Children Shouldn't Have Religious Labels

Children Shouldn't Have Religious Labels

There are some arguments against religion that won't get you very far with most religious people. For example, saying that religion is harmful to society. For most people, their church does a lot of volunteer work and mission trips and makes them feel good, so you're not gonna get anywhere by telling them otherwise.

But there's a certain argument that I think even they will get on board with. And it's one that was popularized by Richard Dawkins in The God Delusion. It's the idea that we shouldn't put religious labels on children.

That means we shouldn't say that a kid is Catholic. Or that a baby is Muslim. It just doesn't make any sense since those kids probably don't know what that entails. I mean, the baby can't even speak, but you're telling me it fully accepts the Qur'an?

That's ridiculous. And yet it happens all the time.

Now, I get why religious parents would want to raise their kids in their religion, but it doesn't mean the kid has committed to it. So we shouldn't be okay with the phrase "Christian child." There's no such thing. There's only a "child with Christian parents."

To paraphrase the example Dawkins uses in his book, it would also make no sense to say: This 2-year-old is a Republican. Or that little girl is Socialist. That kid is eating styrofoam it found on the floor; it hasn't joined a political party yet.

It's almost a joke, but it's actually a really horrible thing when we give kids certain labels before they're old enough to make a decision for themselves on issues they actually need to think about.

And everyone accepts that when it comes to politics or philosophies.

Kids aren't born with specific ideologies. No baby is ever thinking transgender people don't deserve civil rights. Bigotry and beliefs have to be taught. And they can change. And when we assign kids certain labels prematurely, that makes it a lot harder for them to get away from it all.

There's even a debate going on right now about gender, with some progressives saying it's not right to tell a kid, based solely on genitalia, that she's a girl who like dolls and cooking and not sports.

And even if you think PC Principal goes a little too far, I think everyone can admit we assign a lot of traits to children based on our own thinking, and not on what the kids actually want, because they're not old enough yet to start exploring this stuff.

Why do you think a lot of people have to "come out" as being gay? Because they were told from birth that boys are supposed to like girls and vice versa. And when they didn't, they thought something was wrong with them! And there wasn't.

Which, let's admit, is probably why religious people do this. They know that if they waited until kids were, you know, teenagers before introducing religion to them, they'd never take it seriously. Like, the communion wafer is literally Jesus' body? You're got to be shitting me.

It's so much easier to just tell the kid from the moment it's conscious that it's Hindu or Lutheran or Mormon. Those kids grow up thinking, "oh, that's what I am, so I guess this is what I believe!"

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[wallykaspars]

Most parents are terrified at the concept that their kids might think for themselves.

[Croterment]

My baby must be a muslim, he keeps saying "ala la la la ba ba"

[xanderbeck]

I used to be a christian
until i took a logic to the brain.

[alexsere]

I'll say kids are atheists, nonafiliates or agnostics cause it is the default state, religion is taught

[benchattin]

You won't believe how many people say, "you're born Christian".

[avacx]

I am 15 and from Ireland which is mostly catholic, but a lot of young people, myself included are not religious. Your videos are very informative and I'd like to thank you even though I haven't been watching in a long time :-) today in my catholic school we had a mass and I was beginning to get nervous of the teachers were going to say anything to me for not receiving communion but I didn't anyway and I feel very proud of myself for doing that :-) I also asked a non religious friend why they did go up to get communion and she said she felt too awkward which I think is sad that she has to feel this way

[cloejarozenski]

I pray that my babies grow up to be devout Pastafarians.

[Thenotsofly]

This video was re-released because the original video had a cut at the end. Imagine if there was a noticeable cut; cutting out all of 4:28 - 4:40 (This comment if for people that come here and ask "Why did he re-upload the same video?")

[BerylLx]

Raised catholic, I'm now atheist :D
Btw, love the South Park reference.

[CommanderWaddles]

FUCKING PREACH! I've been saying this to people for sooo long yet they looked at me like I was crazy.

[OxygenBeats]

I definitely understand your point, and I totally agree with you.. but at what point do these people get the labels like "christian"? Because most "christian" adults are the same as the child in the sense that they are only saying/doing 'christian' things because they were raised to; because their family and friends have taught them to and have not spent a lot of deep thought contemplating why they say/do the things they do. At what point does the 5 year old saying "you're going to hell" become responsible for his words/actions? Is it simply at 18 years old?

[princeoflies]

I'm actually very thankful for my mother because she didn't baptize me when I was a baby, although she was raised christian and believes in god. She knew it would be unfair to not let me make my own decision and I'd be glad if more parents would think the same way.

[GraceNotGurce]

Being a young atheist in a Christian household, this is so true, and it should be true.

[DscNStuff]

I'm a twelve year old atheist and I converted two years ago. I spend a lot of time questioning ideas and topics, but I do think to tread fairly lightly on things, and I do acknowledge who my audience is. I stay open-minded and I listen to any critcism that is presented to me. Children should be able to be labeled if they themselves are sure about what their religion is. I don't consider atheism a religion, but I do consider it a label. How old do you think a child needs to be to be able to have opinions of these subjects, to be able to decide they believe in something without bias? When I was younger, I went to a presbyterian church. I was taught that the Bible was the word of God, with the idea that it wasn't right in front of me. I knew there are so many religions out there, but I never thought that one of them could be the correct one instead of mine. I believe there is a point in someone's life where they can consider themselves a part of a religion, but they aren't intelligent enough to question it. To believe without influence. Around the age of 5-14. What do you think, Hermant?

[Mason-vfbz]

When I was younger I thought my father was a vampire for drinking the blood of Jesus

[Ramachadras]

In other words, whatever your parents believe in religiously doesn't mean the child agrees.

[jessehendriks]

Honestly, I totally agree. I have "Christian" family. (sorta, the family doesn't really do anything with it.) And yes I did do the communion because my parents wanted it and that's fine, but after I finished with it I told my parents that I didn't believe in God. That I didn't believe in God was my choice, and I made that choice at 7 or 8. (can't exactly remember) because when you subjectively look at specific parts of religion they just didnt and still don't make sense to me. I am happy that I don't have religious parents that will force me to turn "good" (I am openly bi by the way)

[Torvar]

It doesn't apply to atheists. Atheist is a default position. You are atheist be default until someone convinces you of a god's existence. Every child you mentioned that is being called a Catholic child or a Muslim child would by default be an atheist if your line of reasoning is followed.

[AtheniCuber]

"This wafer is **really** jesus's body? you've got to be shitting me."

[mujiescomedy]

I mean, being a girl doesn't automatically mean you have to like dolls and not sports...