QUESTION OF THE DAY: What effect do you think it would have if children had to be mature first before choosing their religion?

Personally, I believe quite a lot of difference! I was born into my religion as a Roman Catholic and was steeped into it for a few years until I was 23. All my family were Catholics and so everyone had been baptised and confirmed, along with all the rituals we went through at that time. Then I gradually discovered that the Catholic God I worshipped so avidly was only interested in punishing his flock with all kinds of fire and brimstone. There was little love, just constant talk of sin and negativity. Everything humans did was bad and would be punished.

I left the Church over 40 years ago, when I started to think for myself about the kind of life I really wanted, and it had little to do with continuous vengeance, guilt or punishment. I preferred love instead, and have not practised formal religion since. Best thing I ever did for my contentment, spirituality, and quality of life.

I think we all just fall into line because parents set the trend and standard. and kids have to follow until they are more mature and can make up their own minds. I am sure that if children had to make their own choices when they are older, as I encouraged my children to do, instead of being dragooned in from birth, religion would probably be far less influential than it is now, but it would also be far more meaningful to its practitioners.

And what's your story? Are you religious or not? 

How did you come to this point?

#religion #personalchoice #children