Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6 (Bible)
O you who believe! Ward off yourselves and your families against a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who disobey not, (from executing) the commands they receive from Allah, but do that which they are commanded.
Tahrim 66:6 (Qur'an)
There are a lot of bizarre, quirky memories I have from my earliest conscious experience growing up (almost literally) in church. I remember the dogma vividly right now, things told to us as matter of fact from no one with any actual academic expertise in theology. None of my Sunday school teachers I had when I was in the first decade of my life had degrees in Bible scholarship or theological discourse. Most were very kind, well-meaning stay-at-home moms without a college education. "Facts" about world history (via Bible stories) were dogmatic and made real before our eager eyes on felt board. If you aren't familiar with flannel board click on the link at the end of this blog entry.
My mother and father brought me in a fundamentalist evangelical Christian home. We went to church every single Sunday without exception, two times - morning and evening service, as well as choir practice before the evening service since both my parents sang in the choir. Every Wednesday night we would attend Bible study (basically another evening church service). Early on I recall my parents going to visitation (which was essentially going door to door sort of like Mormon or Jehovah Witness-style). My brother and I, all the way through high school, attended a Christian private school that was in the same building as the church we attended 2 days out of the week. So this is what I mean when I say I nearly literally grew up in church.
If you read my blog entries from a few years back titled "Into the Lion's Den: Notes On a Recent Trip" I explain the emotional connection I feel with that very building. When I go home I will often attend a church service in that same building with my dad and it's always a trip down memory lane to walk into the gym or my old Sunday school classrooms. There is a strange mix of emotions like nostalgia with a deep realization at how far I've come in my life. The little child intently listening to stories of Jonah and the whale or singing in unison about Jesus' love for little children seems like a whole other consciousness that I can barely relate to anymore. It's a weird thing to step back into rooms like that.
I have a few Christian friends now. And a handful of these friends grew up in the same church/school or just church. I see some of my Christian friends having children and recycling the same pattern I had growing up. These little children begin religious (Christian specifically) indoctrination at a very young age. This is just like my past. I started in the church nursery and ended with walking out of Bible college in my 20's to eventually completely stepping outside the bubble and breaking the spell religion had on me all of my life.
It concerns me when I see documentaries like "Jesus Camp" or hear of my Christian friends indoctrinating their children with a specific myth they believe in like it is a fact of life. Of course we know it's not and of course we know this is how you spread the religious meme and let religion continue to evolve from one generation to the next. It's the way the old ideas continue to thrive. We see it in Middle Eastern countries with Islam all the time. It's the same here in the U.S. and I feel this must be addressed and ended.
13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.
14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
16 And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.
Mark 10:13-16
We were taught growing up that there is a specific "age of reason" or "age of accountability" in every young child wherein they will finally understand that 1. they are a sinner (and grasp the story of "original sin") and 2. that God's son died in actual history for their sins then rose from the dead and ascended up to heaven where he is now, and 3. accept Jesus into their hearts to save them from their sins. Some of this is not difficult. At a very young age you can get a child to admit guilt in wrong doing, so the "sin" thing is easy. The complicated part is getting a small child to understand the very weird story of the cosmic blood rules of blood sacrifice. Even as a small child I remember finding it sort of gross and odd that a whole group of people killed innocent animals for God. I still ask this question - why again does the Perfect Almighty God of the universe need animal blood? Is he a vampire? When small children are easily questioning your religious dogma and you need apologetics to defend your faith against babies- that's when you know your religion might be bullshit.
I was saved first at the age of 5. This is something I barely remember the specifics of now. However, I do remember it wasn't based on the alternative of NOT believing - which was burning forever. THIS is the best way to get a small child to accept Jesus into their heart. At the age of five hell wasn't as clear to me, but obviously a savior is needed if all other options get you endless torture when you die. Once the full picture of a never-ending Lake of Fire came into part of the narrative as I grew older I asked Jesus into my heart just in case once again. This was around the age of 8 or 9.
Call it "fire insurance".
You just can't be too safe when it comes to burning forever. Then into junior high, in one of the Wednesday night AWANA services, I watched some of those apocalyptic "end times" rapture movies from the 1970's called "Thief in the Night" and a new fear was born!-- The fear of being "left behind" in a world with an evil fascist new world order (called UNITE in the film), losing my Christian parents and everyone I knew. I thought maybe -- just maybe, I would have to live in a Walking Dead-type world. I would have to fend for myself, on the run from this tyrannical evil world government. I was terrified of having these creepy men wearing brown hoods (like some evil monks that worshiped Satan) coming after me to kidnap me. So, I was saved again for fear of being "left behind". Triple saved (so you know it's good).
I don't blame my family for raising me in a world in which they thought was the correct view of reality. What's the point? They too have evolved in some ways to adapt to new information and their worldview in many ways has loosened a bit since I was a young child. Change can be good and I think overall we've all changed for the better. I do think it is essential for us to have this discussion and to express how we feel about child indoctrination to our New Christian friends as they continue the pattern. Some atheist call it child abuse. That's a strong word I suppose, but I can agree with it in some ways. It is certainly taking a human at it's earliest cognitive years (where impression is so vital, raw, and malleable) and filling those gaps in knowledge with a very specific worldview of reality that is based in zero evidence and magic.
That's the issue.
What's the alternative then? Well, you could start by being honest. By honesty I don't mean preaching to your children what you know in your heart is the right faith. I mean real global, worldly, historical, philosophical honesty! If you don't know better than maybe educate yourself about other worldviews before bringing a conscious being into the world. One should present religion as it is to their child - a set of beliefs by some people and a natural phenomenon throughout human history. Explain that religions have their own rule books they consider are "words of god" but contain some good information on ethical and moral living and some immoral ideas. Children are not stupid. They can decide from there what to do with all this information. Promote freethinking in the young. Explain to them that caging ideas and thoughts (which is what religion is at its worst) is the enemy. Think of this as promoting liberty for their young minds and raising up a child in truth and reality.
Felt board for Sunday school class:
http://www.amazon.com/Small-Deluxe-Flannel-Board-English/dp/B000TMB6MK
Salvation for Kids (YAY!)
http://christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-f005.html
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