Parent Asks How To Punish Son Who Doesn’t Want To Go To Church, Gets Hilarious Advice
Some people see their children as mere extensions of themselves, and are positively outraged when they discover that the little bastards have somehow developed – (shock!) – opinions and beliefs contrary to their own.
Image credits: Charles Hutchins
This parent appears to fall into this bracket. Seemingly baffled that their dearest son doesn’t share their own enthusiasm for spending precious Sunday hours trapped in the confines of a stuffy church, they took to Quora for advice on how to ‘punish’ the heretic for his astonishing renegade stance.
“My son told me he doesn’t want to go to church anymore,” they opined. “How can I punish him?” The responses were largely thoughtful and restrained, offering cautious advice on freedom of thought, and warnings against forcing religion on anyone. One response, however, took the cake. Offering the kind of sage wisdom that the likes of Homer Simpson would approve, the perfect punishment was suggested.
People had lots to comment on the suggested punishment.
Other people started sharing their own similar experiences.
226Kviews
Share on FacebookI am a Christian and am strongly against any and all churches. A church is a business and the more people come to this realization, the better. Do not force your children or anyone for that matter to go to church. I have honestly never felt more uncomfortable anywhere than in a church. Punishing a child for not wanting to attend a church service will most likely result in that child resenting the church and the religion his or her parents practice.
As an atheist, I am very impressed by your statement. It' s not the faith, it's the Organisation what causes the problems (not only Christian churches, but ALL religious organisations)
Load More Replies...Whether you believe in god(s) or religion or not, you should still try to be a kind respectful person (in my humble opinion)
I would actually say FIRST become a kind a respectful person and then maybe and only maybe people will be willing to listen about your religious beliefs.
Load More Replies...Uhm, maybe you shouldn't force religion. I'm all for education and learning about/understanding religion. But you can't make someone believe. You either do or you don't.
Yup, my mom constantly laments how she "made" my brother and I go to church as kids--sometimes multiple times a week...so we SHOULD have been Christian as adults! She doesn't understand why...and I am done explaining.
Load More Replies...What's wrong with people. Jesus wouldn't punish you for not going to church. Maybe talk to your child? Show them that you care and that you'd be happy to share your beliefs with them, but accept their concious choice?
Have you actually read the bible. He would be taken to the edge of town and stoned to death.
Load More Replies...My Grandma was very, very Catholic. I remember she once slapped my brother for not going to Holy Communion, because he didn't believe and wasn't smart enough to play along. I feel like if she were still alive she could have written this question. Clearly her faith didn't rub off on us, all 3 of her grandchildren on my dad's side of the family are staunchly atheist. Punishing the kid isn't going to change his mind.
Yes. As a Christian, you can't force your mindset on other people. You can just live it to the fullest, be generous and kind to people and to yourself - as good as you can.
Load More Replies...Most religions teach us values such as the love of others, kindness, respect, and understanding. Many people who proclaim to be strong believer exercise force and show intolerance. For a rationale thinking being it is hard to comprehend how these people can justify this disdainfulness of their own religion as rightfullness.
Nobody needs a religion to have those values.
Load More Replies...Like Homer put it, if God truly is everywhere why do we have to go to a special place to worship him?
Yeah, we actually don't have to! Church isn't just a building, church can be even just two people meeting together in his name... it could even be on a bus! Church (as in the building) is where many people gather together to hear about Jesus and to be together in fellowship. Church is a place to meet with others and encourage others and meet with friends and hear the Bible preached to you by a minister, and to worship through song together. But your faith is not only for the days that you're at church.
Load More Replies...Punishing a kid for standing up for his own conviction isn't very clever. Best case scenario he will be one annoying member of church and he'll stop going to church as soon as he's an adult. Worst case scenario, he will be one annoying member of church and stop going to church as soon as he's an adult.
The most evil s**t in this world has been done in the name of religion. Religion is false. There is no god and if your over the age of 15 and have a brain you would realize this. The only people who still believe in religion are the ones who went to church as a kid and it was put into their minds like a parasite. Stop believing in s**t that has never happened nor will happen or stuff that is impossible. GET A CLUE PEOPLE.
Almost ALL the major evils done by mankind, since the dawn of civilisation, both real and fable have been as a consequence of, or against one Religion or another. Apart from conflicts purely over territory I cannot name much that did not involve opposing Religous groups, persecution, and widespread death in the name of specific Gods. Wether trying to convert "heathens" (before stealing their country and killing the natives) to the Spanish Inquisition, to the long history in the Middle East, to Hitler in WW2 - and on and on it goes.
