It's a very tough call. The formative years of childhood are so influential on our basic values and thought processes later in life that whatever you teach a child could be considered "indoctrination" from various points of view. It's difficult, however, to honestly say that parents should be prevented from raising their children in accordance with their own conscience. Were I to have children, I'd want to raise them according to my values and my beliefs and would resent the intrusion of anyone else into that process. I sympathize with religious parents at the same time that I abhor the results. I don't think there's an easy answer to this. I would agree that raising children in an atmosphere that stifles free thought and rationality to the degree that some religious teachings do does a massive disservice for those children later in life...but Christians for example would consider not teaching children about their faith an even greater disservice, as failure to adhere to their belief system results in eternal damnation.
Agreed, I for one wouldn't like anyone to be told what and when to teach their children. I should have made clear that it's the educational indoctrination of some school systems I disagree with. Why should one religion be forced down a child's throat in the name of cultural education..."you know we are a christian nation here and that's what we must teach you". And as I understand from reading sites such as this - the schools across much of the U.S (certainly many in the southern states) are now facing the prospect of religion in the science classes (i.e I'D taught alongside - or heaven forbid, instead of the ToE) as well as hardcore religion in the R.E lessons.
Thanks for the insight of your upbringing - it makes me marvel all the more at your successful separation from it. I've often wondered if I'd had such an upbringing whether I would have fared as well.
Really glad I've found this site - there's a lot of kindred spirits here. In my everyday life no-one around me is interested in the debate of evolution v creationism and it's fascinated me for quite a while...
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