Who's doing the brainwashing?

[Caladan]

People who believe in God teach their children that there is a God. They are brainwashing their children. People who don't believe in God teach their children that there is no God. They are teaching their children to think for themselves.

Imbecilic logic at its best.

Parents teach their children their traditions and their own way of life, there is nothing unnatural about it. religious parents have a duty to let their children know where they come from, and so do the atheist, with many atheists also making sure that their children inherit the older religious tradition of the family.

 

[tomato1236]

I can't wait to indoctrinate my kids. Little suckers.

 

[Meow Mix]

I can't wait to indoctrinate my kids. Little suckers.

Haha me too, I'm totally going to keep them in the basement and set everything to look like it's a bomb shelter and convince them the atomic & zombie apocalypses happened in 2010 at the same time.

Then when they turn 18 I'll be like "lol, jk jk"

 

[tomato1236]

Haha me too, I'm totally going to keep them in the basement and set everything to look like it's a bomb shelter and convince them the atomic & zombie apocalypses happened in 2010 at the same time.

Then when they turn 18 I'll be like "lol, jk jk"

Yeah. Then you'd all have a great laugh together. "Ok, now go to kindergarten. And by the way, Santa Clause isn't real. Heh heh. Man, I really got you guys."

 

[Dirty Penguin]

I don't understand. Are you agreeing with him, or was there another reason for posting that?

I was posting it because it goes to the point you made. Sorry, I should have stated that......:sorry1:

 

[Herr Heinrich]

I would like to explore this further. Would you mind explaining exactly what you mean?

Children pretend to be other things all the time. They especially pretend to be animals. It is thought that kids are psychologically hard-wired to do this. To them everything is reality so in a way they are becoming an animal for a time being. It helps them develop a kinship with other living beings. This can lead to totemization of other life.

 

[Jeremiah]

People who believe in God teach their children that there is a God. They are brainwashing their children. People who don't believe in God teach their children that there is no God. They are teaching their children to think for themselves.

Imbecilic logic at its best.

The theistic "brainwashing" rarely stops at gods. It most often includes some backwards book, with crazy and sometimes hurtful beliefs.

 

[blackout]

People programmed(brainwashed) by the "norms" of their society,
people who LIVE BY the "unspoken rules" and (current) "norms"
of the society in which they live
and insist that others do the same
by pressure, shunning, criticism, rejection...
can also be just as hurtful and pushy and unjustifiably obnoxious
as the programmed theist.

People generally "go along" with WAY more than they realize,
creating "normalcies", "bests", "corrects" and "shoulds"
(in mind and belief)
where in reality
there are none.

 

[linwood]

People who believe in God teach their children that there is a God. They are brainwashing their children. People who don't believe in God teach their children that there is no God. They are teaching their children to think for themselves.

Imbecilic logic at its best.

I think you`re misrepresenting an argument to the point of creating one that does not exist.

I am an atheist, I teach my daughter to make up her own mind.

How many theists do this?

Thus theistic brainwashing.

 

[linwood]

No, really? I honestly don't understand what people mean when they say that they're letting their kids decide for themselves. It doesn't matter whether it's religion, politics or anything else, kids are going to be influenced by their parents' perspectives, and no matter how hard a parent may try to present various alternatives to their kids and to do so in an objective way, his or her own biases are going to come through, probably when he is least aware of it.

True but this is not "indoctrination".
This is a child emulating one he/she respects.

Indoctrination is purposely teaching your child there is only one correct worldview.
In the case of most western religion it is also backing up this teaching with the threat of eternal torture if the kid doesn`t follow the parents worldview.
That`s indoctrination.

While my child is most definitely influenced by my worldview she has never been taught that it is the only correct worldview.
If I wish her to follow my lead I do so through example and I`m not sure how far that will take her.

 

[blackout]

When a child is not actively and openly presented with other options/viewpoints,
(in a non derogatory manner)
the options/opinions and viewpoints of their parents (and teachers)
do indeed meet the level of "indoctrination".
Their way becomes the only "way" the young person knows.
As well, parents EXPECT all kinds of things from their kids,
and their kids know it.

Weather political, religious, societal, educational, professional, presentational or whatever.

Still even young individuals CAN find their own way/s,
on their own,
in spite of their upbringing.

This is the strength of the individual.

Most parents call this rebellion.

 

[Katzpur]

I am an atheist, I teach my daughter to make up her own mind.

How do you go about this?

 

[Revoltingest]

People who believe in God teach their children that there is a God. They are brainwashing their children. People who don't believe in God teach their children that there is no God. They are teaching their children to think for themselves.
Imbecilic logic at its best.

I prefer to call it irony. Since "brainwashing" is omnipresent, it's an awfully dangerous term to use against someone who just raises their kids differently.
BTW, I brainwash my kids to be skeptics.

 

[Katzpur]

I prefer to call it irony. Since "brainwashing" is omnipresent, it's an awfully dangerous term to use against someone who just raises their kids differently.

I can go along with that.

BTW, I brainwash my kids to be skeptics.

How do you brainwash your kids to be skeptical of atheism?

 

[Revoltingest]

How do you brainwash your kids to be skeptical of atheism?

I let'm go to church with their friends. My daughter actually did briefly.
(I think my brainwashing was more effective than theirs though.)