Is there anything pathological to early childhood development about exposure to old testament stories ?

Question

Especially the stories in Genesis, ie Adam and Eve in the Garden, Cain and Able, Lots Wife etc. The reason I ask, is that growing up I had basically two sets of friends and family. Those that were given a rigorous dose of religeous instruction in Sunday Schools and by religeous parents, and those like me who grew up in a mainly secular fashion and came to know of religion mainly through self-study at a much later age. I know that this is purely anecdotal, and seems by no means to be a hard and fast rule, but the number of violent deaths, drug and alcohol addictions,unwanted pregnancies/abortions, and felony convictions seems inordinately high among my cousins and friends who recieved standard christian indoctrinations at an early age. Are there any studies that confirm my suspicions in this ?

Answer 1

Everyone turned out well in my Church. I was taught all of these stories and have been a good person all of my life.

Everyone should be taught these lessons in every school in the world so we all can be on the same page.

Answer 2

Don't know about the Biblical references you suggested, but I became a bit uncomfortable knowing God told Abraham to take his kid up on a mountain and sacrifice him, and the kid supposedly agreed. That coupled with some movie my family went to and thought I wasn't paying attention (the step-mom put poison in the kid's chocolate milk, sort of like in the "Sixth Sense"), I wasn't a fan of chocolate milk for a while, at least without smelling it first.  Maybe it was damaging, as I won't drink milk now (now I have an excuse, and can blame mom because I don't like milk).

Answer 3

Well first of all, I'd wish for you to please rephrase your question.  Pathological and pathology are miles apart.  I'd guess you mean crazy however.  The book of Genesis is not for children to begin with.  It's original intent was a chronology of the known history of modern man, from Adam forward.  

Public access to that type of learn-ed document so many thousands of years ago was very limited.  Heck most people couldn't read.  Not most Bible stories are suitable for children under the age of puberty.  Most people who think that they know the Bible, only know hand me down stories, and 'glorified fairy tales'. there was no snake in the garden, there were 7 pairs of 'clean' animals in the Arc which remained afloat 365 days and nights, not 40.

Sodom and Gomorrah, the w***e of Jericho, David and Bath-Sheba, her husband and Davids' scheme to cover her impregnation, & many, many murders. etc. c'mon. the bible wasn't written for kids.  

As far as the other etiologies go, fanatics make very bad parents.  They are the least forgiving or understanding, don't practice what they preach and are quickest to punish with violence.  They also do a lot of harm through guilt and intimidation.  

An extremeist is an extremeist period Al Quida, Shinto, Sheite or Catholic.  Secrecy and self rightousness does not make for good parenting skills.  I'm a Christian and very well studied may I add.  Imposing dogma on children is wrong.  Any Boy over ten has erections.  Why teach them its' bad?

Answer 4

I don't know if any studies have been done but it sounds like a crucial question for research given the importance of understanding possible constructive and destructive influences on healthy cognitive development...and the widespread influence of Christian education. Good luck with finding an answer to your question.

Answer 5

They scared the h**l out of me.

Answer 6

There are no studies that confirm or deny your suspicions, however the defining factor can not be religion in every case. In most cases, even in religious families the upbringing and environment play a big role. Think about it this way, your non secular friends were introduced to the world with no true belief in a savior which meant that they were responsible for their actions, their life was determined by them, and they were taught to deal with things and accept them rather than to pray for things to change. Your other friends were taught to believe in one god that forgives everyone's sins, sets a pattern for your life, and is with you through everything. I am sure that if you believed this wholeheartedly, when a prayer went unanswered several times you would find a bigger hardship than any that nonsecular people are forced to deal with. You are finding out that you are truly alone in your actions and that a belief does not necessarily mean that everything will be wonderful because you pray every night. When facing that reality I can understand suicide and drug abuse. Also, children who are forced to swallow a religion from a young age tend to rebel against not only the religion but the people who forced them into the religion, hence the drug usage, pregnancies, felonies, etc. Please let me know if this does not answer your question.

Answer 7

No its just another excuse to be violent and rebellious because they know the truth of the Gospel yet were basically living off of parents relationship with God rather than cultivating their own relationship with God.  I know of teens that grew up in church but still later go out and do things because going to church was simply that.  Going through the motions and going because they had too, not because the desire to know Jesus.