Post by nellie on Apr 29, 2011 17:06:30 GMT -1
How do you feel about the question of raising children in a pagan framework?
This is something that in my experience is very emotive for pagans of all kinds. Many find the idea of raising children INTO any faith totally against the grain. I understand this as to begin with this was my own stance.
Since then I've felt the matter to be less black and white as I once thought.
Is it wrong to guide children to any particular faith?
Does bringing a child up in a particular faith give them sound spiritual foundation which they can later build on themselves or does it limit them?
Do children benefit from some sort of spirtual education?
Is there such a thing as giving a child too much space in this instance? In the trying to give a child the freedom to chose their own spiritual path is there a danger of giving too little guidance?
I have very christian friends and in the past I was too quick to pronounce (though I kept my views to myself of course!) that it was wrong how they 'chose' to join their church so young when they knew nothing of other options. While I still think this to some extent, as an adult I also see the benefits that being raised with religion has given them. Not only are they thouroughly decent human beings (which is no mean parenting achievement in this day and age!) but they also have a certain peace about them. They understand what a spiritual life is and it does guide them. It is the strong foundation of their lives. There is also a strong element of community and a strong support structure that almost seemed alien to me as a teenager that had had no spiritual guidance at all. In some respects what I had seen as parents enforcing something limiting to their child's freedom I later came to see that in some ways was a gift during some hard times.
These are questions I ask myself almost constantly, and in a way it is humbling.
Do we fail children by forcing a religion upon them or do we fail them by leaving them desperate for some spiritual life that remains unnourished?
For myself I try to walk the middle ground, and sometimes that is so vague that I lose sight of where it lays, though I continue to try. I try to lead by example, so that my children see what I do but there is no expectation that they have to do the same. If they show an interest in something I am doing I allow them to join in and explain as simply as possible.
The raising of children is something relevant to the entire community, sharing in this kind of spiritual guidance, so I ask these questions to all of you regardless of whether you have children or not. How do you feel about pagan parenting?
This is something that in my experience is very emotive for pagans of all kinds. Many find the idea of raising children INTO any faith totally against the grain. I understand this as to begin with this was my own stance.
Since then I've felt the matter to be less black and white as I once thought.
Is it wrong to guide children to any particular faith?
Does bringing a child up in a particular faith give them sound spiritual foundation which they can later build on themselves or does it limit them?
Do children benefit from some sort of spirtual education?
Is there such a thing as giving a child too much space in this instance? In the trying to give a child the freedom to chose their own spiritual path is there a danger of giving too little guidance?
I have very christian friends and in the past I was too quick to pronounce (though I kept my views to myself of course!) that it was wrong how they 'chose' to join their church so young when they knew nothing of other options. While I still think this to some extent, as an adult I also see the benefits that being raised with religion has given them. Not only are they thouroughly decent human beings (which is no mean parenting achievement in this day and age!) but they also have a certain peace about them. They understand what a spiritual life is and it does guide them. It is the strong foundation of their lives. There is also a strong element of community and a strong support structure that almost seemed alien to me as a teenager that had had no spiritual guidance at all. In some respects what I had seen as parents enforcing something limiting to their child's freedom I later came to see that in some ways was a gift during some hard times.
These are questions I ask myself almost constantly, and in a way it is humbling.
Do we fail children by forcing a religion upon them or do we fail them by leaving them desperate for some spiritual life that remains unnourished?
For myself I try to walk the middle ground, and sometimes that is so vague that I lose sight of where it lays, though I continue to try. I try to lead by example, so that my children see what I do but there is no expectation that they have to do the same. If they show an interest in something I am doing I allow them to join in and explain as simply as possible.
The raising of children is something relevant to the entire community, sharing in this kind of spiritual guidance, so I ask these questions to all of you regardless of whether you have children or not. How do you feel about pagan parenting?