Wouldn't it be better to teach your kids to think independently, critically and skeptically of anyone who claims to know what God wants or does not want them to do?

Is that any different from being an adult and having human beings and human societal constructs, as flawed as they inevitably are, claiming to know what God wants and doesn't want you to do?

Especially when they stipulate that the belief in their claims, without requiring any evidence is a virtue.

I agree and I have noticed that most people are unable to question the assumptions that they have had thrust upon them their entire lives.

Its like the end of the world stuff all the so called christians say.I keep asking for evidence and they never can provide me with any, and yet they can tell me I am wrong

My parents taught me to think independently. They took me to Church to learn whatever was there for me to absorb. In the end, I was taught to use my mind, my heart, and my experience to be the best person I can be.

I was not taught to not lie because God said so. I was taught that "God said so but do it because it is the right thing to do."

Very apt observation. Along with the concept that priests have a connection to god that gives them this spiritual knowledge, they are also placed in positions of authority in other ways, so spiritual and organizational indoctrination to remove the independent thinking from young children.

So removed is independent thinking, instilled is infallible trust, then we wonder why kids are not coming out about these things.

Its amazing. One may wonder why there is a problem in America with education and then cant figure out whats wrong with the education system.

Ahhhhhhhhhh , rant off. . . .sigh



Jeremy.

I didn't kow this was about priests. Where does it say that?

what does this have to do with the topic?

many religious beliefs have fanatics...and many in those same religions are independant thinkers.

still not sure how the topic connects with the OP

Wouldn't it be better than what? You've got me confused

To be honest, Im not exactly sure what this thread is about.I just assumed that it was about being skeptical about basic assumptions that are taught to us from the time we are children.

Let me explain for those having difficulty understanding...

This was a post about how divine authority can be claimed by anyone, any institution or any society. Anyone from the pedophile to the loving parent, the cult to the church, the Europeans to the Aztecs. The method by which people organize these claims of divine authority is by way of religion.

Religion by loose definition is a set of rules about what God does and does not want. I was wondering whether the inverse would not be better - teaching children to think critically and be distrusting of anyone or anything who claims divine authority, as this would be an absolute power that no human being, institution or society has the right to possess, and cannot ever be disproved or verified. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, some have said.

It doesn't matter if that power is wielded by the bad intentioned or the good intentioned. Just as there were bad Kings and there were good Kings, however, some countries still saw fit to do away with monarchical rule. The principle in and of itself, that anyone can claim knowing what God wants or doesn't want is dangerous.

I think that humans never really cared for what God wanted at all but just did what they wanted to do and used God as a scapegoat. That is how we are now, and how we have always been

is that how u spell paedophile over there?

We also excel at broken English.

knew u were kewl

Try my best.

If you do not get the connection likely you are not a critical thinker.

Likely you where raised to trust religious authority without considering the behavioral ramifications. Perhaps you where lucky and did not have someone take advantage of that trust.

Good for you . . .

Thx



Seems as if you're taking a pretty far stretch on this. Still yeah there is some danger involved as is evidenced only by the very rare occasion where some cultist drives people to very harmful actions. But those cases are very rare. Generally speaking anyone making such a claim unless they match what's currently accepted by whatever faith it is they hold is ridiculed and discounted as a crank.

I have my problems with organized religion, and the "well intentioned" ideals behind much do have some hazards. But the idea that anyone can make claim to knowing Gods will has little effect on modern life. Only the very few will follow and if their actions are harmful they won't be protected on the basis of religious beliefs.

Not to be a hairsplitter, but I want to point out that you have your categories mixed, mostly you are look at Hebophiles.

"With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil — that takes religion." ~ Steven Weinberg, Nobel Prize-winning American Physicist

I would sit here and list all the atrocities and crimes committed allegedly in the name of God throughout history and to this very day ... but I don't have a full day of my life to spare. Perhaps you could do the research yourself. If after doing so, you still think the odd genocide, religious war or religiously-motivated terrorist attack is "very rare"... you have every right to live in delusion. I shan't try to stop you Good day