It does certainly appear that any form of institution, be it political, social or religious, is really scraping the barrel if it openly pursues the indoctrination of children, practically from birth. One thing that has always struck me as strange is how children can be baptised before they can speak – a little way off being able to make an educated decision on such matters one might say.
I also find it strange that in all forms of Christianity, with the apparent divinity of their beliefs in Christ & God, that there is a need to baptise children as soon as possible; surely if there was such evidence that gave us all this undeniable conviction that what the Christian churches preach is absolutely true, we would all eventually end up going to get ourselves baptised sooner or later as we would see the proverbial ‘light’. Yet this is not the case. The connection between education and religion is not favourable to the church; higher levels of education mean lower levels of church attendance and vice versa – strange coincidence.
Then, one might want to consider the parents’ point of view; they are often not practising believers but they do it to keep up with the next door neighbours and not be thought of as different. Or perhaps because their own parents would like to see their grandchildren baptised as they were. Hence, it is self-perpetuating, revolving not around so much faith as keeping up appearances and perceived social pressures.
As a child I remember wanting to be baptised because I saw many other people’s children baptised. I clearly remember asking my parents ‘Mum, when can I get christened?’, the response came ‘when you are older you can decide whether to do so or not’. I’m still waiting to see the light and so far I have only perceived a dimly lit candle, slowly burning down with rather dim prospects for the future. Don’t get burnt by the wax on the way down, friends.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_and_children
http://www.zuneboards.com/forums/religion/36803-indoctrination-children-into-religion-esp-christianity.html
