In the beginning: In the beginning, we are all children; we all start out as wide-eyed, gullible, trusting children to be molded by the grown-ups. And what they want is people like themselves, people speaking the same language with the same beliefs, habits, and weaknesses. But, there’s more. People want the neighbor’s kids to have all their own familiar characteristics, so they set up schools. Some schools do a fine job teaching mathematics, reading and philosophy. Some schools do an excellent job teaching a broad understanding of all the religions of the world. Unfortunately, most Christian Sunday schools are designed to inculcate a religious mythology that excludes other religions or even paints them as enemies of Christianity.
Children are programmed for survival by evolution to learn by rote at first. They must learn simple absolutes such as, “Don’t leave the cave at night,” or “Look both ways when you cross the street.” Very young children can’t tell the difference between rules that can save their lives and rules based on religious ideology. Critical thinking, if it is encouraged, develops later in life, often too late to save the person from a lifetime of guilt and allegiance to religious thought control.
The appeal: The notion that religious training in early childhood will promote a moral, ethical adult life seems so promising. Unfortunately, there is little evidence that this is true. Morality can and does exist in diverse religious cultures as well as outside formal religion, and it seems to be a product of early training and adult example. We are just as likely to find a healthy morality in an atheist as in a Christian.
Religious training is one of the many so-called good works of Christian churches. Some churches have special classrooms that look like real school classrooms. There are student desks, a teacher’s desk, boards on the wall for writing, displays of student art work, flags, and pictures on the wall. The pictures, of course, are not of dead presidents but of imaginary Bible scenes. In this way, the authority of a real school atmosphere is usurped to facilitate the indoctrination of children. Very young children may not be able to distinguish the difference between fact-based education and religious history when both are dispensed in similar environments.
In these sectarian classes, there is no third party oversight, no teacher certification, no outcome measures, no quality control, and little tolerance for real questioning by students. No clear distinctions are made between fact and miracle, myth and history. No useful life skills are taught. Possibly the most useful skill any child can learn is how to formulate a good question, not something religious educators are comfortable with.
The price: In the United States, churches and their activities are tax exempt, so in some sense this religious indoctrination of children is subsidized by tax payers. One long-term price society pays is the intrusion of religious dogma into public affairs. Students coming out of religious training are often unable to sort religious opinions from what are simple political decisions. For example, if children are taught that contraception and abortions are bad, bad, bad, it is very hard for them to think productively about necessary population control and family planning.
Children tend to take what adults tell them as literal truth. Later in life, they may realize that much of what they were taught in Sunday school could not possibly be true, but by then they may be unable to keep false possibilities out of mind. There may be an ever-present negative self-image because they have lost the capacity for blind faith.
Making money on it: Where would organized religion get its paying customers if kids were not trained from earliest youth to repeat the old stories, to practice the habits of Sunday worship, and to drop money into the collection plate? If these prospective customers were not trained as children, what adult with any critical faculties and emotional control would buy what religion supposedly sells? Well, actually, some do, all on their own.
Of course, for the entrepreneur, religious education can be a gold mine. Every year sees millions of dollars spent by churches on Sunday school paraphernalia: coloring books, canned lesson plans, films, special Bibles, reward tokens for children, song books, and even Jesus dolls.
A once per week Sunday school is not as bad as a full time religious school, many of which operate in the United States. In these schools, underpaid, non-professional teachers are free to do and say what they please. And what they are pleased to do is intertwine religious dogma into just about every subject while enforcing special training and participation in the religion of choice.
Is there a better idea? Let’s outlaw emotional and mental child abuse. It should be illegal to inculcate any religious belief system in children under age 16. Sunday school is a form of mental child abuse that can result in a life of discontent, guilt and intolerance for the views of others. Religious education that covers all the religions of the world is a great elective subject for any school child, but sectarian religious training should be outlawed. I think professional educators know the difference even it the churches do not.
