IThe first 4 words there show that desoite your adult wish to be free to decide you had no choice as a child. This is true of most religious people. Which is a key question in my OP, should religious education be forced on children. We dont force on them Adam Smiths economic theory which is far less complex than religion.
Sure we do, we start out by foisting our genes on them, be they white, black, whatever, and then we foist our economic class on them, and then our predjudices and beliefs, whatever they may be. And now you wish that we deny them our spiritual beliefs. So you are taking your kids to Sunday school? The mosque? The synagogue? The ashram?? or are you foisting your godless atheistic beliefs on them?? You should be jailed, drawn and quartered!!
I don't believe that in any stretch of your imagination, but am making a point. Your children will be absorbing your beliefs and understanding just as mine get mine, no choice, unless of course you are sending them off to military school or putting them up for adoption.
Sorry over here in the US you atheists have to take the vaccines to get into school, only those with religious objections get the reprieve...hello pandora!
Oh and as for me...the rest of the story...christian yes, non denominational. My mom drug us off to Sunday school, as we moved alot she picked churches based on neighbors and coworkers recommendations, so we were Lutheran, Presbytarian, Baptist and Methodist at various times in various cities and states. My dad never went to church, he refused to go to listen to a sermon and not be able to stand up and question the preacher after the talk. So he stayed home doing projects in the garage/house in the winter and in the yard/garden in the summer. By second grade I was home with dad instead of going to church with mom and my sisters... I'm appreciative of the religious education and impetus to question that my parents allowed me in my youth, I hope my kids are and yours are too. I feel if they hadn't introduced me to the variety the world provides, they would not have done their job. I'll agree with you it is a shame when a child is raised with only one viewpoint, be it any religion or no religion.
So Unitarian Universalists, that is an interesting group. I spoke at a couple different centers, and you talk for 20 minutes and then get Q&A for 20 minutes...my dad would have liked that. They've got all beliefs there, including Atheists, and agnostics, pretty open bunch, I like them, but I don't attend there, it doesn't feed me as much as where I do attend.
And I don't attend a place where we get to stand up and question, we get a sermon. Actually I don't, I get the tapes, I'm busy indocrinating kids with these horrendous mythological beliefs of which you speak.
I've taught little guys and gals but now work mostly with preteens and teenagers...and boy do they question and have their opinions, as I have mine, it is great exploration for all of us. And you atheists are not the only ones that have a problem with our teachings, you are on the side of the orthodox and dogmatic screaming heresy...as
I teach...
-God is absolute good, everywhere present.
-Human beings have a spark of divinity within them, the Christ Spirit within. Their very essence is of God, and therefore they are inherently good also.
-Human beings create their experiences by the activity of their liking. Everything in the manifest realm has its beginning in thought.
-Prayer is creative thinking that heightens the connection with God-Mind and therefore brings forth wisdom, healing , prosperity, and everything good.
-Knowing and understanding the laws of life, also called Truth, are not enough. A person must also live the Truth that he or she knows.
Now our understanding of G!d in no way looks like Santa, nor do we believe there is some critter named the devil...but we teach personal responsibility in our lives, and attempt to nurture thinkers.