Do you teach your children that your faith is the only correct one?

[OnTheBrink]

I'm trying to figure out how to say this without starting any drama:001_smile:

If a person doesn't believe in something with their whole heart, how can it really be true? I am certain without any doubt of any kind that my God is real, that He created the world as described in Genesis, that He sent His son, Jesus Christ, into this world to take my sin, and that Jesus died on the cross so that I am forgiven of my sins and can live with Him in Heaven-and also that I don't deserve any of it! It is a free gift. If I allow that any of this could be wrong...? That would be denying the whole of Christianity. It would be a sin. It would be blasphemy. I explain what others believe to my children (Hindu, Buddhist, atheist, etc), but always in the context of why and how that is wrong. Again, not trying to start a debate on Christianity here, but if a person believes in something, they need to stand up for it. We do not belittle or harass or talk negatively about those that believe differently, but discuss how and why they might have come to that belief. And always pray for them, have compassion for them, and help them.

 

:iagree: Beautifully put. You put into words the thoughts that were flying around in my head.

[Kathy in MD]

I don't teach my ds that our faith is the only true one, even though I would become very upset if he switched from Christianity Partly it's because of his temperament, he would go on the attack at times despite contrary teaching.

 

Second, I feel there is too much to learn from others' faith that we would benefit from, either from gaining new insights in our own faith or actions that we could incorporate in our own lives. (For example, some people are vegans because they feel killing animals is wrong. I believe this attitude came from religious beliefs in part of India. Personally I don't subscribe to this). By teaching that our beliefs are the only ones, we close ourselves off to good things that would help us.

 

Thirdly, all to often a feeling of superiority comes through, offending if not actually hurting others. All too often that attitude does come through, offending other Christians and non-Christians alike. Does a Christian truly love his neighbor if he feels superior to him?

 

And even if we teach "tolerance", if we stress our way is the only right way our darling children sometimes WILL attack other children, verbally and physically, to convince the other child that the attacker is correct. And it happens! Sorry, but the local pastor's dd attacked my sister at school, and as my mother told me the teachers didn't interfer because they were fellow believers. That is the most dramatic run in we had with that denomination, but there were many others. To this day, if someone tells me they are members of this nation-wide denomination, I cringe until they prove that they aren't of like temperment.

 

So I will NOT teach that our beliefs are the only true beliefs. My family has had too many other "encounters" with other protestant denominations where the differences were no more than of dogma (sprinkling, not immersion, wearing shorts or pants, not claiming to be "born again", etc, accepting that our reading of the Bible may be wrong, etc), not in the basic tenets of Christianity. It must be even worse for non-Christians.

[Tree House Academy]

No, I teach my kids that there are other religions - and my older knows since his dad is athiest. However, I teach them also what we believe and why we believe it. AND, I know that, ultimately, my kids will one day decide for themselves what they believe. I try to lay the foundation and pray they will follow our faith, but I am realistic enough to know that may not be the case in the end. I do my best.

[Audrey]

We discuss religions with ds as a "some people believe..." type of discussion. We let him know that everybody walks a different walk and they're entitled to be left to do that.

 

However, when he asks me if gods are real, I will be honest and say no. I don't believe they are, even if some other people might believe differently.

[Alice]

I teach that what we believe is the truth. If I didn't believe is was true than to me my faith would be pointless.

 

When my son asks about other faiths or beliefs I simply answer "They believe differently than we do."

[melissel]

:lol: I thought of that as I was typing the arguement, especially since I can't teach my 3 year old colors (I'm in the "I wonder if he's color-blind?" stage of preschooler-hood).

 

If there is nothing that you believe to be 100% true, then I can see why this would be hard to understand.

 

How about gravity on Earth? If someone believed we were held on Earth because of tiny little glue sticks in our feet (instead of gravity), could you teach your children that that is as valid as gravitational pull? Or if someone argued that when they dropped an apple from a tree it fell up instead of down?

 

Really, I hope you're not reading this as snarky; I'm just trying to understand your POV as much as you are mine :001_smile:

 

:lol::lol::lol:

 

No, don't worry, I'm definitely not reading any of this discussion as snarky. I'm really trying to see, and to figure out why it is that I CAN'T see.

 

I'm trying to formulate a response to this, but it's getting very long and convoluted. However, I think you have hit upon something I can indeed 100% believe and teach my children--we are simply NOT held to the earth by micro-sized glue sticks!!! :lol:

 

I'm still arguing with myself over your analogies. I'll have to get back to you!

 

ETA: Ha! I've got one! To quote Phoebe from Friends on gravity (I think!), "Lately I get the feeling that we're not being pulled down so much as pushed."

