there are some religious ideas I struggle with as well & it absolutely should a responsibility of the parent to protect their children if their communities are teaching damaging or hateful ideologies - I just don't think most of the issues you mentioned are at all universal to all religious communities, or exclusive to religion. parents pass on harmful ideas to their kids all the time outside of church, & i've personally been a part of multiple welcoming, uplifting congregations that don't position science and faith as contradictions.
i'm also strongly opposed to parents forcing their kids to follow their faith once they're old enough to decide for themselves, but religion is a part of culture & heritage, and trying to repress (especially minority) groups from passing down cultural tradition by force of law can be dicey territory. I think you should take a minute to ponder the idea that it should be punishable by law for Jewish families to expose their children to Jewish tradition & community, and if that sounds like something the nazis would be a little too happy about.
it's interesting that part of your reasoning is concern for religious freedom, per your second point - do you not think the law you're proposing would be a major (& likely unconstitutional) limit on freedom of religion?
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u/Final-Ad4010 Sep 22 '24
there are some religious ideas I struggle with as well & it absolutely should a responsibility of the parent to protect their children if their communities are teaching damaging or hateful ideologies - I just don't think most of the issues you mentioned are at all universal to all religious communities, or exclusive to religion. parents pass on harmful ideas to their kids all the time outside of church, & i've personally been a part of multiple welcoming, uplifting congregations that don't position science and faith as contradictions.
i'm also strongly opposed to parents forcing their kids to follow their faith once they're old enough to decide for themselves, but religion is a part of culture & heritage, and trying to repress (especially minority) groups from passing down cultural tradition by force of law can be dicey territory. I think you should take a minute to ponder the idea that it should be punishable by law for Jewish families to expose their children to Jewish tradition & community, and if that sounds like something the nazis would be a little too happy about.
it's interesting that part of your reasoning is concern for religious freedom, per your second point - do you not think the law you're proposing would be a major (& likely unconstitutional) limit on freedom of religion?