Load More Replies...Yeah, why WOULDNT you want your child to go to church?! They preach fire and brimstone! AND make your life as a child guilt-ridden and petrified that if you commit even the tiniest infraction that you will BURN IN HELL FOR ALL ETERNITY!! I KNOW!! I grew up PETRIFIED!! (as an adult, I do NOT go to church. Because churches are usually filled with judgemental hypocrites!)
You don’t have to be Christian either. It’s all fake
Load More Replies...People who do this should not refer to themselves as Christians.... So many awful people who do terrible things "in the name of religion".
"Worshipping the devil in the name of god." (to quote New Model Army)
Load More Replies...Good Christian Woman: "Father, how can I punish my son for not going to church?" Priest: "Raise him to be Republican."
The parent asking this question could have been the father.
Load More Replies...If I comment here, people might think of me either religious or an atheist.
My parents make me go to church, even though they know that I've had traumatic experience in Christian settings before and I get panic attacks. They say that it's part of their 'beliefs' and I need to respect those beliefs. NEWS FLASH: I'll respect your beliefs as long as they don't impose on others.
My grandfather was forced to go to church too. Since then in my family, we are all atheists.
Reminds me of the running joke: "When I was growing up, I had a drug problem. Every Sunday I was drug to church."
Load More Replies...Brought up completely secular. Had no idea there was such a thing as religion until we did the Nativity etc at Primary School. I thought they were just stories to get a point across, like Aesop's Fables. Was flabbergasted to learn people BELIEVED this nonsense!
No one has to go to church to be religious. You can be good and do good anywhere, anytime. Setting a good example is the best you can do . . .
Uhhh...my mother dragged me to church every Sunday until I was 18. If I put up a fight I would be punished. And she wonders why I don't follow in her footsteps...
That's it. Glorious salvation through punitive response. How very Christian.
You don't need religion or any of the stories and metaphor to be a decent, upstanding person; It's already in us. After all, these books were written by humans to begin with.
I was disowned by any family that wasn't immediate when I said that I would no longer be attending any church in college and that I would become an Omnist. Can you imagine that? Disowning somebody because they want to educate themselves about all religions and not shackle themselves to Christianity for the rest of their miserable life? It's all about mutual respect and toxic members of religion have none.
I was forced to go to church when i was a kid, from an Italian catholic family, did my holy communion all that stuff and all it did was make me hate going to this old, smelly, boring building, when i was a teen i said enough and have never been back since. I identify as agnostic, thats what i believe, not the forced b******t from the bible. Push a kid into church, they will most likely kick back against it.
Forcing religion on people tends to make them non-religious or atheist. So please, keep pushing them, they'll end up like my husband and his siblings- all forced to church and private Catholic schools, they don't give a single s**t about any religion and I know they never will. I'm not religious either though and I think it's the best way to live- based on facts and kindness instead of a really old book and old people telling you an invisible person gave you free will so you could obey them.. >_>
Stop being a lemming and think for yourself. God isn't in a building and governed by men trying to get you to empty your pockets, molest your children and control your life with petty rules. Live a good life, be kind and try to be an example for others. That's the best way to honor god. But if you're looking for your kids to resent you and rebel, then by all means, force them to go to church.
It makes me wonder why he doesn't want to go. Is he just bored? Or is there something more? With all the news about priests and "inappropriate behavior", I would want to find out.
I was forced against my will to go to church growing up, I now refuse to go ever. Thanks mom.
I've discovered that the people who make the most noise about how devout of an anything they are, the less they actually practice the religion. Those who are quiet about their convictions seem to be the closest to any true person of religion. I personally don't believe in any of it, but the quiet ones accept it, and the noisy ones just keep pushing. It just confirms my belief that they're doing it for recognition and praise, not to actually help another human.
Sad how many don't see obligated indoctrination as a form of punishment ...
Wow - - a religion where you get to experience the joy of punishment even before you enter eternal damnation !! Where do I sign up ?!?
As an ex-religious person and an avid atheist I always wonder why people believe in things that cannot be proven... Also, there are quite a lot of other religions out there that have some similarity about gods and stuff but they all claim they are the right belief and the others are bad, doesn't that makes you wonder or doubt? Then take all the atrocities, deaths and likes into account that have been committed in the name of religion and if this is not enough to make you sick and denounce your faith you are truly feeble minded. Thanks, lazy and selfish thing in the sky that could be helping us but does nothing! Be kind but critical and think for yourself to make this world a better place!