Edited April 14, 2009 by melissel

[LG Gone Wild]

I encounter this all the time with people of my religion. It's because most of us (Pagans) believe that different truths can simultaneously exist, that we are living in a multiverse made up of lots of different and sometimes conflicting universal truths. And a bunch of us went through heck trying to stay connected to parents who had to insist that our truths didn't exist in order to hold on to their own. We don't want that sort of conflict with our children, so we tend to err in the opposite direction and not even raise the kids in our own universe. I think that's just as hurtful. Kids don't want to be excluded any more than they want to be forced to stay inside another person's truth.

 

 

I don't think I understood your response.

 

OK, it seemed like what you posted was that Pagans don't teach what they believe in order to be connected with people who believe something else. If you believe in more than one truth, do your children not know that you believe that? I don't know what you meant.

 

I would consider it exclusionary and hurtful in my own home to not share my universe/religion/truth to my own children. Why would I isolate my kids from me? Anyway, kids, in the end, decide for themselves.

[Peek a Boo]

By teaching that our beliefs are the only ones, we close ourselves off to good things that would help us.

 

Just to clarify, I was under the assumption that the question was whether we teach ours as The Only Truth [we do], not whether we also consider others from an academic and cultural perspective [we do this also]. :)

[melissel]

However, when he asks me if gods are real, I will be honest and say no.

 

Again, though, I have to wonder, what have you seen that makes you KNOW that gods are not real? How is that you can be so sure, sure enough to tell your son "No" instead of "I don't believe that they are"?

 

Huh, maybe that's my real question. I need a light bulb smiley. Would it be obnoxious to start another thread?

[melissel]

Just to clarify, I was under the assumption that the question was whether we teach ours as The Only Truth [we do], not whether we also consider others from an academic and cultural perspective [we do this also]. :)

 

It was, but I didn't mind any other discussion :D It's all helping me work through my own thoughts. I don't really have many people in real life who could/would discuss this with me. DH is of the "Well, because it just IS!" variety. My mom is very thoughtful and a Christian, but also very cynical about religion in general after working for a church for a few years. My BFF is kind of a waffler like me. Where would one go to discuss stuff like this in real life, I wonder?

Edited April 14, 2009 by melissel
removed a point that didn't matter

[LG Gone Wild]

Just to clarify, I was under the assumption that the question was whether we teach ours as The Only Truth [we do], not whether we also consider others from an academic and cultural perspective [we do this also]. :)

 

:iagree:

 

I hope to give my kids a worldly education, not an insular one.

[Rosie_0801]

I don't understand why anyone would cling to any belief system without believing that that it is somehow superior to the rest.

 

All of us hold the idea that our beliefs are best, but some of us think our best on a macro scale (best for everyone) and some think they are best on a micro scale (for us as an individual.)

 

I'm in the latter category, so I don't teach my kids that my faith is the only correct one because I don't think that's true. I think it's the correct one for me and I can't presume to know the tiny details of what's best for them. I can give them a basis to work from, but the nitty gritties are theirs to discover.

 

Rosie

[danybug]

Well I absolutely believe that there is only one God and that our salvation comes only through the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And that's the way I live my life so they definitely see that. But I also teach them that it is extremely important to respect others' beliefs and ideas. And I want them to listen to and care about others, no matter their beliefs. They see me living that way too. More than anything, I want them to be Jesus to the world.

 

 

I would definitely be sad if my children turned their back on God. That's why I spend so much time on my knees now.

 

Amen! This perfectly sums up my response.

[Rosie_0801]

I respectfully disagree. Biblically, Christianity stands opposed to Buddhism. The Bible says Christ is the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Him. There are many other Biblical references that would say those two just don't mix and that Christ can be mixed with nothing else. He's not the fifth bowl in line on a buffet table. As a Christian, He IS the buffet buffet table...and everything else needed or wanted involved in said buffet! He's even the host of the party where the buffet is being held!! I can't take a little of the Jesus that I want and toss the rest, then mix that up with a little Buddhism and a dash of something else. If I do, I have created a false god, and that is in complete opposition to what it means to be a Christian. I'm just saying to you that Biblically, that would be apostasy. I'm speaking this to you from a Christian POV.

 

 

If we want to keep with the food analogies, imagine Jesus/Christianity is a curry. They are no less curry-like for being served with condiments. The condiments aren't diluting or tainting the curry, they are enhancing the curry eating experience. You can't have a false curry, right?

 

Not that you have to agree, I'm just hoping my nice food analogy (I love food analogies!) explains how that other POV works.

