Why do outsiders think they have a right to impose their non-beliefs on believing parents?

This question comes up frequently on a forum I initiated with the following question:

Why do parents believe they have the right to force religion on their children?

I guess my standard answer has not sufficed, so I’ll try harder. First my standard answer:

Beliefs are not easily imposed on adults.

I’ll elaborate. A belief is a concept or idea that is held without evidence, without facts. Hense, religious people make a virtue of beliefs. A belief is synonymous with an opinion. As long as adults are just exchanging opinions, not much is going to change. Opinions have no force, no weight, they lack the ability to sway people’s minds. If a person thinks their belief will not withstand challenge, isn’t that an important clue that the belief actually needs to be challenged? Where is it written in the constitution that citizens cannot challenge each other. I’ve never seen this anywhere and in fact the foundation of our democracy was healthy debate. Our founders engaged in the most raucous rambunctious debate you can imagine.

I think the point you may be reaching for is why should atheists challenge parents over the way they raise their children. My rejoinder is why shouldn’t we if we think it is wrong? If your family lives on an isolated island and you are the only family, then what you do to your children only effects you and the children. You don’t live on an isolated island, do you? We may regret what is happening to such an isolated family’s children, but it doesn’t really effect us.

Whatever gives you the idea that others in your community are “outsiders”, as you put it. This “us – them” attitude is fostered by religious groups as a way to solidify support and loyalty. But, it divides us and sets one group against another. Yet another valid reason to challenge believers, so far as I can see.

We humans are social animals and we all depend upon each other unless we are hermits. Don’t we look askance at hermits? Are they not considered anti-social, strange, even threatening?

When I encounter parents here who are really defensive, and many take this to the point of belligerence, it tells me I am listening to someone who is not so confident in what they are doing or they would not overreact. People who are secure in their convictions do not react defensively when challenged because they have carefully thought about their world view and can usually present it calmly and clearly.

People know I am an atheist, I make no secret of this. However, the fact that I am an atheist is immaterial to the question. There are theists who understand and appreciate the ethical question involved. Accordingly, they also oppose indoctrination of vulnerable children. Which, opposition I think, is actually your concern. Am I understanding you? Likewise, many theists support the separation of church and state. It is really not a question of believer versus non-believer.

If parents are raising their children in their faith so that the faith can continue, then they are using their children as instruments and we in the West decided long ago that it is unethical for a person to use another person to satisfy their own desires. It would be like raising a child specifically to be a field hand on your farm or to be a soldier to protect your country’s borders. Hitler was reviled for developing an extensive government program that subsidized German women to be baby factories so he could have soldiers for his army.

A final thought. Can you appreciate the fact that everyone can be thought of as an “outsider” to someone else. We have to get past this kind of divisive thinking if we are going to build healthy happy communities.

Related articles by Zemanta

• An insightful personal narrative of an apostate (endhereditaryreligion.com)
• Liars for Jesus (endhereditaryreligion.com)

Posted on Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009 at 8:03 am in Childhood Indoctrination, Children's rights, Parental rights.
Related Posts No related posts.	Share/Save Subscribe via RSS! or Follow EndOfReligion on Twitter!