I can't be too sure how widely seen this disturbing documentary by award-winning director Amelia Hann is other than in the UK, but I can safely say it's not enough.
I wanted to write a blog entry on why raising a child as religious is child abuse, but upon remembering Baby Bible Bashers, aired in the UK a few months ago, I recalled how utterly shocking it was. Such a fantastically made documentary highlights the disgusting consequences of the belief system of such dogmatic and pious parents far more effectively than I can hope to.
The other day I heard a Christian child sitting behind me on the bus asking his mother what would happen to his Muslim friend when he dies, the mother answered with a predictably self-righteous "He'll go to hell". This documentary highlights why religion should never be drilled into children at such an intellectually naive and easily susceptible age. Watch it.
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12 comments:
Well, at least the New Yorkers have got it right. Still, I hope that kid learns to think about is beliefs, instead of just holding on to them and screaming.
New York is a Godless city.
So this video makes all Christians like that?
My kids get brought up in the ways of God but they have very normal lives.
All the video shows is that there are eccentric people in every walk of life. At least the parents aren't having sex with them. That is abuse.
Of course not all Christians are like this, but it makes a very good point about forcing your own religious beliefs on your children.
Filling a child's head with images of eternal hellfire and fear and guilt is child abuse.
Teaching your kids that God doesn't exists is worse by far.
God exists whether you think He does or not.
"Teaching your kids that God doesn't exists is worse by far."
I intend on teaching my children to think for themselves. They have no hope if you insist on brainwashing them with threats of eternal hell fire before they even have the opportunity to make their own minds up.
That's child abuse, whether you like it or not.
My kids do have brains! They do very well at school and excel in everything they do. They are provided for and loved and they go to Sunday School. My older kids go to church too.
How is that Child abuse?
BTW, the second 'al' comment is me too. I changed my handle cos of the other guy in the first comment is 'al' ,which wasn't me.
"BTW, the second 'al' comment is me too. I changed my handle cos of the other guy in the first comment is 'al' ,which wasn't me."
Ahh I see..thanks for clearing that up. I was wondering what was going on there.
"My kids do have brains! They do very well at school and excel in everything they do. They are provided for and loved and they go to Sunday School. My older kids go to church too.
How is that Child abuse?"
Nobody's saying your kids aren't intelligent. Maybe you underestimate the effect it has on kids when their parents tell them something. It becomes very difficult to shake yourself free from religion if it's been forced on you from an early age. I'm sure they're very happy kids and very intelligent, but that was never the point.
It's child abuse because you're not letting them make their own minds up. Plain and simple. Would you FORCE your political opinions on your child? Your religion is your choice. Let your children make their own choices before you fill their heads with images of the devil and hell and demons and eternal pain if you don't do A, B and C.
They're children.
Is what I do any worse than telling kids their ancestors were monkey's. Or worse, single celled sea creatures, worse than that - the result of an explosion?
Have you ever seen evidence that makes you doubt evolution? If not I can show you some.
Who said I didn't let them make their minds up? They go to schools which teach evolution. They get more of that than they do of anything I have to say.
My kids ask me questions and I give them my answer.
Do you not do that? If your kids asked you about the origin of man, would you say, "I'm sorry, but I cant tell you for fear of brainwashing you; you must make up your own mind?"
I think you'll find most don't.
"Is what I do any worse than telling kids their ancestors were monkey's"
Evolution doesn't say we evolved from monkeys. Monkeys are modern animals, we evolved from apes.
Besides, why would THAT be child abuse? You're missing the issue. Christianity fills children with fear and guilt. There are innumerable psychological studies that go on to prove some of the effects of filling a CHILD's head with such disturbing thoughts as consequences to their actions.
"Have you ever seen evidence that makes you doubt evolution? If not I can show you some."
I'd be very interested, yes. Thank you.
"My kids ask me questions and I give them my answer."
There's a difference between expressing your opinion to your child as your opinion and forcing your opinion upon them. I obviously don't know how you raised your kids, but you're the one that posted a comment saying raising children as Christian was fine. Not that raising children that decide to be Christian is fine.
As a parent it's your obligation to provide your children with an unbiased platform on which to base their OWN religious beliefs. If you "raise them Christian", you're not allowing them to do this.
"Who said I didn't let them make their minds up? They go to schools which teach evolution. They get more of that than they do of anything I have to say."
I can tell you now, what you have to say about it means a hell of a lot more to them than what their teachers have to say.
Is sending them to school to learn about evolution only for them to come home to be told by their parent(s) that it's all a lie the whole world has bought into just to deglorify God REALLY "letting them make up their own mind"?
There's a distinction between your opinion and what your child should view as fact. As a parent it's your obligation to distinguish between the two, before teaching your child it.
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