Why do parents force church on children?

No, I don't force my children to go to church but that's probably because I hardly ever go to church myself. When I go they go. It's not that I am forcing them, but young children can't watch themselves. I force them to go in the same way I force them to go to the grocery store with me. As far as baptism goes I believe the same as you and the same as most Christians believe. A person should make that decision for themselves. I think that it is mostly Catholics that baptize their children as babies.

There is nothing wrong with parents who take their young children to church. I was raised in the church and I think that it did me well. I really would like to take my children to church more often. Now, I think there can be a bit of overkill in some situations. My in laws have a 10 year old that is forced to attend some type of church with them at least 4 nights a week. I don't think it's always boring for her as there are alot of children type ministries now, but still I think it is a little excesive. I also believe there comes a point in their lives when it is time for them to make their own decision and you have to hope that what you did for them when they were young will last through their lifetimes (if that makes sence). I can remamber when I was a teenager I yelled at my mom one Sunday that i didn't want to go to church and if she made me I would never want to go as an adult. Was it true? I don't know I'm sure I meant it at the time. She actually never made me go again. I still love the Lord and I still have all the same beliefs.

I make my daughter go to church with us because I don't think it is wise to leave a 4 year old at home alone. Seriously as a Christian parent it is my duty.

Joshua 24:15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."

When she is older I will hope she will want to go on her own, but if she doesn't I will ask her to come every Sunday and not give up on her. I don't believe in baptizing as babies, I am Baptist and we feel each person makes the choice on their own. She has not been baptized yet. I was baptized when I was 7.

I wouldn't allow them to attend a church of another religion while they are in my care, when they become an adult that will be up to my children.

Proverbs 22:6- Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Yes I do make my children go to church with me and no I did not have my children baptized I am not catholic and I don't believe in baptizing babies. I believe that is a personal decision between a person of an age of understanding and God. I make my kids go with me because it is my beliefs and I am raising my kids and teaching them the beliefs that I have. Just like with many different beliefs and/or morals and values a person have the raise their kids to have the same. They instill into their children the values they have themselves. In my opinion it is no different with religion. Parents raise their kids and teach them what they fill is right and correct. So I am Christian and I am raising my kids in a Christian home. My family loves God and we have Christian values. My kids actually LOVE church, they enjoy going. As far as allowing them to change religions.... As long as my children are minors living under my roof then they will do as I say!!! When they are adults and are out of my home and responsible for themselves then obviously I can not control their decisions. I would just hope and PRAY my kids would have learned from going to church with me and they would make a decision based on what they had been taught!!

I am going to make it very clear to my son that our families religion is important. My son will go to church with me and my husband because it is what we believe in and we are going to instill the same values in him that we believe. By being a role model and practicing what I preach will hopefully help my son see the importance of faith and religion.

My husband and I are not going to baptize our child when he is little. We would rather wait so that he can understand the importance behind baptism. When he becomes an adult I would not be happy if he changed religions but there is nothing I could do. I hope I do my best raising my son with our beliefs and traditions that he won't want to change religions.

Well, as a 5 yr & 16 mo old my kids don't really have a choice in what we do...whether it's which grocery store I shop at or which school they attend!

Some religions practice fairly harmless things that are closer to tradition than religion. So if your family is into that sort of thing...go for it. If not...then don't! Personally, my faith doesn't baptise until people are older & want to make a public confession of their faith.

Yes...if they live in my house, it's my rules!

No...there was an option of doing a 'baby dedication' but I declined.

If they don't live with me...they can do whatever they'd like.

I like the idea about what someone else said...it's a social network. It's a group of people that share my values, morals, and mostly ideas. So I know that if my kids go play with another family for a few hours, nothing TOO weird will happen while they are in someone else's care. It's a network of support for one another, and a tool to help us educate one another about our faith. We can share trials and tribulations together. It's like a second family that you choose insted of get born into!

Why do people force agnosticism or atheism on their children? Actually, it's just as much a religion as Christianity is, if you consider the definition of 'religion.'

We go to church sometimes twice a week. My son will complain and cry if he can't go because he likes it. It's what we believe in - it makes a difference if you actually believe rather than doing it 'just because.' My children were dedicated, not baptized, meaning we promised to raise them to know Jesus. But if they find something they like better, then once they're old enough to make an informed decision I suppose that's their decision.

ETA: I also think that if you raise your child with no religious or spiritual influences whatsoever, their chances of 'finding a religion' when they're older are pretty slim, simply because they weren't raised around it.

No, I do not make my daughter go to church. She can if she wants. She has not yet been baptized, then again she has not turned one either so we may do that in the future. And her religion is up to her.

I think that if parents really want their children to be faithful, they should not make church almost a punishment. Instead of thinking of church as a time to connect with God, they will think of it as a time where you sit around listening to old people singing. They will always have uncomfortable memories of going to church, and as they get older they might not want to continue.

I don't think you should force your children to go to church, however I do think that if you tell them about Jesus and find a good church with lots of youth based activities such as children's church and R/A's & G/A's that your child would enjoy church. As far as baptism as a baby, that's not forcing it on your child. That's just promising that you'll bring up your child in a Godly home. My children are 9 and 12 and they love going to church. They also got saved and baptised this past October. (their decision). You can't force someone to love God, but you should let God shine through you so that your children will see that this is the way to live. God bless you for worrying about your childrens salvation.

While I am not a parent (and won't be for some time) I would take them to church with me. While I am by no means super religious, I do have beliefs. Church would help give them a core set of beliefs, and as previously stated, it would help them socialize with others their own age and give them a ready made social network. That said I would also baptize them as babies so they have one of the Holy Sacraments at an early age. As they age, they are more than capable of making their own decisions. If they have other beliefs, I am more than willing to let them change, and would support it.

No I don't make my kid go to church but I did as a child. It depends on the religion and how deeply invested you are. I know as a Catholic you are required to teach your child about the church and raise them in that religion (one of the things you promise when you marry in the C church).

I did have my son baptized but more out of superstition than anything else because I am not a practicing Catholic.

So far I've taught him about all religions and am leaving the choice up to him but I think the belief is that a child who isn't raised with religion won't find it later in life.