What do u tell ur children about god n ur religion??

i am currently watching the view n a good topic came up about children n religion n the effects it has on children...

the main question "what do u tell ur child when they ask if god listens to them???

being muslim we are very insync with our religion and god... we teach our children about our religion and what comes with it etc.. our religion is very out there as our dress n peronal appearance is easy singled out.. in saying that we are not extreme islamic but we follow the path and are happy with in our family to practise this... we dont push our beliefs on others n majority of our friends are christian.. my mum is atheiast n so is my brother n sister.. my dad is catholic
so we r wel rounded when it comes to that front..
my children believe in god n follow religion n to add abit of differency my eldest too are christian as they are from a different dad n their dad is chritsian orthodox but they understand both and are comfortable with everything...

my question is how does ur religion play a role in ur lives?? n in ur childrens lives??
if they asked u about god n many of the questions they do ask what is ur response??

and as they age n get to the age to choose for themselves would u repect it?? or how would u deal with it n others remarks??

We're more spiritual than religious (like believing there's some sort of afterlife, but no "god" of any kind) so we'll be letting our kids make up their own minds about that sort of thing. That said, if any of my kids decide to believe in any set religion, I'd have a hard time with it and try my best to help them see sense. (Gosh that's hard to say without being offensive... I know it will cause offense, so I do apologise to anyone who takes it that way)

Not having children myself, I can only tell you hypothetically and what my own experience growing up was :)

Since I was born my parents took me regularly to our meetings (church) and out witnessing. I used to have the Bible Stories on tape and would listen to them when I fell asleep, I had my favourite stories that I would ask for. Mum says I used to always ask for 'cut bays, cut bays!', which was the story of King Solomon and the two women who both claimed a baby as their own :) When I was very young I had a drawing book and pencils for the meetings, and then as I got older I had my own bag and books, a little songbook and bible and bible story book or great teacher book. I was encouraged to quietly read during the meetings, and not play around or make too much noise. Then as I got older and started choosing to participate I had the same publications as everyone else, and learned how to study them in advance so I could answer up. When I was 7 years old I started giving talks, just 5 minute ones with another sister. I would write them and Mum would check them and help me with them. When I was 11 I decided I wanted to be baptised, so my parents helped me go through the necessary steps to do that. I regularly went witnessing and made it a goal in school holidays to do what we call Auxiliary Pioneering, which at the time meant spending 60 hours witnessing in a month. I've never celebrated birthdays or Christmas in accordance with our religion.

My own children will be brought up the same way. If they choose to leave, or choose not to get baptised, then that is their choice - I can't say I'll be happy about it, obviously, but I will accept it.

Well I'm a neo-pagan and DH is more buddhist than anything else - but we will raise our children to believe in whatever sings in their heart - be it our beliefs or not. If they hear about God from some other source and wants to learn more about God, I will find an appropriate person to discuss this with them - either a priest or someone that I know is religious and can discuss all the properties of that religion.

My children will decide what religion/belief structure suits them, I will tell them what I believe in, and why - but I won't say its the only thing TO believe in and that they have to. My family are anglican and I wouldn't have wanted them to do that for me, so why would I do that to my children?

We are Christian and plan to bring DD up with the same beliefs. I try to incorporate learning about her religion into her daily life already. I buy lots of books so she can start to learn the stories of the bible, etc. If she asked me about God I would just tell her what I know to be true from the bible. When she is old enough to choose for herself then I would hope she would choose the same as us because we have bought her up that way.

DH and I are both Christians and will raise our children in that way - sharing our faith with them and taking them to church etc. One of the highlights of my day is sitting down with DH and DD1 and reading through her devotional (it is VERY simple for a 1 year old). We are hoping that this habit continues while she is a child and teen and she begins to form her own personal relationship with God. I don't think you can force faith on anyone, it's something you can expose them to, pray for them, guide them, but eventually they need to make it their own.

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my question is how does ur religion play a role in ur lives?? n in ur childrens lives??
if they asked u about god n many of the questions they do ask what is ur response??

and as they age n get to the age to choose for themselves would u repect it?? or how would u deal with it n others remarks??

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I'm a Buddhist and Shel doesn't subscribe to any religion, and we've decided to bring our kids up knowing about different religions and encouraging them to learn and decide which one feels right.

I am very religious, but am also aware that Jazz may not have the same feelings about Buddhism so I'll answer questions and allow her to participate if she wants. If she wants to ask questions of another religion I'll have to seek someone out to answer because I know a little bit about a few religions but definitely not enough to qualify me to answer any questions!

