How do you teach your children Religion or spirituality?
Some years back, there was a time I used to facilitate bible study discussions with early teens in church. Teens between 13-16 years (In SDA, the age group is called "Realtime") I liked interacting with that age group considering am professionally trained to teach students of that age group. They're inquisitive while other times they can just decide to look at you talking 😆
Anyway, there is this day. I think we were discussing about justice and how God is just with people. Then came the question time. One boy asked "How can we say God is just while all he has done in the bible is be a terrorist??" I was like, A what? I asked him to explain. He told me how he had been serious about studying the Bible and he found alot of terrorism by God in the old testament. He gave an example which by the look of things he sounded hurt and so passionate.
He said that it seemed to him like terrorism how Egyptian first born sons died so that the Israelites could be freed. He said that there might be a family in Egypt with only one son, who had no idea who Pharaoh was, lived in poverty, but had to lose their only son just because God was showing his power to Pharaoh. He said he imagined how women were wailing in the morning finding out their sons are dead because of something they had nothing to do with. So his question was, why would God punish innocent children and yet we say God loves Children? Why would God not punish Pharaoh alone? Again, God wanted to kill those children as, he quoted Exodus 9:12 (But the Lord hardened pharaoh's heart that he could not listen to Moses or Aaron....). The boy said only terrorists kill innocent people for political agenda or power struggles. The boy also asked why do christians even celebrate the Passover while innocent children died that day??
The point is, Teenagers give zero chills when it comes to teaching them religion or spirituality. They don't just buy the threats of burning in hell or the promise of heaven. They ask real questions. Well thought questions after they have done their research. That's why defiance about religion and changing religious beliefs starts in teenage years.
The question is, are you a religious parent? If you're not affiliated to any Religion, are you spiritual (do you believe in a higher power than yourself)? If you are, most of the time parents like passing their religion and spirituality to their children as that is viewed as the ideal. However, to impart beliefs in a higher power beyond reason might not always be easy when it comes to children. They will have to ask tough questions. Especially if you're the shallow kind of a believer who depends on their pastor to tell them what they believe in. If you can't explain your religion, why would you even teach it to your children.
The world is diverse. There are about 10,000 religions in the world. Each of them follow distinct practices and values. There are also those who believe in other higher powers like the gods of their ancestors and the like.
As a parent, if you have to teach your child your religion, you can't afford to be vague. I hear Muslims start classes for children when they're very young. For christians, they sometime seem vague to this generation. They just sell fear to children about heaven and hell. Which leaves the child with so many questions. If the child happens to read the bible and interpret it as a literature book, you'll get real questions that you will find you have been overlooking for years and the pastor never preaches on it.
Religion and spirituality is a personal choice. However, since most of us are religious and spiritual, we can't afford not to talk about it.
Are you religious or spiritual?
Parents, how do you make your child to believe in a supreme being?
What things were you told about God growing up or any other supreme being that didn't make sense to you?
What questions does your child ask you about God?
#joyinsights
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