When should a child be allowed to officially change their religion?

[Marocc]

Should a child be allowed to change his/her religion officially at any age? (changing here includes leaving a religion or joining one after not belonging to any)

If not, at what age should a child be allowed that freedom?

 

[Michael Hardner]

The question isn't really a legal one, although guardians can make such decisions for their charges until 18.

Religions themselves may have such rules, but some consider you to be an adherent even if you renounce.

[dialamah]

7 hours ago, Marocc said:

Should a child be allowed to change his/her religion officially at any age? (changing here includes leaving a religion or joining one after not belonging to any)

If not, at what age should a child be allowed that freedom?

 

A child should absolutely be permitted to leave or change their religion, and at any age - though I'd assume they'd have to old enough to get to their preferred place of worship, or stay home alone. 

In my opinion, forcing a child to adhere to a particular religion will create unneeded drama and ill-will between parent and child, and runs the risk of permanently alienating the child from the parent's preferred religion.  Allowing them the freedom to choose or to explore other options keeps communication open and makes it easier for the child to return to the parent's religion.  If God truly knows what is in a person's heart, attendance or non-attendance at a particular religion should be irrelevant..  A non-believer attending because they're 'forced' to do so isn't going to save them from God's judgement, and a believer exploring their relationship with God through various avenues isn't going to consign them to hell.

Forced 'religion' isn't for God's benefit, in my opinion.  It's for the benefit of the man-made institution of religion, which requires membership for purposes of wealth and power, as opposed to the saving of souls.

[Moonlight Graham]

How are you officially or unofficially part of any religion?  Isn't it usually just self-identification?  Can a parent make a child not believe in Jesus or Mohammed anymore?

[Guest]

You can make a kid go to church, but you can't make them believe.

[Moonlight Graham]

Many people think you need to be baptized in order to be "admitted" into Christianity, and if you die before being baptized it can jeopardize your spirit from going to heaven etc.  This belief is ridiculous.  A priest etc is a person who preaches the gospel, he has no magical powers.  His water is not magical.  It's a traditional religious ceremony that is symbolic, but doesn't have "soul-saving" magical powers.  Some people's religious beliefs are crazy.

IMO if you believe in God and that Jesus is your Lord and saviour then you're a Christian, if you don't then you aren't.  No parent can definitely force beliefs on a child.  If God creates you and you slip out of your mom's vagina you've already entered into God's kingdom.  Scaring people with water rituals is insane.

The same thing with being married in a church.  God didn't build the church, people did.  It's not "god's house", it's a building where people go to gather to worship.  If you want to be closest to god when married, get married outside because God built all of nature.

Edited January 26, 2020 by Moonlight Graham