Originally posted by FabianFnas
The world's population is 6.9 billion people. Of these 1.9 billion are christians. That makes 27% of the whole population.
And 1.1 billion people are muslims, which makes 16% of the total population.

If you were right in this, that parental influence of religion is not important? Then one out of six Amerikans would be a muslim. And one of each four in ...[text shortened]... tal influence are the most important factor when deciding in what religion you want to belong.

If you were right in this, that parental influence of religion is not important? Then one out of six Amerikans would be a muslim. And one of each four inhabitant of Bagdad would be christian. I don't think this is very realistical.

Not at all. While I deny that parental religious commitments do not as a whole have a significant impact on their children, that does not mean that there are other pressures. In the Middle East, for example, it is not likely parental influence that pressures children to maintain their Islamic faith; rather, it is the cultural dominance of Islam and the systematic persecution of Christians that discourages conversion.

The fact is that an increasing number of Westerners are identifying themselves as atheists. Churches are reporting rising numbers of lapsed members while many converts happen to be the most ardent members. Obviously religious affiliation is no longer familial but follows very different influences.

Originally posted by Conrau K
[bIn the Middle East, for example, it is not likely parental influence that pressures children to maintain their Islamic faith; rather, it is the cultural dominance of Islam and the systematic persecution of Christians that discourages conversion.[/b]

Yes, there is a very strong cultural dominance in these countries. But in a child's religious upbringing the parents are always the most important. That's why their children most often follows their parents religion.

And the same goes for the western christian countries. Most christians have christian parents. No difference in this aspect.

Originally posted by FabianFnas
Yes, there is a very strong cultural dominance in these countries. But in a child's religious upbringing the parents are always the most important. That's why their children most often follows their parents religion.

And the same goes for the western christian countries. Most christians have christian parents. No difference in this aspect.

But in a child's religious upbringing the parents are always the most important. That's why their children most often follows their parents religion.

That's hardly something to be taken for granted. I do not think that children most often follow their parents' religion. Certainly deeply religious parents tend to form their children with the same religious convictions but, for the most part, most children, as they mature, tend to abandon their parents' religion. If you enter an average church, you will likely find a number of elderly people whose children have lapsed and possibly converts whose parents were religiously apathetic. Furthermore, a very sizable number of marriages are mixed, that is, with parents from different churches. One parent then will likely forgo any influence over their child's religious upbringing.

Originally posted by divegeester
Do you come a religious family where pressure was exerted, or do you have experience of someone who does and has had either a positive or negative experience? How hard is it to break away and make a self-informed choice? Was there pressure or condemnation for the person who does break away?

Any thoughts or experiences on this?

I was not pressured as such, but rather brought up as Christian by default. If I was going to be religious, I would have been Christian. I was expected to go to Church and taught from a young age that God existed etc.
I did live in a Christian society ie most people called themselves Christian (whether or not they actually went to Church on Sundays).
Here in Cape Town however I there are much more Muslims and non-religious people. I have never really been asked about my religion by anyone. Religion only really comes up when it comes to eating as you then have to check who is Muslim and has special eating requirements.

Originally posted by Conrau K
That's hardly something to be taken for granted. I do not think that children most often follow their parents' religion.

I might agree if you are talking about religious vs non-religious within say a Christian society.
But I can almost guarantee that if you walked into a Mosque here in Cape Town, most of the attendees would have at least one Muslim parent and if you walked into a Church, most attendees would have Christian parents or grandparent (and not both Muslim parents).

I do realize thought that in Zambia, Christianity is only a few generations old, so at some point, nearly everyone is a convert or a decedent of a convert.

Originally posted by Conrau K
[b]But in a child's religious upbringing the parents are always the most important. That's why their children most often follows their parents religion.

That's hardly something to be taken for granted. I do not think that children most often follow their parents' religion. Certainly deeply religious parents tend to form their children with the same r ...[text shortened]... . One parent then will likely forgo any influence over their child's religious upbringing.[/b]

When yoiu write "most often", does that mean over 50% or does it mean over 90% or even over 99%?
When you say "religion", do you mean "religion" or do you mean "movements" like methodists, pentecoastals and such?

You're right that when the young ones moe from home and creating their own family, then many tend to form their own opinions and deviate to another church. but to another religion? No, I don't think this happens very often. Some, yes, but marginally.

