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I force it on them as much as any good parent forces chores and completing homework on them. I force respect, honor, charity and kindness on them too. If that is something horrible to teach kids then I feel sorry for you...and the boys and girls YOUR children are around.

Actually, children are quite interested in what makes things tick and where everything and everybody came from.

As for forcing... a person can only force so much. We can give our children education, but it doesn't always sink in, and they are capable of rejecting what they learn. And that applies to both religious and secular education. How many times did you tune out during classes at school?

So, yes.... I "force" my beliefs on my children, I also "force" them to go to school, brush their teeth, look both ways before crossing the street, use their manners when they eat, be a good human being, etc.

ETA @ Jez Star...

I have no problems with children going to a school to learn about their religion if that is the parents choice. One of my best friends is a Wiccan, so I don't really have an issue with them or any religious group being shown in a positive light in the media. Actually, when people start bashing Wiccans as a whole, I do my best to defend them. I was pretty ignorant of Wiccans until my friend and I started having some really good talks about each others belief system.

I'm not so adamantly opposed to religious upbringing that I would support a "Big Brother" approach to monitoring these relatively private parts of parents'/children's lives, but here's where I personally draw the line:

Teaching a child what you KNOW is one thing. We all know that if you touch a hot stove top, it will burn you. It is pure belief that, if you don't believe in a certain god/religion, you will burn. As such, I think the latter is wrong to teach vulnerable, gullible children as truth and borders on mental/verbal abuse.

I'm an atheist myself, but I plan to make objective texts on all the world's religions available to any children I may have. I will even take them to a church, mosque, temple, etc. if they are curious and/or purchase religious texts for them (with a forewarning of the violence and cruelty that may be found within). Any personal beliefs I share will them, I will make sure they know are not absolute truth and are just what their mother believes to be true.

How would you like someone calling you arrogant? How would you like someone calling you ignorant or insensitive? Can you even comprehend that your question is offensive?

Whether you approve or not... children are raised in the environment that their parents deem to be appropriate. That means that if your parents are from Asia (for example), their children will be raised in a home that is heavily influenced by their parents' Asian culture. They will (for example) eat more Asian-based foods than western foods. The children will learn about their Asian heritage, and learn of the important dates that are cause for celebration or reverence. And no doubt, the children will be bilingual - learning not only English (if they are in an English-speaking country), but also the mother-tongue of their parent(s).

You have NO RIGHT to criticize how a parent raises their child(ren) -- unless (of course) the parent is breaking the law. If a child is born to Indian parents, you have NO RIGHT to criticize that child's parents for raising their child as a Hindu. If the child is born to Iranian parents, you have NO RIGHT to criticize that child's parents for raising their child as a Muslim. And if you are ever blessed with children of your own, NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT to criticize you on how you decide to raise your children -- whether theists or atheists.

I'm sure that you expect people to respect you for who you are. And I'm equally sure that you would be highly indignant too, if someone tried to change who you are. Instead of attacking people because you don't approve of how they choose to live their life, you should learn compassion. It takes all kinds to make the world go 'round.

Um, I'm sorry, I'm not forcing religion on my children. I've only got one kid, and he's 18 now, and he's an atheist, and has been his whole life, and I love him, and I'd love and support him with any choice he made. He was raised to have respect for all people who behave in an ethical and moral manner.

The only people I've seen him have trouble with are fundamentalist Christians and atheist ex-Christians who still evangelize, just now for their 'no god' god, instead of the god god they did it for in Christianity.

I agree with him that such people are ridiculous, and I understand it's one reason he's not as open as he'd like to be with his atheism...I mean, seriously, if you can't stop proselytizing when you leave Christianity, why bother leaving it? I think we need a different name for those exChristian proselytes than atheist, because most atheists throughout history haven't been like that.

I'm not entirely positive, although I'd suggest it's because their religion suggests there isn't any other option but religion- that, say, "they'll go to hell if they aren't Christian", or that "there is only one religion". Most religions say you should encourage everyone to join that religion {Ugly advertising?}, so maybe it seems to parents that children are easiest to influence or maybe it's that they disapprove of those who aren't religious and won't "allow for their children to join that group." I'm not sure- personally it annoys me as well. I'm rather opposed to religion. It's always seemed to me like an excuse to tell lies and ridicule each other.

Because most parents don't like to be told they are not doing what they think is best for their child. they are simply continuing the tradition, the same way it was handed down to them. It's on the child to eventually break the cycle.

The default will always be Jesus said. But really, what parent doesn't pass on what they believe, whether you or I agree with it or not?

Ask them what they think of muslims sending their kids to religious schools to learn the koran verses by heart and or how they feel about positive portrayals of wicca or hinduism or buddhism on tv. Then, tell them that's how you feel about christianity influencing kids.

EDIT My mother never discussed god with me, when I looked up religion on my own, I remained an atheist, it's not possible for someone who has no idea what the bible represents, to read it as a simple book and think it's true. The same is true for any other religious text.

Because they don't see it that way. They actually *believe* in what they're teaching their children. To them, it's fact. So that would be like someone telling you you're forcing your belief of avoiding playing in traffic on your children.

Because they are too busy telling you you are not a good parent for not forcing religion on your own children.

As humanity gets more wisdom, we would have hoped religion would have fallen away but the ignorant still cling to it like a safety blanket.