Organized Religion

A few years ago I saw a billboard at the Minneapolis airport that said, “The trouble with organized religions that think they know all the answers is they don’t allow any questions.” That sums up the Roman Catholicism I was weaned on. In my twenties someone said, “To doubt is to believe.” Another wise saying, neither one probably sanctioned by organized religion. If you are told something as if it were the truth but do not have the freedom to explore that belief to find out for yourself if it’s the truth or not, you’ll never really have a solid foundation of personal integrity. If your parents say, stay away from those neighbors, they’re Protestants (something I was told as a child) guess what? You’ll probably grow up intolerant. I’m afraid I was on my way to hell early in the game when I told my father I would marry a Negro (that’s what they were called when I was growing up) if I fell in love with him. I thought my Dad was going to kill me.  The first thing that Catholic parents teach their children is to obey. Not necessarily bad, but unless coupled with wise words and phrases such as love, freedom of thought, freedom to believe, freedom to trust your own judgment, use your head, that’s what it’s there for, etc. they will raise a robot. That is what a lot of parents want, especially Catholic parents. Maybe………hopefully……things have changed in the world of child rearing since I was a child since this is what my parents attempted to achieve.

Their list of commandments was different than the ones God authored:

  1. Do what you’re told
  2. I’ll tell you what to think
  3. Don’t tell your parents you have no sins to confess to the priest; that’s not possible.
  4. Don’t speak until you’re spoken to.
  5. You can only read those books your parents choose.
  6. No, you may not go to college.
  7. No, you may not have any friends.
  8. No, you may not wear makeup, choose your own taste in music and have opinions on what you like and don’t like in foods.
  9. Respect all adults, regardless.
  10. The only one that bore any resemblance to God’s list was: Honor your father and your mother. I always thought that one should have said, Honor your father and your mother if they deserve it and honor and cherish your children. Didn’t seem to be much mention of children in God’s commandments. I like to think he assumed parents automatically cherished their children.

I especially disagreed with number nine. When I was growing up there were certain adults that gave me the creeps, caused me to feel they were doing something wrong, lied to my face etc. One of them turned out to be a child sexual perpetrator, one was an alcoholic and the last were too many to count. Didn’t matter. In my parent’s mind any human over the age of 21 was entitled to respect. Hogwash!

Even as a child I was opinionated, something not allowed in our family. The punishment? I ate so much soap that my mouth had continuous suds coming out of it. I’m still opinionated only now I don’t get punished for it (although my husband does periodically say to me, “be nice,” not because he doesn’t think I am but because he thinks it’s more important to be socially correct than to disregard those you think don’t deserve it).

A child raised without the freedom to choose his/her own mindset or to even explore new ideas so they can claim some for their own is a robot. That child will be miserable their entire life. Without the wisdom of healthy choices it’s obvious which choices you’ll make. In a world of unhealthy choices, ones that others told you to have, you have a world of unhappy people. They stumble in the dark not even knowing why they are unhappy.

Most unruly, argumentative, feisty and strong willed children are free thinkers and deserve my continual admiration. Parents of the world, unite!!! Raise disciplined, respectful, but free thinking children. Don’t raise robots! You’ll be happy you did.

What do you think?

 

 

 

 

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