But you have a point. I deviated from my parents, and I don't follow their views. For a period of tim I was a seeker but I settled down to what I am now. But, at that moment, I could very easily change to another movement, even a NewAge one, but I didn't, thanks god.

In Sweden we are more muslims in number now than before, but I think that doesn't mean that people change their religion, but more of the immigration from Islamic countries.

Originally posted by galveston75
Deuteronomy 6:5-7 (New International Version)
5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ...[text shortened]... wing love for a parent or parents to be actively teaching God's word to their children daily?

I agree that it is right to teach children the way, I'm wondering at what point teaching becomes emotional pressure.

Originally posted by josephw
Yes. I was beaten into submission. 🙄

Was there what you would consider unwarranted pressure?

Originally posted by duecer
my parents were not religous at all. they never went to church. I on the other hand went to church all the time as a kid. My best friend was a church kid, so I went with his family. When i had kids of my own, I never pressured any of them to be active in faith. I did require they go occaisionally because I wanted them to make an informed decision about faith. All my kids have a spiritual life now, and they do it on their own with no pressure.

My parents are religious but not brought up so themselves, far from it in fact.

Originally posted by twhitehead
I might agree if you are talking about religious vs non-religious within say a Christian society.
But I can almost guarantee that if you walked into a Mosque here in Cape Town, most of the attendees would have at least one Muslim parent and if you walked into a Church, most attendees would have Christian parents or grandparent (and not both Muslim parent ...[text shortened]... few generations old, so at some point, nearly everyone is a convert or a decedent of a convert.

I might agree if you are talking about religious vs non-religious within say a Christian society.

Well, yes, I primarily had the Western Christianity in mind.

Originally posted by divegeester
I agree that it is right to teach children the way, I'm wondering at what point teaching becomes emotional pressure.

I agree totally that no one should be forced into anything, even a religious belief. If ones heart as they say is not in it, they sould be able to follow whatever they want.
I was never forced into what I believe and I'm not aware, as some here believe, that any of my friends that were raised as Witnesses were ever forced either.
But as with any religion some of them did choose differently and that is fine.

Originally posted by galveston75
I agree totally that no one should be forced into anything, even a religious belief. If ones heart as they say is not in it, they sould be able to follow whatever they want.
I was never forced into what I believe and I'm not aware, as some here believe, that any of my friends that were raised as Witnesses were ever forced either.
But as with any religion some of them did choose differently and that is fine.

I was never forced into what I believe and I'm not aware, as some here believe, that any of my friends that were raised as Witnesses were ever forced either.

A quick Google of 'ex jehovah's witnessess' reveals many forums and websites detailing such allegations. Here's a sample -

http://exjehovahswitnessforum.yuku.com/

http://www.exjehovahswitness.net/

http://www.exjw-reunited.co.uk/

Originally posted by Proper Knob
[b]I was never forced into what I believe and I'm not aware, as some here believe, that any of my friends that were raised as Witnesses were ever forced either.

A quick Google of 'ex jehovah's witnessess' reveals many forums and websites detailing such allegations. Here's a sample -

http://exjehovahswitnessforum.yuku.com/

http://www.exjehovahswitness.net/

http://www.exjw-reunited.co.uk/[/b]

yeah yeah, usual tabloid nonsense by disgruntled ex witnesses who could not keep our high moral standards, believe everything you read on the net dude? here is Galvo, brought up a witnesses telling you that he was not coerced or forced, who are we to believe, those with a grudge or those that are happy in what they do? there is an ex witness where i live, has a website, was kicked out for failing to live up to the high moral standards expected of a witness, posts a whole lot of filth and i mean just pure filth about us, doesn't tell you why he was removed, nor would you want to know!

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
here is Galvo, brought up a witnesses telling you that he was not coerced or forced, who are we to believe, those with a grudge or those that are happy in what they do?

We can believe both surely? The two claims are not contradictory.
Galvo says he was not coerced (nor his friends), others say they were. Why should only one be telling the truth?

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
yeah yeah, usual tabloid nonsense by disgruntled ex witnesses who could not keep our high moral standards, believe everything you read on the net dude? here is Galvo, brought up a witnesses telling you that he was not coerced or forced, who are we to believe, those with a grudge or those that are happy in what they do? there is an ex witness where ...[text shortened]... mean just pure filth about us, doesn't tell you why he was removed, nor would you want to know!

"our high moral standards"?
I would like to dispute this.