I'm a "recovering Christian". I was raised going to church from as early as I can remember. We attended services every Sunday morning and night, Wednesday night, camps, revivals, VBS, and just about anything else associated with my church. It was pretty much baked into the cake that I was going to be a minister when I grew up. I didn't really have a choice. I was about 16 when I sat down with my mom and explained to her why I was no longer going to be attending services. I had seen enough hypocrisies and outright b******t from those who professed to know the word. I was finished and had learned all I needed to know to realize I would be just fine without it.
Introduce him to pagans and witches. He will spend his life in the church God intended: nature.
This is the most stupid thing I've read in years!! Punish him because he doesn't want to go to church? Come on! Someone should punish his parents for such a stupid and retrograde mind. Greeting from Italy
My new stepmom made me go to church when I was about 9-10. I couldn't stand it, so I purposely drew attention to myself in the hope that Father Tony would suggest to my dad that it's probably best if I no longer attended. It worked. However, only so much. I simply got re-directed over to Sunday school in the neighbouring building. I couldn't stand it. I tried the same thing, and was disruptive and distracting. ( Only this time, I got re-directed to dad's belt when we got home. I protested my point to dad ( " it's so boring! ") but dad wouldn't have any of it, so back I went the following Sunday. This time I pretended to fall back off my chair and knock myself out. I just lay there on the floor. I didn't know what was ment to happen after that, but I wouldn't ever get to know, because the big girl next to me reached down and started tickling me. I jolted from my "coma" in about one second flat. I tried something new every Sunday. Until finally, after numerous belts. I won. No pain no
Why did the parent turn to the internet for advice? Did God keep sending their prayers to his Spam box?
Punish a kid for not believing? Nah, that's a power trip. The hell with her. Between this woman here, and the damn fool who got himself killed this week by sneaking to the Sentinel Islands near India to try and convert the people there (look up the Sentinelese people and why going to their islands is a no-no-NO!), I would think Christians need to have a conference or something to rethink this proselyting stuff. There always seems to be a case of an underlying desire to control other people and their beliefs, and looking to assuage their own egos hiding behind the "need to save souls". It's repugnant.
When I was a kid, my mom got mad at me for choosing to not go to church. Thankfully, she never punished me for it but reluctantly allowed me to make my own choice of when I want to go to church or not. Today, that choice led me to have a stronger relationship with God, become a leader in my church and it allowed me to grow into the man God plans for me to be. Going to church is a choice equal to choosing whether we want to believe in a God or not. NO ONE should be forced to worship or to believe. That forced act leads to nothing but hatred, seperation and war.
I believe in a higher intelligence? being? soul? Idk how to call but I have faith. I agree with Helena Ruth when she says that no matter if you are a religious person, or maybe not, you have to be kind and respectful to others. All this punishing stuff and letting another simple human being like me forgive my sins are senseless. 10 commandments? follow the only rule that is important: Don´t hurt anybody.
This is why I have denounced religion my entire life. Let it be up to the kid to decide what he/she wants to do as fas as believing in and praying to a mythical being. Some kids believe in Santa, and then they grow up. They'll figure it out. But to force religion on anyone is so wrong!
I've never believed in anything because my family is terrible at explaining things and maintaining the farce, once my mother said "if you don't believe in Santa I'll stop bringing you gifts for christmas" now imagine her trying to explain to me that God exists and religion is good for me.
why the heck would you punish someone for something that they don't wanna do?😂
I found religion later in life and it was one traumatic church to another. All you ever learned was fear and your were drained of your energy. Strict Apostolic and Pentecostal ways. I left each one due to double standards , my regret is my children were part of the extreme measures. I finally stood up and left. The church preaches Ill about me to this day. 3/4 children have faith , they believe, but not fanatics. While another is stuck with no mind of her own. Like me they drain her to where she is physically ill, expect her to reproduce as that will increase church members and marrying. 17 is a good age to begin marrying and having children. My grand children cry all the time but cannot escape the church. Child protective service have been called numerous times, and each time the case closed. Kids are intimidated and told if they discuss things outside the church, they will never see me again. The kids don’t know Jesus or God, only that now they hate it. 14,15,16 yr olds.
