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Originally Posted by noosab
Hello Mary,
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Hello noosab, and welcome to our friendly forums!
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Originally Posted by noosab
I am an Agnostic who was raised in a very religious family. My father is a deacon in the church. My family has chosen to accept me for the way I am. Now does that mean that they don't try to convince me? Of course not. Faith is something you should have within yourself. You may choose to guide someone, but know that you cannot force them to believe in a religion.
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I completely agree! I would never suggest "forcing" a child to believe, because that's not really possible. A child would only grow up to see the manipulative parent's control diminish. No, what I'm suggesting is to encourage a child to know why they need to have faith. Constant reminders help. For example, in the western United States and Hawaii, Americans are understandably anxious about what North Korea might do with regards to launching a nuclear attack. Children are naturally nervous about this as well. I would encourage parents on the west to be honest with their children, let the know the effects of radiation, the burning skin, the blinding light, the coughing up blood and scraping away loose skin, and loosing clumps of hair at a time. Let them know they can expect to see many of their little friends die slow, painful deaths. Remind them their animal pets will die as well, if not from the radiation, then from being left behind as families race to the mountains to escape the fall-out. Children have fabulous imaginations, they can "see" this play out in their little minds. Parents can then, after calming the child down and maybe helping them clean their vomit, remind them that this will be less than what God has in store for sinners who go to Hell. This kind of pain and misery will never stop for the sinner. Remind them that they are sinners, and this is the kind of justice God has set up since Eve ruined things in the Garden. This isn't forcing them to believe, this is letting them have pertinent information so they can make an informed choice.
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Originally Posted by noosab
Spankings and beatings does not help to guide a child. It only helps them become scared of the parent. I personally chose to shy away from religion because I am a firm believer of science.
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If you believed in science like you say you do, then you would know that "behavioral conditioning" is a powerful tool for guiding behavior. Just as Pavlov got his dogs to salivate at the sound of a bell, the parent can get her child to tremble at the opportunity of sin.
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Originally Posted by noosab
I have read the Bible and Studied every aspect for this religion but in the end science won my heart. It's great to guide someone but just know that you cannot force someone to believe.
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This is precisely why the Bible warns us about following our hearts.
The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Jeremiah 17:9