 

:)

Rosie

[Desert Rat]

I think I go the exact opposite of that. I find myself saying, "This is only what I believe and others have every right to believe differently." I also gently remind my 9yo when he makes all or nothing type statements that what he is saying is his opinion only and others may and will disagree with him. A specific example is when his best friend emphatically replied that he did NOT believe in ghosts. Well, my ds really, really does and was completely dumbfound (and hurt) that his bff didn't believe the same thing he did. It was a great teaching lesson for him to learn that he can have heaps of fun with his friend and share lots in common and still disagree about certain things. Some people think if friends don't think just like they do that they aren't really friends. I discourage this thinking in my boys.

[amsunshine]

Quote:

Originally Posted by amsunshine

A Christian could easily be a practicing Buddhist at the same time.

 

Explain?

Well, I'll keep it simple, because I know this is well-covered territory in everyone's history studies -- Buddhism is not based on a belief in any god or gods. Siddhartha is not/was not a god -- simply someone who attained "enlightenment" -- and who passed on that wisdom. Buddhism is simply a way of looking at and living one's life, which was taught by Siddhartha. In this way, I don't see Buddhism as incompatible with Christianity. One can still believe in a Christian God and practice a Christian religion, but also live one's life according to the Eightfold Path. It is a fundamentally good, moral and decent way to live one's life. So is Christianity. We all want basically the same thing. I can see Christians may differ and might believe this involves a "false god" -- and that's ok.

 

I don't say this to provoke anyone or get into a debate -- I'm just trying to express our view that we don't see other religious beliefs as incompatible to our own philosophical beliefs and what we teach our children. We do teach them that mommy and daddy do not believe in any god or gods. However, we also want to encourage our children to find what resonates with them in terms of living lives of purpose and integrity -- and we don't feel that if they decide at some point to become Christian, or Jewish, or whatever, that it would be a bad thing, or incompatible with how we raised them.

 

On the other hand, if they decide to do primarily immoral things in their lifetimes -- that would be very different and profoundly disappointing.

[mommaduck]

If we want to keep with the food analogies, imagine Jesus/Christianity is a curry. They are no less curry-like for being served with condiments. The condiments aren't diluting or tainting the curry, they are enhancing the curry eating experience. You can't have a false curry, right?

 

Not that you have to agree, I'm just hoping my nice food analogy (I love food analogies!) explains how that other POV works.

 

:)

Rosie

I think it's more like my son wanting to add Pickles to Chili...they just. don't. go. together. :lol:

[Peek a Boo]

It was, but I didn't mind any other discussion :D It's all helping me work through my own thoughts. I don't really have many people in real life who could/would discuss this with me. DH is of the "Well, because it just IS!" variety. My mom is very thoughtful and a Christian, but also very cynical about religion in general after working for a church for a few years. My BFF is kind of a waffler like me. Where would one go to discuss stuff like this in real life, I wonder?

 

yeah :)

 

I'm just saving myself a lot of typing, lol ;)

[Kathy in MD]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kathy in MD

By teaching that our beliefs are the only ones, we close ourselves off to good things that would help us.

 

 

Just to clarify, I was under the assumption that the question was whether we teach ours as The Only Truth [we do], not whether we also consider others from an academic and cultural perspective [we do this also]. :)

 

Typo, typo alert :) I meant to type "By teaching that our beliefs are the only true ones, we close......

 

Thanks for catching it :001_smile:

[Kelli in TN]

Since I honestly and fervently believe with all my heart that Jesus is real and alive and working through me I see no need to teach them any other way. It's as much a fact as 1+1=2. I would not teach them that 1+1=3 if they want it to be so and I would not teach them that Jesus may or may not be alive and real according their feelings.

 

I do however, expect them to be polite and respectful of all faiths. I want them to be able to embrace friendship with all people and not go about knocking folks on the head with their supersize KJV Bible or leaving Bible tracts in place of tips at restaurants. And they are certainly NOT allowed to sort Christians out by denomination and decide which ones are real and not real according to their personal standards.

[mommaduck]

Well, I'll keep it simple, because I know this is well-covered territory in everyone's history studies -- Buddhism is not based on a belief in any god or gods. Siddhartha is not/was not a god -- simply someone who attained "enlightenment" -- and who passed on that wisdom. Buddhism is simply a way of looking at and living one's life, which was taught by Siddhartha. In this way, I don't see Buddhism as incompatible with Christianity. One can still believe in a Christian God and practice a Christian religion, but also live one's life according to the Eightfold Path. It is a fundamentally good, moral and decent way to live one's life. So is Christianity. We all want basically the same thing. I can see Christians may differ and might believe this involves a "false god" -- and that's ok.

