First international day of protest against hereditary religion

I’m starting to float the idea of organizing an international day of protest against the religious grooming of children. This is a big undertaking, but simply talking amongst ourselves will never change anything. Discussion is enormously helpful in making us understand the problem we face, but until we serve constructive notice on parents and institutions nothing is going to change.

After engaging in thousands of exchanges with parents and some clergy, it is clear to me that perpetrators are in denial that what they are doing is harmful and shrug off all the evidence that indoctrinating kids victimizes anyone. The glaring unethical abuse of children’s religious freedom is incomprehensible to them.  No amount of debate will ever change these people because they have the false notion that they are acting nobly and will argue that their god commands them to indoctrinate their children. Their holy text is plain as day.  Unfortunately, liberals have allowed parents free exercise of religion rights to become entangled with children’s rights to make their own choice about religion.

Slave holders in the south were incredulous when abolitionists pointed out the ethical problems with one person owning another person. Likewise husbands could not fathom why anyone should object to them hitting their spouses. Spouse abuse is still rampant among Muslim families. The same goes for smacking children. Perpetrators cannot discern anything at all wrong with beating their wives and children. How else is a man supposed to retain his authority? Ethical blindness and patriarchal privilege are constant companions.

We would need dedicated organizers on every continent and in most major cities. Also, web sites to coordinate efforts, and public relations people to help advertise the project. We should consider every tactic activists typically employ: bus ad campaigns, billboards, radio, tv promotions, letters to editors of print media, marches, and rallies with headline speakers. Perhaps we could line up some of the top freethinkers, family law and human rights experts, and secular activists.

We should pick a date carefully that ties in with a selected theme: End religious child grooming now! PR experts will be on that, I am sure. Policy papers should define the issues and explain strategy. What if we could get millions of people to participate?

If you wish to support the international day of protest and if you have a twitter account, use the hashtag, #endhereditaryreligion. Send a tweet indicating you are willing to work on this project and in what capacity. Or go to our forum topic established for discussing and planning the event

http://www.endhereditaryreligion.com/forum/topic.php?id=50

Ideas are welcome.

Children are ethically entitled to an open future.

The End of Hereditary Religion .