Posted on 03/05/2005 12:42:01 PM PST by Scenic Sounds
s a 19-year-old Christian homeschool graduate who has written for World Newspaper Publishing and is a regular columnist at AmericanDaily.com, IntellectualConservative.com and RenewAmerica.us. While attending college, he interns at a pro-family public-policy organization. Bass currently is working on his first novel.
David Bass is a 19-year-old Christian homeschool graduate who has written for World Newspaper Publishing and is a regular columnist at AmericanDaily.com, IntellectualConservative.com and RenewAmerica.us. While attending college, he interns at a pro-family public-policy organization. Bass currently is working on his first novel.
You do not have to be religious to be a good person.
My family didn't instill a large sense of spirituality in me when I was young. We went to church and prayed a lot, but we did not have very much parent-to-child religious talk. This did not drive me from Christianity, but drew me closer. Instead of being saturated by the commercialization of religion such as modern religious videos or music, I was taught by the preacher's sermons and the bible. Granted, in late high school I went through a phase of questioning how God interacted with science, but I think this just solidified my faith when I realized religion can't be explained by the laws of science. Parents do their children a disservice to force every aspect of their life to be immersed in religion, they should instill basic religious education and morality and let the kids know that God is what the household believes and lives for, but parents should let the kids find out on their own what it means to be a Christian and it will be more important to them.
Well, that's easy to say, but do you know of any Biblical support for that? ;-)
I fully agree and I believe that every good person goes to heaven regardless of their closeness with God.
1000 surveyed - out of how many million people?
California-based research organization - were the 1000 surveyed also from California?
"You do not have to be religious to be a good person."
Good? According to whom? (Your mother doesn't count)
What this reminds me of is the Army in World War II.
After they put just about every man in the Army, they discovered tha half the Army was below average in intelligence.
Once you get big enough, it's hard to maintain any kind of standards.
Both of your statements are unbiblical. But they are consistent with the philosophy of most Americans today.
The fifth paragraph is beyond disheartening.
Unfortunately, the Bible disagrees with you. You can't get there based on merit or simply being a "good person". There's only one way, and that's through Jesus Christ.
Point is, what's a "good person", and by whose standards are you judging their "goodness"? If you say "God's standards", then you have to accept what He says sin is, and what the criteria are for eternal life with Him. If you say "man's standards", then, well, none of us have a chance because we all can make the argument that we live "good" lives. To man, "good" is a relative term.
I'm not surprised by the research in this article. It just goes to show that the born-again parents probably aren't true converts in the first place. Any honest, truly regenerated person would first see to their own family before preaching to the rest of society. A true convert knows that they are seperate from society, and would raise their kids accordingly. A true convert would know what God's position is on child-rearing and would obey without a second thought.
This research shows the dangers in man-centered, "name it and claim it", emotionally-driven 'conversion experiences' as opposed to honest, humble, sincere callings.
BUMP!
I tend to agree with you. God will find each person and draw them to him. Forced religion will do more damage to a child IMO.
I was married to a very 'religious' man who pushed me away from God for many years with the constant assaults and condemnations and expectations that I just could not live up to.
I live in this world warts and all.
"These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 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." ~ Deuteronomy 6:6&7
"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." ~ Proverbs 22:6
"Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." ~ Ephesians 6:4
As Christians we're SUPPOSED to talk about it and impress it upon our families. Faith is not for spectators. God will hold us all accountable if we know His commands but don't tell others about them.
"Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear–hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh." ~ Jude 22&23
Um, wait a sec, if half of the Army was below average, and everyone was in the Army, then wouldn't the other half be above average? :P
Oh, you meant Gods definition...
...One that doesn't have a flexible acceptable level of evil.
Indeed - liberalism destroys everything - even religion.
And these are Christian parents??? That is just so sad.......... :-(
When asked what makes a parent successful, only 4 percent identified prayer as an integral part of parenting and a scant 1 percent pointed to good character.
Good grief. As if this article couldn't get more depressing..........
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