I've seen a lot of kids drift away from their families' religions- being one myself I know what it feels like to do it secretly.

Although that also raises the question- what would YOU do if you learned that one or more of your kids were following a different religion than you?

I can't say I would be thrilled about it but I also am not naive enough to think it won't happen. Most kids, whether they stay with their parents religion or not, try out different religions and learn about something new.

I don't know why we expect people to question a lot of other stuff but then expect religion to be the one that is just accepted and followed without question. Parents do that though. I know I probably will at some point.

This is a question I considered for years as I started to drift away from my parents religion. I cant say I would be thrilled about it. But you can be sure I would respect their decision and allow them to worship and pray to whomever, or in some cases nobody.

I never once hid that I didn't believe in any kind of higher being to any of my family, even the ones who were all about Christianity and I have always said that if my kids decided they didn't want any part of my beliefs that it wouldn't matter I'm not going to make someone believe something they can't believe in.

my view.who cares.
You shouldnt try to dictate your kids beliefs. Either a religious kid that gives it up/changes belief, or an atheist kid that embraces faith. Whatever floats your boat.


Without free will, we are but machines

my mom side of my family is hardcore Catholics and me and my dad side isn't religious and her family tryed to make me religious but to me religion makes no sense for my rational mind. all depends what you been raise up on then you pass  it on to your kids and the religious cycle starts.... you realize that your opinion doesn't changes others. people change on there own

I would have no complaint about my kids' religion as long as it didn't preach violence or glorify fundamentally bad things.  No torture, no slavery, no hate.

Who am I to determine what my kids think about life and death?  It's their choice and I'll explore the options with them.  If they want to be creative and do their own thing, awesome.  If they like something then I hope they follow it with their heart and they're satisfied.

It'll all work out in the end.

As a parent and a Christian, I am taught by the bible - God's Word - to raise my boy with love, discipline and how to follow God's way.  I can never force it on him.  I can just instruct, teach, lead - the way God is showing me through His word and the way my parents showed me.  As Ephesians 6:4 say: "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." More than that I cannot do. I trust God for the rest and pray and believe that He will lead Him on the right path.

Proverbs 22:6 - "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."

If my child decides to follow a religion and "rebel" and go another way, then something is seriously wrong in my household and I have only myself to blame.  I am by no means perfect and I still fail, a lot, but I think (and I see) a lot of parents these days, especially these days, have lost that sense of responsibility towards their kids (and God).  Love and discipline is minimal to non-existent.  We forget how closely our kids watch us.  If there's no love, respect and honor between husband and wife, why should you care??  Kids don't always do what you tell them to do - they do what you do.  Am I right? (yeah I'm looking at the young forumites )  Also, here's a verse for all of us that still have parents

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.  'Honor your father and mother (this is the first commandment with a promise), that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land." - Ephesians 6:1-3

Having been one of those children that drifted away from what my parents believe, I certainly wouldn't mind my kids taking the same path.  I grew up in a Catholic household, living with my Grandparents on my Mom's side.  I used to attend church just about every Sunday and even went through conformation and got baptized at one point.  As I grew up, I began to question Faith and grew away from the church.

Because of my upbringing and my own, personal, beliefs, I decided to use a philosophy of tolerance.  I will help to guide my children as best as I can, teaching them about multiple religions, rather than just growing up in X household (as both my wife and I are more Agnostic at best).  I will encourage them to go to church with their Grandparents and Great Grandparents so that they can have a positive experience with Religion.  In this regard, I am hoping to let them make their own, informed, decision about what they would like to worship in the future.

I've always done my best, in life, to be tolerant of others beliefs and preferences.  It's definitely a lesson I'd like to instill in my children as I feel it will promote a happier world for them as they grow up.

I think it is better to be moral than to have religion.

I feel that being upset about it contradicts my tolerance point of view. I have always said that everyone should respect others religion. Getting worked up or even remotely upset if that were to happen would be hypocritical of me. I don't think I would be bothered by it. However, if it were a cult that was clearly out to control or get money from you, that is when it is a problem. There is a different between finding a religion and getting sucked into a person's scheme. Although, I would be upset if my kid joined something like Westboro, who only preaches hatred and complete intolerance. 

The truth is if I had kids I wouldn't do anything at all.. yes I would want to try to teach them or show them about my religion but I wouldn't want to change them. I feel like everyone in life should have a choice of what to believe.. and parents shouldn't let their kids fall away just because they don't have the same religion as them.



Bintsy

I'm not sure what I would think in that scenario. I'd like to think that if I live my life the way the Bible tells me to, it would reflect upon my children as opposed to me going to church every Sunday and preaching at them without walking the walk as well. It's an interesting scenario, one that I'm not exactly sure how to answer. I do like how my friend's dad, who has three Christian children and one extremely atheist child, deals with his daughter: he loves her anyways and prays for her constantly. He let her back into his home after she left town and got married and divorced. Even though she left again, he still loves her and invites her back to his house anyways. He's a great man.

The only problem I can see with having different religions than your parents are if they are strict of their religion or if the difference in religion affect there day to day life such as communication in general. I mean, if religion was to cause such separation you may as well say they aren't family anymore. To accept one another is a key thing to understand in a family. You should always stand your ground on your own beliefs even if your parents or even your children deny you of it. It is your life and it is up to you to fulfill it to the best of your ability. To say you cannot do this or you cannot do that in terms of religion is complete and utter unfairness as each person should be given the right to make there own mind up. As for myself I do have some story about religion in my family, as many of you may know, I am an atheist, which to the displeasure of my grandfather and my dad I prefer. My mother is also Atheist whilst my dad and grandfather are Christians.

You see because this difference in religion I have been unable to attend dear family funerals due to my dad and my grandfather. Because of this me and my dad have become so distant we never talk to one another. Thankfully my mother is on my side here and gets in the way if they attempt to lecture me about why I should be religious.

As you can see religion is a choice and should not be forced upon children. No matter what.

I am very happy my father rebelled against my grandma who is a Jehovah's witness who made his life liviving hell. And that he chose a different life for me as my father.

As for my grandmother she and her like can rot in hell for all I care and before anybody says I am being too harsh, the feeling is mutual for the likes of her since we are "nonebelievers" and will suffer that faith anyway and are not to be contacted with.

As an atheist, I suppose that if some day my children did grow up and decide one day that they wanted to go to a church, or a mosque, or a synagogue, I would let them.  I have always thought that equality is the most important thing.  As an atheist, my children won't be brought up with religion, but I would never try to turn them against it.  I personally preach tolerance; so if I were to now say that I would be mad at someone for having religion, my own lessons would be rendered void.