 

I don't say this to provoke anyone or get into a debate -- I'm just trying to express our view that we don't see other religious beliefs as incompatible to our own philosophical beliefs and what we teach our children. We do teach them that mommy and daddy do not believe in any god or gods. However, we also want to encourage our children to find what resonates with them in terms of living lives of purpose and integrity -- and we don't feel that if they decide at some point to become Christian, or Jewish, or whatever, that it would be a bad thing, or incompatible with how we raised them.

 

On the other hand, if they decide to do primarily immoral things in their lifetimes -- that would be very different and profoundly disappointing.

There is a comparison here http://www.religioustolerance.org/buddhism4.htm And upon viewing that, they conflict to the point that one cannot be a Buddhist and a Christian. They contradict each other.

One is based on a person that is both Deity and Human, born of a virgin, and resurrected after death. The other denies that such happened. One believes that everyone will spend eternity in either a heaven or a hell. The other denies that.

[melissel]

I think it's more like my son wanting to add Pickles to Chili...they just. don't. go. together. :lol:

 

But how can you KNOW that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:lol:

 

Actually, I think pickles and chili sound quite tasty. Or maybe I'm just overdue for dinner!

[Rosie_0801]

I think it's more like my son wanting to add Pickles to Chili...they just. don't. go. together. :lol:

 

Actually that doesn't sound so bad. If we change your analogy to the wrongness of Vegemite ice-cream, I'll shake your hand and agree, heheh.

 

 

Rosie

Edited April 14, 2009 by Rosie_0801

[dragons in the flower bed]

Yes, you have it right: Pagans often don't teach their children what they believe in an attempt to remain connected with their children in the event that the children choose to believe something else.

 

Also, I personally agree with you that it would be isolating for the kids to not be included.

 

But, this bit,

 

If you believe in more than one truth, do your children not know that you believe that?

 

is an interesting point. I have indeed seen Pagan (and agnostic) parents in the interesting position of having failed to convince their kids that other people's truths can be just as valid as the truths the kids personally accept.

[dangermom]

I do teach my kids that our faith is the truest one. That's what I think. I'm not very good at expressing myself, but the best I can do is: out there, there is an objective reality. Humans are not very good at seeing it; we try to approximate it but we get a lot wrong. I believe that my religion comes closest to real truth. It's probably got a lot of mistakes in it too, but it's as close as I've ever been able to get and the main principles are there--several of which are not found in other Christian religions.

 

I also teach my kids that most people are doing their best to find truth. We have lots in common with many faiths and we should respect others and learn a lot about them. I want my kids to be comfortable with all sorts of people's beliefs and I enjoy taking them to visit other churches. Sometimes we go to a Latin Mass to practice our Latin (doesn't work very well--they go fast) or something. I've been wanting to get down to the Sikh temple about 30 miles away and stuff keeps getting in the way.

[mommaduck]

Actually that doesn't sound so bad. If we change your analogy to the wrongness of Vegemite ice-cream, I'll shake your hand and agree, heheh.

 

Rosie

Works for me...ewww! I'd take pickles and chili anyday over THAT!:tongue_smilie:

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I am certain without any doubt of any kind that my God is real, that He created the world as described in Genesis, that He sent His son, Jesus Christ, into this world to take my sin, and that Jesus died on the cross so that I am forgiven of my sins and can live with Him in Heaven-and also that I don't deserve any of it! It is a free gift. If I allow that any of this could be wrong...? That would be denying the whole of Christianity. It would be a sin. It would be blasphemy.

 

Ah, but see? Herein lies a problem. There are many, many Christians who don't agree with one or more of your points. These Christians believe with their whole heart that their beliefs are true, and can back up their understanding with scripture, but they have come to a different conclusion than you. By closing your mind to any other interpretation on these points, you are closing your heart to the possibility that God may be trying to show you the error of your understanding. I'm not saying that you are wrong, just that we humans are fallible. We make mistakes. We don't always know everything. And there are still many points over which Christian theologians disagree. (old earth/new earth is just one of them). I'm a Christian, but I'm certainly not going to throw all Christianity out the window based on old earth/new earth ponderings.

 

 

If a person doesn't believe in something with their whole heart, how can it really be true?

 

Does belief in something make it true? If something is true, will unbelief make it less true?

 

 

I explain what others believe to my children (Hindu, Buddhist, atheist, etc), but always in the context of why and how that is wrong. Again, not trying to start a debate on Christianity here, but if a person believes in something, they need to stand up for it. We do not belittle or harass or talk negatively about those that believe differently, but discuss how and why they might have come to that belief. And always pray for them, have compassion for them, and help them.