Maybe you should ask why he doesn't want to go? There are many reasons a child might not wish to go to church, ranging from boredom to abuse. Forcing him to go, won't help him to share your religion, but talking to him, and listening to him, may help you both to understand and respect each other.
I am a Christian but I don't believe in forcing a child to attend any one church I was forced to attend anytime the doors opened by a hypocrite mentally abusive step dad and I still very much resent it. I do not like organized religion and do not believe in any one denomination but I do believe in god and I believe I can worship him in my everyday life and not have to go to some church with mostly hypocrisy and people who worry more about how much my outfit cost than about worship.
Yep the boy has come to the conclusion that he does not believe in invisible friends, good for him
I don't like how the priest looks at me I get the sense not to turn my back on him
your son is a cleaver boy , a free spirit and soul, not like you still enslaved by one the biggest manipulation machine, the church. I f you need to connect to the source/God, you don't need a church or any priest, juste go inside because the only way is inside your heart, not in a church .And just by wanting to punish him, you just demonstrate how despotism is been your church education. God don't punish, he love.
My father-in-law is an Episcopal priest and husband and I were very active in our parish. My boys reached an age where they decided they didn’t want to go any more and my father in law told us not to make them. He said it only guarantees that they will not want to go in later years. Neither of them attends any more but one did have have his two children baptized. FYI husband and I no longer attend because we did not like the political atmosphere now,
I was looking for the thoughtful and restrained responses. Too bad you chose to only emphasize the anti-religion snarky answers. One of the reasons I follow Bored Panda is that it rarely pushes an agenda. I hope that doesn’t change. More importantly, certain questions are asked to elicit specific responses. This one is most likely from someone who wants the exact responses that were received. A “real” parent, regardless of their religious beliefs, would have asked “How is the best way to deal with this” and then they may have received legitimate and helpful parenting advice. The use of the word punish tells me that they were looking for exactly the anti-religious sentiment they got. You and the participants above fell for it.
When a person is old enough to decide what they want and don’t want nobody has the right to tell them otherwise. Not even parents.
Arguably all places can be a church and a home of god if you welcome him in. But we are also supposed to find our own way to god. He speaks to us in his own way. Priests, vicars, pastors etc are supposed to share the stories of Jesus and the bible - they can offer some guidance etc. BUT they do not speak the word of god, god doesn't not speak through them, they should not judge or close a door etc -- far too many churches, especially in America have abandoned the actual teachings of Jesus ... hence why we have a question like this - even if he never went to church again it doesn't mean Jesus isn't walking by his side - but to punish him, well that means you have turned your back on god and are passing judgement yourself.
I got cold marbles, water thrown on me, and the starter taken out of my car if I didn't go to church.
Man, I hope she doesn't force her kid to go or punish him for not going. My mom forced us into going to a Jehovah church and it was absolute torture. I found most people there bizarre, save for a few kind normal individuals. All the teenage girls there got pregnant out of wedlock, and one of their "flock" went bezerk in our house running around screaming her head off like a total nut job, her husband left her after he questioned the religion. The place was a mess. I'm not entirely sure if God is real or not, but I do believe in the basic principles of christianity. The love, kindness, helping others, never lieing etc I guess I am christian at heart but I will probably not go to a church again after all the bad experiences in them.
Jehovah's witnesses are not christians. They don't believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God..
Load More Replies...There is a HUGE difference between believing in God(s) and going to the church/temple/etc.
I have been a committed member of my church for the last 41 years. I joined of my own free will; nobody forced me in any way. Churches are gatherings of forgiven sinners, that's why their members still do things that probably cause the Lord to facepalm a lot. Punishing a child for not wanting to go is not the way to make them WANT to go. Just tell them that as long as they live under your roof they have to because Christianity is an acquired taste. When they're old enough to live on their own, they can do what they like.
Just tell the kid he is going. That's what my parents did, and it worked until I was about 16 when they gave up.
I'm a Christan, and believe that while religion shouldn't be forced on an individual, up till the age of ten take your kids to church with you, a) They are kids and should not be left home alone, b) Going to a church can help a child build strong social skills and morals, I think that these people telling people off for making their kid go to church are wrong themselves, parents are suppost to do what they think is best for their kid, if they want to bring them to church, go for it. people shouldn't be judging parents for doing what they think is best for their kid
Maybe the proper person to ask is their pastor instead of a strangers on the internet. Makes me wonder if this person is actually seeking advice... or trying to start some sort of viral controversy.
