therefore, also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every other name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:9-11
"If a clock proves the existence of a clock maker, but the world does not prove the existence of a Supreme Architecht, then I consent to be called a fool." ~ Voltaire
Wait that was my Mom!!kidding sort of.
The main reason I became atheist is because when I had my first son, my family kept asking me when I was going to have him baptised, and I didn't agree with it. I told them that if your god is so merciful, why do I have to make sure to have my son baptised in order to insure that if anything happens to him as a baby, he wouldn't go to hell? How merciful is a god that would send a little baby to hell just because his parents didn't baptise him??? I told my family that I just cannot support or participate in such a ridiculous religion. Disturbing.
I also don't agree with making them think that they are so good that they don't ever need to be forgiven of anything.
I agree with you 100% Brie! That is why I teach my children that there are consequences to their actions and that they are responsible for their behaviour. I teach them to take credit for their accomplishments and responsibility for their mistakes.
I updated especially for you. Thank you, and I completely agree. I didn't agree with the mother's thinking that her child had no control over her actions. Nor did I agree with her teaching her child that she was nothing more than a wretched sinner deserving of punishment. What kind of motivation is that? I would think that would only produce sociopaths.
I don't like the way that they generalize the actions and views of 2 people to all Christians. In general, I thought they seemed smug and not very well prepared for the topic. But, they did make some good points about personal responsibility.
"If you teach a generation of children that they are sinful creatures by nature, that left on their own they are morally corrupt, deserving of eternal torment in Hell, that they are not to be trusted to think their own (selfish, evil) thoughts, all of this can become--has become--a self-fulfilling prophesy. - Dan Barker, author of Losing Faith in Faith: From Preacher to Atheist.
This is from Parenting Beyond Belief (p.30), a compilation of the best of the best of secular educators. Highly recommend.
One of the reasons I can't bring god into my parenting.... My kids are taught personal responsibility for their own actions and I would never allow them to point blame at satan or even other humans for that matter. And the whole baptism thing too, yikes ! My dad tried to guilt me over that one!
Great topic btw.
Already a member? Click here to log in
Check out these Tasty Treats from The Stir's partners:
Great post! They made some excellent points in that video, unfortunately the conservative christians are too irrational to see it.
I have been criticised many times by fundies for raising my children without religion. Some have even gone as far as calling me abusive even though my children are happy, well adjusted individuals who can think for themselves and have no problems with self-esteem.
- beeky
Message Friend Invite