How To Not What To

I have said a few times on this blog that I think the teaching of religion, other than comparative, to children is child abuse and of the worst kind.

I certainly know that being taught what to think was far more damaging to me than the physical and sexual abuse.

The thinking took many years to overcome.

Apart from being taught to believe without question, which in itself is abusive, but also being taught that faith is a virtue , an even worse abuse. Any questions were met with 'that is the Devil making you question'.

I was taught that the evidence that the world is NOT as is written in the bible, was planted there by Satan. Yes, that is right, the fossil records, were planted by Satan to make us turn away from the truth!

Of course as a thinking adult person, this is clearly stupid. To a child it is not. Adults are teaching this to them so they believe it. Why wouldn't they?

Children are hot wired to believe adults, their parents, without question. Why? Because it would save their lives. An adult yelling 'stop' just as a child is about to step over a cliff would be taken heed of without question by the child. If not, the child would die and genes would be lost. It's a survival thing.

Adults, parents, know this even if they haven't thought of it in those terms. It is why adults teach their religious beliefs to children. They know that as an adult, they are likely to carry on believing the crap they were taught no matter the consequences.

The Middle East. The American Taliban, Afghan Taliban. Suicide Bombers. It WORKS!!!!

The Amish. The Hasidim . Other cults. It WORKS.

It is why otherwise intelligent beings, doctors, teachers, lawyers, Presidents, Prime Ministers believe the most idiotic stuff and billions suffer as a result.

Power, anyone?

The right thing to do, that will lead to peace for all, but not to POWER for a few, is to teach children HOW to think. Not what to think.