Take your belt off and beat the Love of God into him!!!! oh, wait... don't do that
God is bipolar and Satan is his other personality. That exlains why there is evil in creation and why the omnipotent God can't do anything about it. Think about it :)
On one hand you are not allowed to decide how to interpret Christian cosmology so much, on the other nobody stops you from starting your own sect/religion.
Load More Replies...That's exactly why I have become an atheist....
Load More Replies...I am a Christian and am strongly against any and all churches. A church is a business and the more people come to this realization, the better. Do not force your children or anyone for that matter to go to church. I have honestly never felt more uncomfortable anywhere than in a church. Punishing a child for not wanting to attend a church service will most likely result in that child resenting the church and the religion his or her parents practice.
As an atheist, I am very impressed by your statement. It' s not the faith, it's the Organisation what causes the problems (not only Christian churches, but ALL religious organisations)
Load More Replies...Whether you believe in god(s) or religion or not, you should still try to be a kind respectful person (in my humble opinion)
I would actually say FIRST become a kind a respectful person and then maybe and only maybe people will be willing to listen about your religious beliefs.
Load More Replies...Uhm, maybe you shouldn't force religion. I'm all for education and learning about/understanding religion. But you can't make someone believe. You either do or you don't.
Yup, my mom constantly laments how she "made" my brother and I go to church as kids--sometimes multiple times a week...so we SHOULD have been Christian as adults! She doesn't understand why...and I am done explaining.
Load More Replies...What's wrong with people. Jesus wouldn't punish you for not going to church. Maybe talk to your child? Show them that you care and that you'd be happy to share your beliefs with them, but accept their concious choice?
Have you actually read the bible. He would be taken to the edge of town and stoned to death.
Load More Replies...My Grandma was very, very Catholic. I remember she once slapped my brother for not going to Holy Communion, because he didn't believe and wasn't smart enough to play along. I feel like if she were still alive she could have written this question. Clearly her faith didn't rub off on us, all 3 of her grandchildren on my dad's side of the family are staunchly atheist. Punishing the kid isn't going to change his mind.
Yes. As a Christian, you can't force your mindset on other people. You can just live it to the fullest, be generous and kind to people and to yourself - as good as you can.
Load More Replies...Most religions teach us values such as the love of others, kindness, respect, and understanding. Many people who proclaim to be strong believer exercise force and show intolerance. For a rationale thinking being it is hard to comprehend how these people can justify this disdainfulness of their own religion as rightfullness.
Nobody needs a religion to have those values.
Load More Replies...Like Homer put it, if God truly is everywhere why do we have to go to a special place to worship him?
Yeah, we actually don't have to! Church isn't just a building, church can be even just two people meeting together in his name... it could even be on a bus! Church (as in the building) is where many people gather together to hear about Jesus and to be together in fellowship. Church is a place to meet with others and encourage others and meet with friends and hear the Bible preached to you by a minister, and to worship through song together. But your faith is not only for the days that you're at church.
Load More Replies...Punishing a kid for standing up for his own conviction isn't very clever. Best case scenario he will be one annoying member of church and he'll stop going to church as soon as he's an adult. Worst case scenario, he will be one annoying member of church and stop going to church as soon as he's an adult.
The most evil s**t in this world has been done in the name of religion. Religion is false. There is no god and if your over the age of 15 and have a brain you would realize this. The only people who still believe in religion are the ones who went to church as a kid and it was put into their minds like a parasite. Stop believing in s**t that has never happened nor will happen or stuff that is impossible. GET A CLUE PEOPLE.
Almost ALL the major evils done by mankind, since the dawn of civilisation, both real and fable have been as a consequence of, or against one Religion or another. Apart from conflicts purely over territory I cannot name much that did not involve opposing Religous groups, persecution, and widespread death in the name of specific Gods. Wether trying to convert "heathens" (before stealing their country and killing the natives) to the Spanish Inquisition, to the long history in the Middle East, to Hitler in WW2 - and on and on it goes.
Load More Replies...Yeah, why WOULDNT you want your child to go to church?! They preach fire and brimstone! AND make your life as a child guilt-ridden and petrified that if you commit even the tiniest infraction that you will BURN IN HELL FOR ALL ETERNITY!! I KNOW!! I grew up PETRIFIED!! (as an adult, I do NOT go to church. Because churches are usually filled with judgemental hypocrites!)
