Why do people use peer pressure to create faith?

[Goat Whisperer]

In my old neighborhood EVERYONE was Mormon and until I turned eight I was as well. But not for one moment did I have faith. I went to church every Sunday and the activities after school one time a week. And I did it to have friends. When I turned eight they asked me to commit to the religion and get baptized and that is when I realized how stupid it all was! I didn't believe in religion, I didn't like wasting half my weekend in church, and I didn't like that my friends were asking me to do it. So I said "No" and continued to say it for weeks after (as they continued to ask) I immediately quite going to church and my friends stopped being my friends. And until I moved I only had one friend, a Christian one who, for once, didn't care about my religion.

Why do religious people think that using their children to create peer pressure will force faith on a person?

 

[Peter Parka]

Because they are control freaks and a lot weird in the head.

 

[Hans]

Most people have three common motivations

1)Parent->Children is not something bad. It is the parent attempting to do what they *THINK* is the best thing for their child. it may be wrong or misguided, but it isnt really anything horrid.
2)Some religions praise conversions. Some people want to follow their beliefs by trying to convert people
3)People hate things that are different.

 

[Minor Axis]

Why do religious people think that using their children to create peer pressure will force faith on a person?

Actually they think they are doing the person a favor. That's what some people do. They've made up their minds, they see the truth, it's their duty to save you!

 

[BadBoy@TheWheel]

If you don't agree with them....Then who cares what they think?

 

[lumpenstein]

The key phrase in this topic is "peer pressure". It's the same thing that gets kids started on smoking or drinking or fucking.

Taken to an extreme, peer pressure becomes harrasment.

 

[Wookiegirl]

As a mother 'forcing' my son to go to religious education classes at the local Catholic church, I can say that for me it's all about my child having a religious foundation and he can do what he wants with it. I think it's important for children to have some knowledge of religious principles. I don't buy everything they sell but it's something that bonds our family

 

[lumpenstein]

As a mother 'forcing' my son to go to religious education classes at the local Catholic church, I can say that for me it's all about my child having a religious foundation and he can do what he wants with it. I think it's important for children to have some knowledge of religious principles. I don't buy everything they sell but it's something that bonds our family

My moral standards are all my kid will need- he will never set foot in a church on my account.

 

[Wookiegirl]

have you seen my morals?

 

[lumpenstein]

have you seen my morals?

How can I see your morals when I've never seen a picture of you?

 

[Strauss]

have you seen my morals?

No, but I'd like to explore their limits.

 

[Peter Parka]

have you seen my morals?

No but dont Catholics believe in spreading AIDS in Africa by telling people that its a sin to wear a condom and if you dont do what they say you'll burn forever in hell? Just saying.

 

[Springsteen]

And the same Catholics wonder why people die in Africa of AIDS.

To go off topic slightly, the only way to stop AIDS is to chop the African men's cocks off so they cant breed. Condoms wouldn't work, people just wouldnt use them.

To go back on topic. Religion is force fed in faith schools, and this is wrong, because choices arent given, you can't opt out (well i wasnt able to)or anything so it could be against a persons will.

 

[Peter Parka]

And the same Catholics wonder why people die in Africa of AIDS.

To go off topic slightly, the only way to stop AIDS is to chop the African men's cocks off so they cant breed. Condoms wouldn't work, people just wouldnt use them.

To go back on topic. Religion is force fed in faith schools, and this is wrong, because choices arent given, you can't opt out (well i wasnt able to)or anything so it could be against a persons will.

The reason they dont use them is because in many places they are staunch Catholics and the pope tells them its wrong. The pope has a hell of a lot of blood on his hands as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Wookiegirl]

That's what I said before. I don't buy into everything they teach. Catholism is the religion that my family has practiced for generations. It ties us together. I have my son go so that he can have some religious education because I don't feel I qualify to teach him any of that. That was the question I was answering.

To answer you're question though I've never sat at mass and had them tell us not to us condoms. I've always been taught in CCD and mass etc that sex is for procreation, which is what many other religions teach. I'm sure there are hardcore Catholics that will tell you otherwise, I'm just not one of them.

 

[Mase]

I go to a catholic school despite not having been a catholic for 2 years now. My friends don't give a shit about me not believing in god.

 

[Goat Whisperer]

If you don't agree with them....Then who cares what they think?

Well, when your an eight year old, that doesn't have any friends, becuase you refuse to be religious, and your 'used-to-be' friends parents tell them not to hang out with you any more... well it's kind of hard to ignore

 

[Minor Axis]

To answer you're question though I've never sat at mass and had them tell us not to us condoms. I've always been taught in CCD and mass etc that sex is for procreation, which is what many other religions teach. I'm sure there are hardcore Catholics that will tell you otherwise, I'm just not one of them.

I'm not a Catholic but my understanding is that the Catholic Church's official policy is not to use condoms because if you do, you must be having sex for pleasure which for some reason is viewed as some kind of sin?

Well, when your an eight year old, that doesn't have any friends, becuase you refuse to be religious, and your 'used-to-be' friends parents tell them not to hang out with you any more... well it's kind of hard to ignore

I agree, peer pressure is very effective. Just as much the external pressure to conform, there is the internal desire to fit in.

 

[Wookiegirl]

Well, when your an eight year old, that doesn't have any friends, becuase you refuse to be religious, and your 'used-to-be' friends parents tell them not to hang out with you any more... well it's kind of hard to ignore

I am intimately familiar with the Mormon faith and I agree with you. They are very warm and loving people, until you tell them you don't want to be part of their 'faith'. This is one of the only Christian religions that I've really seen this with. But I don't think overall you'll see this with other Christians.


Oh and Axis - I've heard of it obviously, but I've never in all my years of going to church, school, etc heard anyone say that, that's all I'm saying.

 

[Goat Whisperer]

Your certainly do not. My only friend in that neighborhood was a Christian boy, and were still like best friends today. In fact, he is the other teen doing my project polar bear with me...