I am not inferring all churches are traumatic or bad influences on children. But I do believe at nine years old I knew if there was a God, he wouldn’t want children to fear him. Where families lack in spiritual guidance, a church should be able to provide and fill in to help guide young minds to understand our world is more than the tangible. Our development is more than intellectual.
Almost everyone has heard “for every action there is a reaction.”
Where religion plays a valid role among children is to establish right from wrong on levels of spiritual responsibility. It is more than teaching children to memorize prayers and participate in the ritual. Those might very well be valid and important, but the most important lessons churches can provide is the serenity of religion and spiritual guidance.
I don’t know why but I am asked frequently if I am religious or what church I belong to or even if I would attend their church. I’m not sure everyone experiences this, but I truly believe religion or spiritual practices are as personal as life can be.
I believe I am more spiritual than most people I meet, even most people who profess a religious belief. I am conscious about the way I live, how I inner act with others and how I reach out when others are in need. I’ve often said that I live my life as though someone was following me around with a video camera. I apply the Golden Rule, “Treat others as I would choose to be treated.”