Quote:
Originally Posted by Grizabella
I don't at all believe in indoctrinating children, but I can see the position of the parents. The religious parents usually do truly believe that their children are in some form of spiritual danger/will not have an after life/will go to hell if they aren't appropriately raised in their religious fashion. They truly believe they are protecting their children. More scientific people who do not agree with the religion may point out brainwashing and how its detremental to the child, but are we abusing the rights of the parent to not let them protect their child in whatever way they think they need protecting?
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If the parents are brainwashing their child, and we know of the said parents, then there's a responsibility to report it. They do have the right to teach the kids but to abuse them, no. For example, let's say a couple has a kid but the kid gets very ill from some disease. Instead of doing what most people would do and bring the kid to the doctor, the parents sit around and pray while the child begs to get treated and slowly but surely dies. Let's also suppose you are very well aware the child is ill and that the parents are doing nothing but letting the kid suffer. Would you consider that worth reporting as being child abuse? The parents have a right to religion but they don't have the right to abuse the child. So, if you were the observing person, would you let the parents continue and the child surely dies, or would you report it, or would you be bold enough to take the kid to the hospital? Let's assume the disease is medically curable and the parents and you both have the resources to finance and take the kid there.
Religion isn't needed to instill moral and ethical values. Let the kid decide from themselves once they're old enough to understand it, what to decide.