Religion Cannot Be Forced Into Your Heart

[Anonymous]

A lot of people grow up in religious households where they weren't specifically given a choice as to what religion they wanted to follow, but more it was taught to or ingrained in them. Fine. But what happens when that young person starts to question their religious upbringings and teachings or their parents as to why they must believe a certain way? What if they want to learn about other religions or even convert or leave religion behind altogether?

I've never understood why parents in these situations fight so hard against a child seeking out other religions or teachings, or leaving their religion behind. Religion is a personal matter that cannot be forced upon someone else without consequences, namely being that, that person is simply doing what you say, rather than in their heart, they have faith and believe in that religion. Is that the message you want to impress upon someone...that it's better they be forced into being in a church, a synagogue, or a mosque every week, rather than they want to be there? I don't know any religious teaching that stresses that those who worship should be there under false pretense.

I think it's much better if a child or friend or whomever is allowed to question. When questions and curiosity about religion are quickly dismissed or stamped out as being "dangerous" to the faith, it's at odds with what religion is. Religion seeks to provide answers to the unanswerable, to illuminate the universe, to help those in struggle and joy, to give one faith when there seems to be none. One should not be afraid or fearful to answer a child or a person's questions about their faith if that person is indeed strong enough in their own faith to provide as much information as they can to help answer their questions. There is nothing wrong with wanting to learn more about other faiths because by learning more about the other, one can learn more about their own and why they feel they should or should not believe the way they do.

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

I agree. That's why I love My God YAH. If you don't want nothing to do with him then so be it. Leave if you desire.

Joshua 24:15:

And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

[DJZest]

The antir christ is on his way to rule the world. People will have the perfectly clear choice between the one true Son of God, and the ultimate servant of the devil.

As to the author of this question - obvisouly has not an inkling of the spiritual reality around her. Religion is theory; fellowhip with God is life!

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

@DJZest: The only thing you can do is present the gospel to them, if they reject it so be it.

[Astoriana]

Very true. I would be much obliged if people stopped trying to convert me.

[BigRayFromNC]

It does not matter what type of house you grew up in or what religion your family believed in as at the end of the day it is up to the person in what they actually believe and have Faith in and no one can be forced to that by anyone else.

I had an episode once as someone tried to force religion on me and going back there was a group of people coming around my area knocking on doors very early on Sunday mornings and they represented a group called "Jehovah Witnesses" and they knocked on my door and I opened the door and asked them what they wanted and I listened to them and kindly told them I was not interested and they left.

About a half hour later they came back and knocked on my door again and this time they were not as nice as the first time and I said to them, "Please wait a minute I will be right back". I went an got my Remington model 870 shotgun, pumped it and opened my front door again and they all saw the shotgun and ran off like scared rats.

They never returned...

[windknowsmyname]

Let me break this down for you. Cause some might agree or disagree.

Your not supposed to argue or test any religion esp the Christian bible. Why? Cause your questions and test already bern done before. Instead of wasting your time and say this dont seem right or this is not right, rather pick a verse that can spiritually guide you to the next level, that can lift you up, and that can do things no man can't.

I questioning is okay cause many people test, questioned, and belittled Jesus and other major names in biblical times. If my child ask if satan fell from sky like lighting but earth was not nade yet, where did he go? Thats okay. But to hear " why did god allow suffering" or " god allowed people to kill children but yet be love all his children." Just stop and look up free will. We do this to ourselves.

In total i agree with this post. You supposed to desire wisdom then get insight. When can learn and grow jus by being told what to do. The flesh will always be at war with the spirit.

[DeeperMeaning]

Parents are to guide there children into the correct ways and if their children refuse to follow those ways and accept them, then so be it. It's their path they have chosen to take. God doesn't force himself on us, either you choose to accept him or not, but you know the consequences, everyone knows the consequences. There will come a day when we all have a clear cut decision to make. Choose life or choose death. Choose God or choose Satan. Hopefully when the time comes you, and I and all humans will make the right choice. Also, love how the christian crucifix is your choice for your picture. You couldn't put a wicca image, or a hindu image? This whole post is obviously directed towards christians and basically telling them to stop teaching their kids about the one true God. This post is so demonic but neither you, nor the other nonbelievers will see it that way.

[sedrftvgyhujik]

I think guide is fine and some are very good parents that are religiose and guide / involve them in the religious holidays etc but don't force them.
Others don't just gide however they force them to go to church and to sing some go to real extremes such as disowning their own children if they find they want to follow another religion or are agnostic or atheists or generally believe anything other than what they do or if there gay and because of their own beliefs they think thats wrong.
That sort of thing can easily ruin people's whole lives.

[myTake Owner]

There are two images in this post.

Wipe thine eyes...

[DeeperMeaning]

I can clearly see both, I'm talking about the first image, the one used as the thumbnail for this post. That is presented separately and then once again with the second image. That is the image used that brings attention to this post, it's always the christian symbol that gets plastered onto anything first, that provides criticisms of religion.

[myTake Owner]

That is your interpretation. If you think looking at a cross means automatically everyone must or will hate it, that is what you feel in your mind, and I can't help the way you feel or how it is you interpret things out to be, but the reality is, just a picture, and this take isn't about hating on any religion, it's about the idea of not allowing any religion to be forced onto someone because faith isn't external. It must be something you feel and know in your heart, soul, and spirit.

[sedrftvgyhujik]

Most users are from the west and Christianity in various different branches is the most popular religion in the west so thats their experience growing up.
But yes it's far from just a problem with Christianity , Muslims probly Hindus , jews and buddhists as well also probably any group of pepole thats idolised their leaders to an extreme extent political or religious.

[bente2]

I was raised in an atheist household and went buddhist for a while. No issues at all. While in a strongly religious household this often would be considered a problem.