You don’t have to be Christian either. It’s all fake
Load More Replies...People who do this should not refer to themselves as Christians.... So many awful people who do terrible things "in the name of religion".
"Worshipping the devil in the name of god." (to quote New Model Army)
Load More Replies...Good Christian Woman: "Father, how can I punish my son for not going to church?" Priest: "Raise him to be Republican."
The parent asking this question could have been the father.
Load More Replies...If I comment here, people might think of me either religious or an atheist.
My parents make me go to church, even though they know that I've had traumatic experience in Christian settings before and I get panic attacks. They say that it's part of their 'beliefs' and I need to respect those beliefs. NEWS FLASH: I'll respect your beliefs as long as they don't impose on others.
My grandfather was forced to go to church too. Since then in my family, we are all atheists.
Reminds me of the running joke: "When I was growing up, I had a drug problem. Every Sunday I was drug to church."
Load More Replies...Brought up completely secular. Had no idea there was such a thing as religion until we did the Nativity etc at Primary School. I thought they were just stories to get a point across, like Aesop's Fables. Was flabbergasted to learn people BELIEVED this nonsense!
No one has to go to church to be religious. You can be good and do good anywhere, anytime. Setting a good example is the best you can do . . .
Uhhh...my mother dragged me to church every Sunday until I was 18. If I put up a fight I would be punished. And she wonders why I don't follow in her footsteps...
That's it. Glorious salvation through punitive response. How very Christian.
You don't need religion or any of the stories and metaphor to be a decent, upstanding person; It's already in us. After all, these books were written by humans to begin with.
I was disowned by any family that wasn't immediate when I said that I would no longer be attending any church in college and that I would become an Omnist. Can you imagine that? Disowning somebody because they want to educate themselves about all religions and not shackle themselves to Christianity for the rest of their miserable life? It's all about mutual respect and toxic members of religion have none.
I was forced to go to church when i was a kid, from an Italian catholic family, did my holy communion all that stuff and all it did was make me hate going to this old, smelly, boring building, when i was a teen i said enough and have never been back since. I identify as agnostic, thats what i believe, not the forced b******t from the bible. Push a kid into church, they will most likely kick back against it.
Forcing religion on people tends to make them non-religious or atheist. So please, keep pushing them, they'll end up like my husband and his siblings- all forced to church and private Catholic schools, they don't give a single s**t about any religion and I know they never will. I'm not religious either though and I think it's the best way to live- based on facts and kindness instead of a really old book and old people telling you an invisible person gave you free will so you could obey them.. >_>
Stop being a lemming and think for yourself. God isn't in a building and governed by men trying to get you to empty your pockets, molest your children and control your life with petty rules. Live a good life, be kind and try to be an example for others. That's the best way to honor god. But if you're looking for your kids to resent you and rebel, then by all means, force them to go to church.
It makes me wonder why he doesn't want to go. Is he just bored? Or is there something more? With all the news about priests and "inappropriate behavior", I would want to find out.
I was forced against my will to go to church growing up, I now refuse to go ever. Thanks mom.
I've discovered that the people who make the most noise about how devout of an anything they are, the less they actually practice the religion. Those who are quiet about their convictions seem to be the closest to any true person of religion. I personally don't believe in any of it, but the quiet ones accept it, and the noisy ones just keep pushing. It just confirms my belief that they're doing it for recognition and praise, not to actually help another human.
Sad how many don't see obligated indoctrination as a form of punishment ...
Wow - - a religion where you get to experience the joy of punishment even before you enter eternal damnation !! Where do I sign up ?!?
As an ex-religious person and an avid atheist I always wonder why people believe in things that cannot be proven... Also, there are quite a lot of other religions out there that have some similarity about gods and stuff but they all claim they are the right belief and the others are bad, doesn't that makes you wonder or doubt? Then take all the atrocities, deaths and likes into account that have been committed in the name of religion and if this is not enough to make you sick and denounce your faith you are truly feeble minded. Thanks, lazy and selfish thing in the sky that could be helping us but does nothing! Be kind but critical and think for yourself to make this world a better place!
