My faith is draining away (moved)

timewerx

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So my first question would be, Is it ethical to indoctrinate young people into any religion?
And my second is, What does the bible teach us about morals and ethics?

My opinion may not count but the answer is NO.

Because their minds has been fully developed yet for them to make the right choice.

I used to go to the church as well, but now I don't fully hold the Bible as authoritative anymore.

Just hang in there buddy. This is a God, there is a Spirit, I just didn't find Him in religion, rather I found Him when I went out of it.
 
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FreeinChrist

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MOD HAT

This thread had a clean up and is being moved to Exploring Christianity. There was blasphemy in this thread.

Only the OP or orthodox Christians can respond to the thread now.
 
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graceandpeace

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Hi

I am a new member and have a couple of questions (open to anybody)

I was raised Christian in the Uk, My mother and father were both Christian but did not fully explain the religion they basically forced on me.

I did all the Sunday school thing up until the age of about nine or ten,
and attended church regularly with them.

Over the years my faith has been chipped away by my own thoughts,
I question the morality in the bible and question whether children should be exposed to the sometimes gruesome stories in it.

So my first question would be, Is it ethical to indoctrinate young people into any religion?
And my second is, What does the bible teach us about morals and ethics?

1) The word "indoctrinate" is loaded. I don't consider raising a child to follow the religion of their parents in the most basic sense to be the same thing as indoctrination.

2) Jesus is really the example for Christians to follow in terms of making ethical choices. Sometimes situations are more morally grey than what many of us would be comfortable with, but the basic call to love our neighbors as ourselves should always be our starting point.

There are morally questionable things recorded in the Bible, but those things are not a guide for us. Jesus is.

Put another way, everything in the Bible must be considered in light of who Jesus is & what He taught. If something doesn't line up with His example, it's not something we should give weight to in making moral decisions - or to care much about at all.
 
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Hospes

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Of course I have tried to bring up my children to the best of my ability, but for me that does not include putting fears into them for no logical reason, this to me seems cruel and pointless...So at what point do we introduce them to idea of hell and eternal torture for those who do not believe?
For someone who believes in hell, teaching their child wisely about it is very logical and for good reason. It is similar to teaching your child to look for traffic before crossing a street or not sticking paper clips into wall outlets; a good parent wants their child to fear the results of dangerous behavior.
Yes of course I have [read the Bible] in my distant past, these days I prefer nonfiction.
Given what you've written, wouldn't your question better be stated "Should a parent indoctrinate their children with Christian doctrine the parent does not believe?" If so, the answer is no. If you believe the scriptures are fictional, then you'd be dishonest to teach them they are true. Of course, raising your child would not be the greatest of your problems.

Finally, I strongly support a Christian indoctrinating - i.e. instilling doctrine - their child in the truths of the Bible. I do not understand the people who claim their Christian faith is Truth and foundational to their lives and yet believe they are being good parents by not teaching it as Truth and foundational to their children. I don't get it at all.
 
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Chriliman

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So my first question would be, Is it ethical to indoctrinate young people into any religion?

Good question! I would say it's important for the parent to have a solid foundation of determining right and wrong before they try to teach their children right from wrong. As Christians, God's word gives us that foundation to start from, but how do we know that God's word is true? Well, that's actually up to God to teach us, but it's also up to us to listen. God's word has been spoken, don't expect any new revelations from God, the question is: Are you willing to listen to His word and live by it?

When our children come of age, we should ask them the same and trust God will draw them to Himself.

And my second is, What does the bible teach us about morals and ethics?

God's word teaches us that there is good and there is evil. It is good of God to give us free will so that we can freely choose to listen to Him, however, when a free willed human does not listen to God, they are being evil and God's plan is to destroy evil and restore His creation unto Himself. When you truly follow God in the name of Jesus, you begin to hate the evil that you do, this is evidence of God's Holy Spirit at work in your life.

Thanks for asking questions! I always say that a soundly reasoned explanation is evidence of truth :) (the atheists hate that statement ;))
 
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DLR

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After reading this thread, I spent some time trying to think of an instance where a child was harmed by attending Sunday school. I can not think of a single negative outcome. Some later become adult members of the church. Many will leave the church during their adolescent early adult years, and later return. Some will never return of course. My daughter just began college and is now receiving a full "indoctrination" from young atheists and educators. I know for sure it's a spiritual struggle for her. I am glad she received the other side of the story in advance of this. In the end she will make her own decision. I am convinced she was not in any way harmed by learning the basic stories of the Bible and the moral guidelines that accompany them.
 
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dms1972

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So my first question would be, Is it ethical to indoctrinate young people into any religion?


I don't know the answer, it depends on what you mean by 'indoctrinate' - its a rather loaded word. I think something like sunday school attendance is fine.


I'd say there are parts of the Bible appropriate for children, many of the parts about Jesus.

I have an issue from a young age however concerning hell - however I got to hear about it I don't quite remember.
 
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