Our society, including the non-religious sector, has…
““Our society, including the non-religious sector, has accepted the preposterous idea that it is normal and right to indoctrinate tiny children in the religion of their parents, and to slap religious labels on them - 'Catholic child', 'Protestant child', 'Jewish child', 'Muslim child', etc. - although no other comparable labels: no conservative children, no liberal children, no Republican children, no Democrat children. Please, please raise your consciousness about this, and raise the roof whenever you hear it happening. A child is not a Christian child, not a Muslim child, but a child of Christian parents or a child of Muslim parents. This later nomenclature, by the way, would be an excellent pieces of consciousness-raising for the children themselves. A Child who it told she is a 'child of Muslim parents' will immediately realize that religion is something for her to choose - or reject - when she becomes old enough to do so.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The speaker argues that labeling children by religion is arbitrary and harmful, advocating for recognizing them as children of parents rather than of a faith, to promote personal choice.
In simple terms: Religious labels on children limit their freedom to choose beliefs later in life.
Key Takeaway
Encourage labeling children by parent’s faith, not by religion.
Themes
religion
children
identity
freedom
society
Mood
concerned
hopeful
Type
ethical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- school curricula
- parental guidance
- public policy debates
- interfaith dialogues
Key Concepts
secularism
social labeling
personal autonomy
Questions to Reflect On
- How would you address cultural traditions tied to religion?
- What alternatives support both heritage and individual choice?
A Different Perspective
Some may view religious identity as integral to cultural heritage.