I'm a "recovering Christian". I was raised going to church from as early as I can remember. We attended services every Sunday morning and night, Wednesday night, camps, revivals, VBS, and just about anything else associated with my church. It was pretty much baked into the cake that I was going to be a minister when I grew up. I didn't really have a choice. I was about 16 when I sat down with my mom and explained to her why I was no longer going to be attending services. I had seen enough hypocrisies and outright b******t from those who professed to know the word. I was finished and had learned all I needed to know to realize I would be just fine without it.
Introduce him to pagans and witches. He will spend his life in the church God intended: nature.
This is the most stupid thing I've read in years!! Punish him because he doesn't want to go to church? Come on! Someone should punish his parents for such a stupid and retrograde mind. Greeting from Italy
My new stepmom made me go to church when I was about 9-10. I couldn't stand it, so I purposely drew attention to myself in the hope that Father Tony would suggest to my dad that it's probably best if I no longer attended. It worked. However, only so much. I simply got re-directed over to Sunday school in the neighbouring building. I couldn't stand it. I tried the same thing, and was disruptive and distracting. ( Only this time, I got re-directed to dad's belt when we got home. I protested my point to dad ( " it's so boring! ") but dad wouldn't have any of it, so back I went the following Sunday. This time I pretended to fall back off my chair and knock myself out. I just lay there on the floor. I didn't know what was ment to happen after that, but I wouldn't ever get to know, because the big girl next to me reached down and started tickling me. I jolted from my "coma" in about one second flat. I tried something new every Sunday. Until finally, after numerous belts. I won. No pain no
Why did the parent turn to the internet for advice? Did God keep sending their prayers to his Spam box?
Punish a kid for not believing? Nah, that's a power trip. The hell with her. Between this woman here, and the damn fool who got himself killed this week by sneaking to the Sentinel Islands near India to try and convert the people there (look up the Sentinelese people and why going to their islands is a no-no-NO!), I would think Christians need to have a conference or something to rethink this proselyting stuff. There always seems to be a case of an underlying desire to control other people and their beliefs, and looking to assuage their own egos hiding behind the "need to save souls". It's repugnant.
When I was a kid, my mom got mad at me for choosing to not go to church. Thankfully, she never punished me for it but reluctantly allowed me to make my own choice of when I want to go to church or not. Today, that choice led me to have a stronger relationship with God, become a leader in my church and it allowed me to grow into the man God plans for me to be. Going to church is a choice equal to choosing whether we want to believe in a God or not. NO ONE should be forced to worship or to believe. That forced act leads to nothing but hatred, seperation and war.
I believe in a higher intelligence? being? soul? Idk how to call but I have faith. I agree with Helena Ruth when she says that no matter if you are a religious person, or maybe not, you have to be kind and respectful to others. All this punishing stuff and letting another simple human being like me forgive my sins are senseless. 10 commandments? follow the only rule that is important: Don´t hurt anybody.
This is why I have denounced religion my entire life. Let it be up to the kid to decide what he/she wants to do as fas as believing in and praying to a mythical being. Some kids believe in Santa, and then they grow up. They'll figure it out. But to force religion on anyone is so wrong!
I've never believed in anything because my family is terrible at explaining things and maintaining the farce, once my mother said "if you don't believe in Santa I'll stop bringing you gifts for christmas" now imagine her trying to explain to me that God exists and religion is good for me.
why the heck would you punish someone for something that they don't wanna do?😂
I found religion later in life and it was one traumatic church to another. All you ever learned was fear and your were drained of your energy. Strict Apostolic and Pentecostal ways. I left each one due to double standards , my regret is my children were part of the extreme measures. I finally stood up and left. The church preaches Ill about me to this day. 3/4 children have faith , they believe, but not fanatics. While another is stuck with no mind of her own. Like me they drain her to where she is physically ill, expect her to reproduce as that will increase church members and marrying. 17 is a good age to begin marrying and having children. My grand children cry all the time but cannot escape the church. Child protective service have been called numerous times, and each time the case closed. Kids are intimidated and told if they discuss things outside the church, they will never see me again. The kids don’t know Jesus or God, only that now they hate it. 14,15,16 yr olds.
Maybe you should ask why he doesn't want to go? There are many reasons a child might not wish to go to church, ranging from boredom to abuse. Forcing him to go, won't help him to share your religion, but talking to him, and listening to him, may help you both to understand and respect each other.
I am a Christian but I don't believe in forcing a child to attend any one church I was forced to attend anytime the doors opened by a hypocrite mentally abusive step dad and I still very much resent it. I do not like organized religion and do not believe in any one denomination but I do believe in god and I believe I can worship him in my everyday life and not have to go to some church with mostly hypocrisy and people who worry more about how much my outfit cost than about worship.