 

That's nice.

[PineFarmMom]

If we want to keep with the food analogies, imagine Jesus/Christianity is a curry. They are no less curry-like for being served with condiments. The condiments aren't diluting or tainting the curry, they are enhancing the curry eating experience. You can't have a false curry, right?

 

Not that you have to agree, I'm just hoping my nice food analogy (I love food analogies!) explains how that other POV works.

 

:)

Rosie

 

Nearly everytime I read what you write, I like what you say and how you say it. I see what you are saying how that POV works. I'm saying, from my POV, like someone else said lower down, it's like pickles in your chili...maybe pickles in your cheesecake. As a Christian and from a Biblical POV they just can't work together. I always like analogies and food analogies are better! :)

 

Teresa

[Jill- OK]

It wouldn't make much sense for someone who believes there is more than one way to purposefully teach their children that there is only one way... and it makes no more sense for a person who believes there is only one way to teach that there is more than one.

 

:iagree:

 

(Also adding my agreement to those who have said that teaching one's own belief as truth doesn't negate the teaching of respect for others.)

[MSNative]

Yes, you have it right: Pagans often don't teach their children what they believe in an attempt to remain connected with their children in the event that the children choose to believe something else.

quote]

 

 

Since we are asking questions, may I respectfully ask for a little more detail on this. I'm confused. It seems to me that you are just as entitled to your faith or lack thereof as your child. If you accept and love your child no matter what their choice, wouldn't they do the same for you? Especially if that is what you are very focused on teaching them. So regardless, wouldn't you stay connected to them?

 

Please don't read this as snarky. Again, this is just a POV question.

 

FYI - Kudos and snaps and whatever else for everyone taking the time to discuss this so respectfully. I am really enjoying learning about others POVs.

[melissel]

How about gravity on Earth? If someone believed we were held on Earth because of tiny little glue sticks in our feet (instead of gravity), could you teach your children that that is as valid as gravitational pull? Or if someone argued that when they dropped an apple from a tree it fell up instead of down?

 

OK, I've been thinking and thinking, and all I'm coming up with is the nature of faith and what one considers incontrovertible evidence. I could argue the apple issue because I can see with my own eyes, feel with my own hands/head/whatever, etc. that an apple fell in the direction we call "down." My own senses provide what I would consider to be evidence.

 

As for gravity, well, I fall back on the same argument. I can examine the bottoms of our feet using current technology and determine that no substance within could possibly be glue.

 

I have yet to see or even hear of incontrovertible evidence of the existence of a god or a lack thereof, so I simply couldn't argue it. Thus, I'm left with the nature of faith. Which, clearly, I don't have, so I'm not going to be able to understand it. Unless someone has some inarguable proof they'd like to offer me, one way or the other?

 

ETA that I AM an INTJ. In the end, it all comes down to the MBT, doesn't it? :lol:

Edited April 14, 2009 by melissel

[Audrey]

Again, though, I have to wonder, what have you seen that makes you KNOW that gods are not real? How is that you can be so sure, sure enough to tell your son "No" instead of "I don't believe that they are"?

 

Huh, maybe that's my real question. I need a light bulb smiley. Would it be obnoxious to start another thread?

 

 

You misquoted me by snipping my post.

 

What I said I say is this (in full): However, when he asks me if gods are real, I will be honest and say no. I don't believe they are, even if some other people might believe differently.

 

Bold added by me now.

[melissel]

You misquoted me by snipping my post.

 

What I said I say is this (in full): However, when he asks me if gods are real, I will be honest and say no. I don't believe they are, even if some other people might believe differently.

 

Bold added by me now.

 

Ah! I see. I read it as:

 

However, when he asks me if gods are real, I will be honest and say "no." I don't believe they are, even if some other people might believe differently.

 

(Quotation marks added by me)

 

I thought you meant your answer would be a flat "No," because you don't believe...

 

Thanks for clarifying (again!).

[JudoMom]

OK, I've been thinking and thinking, and all I'm coming up with is the nature of faith and what one considers incontrovertible evidence. I could argue the apple issue because I can see with my own eyes, feel with my own hands/head/whatever, etc. that an apple fell in the direction we call "down." My own senses provide what I would consider to be evidence.

 

As for gravity, well, I fall back on the same argument. I can examine the bottoms of our feet using current technology and determine that no substance within could possibly be glue.

 

I have yet to see or even hear of incontrovertible evidence of the existence of a god or a lack thereof, so I simply couldn't argue it. Thus, I'm left with the nature of faith. Which, clearly, I don't have, so I'm not going to be able to understand it. Unless someone has some inarguable proof they'd like to offer me, one way or the other?

