Do You Want chips or An Apple? Should we let our children choose which religion they want to practice?

I remember that one of the issues that caught my eye the most when I came to live in Canada was listening to some parents say that they would let their children choose which religion they want to practice when they reach the age of maturity.

Maybe having a mixed marriage, not having a strong faith foundation or simply the materialistic modern life that we are immersed in, has become a problem in some marriages. For some people, religion can be an uncomfortable commodity, and maybe in an effort to avoid a confrontation in their marital life, parents fail their responsibility of educating their children about religion by simply letting them choose which religion they want to practice—if they want to practice any religion at all.

When I moved to Canada I was enlightened by the great health education system. Beginning at an early age at school and continuing through adulthood, people are continually being educated about the importance of healthy eating and the benefits of regular exercise. So I wondered why it was so important for some parents to educate children about the importance of eating healthy food, going to soccer, hockey, baseball or swimming practices, yet they gave a minimal importance to their faith. Many children do not want to do any exercise at all, and even as we listen to the children’s complaints, we drive them to these exciting sports lessons. These sports take up a lot of time, money and energy, and in many places, parents volunteer countless hours, spending weekends at competitions and games. We do this because we love our children.

When children are growing, parents offer them healthy snacks, reserving ‘junk food’ for parties or special treats. I once met a child who would not eat any sweets, chips or ice cream, because she was taught that it was the right thing. If parents and teachers do not educate children about making healthy eating choices, it is more likely they will choose chips over an apple. Oh! But what a difference it makes when they have been educated in the importance of eating healthily. Then children will think twice about choosing the chips.

If we wait for our children to choose between the chips and the apple when they reach 19 years, it may be too late. By then they would have already lived and learned an unhealthy lifestyle with chips and no exercise, and the habit of loving what they eat and what they don’t do (exercise) will already be ingrained in them.

I believe the same thing happens with religion. If parents do not live, teach and show love for our faith to their children, then children will form their own, less spiritually healthy habits. By the time they reach 19 years old, they will be young adults with weak hope, fragile love and apathetic faith because they did not learn from an early age the foundations of our beautiful faith. It would be as if parents had given their children chips and no apples and TV time instead of exercise.

I invite you to read the Catechism of the Catholic Church, IV. Structure of this Catechism, 14: Those who belong to Christ through faith and Baptism must confess their baptismal faith before men. Matthew 10:32; Romans 10:9

What about you? Do you want chips or an apple?

Reprinted with the permission of the Diocesan Messenger.