Left alone, a person can grow up to select his or her own brand of faith, or pick none at all. If a child is, in fact, allowed to explore religions after maturity is attained, that person will often find a faith voluntarily, and that’s the best way for churches to find really good customers. Sell it to adults if you can, but leave the kids alone.
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USA says on 2012-02-12 10:09:52 about UhMEoNLzbxiv
jqC5z3 I am glad that your blog is constantly evolving. Such posts only gain in popularity!....
Andy says on 2008-12-31 05:47:41 about The article
I Belive it's a good article, and that children should NEVER be exposed to religion when being young, since they just teach what they want them to hear, not the actual truth or the fact that there is another theory about how we came to existance, they just tell the children "god made you, you better respect that, never question what god folowers say or god", which is dumb in my opinion, Children should get in contact whit religion at about 13, when they have somewhat a knowledge about both religion and the science theories.At this age they should be presented whit both choice, and both of those choices be very very good explained, both of them, one by a priest one by a scientist, and let them chose, don't shape their young minds. By doing so you take them the all morals from them, and make them end up religion fanatics, in a world full of growing people that have denied the existance of a deity
This is my opinion, keep religion out of school till a proper age is reached, when the kid can understand both values, and can actually chose, not being manipulated and forced into beliving in one thing.
To be honest I never leted my children near a religious fanatic, and never went to one of the seminaries, in my opinion their dumb, children shouldn't be faced whit so much crap at such an early age
christian says on 2008-08-25 04:00:56 about www.thecheers.org christian
Let me begin by saying that i really like your blog www.thecheers.org a lot
now.. back to business haha
I cant say that i agree with what you wrote... care to explain deeper?
Grey says on 2008-08-02 15:20:21 about Dumb comments
This is a misguided article that shows no understanding of what christianity is and equally Dan's comments are just as bad. As for fark you how could anyone possibly think this idiot could in any shape or form be religious. Christianity is not a 'religion' it is a complete way of life it does not start wars or peddle lies or seek financial gain and anyone who does is not a true christian but jumping on a 'religious' bandwagon. Historical fact backs up scripture as any well educated scholar will back up.
Its amazing how many people want to have a go at christianity when our whole moral society and law structure is based on it. Without it there is no natural moral order history proves that!! Read your history!! An Atheist has already been brought up in a 'moral' 'religious' society so is unwittingly influenced.
Its frustrating when people comment on christianity without knowing christianity. When you are a bible scholar and a professor of human behavior then I might take your opinion seriously or think you actually have a clue.
ChiselChest says on 2008-05-16 00:40:33 about Cheers.org
This is what happens when people drink before they type - excellent well thought out points... for an 8-year-old.
JIm says on 2007-11-04 22:14:27 about Sunday School
Your article might carry some weight had it included anything other than personal opinion. Lacking any other objective measure, you reduce your argument to that of schoolyard taunting. " I know you are" No I'm not!". You would think a Phd would understand this. Maybe that shows the level of critical thinking required for this degree in some schools. Pity.
Jeff says on 2007-08-08 15:28:28 about Misinformed
You obviously have never attended a Sunday school.
I went to one, my children went, and we were taught to LOVE our neighbors No matter what religion.
The only hate I see is in an article that attacks a religion and a way of life.
Clean up your own back yard, my Friend.
I'll pray for you.
Dan says on 2007-08-08 15:27:06 about Author is right
I've been saying for years that children should not be exposed to religion any more than drugs or alcohol. If there is any validity in a religion, its followers can demonstrate that validity to rational adults. Sending children to church and religious classes is like marketing cigarettes to children. It's just wrong.
"Fark You" comments proves just how hateful and unintelligent the typical religious person is anyway. The world would ultimately be a better place without any mysticism and superstition.
Btw, George Bush invaded Iraq because "god told him to". ...his own words. Scary, eh?
Fark You says on 2007-08-08 14:44:53 about Stupid article
What an idiot farktard you are! Please, move out of your mom's house and quit having sex with the poodle. Just go back to the whold you crawled out of and die. You are living proof that sodomy can produce offspring.
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