A little thing I started to do with my kid.

So I was thinking,

We parents sometimes get caught up in our lives and forgo the actual education of our children in many ways. We trust in others to teach our children while we work, or simply in areas that go beyond our dominion. Teachers, family members, ect.

One thing we can always do as parents and that is always in our realm of influence is the the teaching of spiritual consciousness to our children.

I have been teaching my daughter every night now for a few days after a heart to heart with a friend in which he pointed out the things I was lacking. He is a very spiritual person who takes an active role in his sons spiritual development. He pointed out that though I teach my daughter many things and care about her education that I was failing her in one aspect.

I have been tippy toeing around the issue of God, spirituality, morality, and religion in general. My reasons were really my own. I didnt want to impose on her a thing. I wanted her to form her own mind as I did and to learn to tend to her soul as I learned to in the absence of any real teachers.

I now realize that I have been too afraid to hurt her and that I was really fearing myself. I feared I couldnt teach that which I have learned.

Now just for some background, value check if you will...

I am a former Catholic. I was a traditional, deeply dogmatic, faithful Catholic PRACTITIONER. I have since become something else of my own making. I think my signature sums up my spiritual system. I give no credence to anything of man, and with that I included the bible.

I would simply study it for wisdom and guidance, but without the dogmatic interpretation of ANY church or denomination.

That was holding me back from teaching my daughter since I felt I would only serve to impart to her MY beliefs and hinder her own development.

My friend is a Jehovah's Witness. I have been helping him do some construction work at a school he is building in Mexico and so we spend allot of time just talking about stuff.

He isnt pushy about religion and has REALLY surprised me when it comes to what I thought of his faith. Honestly I have members of my distant family that are of his denomination and I never really knew what they were about. I have to admit I was an ass about it always.

I think all the jest and commentary about Jehovah's Witnesses made me quick to judge before I really even learned what they were about.

Anyways, We talk allot on the job site. He is a great guy and I noticed how educated and well disciplined his son is. I asked how he approached his education and he conveyed to me that though he tries to separate academics from religious study, when it comes down to it that they actually compliment each other.

He explained that according to his faith, God asks that we work hard. Our spirit demands honest and hard work. The things we learn are as seeds and if we tend to them carefully and diligently we will sow a great harvest of understanding. He said that God gives us the seeds, our hearts are the soil....but the work is ours alone. He does not GIVE, he does not take. He only imparts us with the ability to be able to work. After that it is our own effort and toil that will bring a good harvest or not. I knew that, but his faith in God made me understand it more.

You know whats funny, I went to Catholic school my whole life, heard that proverb a thousand times about casting seeds unto thorns and thistles, stones and what not, had it explained, was examined, trained ect..., but all it took was one real conversation with an actual believer for my mind to put it into practice.

I have since been picking random stories and passages from the bible and reading them to my kid. I took my friends approach of letting the listener explain what he learns. Not to impart anything, but rather explain as best I can what they dont understand. He said its very important that bible study be a self taught process. When we are forced into an interpretation we tend to try to fit everything we read into our preconceptions of it as we are told. Again I knew that, but his words reached my heart.

I have learned to teach my daughter about the bible in a way that is not offensive to my own mind and convictions and is not inline with any institutions dogma. I have been able to remove myself from the situation and allow the words to speak to my daughter. Her mind is the one to learn...and my heart is the one to be inspired to explain to her what she does not understand.

I cant begin to explain the benefit this is all having on our family. Very good. All my reservations about the Church, other denominations, other religions, or religion all together have never satisfied me. Though I filled my mind with knowledge and learned of all the flaws of christianity, judaism and a whole host of spiritual texts, I was increasingly empty inside. I was disillusioned with mans attempt at spirituality and longed for a way to impart to my child something I knew but couldnt manifest for myself always. It ran deep, but not long. Far but shallow.

I am awakening again unto my spirit and it is all thanks to my facing the real responsibility of tending to my families spiritual needs. In serving them my needs are being addressed.

And it all started with a conversation with a man whom I would have IMMEDIATELY dismissed had he knocked on my door or started a conversation otherwise. A Jehovah's Witness for crying out loud. What ever label he can have placed on him, he is a man of faith. That is what it took. I always welcomed any faith into my mind and any wisdom or guidance into my heart and I have always fervently looked my whole life. I guess I just met the right person at the right time for it all to make more sense for this next step.

I am not converting or anything like that. I have not discovered God through this mans particular faith. I discovered more of myself and God in me thanks to anothers sincerity, love, and FAITH.

Its funny. I just recently bought a little silver cross with the words "faith" on it forming the horizontal part of the cross. I dont know why the hell I did since I hate jewlery and have long since stopped wearing any religious symbols. I bought it by accident and just threw it on so it wouldnt get lost before I could find it a good home. I think I will keep it.

Message received I am thinking.

SO in short, teach your kids something. Facts, knowledge and even wisdom is irrelevant without understanding. How do you teach understanding? Age old problem for parents. Experience most say....but I have discovered a new way, an old way.

