Debate Should teenagers have the right to choose whether they go to church or not?

Me=blue

Let's try not to get too personal here...

 

ya i think thats incredibly horrible that your forced to go to a church especially to something that you dont believe in. im an agnostic and i would hate it if i was forced to go listen to all that bull

 

I'm amazed that even though the majority (above 80%) of people (Religious and Non-Religious people alike) agree on the basic fact, they've found something else to argue about.

 

Wow, just wow. God does not condone killing unless it is for food. I hate it when you compare God to a Unicorn, it's a horrible analogy to go by.

For starters it is your parents not God that is forcing you to go, so you are comparing parents to unicorns, secondly if your parents tell you to kill for your own benefit it is wrong and unjustified unless it was self-defense.

That argument you made is completely invalid.

Teenagers hate things that bore them, all part of being young. You would much rather be sitting on the couch in a corner playing games then going to church. It's done for a reason, not because your parents want you to suffer or use it as a punishment but because they use it as a method of trying to get you to believe or improve your faith.

What? Being forced to go any place is not abuse, your parents can force you to go to work with them and it is still legal, they can force you to watch political news and it is not illegal.

Being forced to view something the same way your parents view it is not wrong, as long as the approach is not extreme. But wasting 2 hours of a week to go to church hardly sounds like a punishment to begin with.

You do have the rights to choose your damned religion, it really does not matter though as your parents can teach you whatever they find fit, wait until your 18. Because they are not whipping you at church or beating you for refusing to go. They are just going to take away your Xbox hardly a punishment.

If your children became Christians you would probably try to tell them there is no God, would it be wrong then?

They are doing what they think is best for you, what other explanations do you want for them forcing you to go to church?

 

Can you please not say that, it's offensive to his religion.

Also, what about the famous global massacre God committed in Noah's time?

I'm saying, most people agree that it's a bad thing, but still there are arguments between those people who agree.

 

I kill a cat a day so I think Charlie will finaly let me go to candy mountain ! :]


Ontopic no one especialy parents should not force a child to do anything no matter what it is. The child should have a choice as long as the child doesn't effect its self or others potential or safety. this isn't just a religion arguement its a more broad one.

"Should parents force children to do what they see as right"

^thats the argument not if children should go to church.

PS when I was little I went to church as a punishment or at least I saw it as one and sunday school as one lol. So boring acting like you believe in something so silly. <thats my opinion I just out grew god like I did with holliday characters because its practically the same thing if you think about it.

 

I honestly never knew someone could be forced to go to church.

 

Well believe it lol.

 

But what if they told me killing cats would get me into heaven? Many religions justify killing in return for ???? profit.

 

Here is a general rule that I feel strongly about: no one should be forced to do anything.

Note: This rule may not apply at all times, but it does now. For example, we must force murders to remain in a cell.

"Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance." Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

This means that I can believe (or not believe) in whatever or whomever I want. I have the right. None of that bullshit saying I am under 18, so my parents can control. No, people cannot force me to believe something.

But wait. What is religion?

religion-a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.

Source

Let us study the first part.

Religion is a set of beliefs.

belief-confidence in the truth or existence of something

Source

Church would the practice of acknowledging the supposed truth in the beliefs, right? Why would someone go if they did believe?

If I truly had the confidence in the truth, for example, of the "10 Commandments" and the punishments for disobedience, I would surely arrive at church each Sunday. However, I do not.

Secondly, what gives my parents the right? Parental control is preposterous. Conception gives them the right to control me? If my teacher tells me about God, he/she can go to jail, but when our parents do it, they are heroes.

By the age of 13, I firmly believe the general population can form their own beliefs.

Yes, teenagers should have the right to choose whether they go to church or not.

 

I have not read this entire thread, so if this quote has already been posted, my apologies. I think this quote applies to this thread perfectly:

"Anyone who thinks sitting in church can make you a Christian must also think that sitting in a garage can make you a car."

Do you think this quote is false? I think that enough listening in any kind of religious setting can change attitudes both directions; I would like more opinions on it.

 

To extend on this further, he means that you can force a kid to go to church all you want, but unless they're truly committed towards that religion, it's not doing anything. You can keep forcing them to go, but the fat's already in the fire.

 

There are many factors involved, and it simply isn't an easy yes or no answer. Most teens in America need to learn how to have satisfaction without going to extremes. Many teens in America thus don't know how to be thankful for what they already have. My point of view is that you shouldn't be discussing this openly with anonymous people who, for the most part, are atheist. Instead, you should just hear out what your parents have to say (not just your parents, but any teen who's facing this problem).

So yes, I think people should have religious freedom, and they technically do... but teens, on the other hand, don't seem to fully grasp what religion can really mean, and thus shouldn't have the ability to do just as a mature adult can do.

 

It doesn't mean anything if you aren't indoctrinated into it.

 

ER1C0, it would've saved a lot of time if you'd just said:

"No. Because you, Gollygeeanelite, are too naive to understand how awesome super fabulous being a Christian is. You're too thankful of the computer that you bought with your own money, and you don't deserve religious freedom. Even I, ER1C0, don't deserve religious freedom, because were both not mature adults".

Illuminating ER1C0.

Because anonymous people don't deserve opinions? What about them being his parents makes them right?

His religious parents. His religious parents who care more about their own happiness's than their son's. His religious parents who want to force their beliefs onto him.

Role reversal time:

Imagine if you will a boy being raised by two parents. The boy is 14 and already believes strongly in Christianity. His parents are two Atheists, who insist on not letting the boy visit church and explain to him why there isn't a god every chance they get. His parents threaten that if he goes to church that they will sell his bibles and drain his bank accounts.

Do the parents really have a right to force their beliefs onto their child?

 

Yes, exactly. Parents have every right to force their beliefs on a child. I see nothing wrong in this, whatsoever.

 

I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not, but I hope you are :/
I think it's ok if parents want to influence their child's religious status by promoting and educating their child, but FORCING your kid into a religion is wrong. Saying, "believe this or you're grounded" is messed up. We're all born with religious freedom, and that freedom should be excercised.


Unless we all want to move back into the 17th century...

 

First of all, that would have only saved 4 minutes, at the most.
Secondly, that would be a definite understatement of what I originally said.

Nice job taking 10 minutes out of your time just so you can make me look bad.

No, you are twisting my words, yet again. You're just making yourself look bad.

Did you not see the whole "..who, for the most part, are atheist."

Well, the fact that they're the closest people to him should say something.

Okay, let me get this straight. Some kid tells you that his parents want his kid to be religious, and what you get out of it is:

It's safe to say that you have no idea what you are talking about. Not even an accurate clue.

Parents have "rights" to their child. They have the ability to apply what they want on their own child.

Kids move out of their parent's house, you know.

Force, to the point of application without unnecessary abuse, yes.