All are united yet seperate on the Spiritual path

Childrens Views on Religion By Asuan Avoris

Staff Writer: Asuan Avoris

Forcing Religion on children, is it a good thing or could you in fact be hurting your children by doing so? This is something I have found to have a bigger impact on the lives of your youngsters than most parents and people think. This is more of a question and answer session than an article but I found it best to do it this way as it doesn’t cut any thing out and you see the answers from the mouth of the child with out them being altered or changed.

I interviewed two different children to see how religion affected them. I of course received the permission of the parents as well as the children, and I hope that you enjoy as well as learn from it.

*note* I interviewed Heather first, she seemed eager to talk with me after seeing that I posted up a small ad stating that I was writing an article and I needed to interview a couple of youngsters (in the presents of the parents of course). What you’re about to read is what Heather told me.

Child 1 Heather: Heather at first glance seemed like a normal child with things going for her even at her young age of 12 (soon to be 13) “I like hanging out with my friends and playing games like soccer and basket ball, it’s a lot of fun. I paint a little I’m not very good at it but it’s still fun for me” Heather told me when I asked her what she liked to do. Well that sure seemed like she was happy but what I found out after talking further with her surprised me. I asked her what religion she followed and the answer I got was “Christian I guess, but my parents do force me to go to church with them. I just don’t see why I should go.“

Now as one that was forced to attend church I can understand how she feels but then I asked her why she didn’t like going despite the fact that she was forced. “ I just don’t seem to feel that connection that my parents do, you know how when you feel as it ’s where you belong. I don’t really feel that at the church” I understood her completely for I too never felt that church connection. I asked her if she looked into other religions and most kids at her age don’t really look for a religion.

However Heather seemed much different, “I’ve read on a few, but I don’t know I cant seem to connect to them. I know my mom wants me to be a good Christian, but it’s hard when you don’t really feel that you should be a Christian” By this time it was apparent that Heather didn’t’t feel she should be a Christian, but she did seem to want to make her parents proud of her as any child would.

Upon further question I learned that a friend had introduced her to the Goddess and Paganism, “ Kara* Told me that her parents followed the path of the Goddess. It was interesting to learn that there was a religion out there that worships a female deity rather than a male. I, of course, haven’t told my parents because they would never approve, the Bible after all says that there is only one god and to worship anything else is breaking one of the Ten Commandments.” I know what it is like to hide this kind of a thing from the parents I had done it to when I was not much older than her. She then told me what I believe to be the truth in her heart, “I love my mom and dad, but I feel that connection when I go to Kara’s* and learn a little of her religion with her and her family. I know I shouldn’t hide it from my parents, but I know that they wont understand.”

I was more curious than ever now and felt compelled to ask her how she felt about worshiping a Goddess rather the Christian God.“ Well I like the idea, My parents feel that connection to God and I’m glad that they do they have their religion. If I would have had a choice to go to church when I was younger it might have been different, but because I don’t feel I belong I have to go about and hide things from my parents. I hope that one day they might understand why I feel this way, but until that happens this is how it’s going to have to be.“ I asked a couple more questions, before thanking Heathers’ parents for allowing me to talk to Heather and they assured me that if I had more question to call and let them know.

What your going to read next Is what Josh* told me when I interviewed him in the home of his parents Kent and Judith.

Child 2 Josh*: 14 year old Josh seemed like you’re average high school student, He was well liked by his peers, was a good student in school, and did every thing asked of him by his parents. Like Heather I asked him what his favorite things to do were and he answered as such, “ I like skating at the park with my buddies Luke and Doug. We also go to the football games at the school on the weekends and cheer our team on.” If that was all I would have gotten to ask him then I would have been pretty sure that he was happy with his life. I asked him next what religion he was into he told me, “ well I sort of have one but I don’t. I mean mom is cool she is Native American and practices the old religion of Shamanism and dad is Irish so he practices what I think is called Druidism.” I was happy I had found a child who was not forced into religion this made it great to compare with my previous interviewee.

Josh* was a very laid back kid in my opinion so I asked him what he liked about his parents religions, “well it’s cool how my mom talks to spirits she says that she has a totem of spirit animals that guard her and help her in life. Dad wears this neat robe and does a lot of praying to his Gods as well as a lot of Rituals.” Two pagan parents in a household, how lucky could one kid be? Pretty lucky I found out as I asked him some more questions.

I asked him how his parents chosen religions affected him, “ well it’s cool to not have to go to church every Sunday like some of my classmates do. Mom and dad teach me a little of what it is that they do and it is really interesting. They told me that I didn’t have to choose a religion if I didn’t’t want to as long as I lived by my values and morals”

Josh* seemed very happy in his life and his parents may not have forced him into a religion they however make sure that he did follow some structure. “ Well things are great in my family we talk about all sorts of things. It’s pretty open in my house and I don’t really hide anything from my parents. I guess over all it’s pretty good here,“ was the reply when I asked Josh* if he had a good relationship with his parents. I asked a few more question and thanked both Josh* and his parents for their time and left with several thought in my head.

How was it that religion played such a big part in the lives of these children? I thought about this as I walked home, then I guess it came to me in a way I didn’t expect…

While religion is important you cannot force it on anyone by doing so you cause them to hate it. Cause and effect in and every day thing in life, while Heather did want to be a good girl for her parents she felt she had hide her searching of different religions from them.

However on the other hand Josh* was able to choose what religion he wished to follow and it seemed that this made him all the more closer to his parents. I doubt that Heather will be a bad child however I cant help but think that other children in her place may end up retaliating as they grow up and this its self is a problem. I don’t know about how you feel, I however believe that Children need more understanding parents if they are to grow up in a world like the one that we live in today.

* names have been changed for safety of the children upon the request of the parents.

Posted on 5/8/2006 at 3:03 pm by Mistress Ravenfyre

Gingerbread Kids

Let the kids have fun in the kitchen by making their own Gingerbread Cookies.

Family Fun has some terrific family ideas for the holiday season. Always have children well supervised in the kitchen when doing crafts and especially cooking!

INGREDIENTS:

Step 1
In a medium-sized bowl, sift the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and baking soda. Set aside dry ingredients.

Step 2
In a large bowl, blend the butter and brown sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, and then the molasses. Slowly add the flour mixture to the molasses mixture, stirring after each addition with the wooden spoon or mixer (the dough should be stiff).

Step 3
Divide the dough in half, flatten into a thick pancake (a fun step for kids set up with a rolling pin) and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours, or until the dough is firm enough to roll (if it becomes too stiff, soften for 10 minutes at room temperature).

Step 4
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. On a floured counter, roll out the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out gingerbread men and a spatula to transfer them to a greased cookie sheet, spacing them 1 inch apart. Bake for 10 minutes, or until light brown.

Step 5
Once the gingerbread men have cooled, invite your kids to pipe on frosting features and clothing (they can make both boys and girls?or even a whole gingerbread family). Add red and green candies for buttons. Makes about 25 cookies.

Recipe from Familyfun

Posted on 5/6/2006 at 2:47 pm by Mistress Ravenfyre