You may cringe, but sit down with a bible and have your child learn for himself what he will. Then have him teach you what he learned. Wisdom can be found anywhere. Yes. But the Bible is a good source of it, and honestly if you have ANY faith, any what so ever in God, or something to that end....it is teaming with knowledge that can help you scratch that itch that you just cant reach.

Not being sure is normal, but refusing to admit your ignorance out of pride is just counterproductive. You dont know. Fair enough....so what have you done recently to "find out"...or at the very least get closer to a better understanding? What hope does a child have who is new to everything? You are also charged as parents with the spiritual well being of your child as well.

So dont let yourself get in their way. If you truly want them to form their own minds, dont start saying anything good OR BAD about religion, faith or any particular belief. That is just your own problem manifesting and getting in the way.

Let them form their own minds then. Give them something to work with though. Something to compare to life, judge and learn from and just step back. Let them even teach you...

I chose a bible...after years of sifting through countless sacred texts, sources of wisdom, ect....and so far so good.(by the way, allot of what I found out there is in there anyways.)

Thanks.

Good luck.

a reply to: tadaman

Personally, I'm against teaching kids religion. There is a difference in teaching and pushing. I don't think there is any right or wrong religion. Just teach your kids to live life properly and when they come to age support there believes. Teach them right from wrong. You don't need religion for that. I know right from wrong and how to treat people right. Just because your not religious doesnt mean your a bad person.

a reply to: GroidNificent

I agree.

I am not teaching her religion.

Honestly, there is a plethora of tools for teaching right and wrong in the bible. It really is full of wisdom and great lessons that are applicable to life.

It is an effective tool for awakening true spirituality. As such it can be manipulated into a tool for killing it as well. Thats why we need to read for ourselves. Forget everything and look at the words through the eyes of a child with no preconceptions.

Like I said, I am not taking on any particular dogma. In fact I am letting her discover for herself what everything means. I only help her with what she doesnt understand. I explain and step back.

There is more than not stealing, not hurting or not telling lies. There is real wisdom in the bible for those who sincerely want to understand. Its a hidden treasure to some.

Teach your children about religion just as you would any subject or topic.

Just don't even hint that that there's anything more to it, as to do so would be a great disservice to their development.

I'm sure they'll find whatever else there may be to the subject, all by themselves...

Who wants to pass on their fears and superstitions to their children?

Children learn by example.
Kids, like everyone else, are more attentive to your actions than to your words.

It is good to teach your kids about god. God is what structures the universe. Religion also structured communities because those of a kind work better together. It is like bees in a hive, their survival is dependent on them working together.

Our country was actually built with the structure of religion as were most countries. People working together because they share similar beliefs. Some abuse the power of religion, but because of religion some people help others in need.

I see good and bad in religion, but you can still believe in god and focus on the good. People need a bond to hold their societies together. Science is a tool, not a religion, yet people put their faith in science. The interpretations of the evidence and the parameters used to design the testing can make the results misconceiving. This is done without the conscious knowledge of the people running the research though, the tests are done often to reinforce beliefs and knowledge that is presently held. Science is a tool, used by both good and evil.

I believe that the energy or frequency that structures the universe is a living entity. This energy holds things together and pushes things apart. It works by frequencies, sort of like sounds, and is instrumental in creating everything. No frequency or vibration and nothing exists. Now everything is tied together in this world, bonds of energy flow through us all, they flow through all living life including microbes and plants. This energy on a local basis is the spirit of the earth, a communication link between all life here. The spirit of the earth is linked to the spirit of the universe, which is god. So the earth is a creation and part of god. That is how I see it.

Attraction can also be chemical, but what binds chemicals together....energy bonds.

I have the Jehovah Witness's come over here once in a while, they are good people. Maybe their beliefs are skewed a little, but they try to teach others about god. I do mention all I know about the different religions to them and they seem to like hearing of how people perceive things. I tell them my church is the woods, because I feel best there. They seem to understand, I tell them the truth and they can tell it is the truth. I actually like to talk to me about the perception of god. I even tell them that god has many names in different societies, but god is still god.

I have problems with perfumes and aftershaves bothering my breathing so I like to stay away from churches, theaters, and big crowds of people. It doesn't mean I do not occasionally go to these, but usually I will be off to the side somewhere away from people. I hated the smells in school, I suppose it has gotten much worse since I used to go. People who can tolerate these smells or deflect the properties of the fake pheromones have an unfair advantage over the other eighty percent of society. All kids would do better in school if they banned these things.

So now that I have alienated a bunch of people of different religions, I suppose I can go crawl back into my mouse hole for a while

a reply to: tadaman

I lost my previous post and now sloth is preventing me from re-writing it.

S & F for being open minded and responsible.

Thank you for sharing. I believe your daughter will become even more awesome than she already is with you at her
side helping her on her path in life.

a reply to: tadaman

Good on you, brother. A fine post/thread indeed!!

S&F