Yep the boy has come to the conclusion that he does not believe in invisible friends, good for him
I don't like how the priest looks at me I get the sense not to turn my back on him
your son is a cleaver boy , a free spirit and soul, not like you still enslaved by one the biggest manipulation machine, the church. I f you need to connect to the source/God, you don't need a church or any priest, juste go inside because the only way is inside your heart, not in a church .And just by wanting to punish him, you just demonstrate how despotism is been your church education. God don't punish, he love.
My father-in-law is an Episcopal priest and husband and I were very active in our parish. My boys reached an age where they decided they didn’t want to go any more and my father in law told us not to make them. He said it only guarantees that they will not want to go in later years. Neither of them attends any more but one did have have his two children baptized. FYI husband and I no longer attend because we did not like the political atmosphere now,
I was looking for the thoughtful and restrained responses. Too bad you chose to only emphasize the anti-religion snarky answers. One of the reasons I follow Bored Panda is that it rarely pushes an agenda. I hope that doesn’t change. More importantly, certain questions are asked to elicit specific responses. This one is most likely from someone who wants the exact responses that were received. A “real” parent, regardless of their religious beliefs, would have asked “How is the best way to deal with this” and then they may have received legitimate and helpful parenting advice. The use of the word punish tells me that they were looking for exactly the anti-religious sentiment they got. You and the participants above fell for it.
When a person is old enough to decide what they want and don’t want nobody has the right to tell them otherwise. Not even parents.
Arguably all places can be a church and a home of god if you welcome him in. But we are also supposed to find our own way to god. He speaks to us in his own way. Priests, vicars, pastors etc are supposed to share the stories of Jesus and the bible - they can offer some guidance etc. BUT they do not speak the word of god, god doesn't not speak through them, they should not judge or close a door etc -- far too many churches, especially in America have abandoned the actual teachings of Jesus ... hence why we have a question like this - even if he never went to church again it doesn't mean Jesus isn't walking by his side - but to punish him, well that means you have turned your back on god and are passing judgement yourself.
I got cold marbles, water thrown on me, and the starter taken out of my car if I didn't go to church.
Man, I hope she doesn't force her kid to go or punish him for not going. My mom forced us into going to a Jehovah church and it was absolute torture. I found most people there bizarre, save for a few kind normal individuals. All the teenage girls there got pregnant out of wedlock, and one of their "flock" went bezerk in our house running around screaming her head off like a total nut job, her husband left her after he questioned the religion. The place was a mess. I'm not entirely sure if God is real or not, but I do believe in the basic principles of christianity. The love, kindness, helping others, never lieing etc I guess I am christian at heart but I will probably not go to a church again after all the bad experiences in them.
Jehovah's witnesses are not christians. They don't believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God..
Load More Replies...There is a HUGE difference between believing in God(s) and going to the church/temple/etc.
I have been a committed member of my church for the last 41 years. I joined of my own free will; nobody forced me in any way. Churches are gatherings of forgiven sinners, that's why their members still do things that probably cause the Lord to facepalm a lot. Punishing a child for not wanting to go is not the way to make them WANT to go. Just tell them that as long as they live under your roof they have to because Christianity is an acquired taste. When they're old enough to live on their own, they can do what they like.
Just tell the kid he is going. That's what my parents did, and it worked until I was about 16 when they gave up.
I'm a Christan, and believe that while religion shouldn't be forced on an individual, up till the age of ten take your kids to church with you, a) They are kids and should not be left home alone, b) Going to a church can help a child build strong social skills and morals, I think that these people telling people off for making their kid go to church are wrong themselves, parents are suppost to do what they think is best for their kid, if they want to bring them to church, go for it. people shouldn't be judging parents for doing what they think is best for their kid
Maybe the proper person to ask is their pastor instead of a strangers on the internet. Makes me wonder if this person is actually seeking advice... or trying to start some sort of viral controversy.
Take your belt off and beat the Love of God into him!!!! oh, wait... don't do that
God is bipolar and Satan is his other personality. That exlains why there is evil in creation and why the omnipotent God can't do anything about it. Think about it :)
On one hand you are not allowed to decide how to interpret Christian cosmology so much, on the other nobody stops you from starting your own sect/religion.
Load More Replies...That's exactly why I have become an atheist....
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