If she wants to practice another religion then that's fine. My thoughts are that she has a right to follow her heart and how can I tell her to believe in something that she doesn't believe...? Most people think I'd be against her practicing Christianity, but I'm not. I just hope that with whatever religon she follows, she practices compassion and respect and understanding to every other being. I think that's what I'd tell anyone who expresses any concern.

This was my parents attitude to religion. They have always respected my religious decisions; to explore and eventually follow the Buddhist religion, and I never felt any hesitation to talk to them about religion, and they were always happy to help me find answers.

i agree with alot of the posts on here i am the same if my children decided to look into other religions etc i think i would be abit apprehensive but at the same time i was never raised muslim so i repsect everyones beliefs... i actually used to go to sunday school and chrisitian camps when i was younger so im an open person.... very open...i actually encourage my kids to look into other religions as this is i think one of the most important aspects in a varity of cultures n any info is good info

Keike- my aunty is a witness too and that soloman story with the two woman was my favourite story when i was younger n still to this day the actual moral of the story is very important too me... i love it n its very close to my heart..

Tenibear- at the end of the day this is ur child and wat eva reaction u have is totally urs... no one can judge u nor take offense as many ppl have their own outlooks on life n religion..

and i was actually christened by my mum n dad when i was 11 months old..

I am a Christian and recently my DH has become one too. We take the kids to church most Sundays, and my youngest three children go to bible playgroup once a week as well as Sunday school. My eldest has religious education at school, which at present is Christian based only. TBH I would like it if he was taught about other religions as well, and if they kids choose to be baptised when they are older I will be over the moon, but the decision is theirs.

We are Christian too and the children have grown up with Sunday School, from a young age I have read their childrens Bible and other various books. They also have RI at school.

Regards,
Dianne

Although I'm not religious DS wouldn't have a hope of getting religion! He is far too literal. I was discussing this with some other mums with Aspergers kids - one is very religious but her poor son just trembles if you tell him Jesus is in his heart, God is all around etc. He can't comprehend it and completely freaks out.

I just tell my DS "this is what some people believe" when he asks questions. We can go further with it later.

I really think that kids grow up with ways around them n appreciate the fact that the world has sooo much too offer kids r like sponges they soak up everything.. I don't think there is any wrong or right answer n no wrong or right religion I think all is beautiful... Tbh I think all our kids r going to grow up with the right knowledge in their heart as long as we stay honest to ourselves we teach our kids to luv n embrace all as equally as we would want to be too

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I really think that kids grow up with ways around them n appreciate the fact that the world has sooo much too offer kids r like sponges they soak up everything.. I don't think there is any wrong or right answer n no wrong or right religion I think all is beautiful... Tbh I think all our kids r going to grow up with the right knowledge in their heart as long as we stay honest to ourselves we teach our kids to luv n embrace all as equally as we would want to be too

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Hi Amali,

I find this approach interesting, it's different to the way DH and I will approach religious education of our children.

Many religions teach that they are the only truth. I do believe there is one and only one true religion (which implies that the others are wrong), that's offensive and arrogant to some, but it is the reality of what the Christian faith is about. I will teach my daughter that the Christian faith is the one truth faith, so the challenge for me is to teach how how to be a loving caring tolerantmember of society while not compromising her beliefs.

I realise this might be offensive to some, I hope it comes out in the right manner :). It's very hard to word it without coming across confrontational (which I am not trying to be!) but this issue is usually viewed differently by those who follow a religion that claims to be the only way, versus those that claim to be one of many ways.

PX

DP and I are not religious at all but we will teach our children the ethics and values that we believe in. The girls are free to make up their own minds as to their own beliefs but I hope that they will be tolerant and non-judgmental of others.

I know what you mean PX, I just didn't know how to say it :) The one thing my parents really drilled into us was that even though we believe we are the only true religion, doesn't give us the right to be rude or nasty or arrogant. 'love the sinner, hate the sin'. The story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman comes to mind, she was so surprised that a Jew would speak to a Samaritan, a female one at that!

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I know what you mean PX, I just didn't know how to say it :) The one thing my parents really drilled into us was that even though we believe we are the only true religion, doesn't give us the right to be rude or nasty or arrogant. 'love the sinner, hate the sin'. The story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman comes to mind, she was so surprised that a Jew would speak to a Samaritan, a female one at that!

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Phew! I'm glad you knew what I meant :).

It's harder to teach a child tolerance when you believe you are right and others are wrong, than teach a child tolerance when everyone is right.

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It's harder to teach a child tolerance when you believe you are right and others are wrong, than teach a child tolerance when everyone is right.