I think if you are religious, you should teach your kid the core values and take them to church etc if they want to, but you shouldn’t force them to pray at the dinner table, or force them to believe what you believe.

Where I live, you are taught the basics of the most well known religions: christianity, islam, judism, buddhism and hinduism. We are taught where they come from, what they stand for, what holy books they have.. just the basics. And that is what i think parents should teach their children, no matter their own beliefs.

[slatyb]

I agree, I can no more believe in any religious dogma than I can believe in Santa Claus. You can talk endlessly about your holy book, your feeling that you are in communication with God or Allah or Yahweh or Rama or whatever, but to me it's all just some stuff someone made up. I can't argue about your feelings, they are yours, but to me they are just your feelings, and people feel lots of things that aren't real. You can talk about how your prayers were answered, but I see lots of people who' prayed and prayed and yet they suffer through no fault of their own. So belief is not a choice for me, it's impossible.

[HughJass]

You are actually very right. But it really depends on what religion do your parents follow. If lets say your parents are Muslim, then you can never follow any other religion because it is a punishable act. It's not that Islam disagrees with children and parents having different religion (please correct me if I'm wrong on that sentence), it's the obsolete cultures that will be a karma to you and your child... You know.. stoning, and killing the so called " Infidels ".

But when it comes to other religions, I will not say any words because I am ignorant about beliefs of other religions/cultures.

[lol20075]

You are right when you say religion cannot be forced. I know for a fact some children can be forced to attend church for pretty much 15+ years or so, but in the end some of them will leave cause they never really found a place there. I'm a Christian by the way, and I've been taught that only God knows the spiritual future of everyone. I can become a missionary and travel around the world trying to convert everyone but you have to keep in mind that if you were to preach to a crowd of 100 NEVER expect that you will convert everyone. I mean, if you do, that's awesome, but at the most you probably will convert maybe 20, or 30.

[DJZest]

You yourself do no convert anybody. It is the Holy Spirit of God who speaks through you, who converts people to follow Jesus.

[steveguitar]

Most kids do grow up in religious households, whether good or bad for them. I grew up catholic and no longer believe in it. If I ever have kids I may introduce them to religion, or maybe just to the family celebrations that would occur. Then as they grow up they can either keep it or leave it of change.

I'd rather instill in a child: curiosity, lifelong learning, creativity, reading, writing, skill building, music as a skill and how to spot fake garbage music like most pop. Humility, asking questions

I think the above list (though incomplete) will do a lot more good for a child than religion anytime.

[NotReallyBatman]

Committing to a religious belief/relationship with a deity cannot be accomplished through force. It is as I described it, a relationship with a deity. (Unless you're atheist, agnostic, or deistic, in which case forcing opinions just confirms the stereotype that those religious beliefs are composed of close-minded assholes.) Relationships are like farts, if you force it, it's crap. Don't force relationships, especially if this relationship is with whoever you believe is in control of our lives and our world.

[BrittBratt2416]

God doesn't force Himself upon anyone, He waits patiently for those to come to Him and accept Jesus. So Christians if someone tells you to stop talking about the bible or God, that's not you forcing your're beliefs onto them that's simple them rebelling or rejecting God and just want you to shut up about it cause it could be conviction and they don't like how its making them feel.

[Anonymous]

all my friends with super religious parents are athiest yet all my friends that have parents that believe but dont force are religious. my dad never pushed me and i thank him for that because i found my own way. thats how religion works its the individuals choice no one elses

[OlderAndWiser]

I think the problem most often arises that children simply don't want to attend church; they would rather hang out with their friends or go to the beach and the problem is NOT a conscientious objection to the particular faith or a desire to learn about other faiths.

[Fitness-Fanatic]

I agree! No one should be forced to serve God if that's not want they want. Even God himself doesn't force people to worship him and serve him. That's why he created people with free will. He wants people to worship him wholeheartedly but by their own choice.

[slatyb]

How do you serve God? How do you know what God wants? Or do you let someone else tell you what God wants and do what they say?

[JetplaneJane]

I fully agree, and I am so thankful to have been raised by a father who tried his hardest to never impress his beliefs on me. I was never religious and he knew that, but he never interfered when I tried being Christian, or when I stopped because it all just felt wrong to me. He let me find and learn my own path and I really appreciate that.

[ObscuredBeyond]

Bear in mind, it does say men are without excuse. What a lot of these parents are really afraid of, is losing their child forever. However, they should have someone they trust discuss with their child what those other faiths teach, so that they can become informed without being seduced.

[Anonymous]

Religion is something I very much had to journey to in my own time. My parents laughed at all religions and spirituality, but both my brother and I have followed very spiritual paths. I don't believe God hides from those who truly seek. I also don't think God is particularly concerned if we worship, but more if we treat our fellow man with decency and compassion.

[Wolframium]

You see…religion is a mind virus. I like your article and way of thinking, freedom of choice, but… Religion is mind virus. So no, you cannot have questions, you just must believe. That’s all. And obey, of course.

[razor97]

yes it does, and is making people to convert as many as possible

[Wolframium]

@razor97 Yes, of course, that's main objective of any virus. Spread. And that, what you already have, hold.
Because if you look at their books, rhetoric and how the religion works, it's remarcably close to virus.

[razor97]

@Wolframium ;)

[anametouse]

Nah, religion seeks to control a population. The reason why parents indoctrinate their kids into a religion is because they are under the misconception if they don't then their kids will be fated to burn in hell because they did not accept the teachings of whatever religion.

[jacquesvol]

Billions of children are and were brainwashed into some religion.

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[RachelleDraws]

Very true. I wish people would stop trying to force their religions down my throat. I'm fine if they believe in it and I don't try to force my atheism down their throats, so they shouldn't force their beliefs onto me.