 

Ah, but I look around and see the earth, hear the birds, look at the human body and view it as proof of the God of the Bible. This is why I can tell my children, without hesitation, that our faith is the only Truth. I feel as strongly about the God of the Bible, and Christ, and my need for Christ as you feel about gravity being true. Whether or not someone else agrees with it makes it no less valid to me than you not believing in the micro-glue sticks holding us to the ground. So just as you wouldn't teach your children that micro-glue sticks could be true, I won't teach my children another faith could be true.

 

This has been interesting. Thank you for indulging me :D! Now, do you know of any online preschooler tests for color blindness :lol:?

Edited April 14, 2009 by JudoMom

[Suzanne in ABQ]

Well, I firmly believe that no one has all the answers, and that's what I teach my children.

 

I've lived long enough to have been wrong about a whole slew of things that I felt strongly about. God has taken me by the ears on a number of points and showed me the error of my (legalistic, judgmental, pious) ways. Why would I be as bold as to believe that the beliefs I hold now are so true that I have nothing more to learn during my stay on this earth.

 

I believe that my God is big enough to knows those who are truly seeking Him. They (or I) may be looking in all the wrong places, but they recognize their own emptyness, and are looking for the One who can fill the need in their hearts. I believe that the truth, though staring them in the face, may be so clouded over by the hurt and pain of this sin-filled world, may elude them until Jesus comes. But, when He does, they'll know him instantly, and will be drawn to His glory. I believe there will be others who have lived "by His name" for decades but will not want Him when He comes. He will not know them. Those are the ones who will be destroyed by His glory. The same glory that attracts the seekers will destroy the others because sin cannot exist in the presence of God. I don't believe that God pays the slightest attention to denominations, or religions. He died once for all, and heaven is big enough for all those who want Him with all their heart. I don't believe that anyone but God can read a person's heart.

[Tired_Mama]

Of course I teach my children that our faith is true and correct. I believe it to be so and teaching them otherwise would be a lie on my part. I also believe it's my God-given duty to teach them about our faith (Psalm 78 is one good example).

 

But I also don't believe it's just a matter of telling them, "we're Christians and we're right and everyone else is wrong." Like someone else said, we're sort of in the grammar stages of learning about our faith. Even though I will always address discussions of our faith in manner that says, "I believe this..." I do want my children to think critically about why we believe what we believe. Ultimately I know their faith will be in God's hands, but I want them to be able to have the knowledge to defend their faith not only to others who might challenge them, but also to themselves.

 

In my view, we're dealing w/eternal salvation, not what social club they'll join as adults, KWIM? It's too important an issue not to teach them what we believe and why we believe it's correct.

 

And, of course, it goes w/out saying that we learn about other religions. At this point, given my kids' ages, we have not addressed the merits of other religions, we've more just discussed the who, where, when, etc. and at some point in the future we'll examine them more closely and get into more critical discussions about them.

[dragons in the flower bed]

Since we are asking questions, may I respectfully ask for a little more detail on this. I'm confused. It seems to me that you are just as entitled to your faith or lack thereof as your child. If you accept and love your child no matter what their choice, wouldn't they do the same for you? Especially if that is what you are very focused on teaching them. So regardless, wouldn't you stay connected to them?

 

:001_smile: I think so.

[melissel]

Ah, but I look around and see the earth, hear the birds, look at the human body and view it as proof of the God of the Bible. This is why I can tell my children, without hesitaion, that our faith is the only Truth. I feel as strongly about the God of the Bible, and Christ, and my need for Christ as you feel about gravity being true. Whether or not someone else agrees with it makes it no less valid to me than you not believing in the micro-glue sticks holding us to the ground. So just as you wouldn't teach your children that micro-glue sticks could be true, I won't teach my children another faith could be true.

 

This has been interesting. Thank you for indulging me :D! Now, do you know of any online preschooler tests for color blindness :lol:?

 

And thanks for indulging me too :D Unfortunately, I'm no help WRT the color-blindness tests. I hope you find your answers!

 

I believe that my God is big enough to knows those who are truly seeking Him. They (or I) may be looking in all the wrong places, but they recognize their own emptyness, and are looking for the One who can fill the need in their hearts. I believe that the truth, though staring them in the face, may be so clouded over by the hurt and pain of this sin-filled world, may elude them until Jesus comes. But, when He does, they'll know him instantly, and will be drawn to His glory. I believe there will be others who have lived "by His name" for decades but will not want Him when He comes. He will not know them.

