I’m not denying the influence of our genes but upbringing is so much more!
If I had been born in India I would most probably be a Hindu believing in Karma and reincarnation, that there were many Gods and one had the head of an elephant. To me Krishna, Shiva, Ganesh and the others would be real.
If I had been born in the Southern States of America I would probably have been a believer in Jesus, the power of prayer, heaven and hell and the devil.
If I had been born in Pakistan I would have been sent to the Madrassa to be indoctrinated with Islam. I’d have recited the Koran and believed that Allah was the only true God; that he demanded I pray five times a day and commanded that I should not eat pork.
If I had been born in Israel I would have been brought up to believe Jehovah was the only true God, that I was one of the chosen people and that I should fear and hate Arabs.
If I had been born in Palestine I would have been brought up to fear and hate Jews.
Likewise with all the cultural baggage – how we dress, think, eat and feel – our patriotism, religion and creed.
None of it is real. None of it has a basis. It is brainwashing.
We believe what we are told to believe.
I am a product of the imposed and subliminal indoctrination of my youth. Nothing more – nothing less.
In my opinion deliberately indoctrinating children is child abuse.
If you don’t tell Children things how are they supposed to learn, is that indoctrination telling Children what you see what you know/what’s around you.
No. I’m not suggesting we do not tell our children what is right and what is wrong. There are universal moralities that nearly all people buy into. It is the indoctrination of ‘beliefs’ that I think should be left until children are old enough to think.
Being made to recite the Koran or Bible and be told that there is no doubt about God, heaven, paradise or hell or that any one religion is the only font of knowledge, is wrong. That is not morality.
There is a cultural, subliminal indoctrination. I’m not even suggesting that is bad. There is nothing wrong with culture.
It is when all this becomes tied up with hatred and intolerance that we get problems. ISIS is based on indoctrination as was the Catholic church.
Upbringing is one side of the coin.
Just flip it and you are faced with genetics ….
To an extent. But look at the effect of a change in culture. Take a child from one culture and bring him up in another and you have a different person.
We are products.
It takes great strength to break away from the prevailing expectations.
I had my children baptized not because I wanted to, but because I thought that’s what I was suppose to do….I regret that decision to this day. As my children got older, it was decided not to force the issue of religion. How could I do that when I was confused about my own spirituality……..as adults, they’re on their own journeys, just as I was and still am……
For me belief is a personal journey. We all have to seek our own beliefs. I believe in tolerance and freedom. Too many people seek to take that freedom away from their children and promote hatred instead of tolerance.
Yet those who live within the upper echelons of a lot of these – as perceived – religious countries, have nothing to do with any of it.
That is always the way – religion or politics – those in charge operate by different rules. It’s in their interests to make the plebs toe the line while they are free to do what they like.