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I do like what I wrote in my first post... I just hope that with whatever religon she follows, she practices compassion and respect and understanding to every other being. I think that's a pretty good set of values. Teaching from the story Keike has shared, that Jesus respected, felt compassion for, and even healed those who didn't believe or agree with him... a child could understand that? My parents had a really nice set of Christian bedtime story books full of stories about Jesus and other Christian themes, which taught really nice messages, and if I was a Christian finding it hard to about teach respect and compassion to those different from myself, I'd probably look towards books like that.

I was raised Catholic and I have baptised DD, but mainly so she can turn to a religion if she feels she wants to.

DH was brought up without any religious instruction and feels very out of depth in churches etc. I think it is important to expose children to some understanding of various religions so they can make up their own mind.

Personally I am wary of a religious way of life that is exclusive as I think all religions should be mindful of each other- but that is because I am not into literal interpretations of faith, but rather I see all religions as a continuum and basically trying to acheive the same thing.

I was raised Catholic and I have baptised DD, but mainly so she can turn to a religion if she feels she wants to.

DH was brought up without any religious instruction and feels very out of depth in churches etc. I think it is important to expose children to some understanding of various religions so they can make up their own mind.

Personally I am wary of a religious way of life that is exclusive as I think all religions should be mindful of each other- but that is because I am not into literal interpretations of faith, but rather I see all religions as a continuum and basically trying to acheive the same thing.

It's a tricky one because I don't believe in what I believe without believing I'm right IYKWIM.

My H and I are atheists and in the same way that we're vegetarian I'd be sad if my children didn't grow up to understand the logic behind our choices and choose to follow them themselves. Sure, I tolerate other people's choices and I would tolerate my child's choices and expect them to tolerate others too, as with most areas of diversity.

As for teaching about diversity in religion I guess we teach that other people have a variety of ideas about the world but we debate and question and discuss in our house so they would see that we pick things apart. We have already sat at the dining table in the evening with our two year for example, with the bible out and discussing the nitty-gritty of what is written in genesis vs what people practice. We question how faiths interpret their holy texts, who wrote them etc etc. We never say "this is wrong", but rather "I wonder why some people believe this?"

Like I said ppl are allowed to express freely wat I meant by no wrong or right answer is everyone is going to follow their religion cause to each there's is right... I believe mine is true but I respect other ppls rights to believe n follow there beliefs n even educate me on the differences without getting me upset n angry.
Too debate is fine too I think it opens up the gates for information
Like I said ppl can love their religion n also be proud of it
But if sum1 of anufa religion questions or debates it's logic n meaning do u get offended or take it as a way of educating a person??
But back to the question at hand? When ur child asks " does god really listen to me? Wat do u tell them?
Ppl who don't believe in one religion I respect u I really do... Like I said there is no right or wrong
N in any religion I'm pretty sure it will say never to pass judgement on anyone as only god can judge?
I believe that wit every inch in my body...

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When ur child asks " does god really listen to me? Wat do u tell them?

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I can't imagine my child asking a question in that context as I've never told them god is listening to them... but in answer to your question I would probably say "Do you feel better by talking to god? Maybe it helps you to organise your thoughts. If you ever want someone to talk to I am always here to listen too".

Meow thank u... :) that's wat I wanted to see if the question arises how would u approach it??

When I went to school, we had to do religion. In those days, religion was basically different types of christianity so I chose church of england.

My parents are buddhist but that wasnt an option in religion studies then.

Anyway, throughout my childhood, my parents never forced us to follow anything, although they encourged us to participate in their prayers, it wasn't forced.

My siblings and I even went to church when we were younger, my parents would drop us off and my brothers are christian.

I am a believer of both. Although this may be hard to comphrend to some, as I have had this reaction before, I believed Jesus existed and so did Buddha and they were extrodanary people that helped out those in need.

I hope to bring the same choices for dd. If she wanted to be a christian I will support her, if she wanted to be buddhist, muslim, I too will support her.

I hope I havent offended anyone in my mish mash of a post. I still keep in contact with my Sister of the church and also go to the temple a few times a year.

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When ur child asks " does god really listen to me? Wat do u tell them?

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I will tell her yes He does! Because that's what the bible says.

What about you amali*baby?

I tell them he does n that he is all around them n we pray 5 times a day to let god well Allah to us which means god know that we luv him n abide by him I also tell them if they ever feel any different to cum talk to me n if I can't help them I'll find someone who does... My kids know both Muslim n Christian as they attend a catholic school also so I'm happy for them to learn about any religion