 

Suzanne, this is very moving.

Edited April 14, 2009 by melissel
Mistaken argument

[Spy Car]

And I would ask, couldn't, for example, Muslims say the same thing about this amazing world being proof that Allah is such a great creator, and that it's proof that their faith is the only truth? (Anyone can answer if they care to, you're not on the hook for this one :lol:)

 

 

Just a note that "Allah" simply means "God" in the Arabic language and it refers to the same "God of Abraham" worshipped in different fashions by Jews and Christians.

 

Muslims accept all the prophets of the Hebrew Bible, and also believe Jesus was a prophet who is revered (but not worshipped) in Islam.

 

So when Muslims point to a "creator God" they are talking about their interpretation of the same God creator as Jews and Christians, leaving aside obvious theological differences.

 

Bill

[melissel]

Just a note that "Allah" simply means "God" in the Arabic language and it refers to the same "God of Abraham" worshipped in different fashions by Jews and Christians.

 

Muslims accept all the prophets of the Hebrew Bible, and also believe Jesus was a prophet who is revered (but not worshipped) in Islam.

 

So when Muslims point to a "creator God" they are talking about their interpretation of the same God creator as Jews and Christians, leaving aside obvious theological differences.

 

Bill

 

Oooooh, thank you! I wondered, but didn't know for sure.

[Rosie_0801]

I'm saying, from my POV, like someone else said lower down, it's like pickles in your chili...maybe pickles in your cheesecake. As a Christian and from a Biblical POV they just can't work together. I always like analogies and food analogies are better! :)

 

Teresa

 

 

If I keep with my Christianity as a curry analogy, it's more that some curry eating people think it's ok, even good, to eat curry with condiments. Some think it's ok to eat curry with some kinds of condiments, but not other kinds. Other people, such as yourself, are curry purists and think condiments spoil the curry. So, "any kind of condiment" people think Christianity and Buddhism blend nicely together. "Some condiments" people think some bits of Buddhism work with Christianity and other bits don't, will only include those bits that work. Curry purists don't blend their Christianity with any Buddhism and if there are any similarities between them, it's just co-incidence because they were definitely following a curry recipe.

 

I'm on a roll (oops, I punned!)

 

:)

Rosie- finding this thread rather interesting

[Tired_Mama]

Just a note that "Allah" simply means "God" in the Arabic language and it refers to the same "God of Abraham" worshipped in different fashions by Jews and Christians.

 

Muslims accept all the prophets of the Hebrew Bible, and also believe Jesus was a prophet who is revered (but not worshipped) in Islam.

 

So when Muslims point to a "creator God" they are talking about their interpretation of the same God creator as Jews and Christians, leaving aside obvious theological differences.

 

Bill

 

This isn't true, actually. Christians believe the Holy Trinity has been present since the beginning. In other words, God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit were all present in the Old Testament even if they hadn't come to earth yet in a physical sense. Muslims and Jews do not believe this.

[Ravin]

As a polytheist, I have no problem explaining to DD that different people worship different Gods, that the Gods themselves are aspects or representations of the Divine which is in all of us and everything, and that all religions ultimately seek the same connection with the Divine, they just go about it different ways.

 

DD is only 5, and so far our religious discussion hasn't gone any deeper than explaining that we worship our Gods, and Grandma and Grandpa worship a different one, and that's why we don't go to church. We do blot and make offerings and pray to our Gods in our home and out in nature.

 

In other words, my explanation was about as useful to her and matter-of-fact as the explanation of what a urinal is for. Boys and Girls do the same thing in the bathroom, namely pee, but as girls we don't do it standing up, which is why there are only urinals in the boys' bathroom.

 

While I don't teach DD that our way is the only right way and others are wrong, I do make it clear that our way is the right way for our family. DH isn't a Heathen, he's into Eastern philosophy and eschews organized religion, but he's supportive of raising DD with my faith. He's also MORE tolerant than me, not quite agreeing (but going along with) my refusal to allow the in-laws to take DD to church with them. Exploring how other people worship will come later, once she's grounded in our family's practice.

Edited April 15, 2009 by Ravin

[amsunshine]

Rosie -- you crack me up!

[Karen sn]

Do you believe the sky looks blue? Could you teach your children that while you believe the sky is blue, many other people believe the sky is green and they might be correct?

 

Teaching my children that another faith might be just as true/valid as my own would be the same thing as teaching them the sky is green.

 

When the sky is orange sunrise here in the east it is dark and starry to the west and blue even farther east.

Everone sees a different part of the sky.

