Would you force your religion on your kids?

[Real Korimyr #9]

Coming late into this thread.

My religious beliefs cannot be forced upon someone, since the gods I worship don't accept coerced prayers and my spiritual philosophy is about recognizing one's self as the source of all moral authority and spiritual power. It would be counterproductive to attempt to force someone to follow these beliefs.

I will do everything in my power to encourage my children to realize their own power... but I can't make them do it.

 

[dthmstr254]

Coming late into this thread.

My religious beliefs cannot be forced upon someone, since the gods I worship don't accept coerced prayers and my spiritual philosophy is about recognizing one's self as the source of all moral authority and spiritual power. It would be counterproductive to attempt to force someone to follow these beliefs.

I will do everything in my power to encourage my children to realize their own power... but I can't make them do it.

So in other words, you are a New Ager. Just being blunt.

 

[Real Korimyr #9]

So in other words, you are a New Ager.

Through a dark mirror, perhaps. New Agers tend to believe that everyone has the right to follow their own path-- and that everyone is equally capable of following their path, should they so choose. While they see themselves as their own arbiters, they believe that they are only fit to make moral judgements for themselves and that they should refrain from interfering with or harming others, unless the others are doing harm themselves.

That's the right-hand path.

I am a left-hander. I don't believe that everyone has the right to follow their own path without interference-- only that some people are incapable or unwilling to walk mine, and that it's pointless to try to force them. My moral authority to swing my fists does not end where the other man's nose begins; I am limited only by the limitations of my power, and I will use my power as I see fit to impose my vision of moral order upon the universe.

The reason I don't come across like a raving psychopath is that my "vision of moral order" happens to include a great deal of courtesy, and because I understand that berating and threatening people is an ineffective means of promoting my values.

Just being blunt.

Don't worry about offending me. You would have to try a lot harder than that.

 

[Alex]

I would teach my children, or try to expose them to, as many different beliefs as possible. Then they can choose their own way. The same for all other things in life.

My parents tried to impose their Catholic religion on me by sending me to a Catholic school. They were very disappointed when I told them I was an Atheist because they had spent so much money on my private-school education. My response was, "That is what you get for imposing your beliefs on someone else." Luckily, religion was the only thing they really tried to impose on me, so I did not have much to complain about in that sense.

 

[dthmstr254]

Through a dark mirror, perhaps. New Agers tend to believe that everyone has the right to follow their own path-- and that everyone is equally capable of following their path, should they so choose. While they see themselves as their own arbiters, they believe that they are only fit to make moral judgements for themselves and that they should refrain from interfering with or harming others, unless the others are doing harm themselves.

That's the right-hand path.

I am a left-hander. I don't believe that everyone has the right to follow their own path without interference-- only that some people are incapable or unwilling to walk mine, and that it's pointless to try to force them. My moral authority to swing my fists does not end where the other man's nose begins; I am limited only by the limitations of my power, and I will use my power as I see fit to impose my vision of moral order upon the universe.

The reason I don't come across like a raving psychopath is that my "vision of moral order" happens to include a great deal of courtesy, and because I understand that berating and threatening people is an ineffective means of promoting my values.



Don't worry about offending me. You would have to try a lot harder than that.

I don't worry about offending nobody. My goal isn't your acceptance or even my own acceptance. My goal is toward that of a higher power, and not even your fists coulod impose your view onto me. Now, that isn't saying that if someone wanted to use that method to impose their views onto me that I wouldn't show them my own ability to defend myself (black belt, 'nuff said:2razz: I'm even better if I have a staff or blade, cane, whatever, because I make that weapon like it's just an extension of my own arm). Anywho, I ain't gonna start a fight, but I sure will finish it if I have to. Then, a week later, I'll show up at your door and have a man to man talk about our beliefs. Turns out very effective with people who think you should earn respect in such a manner. Otherwise, I will just talk to you. I'm Christian, I'm not pansy.

 

[Real Korimyr #9]

My goal is toward that of a higher power, and not even your fists could impose your view onto me.

Well, I'll leave aside the issue of "higher power" for now.

Of course my fists can't impose my views onto you. They can only force compliance-- and only them from people who are afraid of being beaten or killed.

On the other hand, with a Jacuzzi bathtub, a straitjacket, a gas mask, and an aquarium setup... I could impose practically any beliefs I wanted on any person I could get my hands on for a week or two.

Unfortunately... that wouldn't actually serve my purposes. It's just fun to think about.

Anywho, I ain't gonna start a fight, but I sure will finish it if I have to. Then, a week later, I'll show up at your door and have a man to man talk about our beliefs. Turns out very effective with people who think you should earn respect in such a manner. Otherwise, I will just talk to you. I'm Christian, I'm not pansy.

Ain't accusing you of it. I was just pointing out the differences between my views and "New Age".

In any case, I'm not the type to go around hitting people, either; I just don't accept this liberal notion of "rights" that's been adopted by most of the Western world for the last couple centuries.

You've got the right to do anything you're physically and psychologically capable of-- neither more nor less-- and everything else is just the stories you tell yourself to make it easier to sleep at night.

 

[dthmstr254]

Well, I'll leave aside the issue of "higher power" for now.

Of course my fists can't impose my views onto you. They can only force compliance-- and only them from people who are afraid of being beaten or killed.

On the other hand, with a Jacuzzi bathtub, a straitjacket, a gas mask, and an aquarium setup... I could impose practically any beliefs I wanted on any person I could get my hands on for a week or two.

Unfortunately... that wouldn't actually serve my purposes. It's just fun to think about.



Ain't accusing you of it. I was just pointing out the differences between my views and "New Age".

In any case, I'm not the type to go around hitting people, either; I just don't accept this liberal notion of "rights" that's been adopted by most of the Western world for the last couple centuries.

You've got the right to do anything you're physically and psychologically capable of-- neither more nor less-- and everything else is just the stories you tell yourself to make it easier to sleep at night.

Well, I believe I have the right to live. And that is one right I would fight for. Ain't afraid of death, just would rather go by the Uppertaker than the Undertaker, if you catch my meaning.