Thanks Abba
I posted this to the venerable PR’s thread, (with a few forthright atheists participating)
"Hi PR,
Some one reposted on a infant baptism thread. Reminded me of CC teaching of "permanent " marking on soul (not body ) with baptism…
but this also reminds me of the paradox put forth by those saying," truth is relative, and absolutely so" ?
or like the rhetorical “love you neighbor as yourself” because you can’t love more than how you love yourself…your sin against others is first a sin against yourself…etc.etc…now “love your enemy” is the height of that paradox (?), for agape love can not be given unless first received.
so here the paradox is that not brainwashing your children is still…brainwashing your children. It assumes that somehow children will not mimic , be influenced by parents, but do things “on their own”. Or that Truth can’t find a way thru error, sooner or later.
we all train up a child in the way he should go, from the Christian, to the Buddhist, to the atheist/agnsotic etc., etc.
What you are to yourself you will be to your children.
The question really is not about indoctrination but what is Truth, and how do you “get it”.
Christians do not robotize. For some they have infant baptism , but they also have Confirmation " much later on, (and some they only baptize believers of age), as Jews their Barhmitzvah way after circumcision.
The bible also says know the Truth for yourself, a type of getting you to well, so you can now drink for yourself. Your parents faith does not ultimately suffice for the child. He must choose to make it for himself. It is understood , that “open” door. It is understood that sometimes households will remain religious, while others may find brother against brother, sister against sister /mother /father etc,… all with the same indoctrination. Free will is understood in the Christian mindset.
Even Jesus, the ultimate blood washer personified this. In his ultimate question on Truth, on whom He was, He does not say trust/mimic your indoctrinators. He does not ask the apostles what their parents think, or rabbis, or church authority, or what sacred writings or what they have seen may say, but ,“What do YOU think?” …Can you imagine, the alleged creator of the universe asking one of his many creations, “what do you think”? Is their anything more dignified, self elevating, free will honoring ? And why ? Because Jesus knows Truth indeed is achievable, even thru imperfect indocrtinators and deceivable eyes and minds because God gives it to man, but not robotically, and never out of the realms of faith, though reasonable and with evidences.
Blessings RP…thanks for the outlet.
PS-- looked at picture and said to myself, “Stupid”…as in, " believe me, these children will certainly develop their own opinions, guaranteed…just ask any teenager"
Yet we can perish for lack of knowledge, and the sins of the father are for generations (if unbroken by grace and Truth, that is Jesus)."