[Jenny in Florida]

This isn't true, actually. Christians believe the Holy Trinity has been present since the beginning. In other words, God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit were all present in the Old Testament even if they hadn't come to earth yet in a physical sense. Muslims and Jews do not believe this.

 

Well, Bill did say "their interpretation."

 

And, I'd be really interested to hear: Do all Christians believe this about the Holy Trinity? Do all Christians even believe in the Holy Trinity? I thought not.

[Karen sn]

(The irony is that when Karen sn joined us, she didn't capitalize ANYthing. She took a lot of grief for that, too, I recall. Baby steps, eh, Karen? LOL)

 

I remember that!!!

Wow. So long ago....

Come along way, but not really I guess.....:glare:

 

Thanks for standing up for my freedom of speech.

[Spy Car]

This isn't true, actually. Christians believe the Holy Trinity has been present since the beginning. In other words, God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit were all present in the Old Testament even if they hadn't come to earth yet in a physical sense. Muslims and Jews do not believe this.

 

I suppose an argument could be made that Jews and Muslims in their own fashion worship their interpretations of the same God of Abraham, and Trinitarian Christians worship a conceptually different Triune God.

 

This interpretation would obviously mean Christians don't worship the same God as Jews (and Muslims) and the former might lead to theological difficulties for some folks.

 

But it remains that Muslims believe in the God of Abraham, however much Islam might depart from Judaism.

 

Bill

[KarenNC]

Of course we teach our child the faith that we have experienced as the most accurate description of spiritual reality, just as we try to teach her the most accurate descriptions of anything else in life. We are polytheist Hellenic Neopagans, so the question is not as difficult for us as it is for monotheists or atheists. There is plenty of room in our understanding of spiritual reality for an unlimited number of Gods and/or Goddesses to receive worship without it requiring our religion to be false.

 

On the other hand, I do not ascribe to the idea that "all religions are equally valid or true" as many in the Neopagan community seem to do. If I believed that, it would be a heck of a lot more convenient on a great many levels to have stayed in the Christian Church, or pick something more socially acceptable like Judaism or even Buddhism (you get a *lot* of odd looks when someone finds out you *really do* make offerings to Zeus and expect them to mean something;)). We actually did consider that briefly when she was born, primarily to make her life easier in our community and with our extended family, but in the end decided we would be teaching her entirely the wrong lesson.

 

We teach our child that these particular Gods and Goddesses are the Ones who have chosen to have a relationship with us and the Ones whom we worship--others may have relationships with other Gods. I have no problem with acknowledging that the God of the Christians, Jews and/or Muslims may be a God, just can't honestly say, based on my experiences, that that God (or Gods, I'm not actually convinced the three are indeed the same) is the only Being in the class "God".

 

As to other religions, we have taught her that it is between the individual and his/her own Deity(ies), not our responsibility to police, and that if our Gods object to someone's worship of a different pantheon, They are perfectly capable of sorting it out Themselves without our assistance.;) As part of that, we also teach that the most important thing is to hold fast to what she knows from experience to be spiritual reality whether or not others agree with her, it is popular or it is convenient.

 

We teach her that she must treat others' religions with the same respect she expects from others for her religion. There are lots of opportunities for that in our community and in our inclusive homeschool group. I was very proud to find out that, at age 8, she was able to respectfully respond to another child in the group even when that child was not being respectful of our beliefs (found out when the other mom called me to apologize). It was a good learning experience for both our kids (mine and the other parents') and I think it was due to the fact that the children are known as real multifaceted human beings and not just as religious labels.

[Karen sn]

I respectfully disagree. Biblically, Christianity stands opposed to Buddhism. The Bible says Christ is the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Him. There are many other Biblical references that would say those two just don't mix and that Christ can be mixed with nothing else. He's not the fifth bowl in line on a buffet table. As a Christian, He IS the buffet buffet table...and everything else needed or wanted involved in said buffet! He's even the host of the party where the buffet is being held!! I can't take a little of the Jesus that I want and toss the rest, then mix that up with a little Buddhism and a dash of something else. If I do, I have created a false god, and that is in complete opposition to what it means to be a Christian. I'm just saying to you that Biblically, that would be apostasy. I'm speaking this to you from a Christian POV.

 

Teresa

 

Buddah never said he was a god or to worship or sacrifice to him.

He explained a PEACEFUL way of living.

Much like Mary's son Jesus (who was by the way Jewish).

 

AND FURTHERMORE

I know Christians (EXTREMELY EDUCATED) who would tell you that the command in the Bible originally stated that there were to be no images made to represent god. These people won't even have a picture of Jesus in their house because they feel it's sacriligious.

 

Riligion is a many fauceted thing.