Should children be taken away for their parents personal or religious beliefs?

Question

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080623/nazi_parents_080623/20080704?hub=TopStories&s_name=

Answer 1

I think thats disgusting.  Whatever you thnk of her beleifs, as long as she is not actually teaching the children to break the law then that is no reason for them to be taken from her.  

Are they going to take all the children from "black-pride" families as well?

Answer 2

I totally disagree with their beliefs.

Their children should not be taken away.

Everyone has their own belief system.  "Right" and "wrong" are human concepts that don't really mean a whole lot.  This woman may not have a belief system that I concur with, but she does sound like a loving mother.  As long as she is not beating her child, her child should not be taken away.

Answer 3

well if it has to do with race (like the article states) i would think it would be the best thing.

Answer 4

Not unless the belief is contributing to criminal or unethical behavior.  Behavior and beliefs are not the same thing.  You can have a racist belief system, and not act on it.

Answer 5

As others have said if it is somehow physically, mentally, emotionally damaging to the child in anyway or will affect their safety or health now or as they get older.

I am totally against what that mother did because she is taking pride in not just being white but something much more damaging & hateful.  Where I don't like what she did I don't believe that her children should be taken away.  I do feel that she will need to follow school policy & not let her child sport such markings while at school.

Have your white/black/asian/whatever pride but know the time and place for sporting signs that represent your pride in whatever if it also is known for hate towards other ethnic groups.

However, if your beliefs are like those polygamist LDS religious groups is to 'brainwash' your children by almost drowning your infant children by running water down in their mouths until they can no longer scream because they are on the brink of death then yes they need to be taken away.  They say they're training them to be obedient but even that method is questionable to the idea of 'humanity' in the terrorist interrogation process.

Answer 6

Absolutely not, unless it poses a real threat to the child's safety.  Real as on this earth and not some after life b.s.  My ex tried that c**p when we went to court for custody of our daughter.  He thought it would make a difference that I am atheist.  He learned differently when the judge told him he had no interest in my religious beliefs or lack of.

Answer 7

Nope. Its disturbing but so are many Christians.

Look at the Jesus freaks that drag their kids around some of those disturbing pro life protests where fetuses are thrown around or the christian science folks that deprive their kids of immunizations and medical care. That's the problem with people wishing to adopt, they think everyone should have their kids taken away because they know whats best.

Answer 8

While I personally find their beliefs disgusting, I do not think it is a reason to remove the children. Everyone has the right to their beliefs, even if I do not agree with them. As long as their beliefs are not turning into violence, they have done nothing legally wrong. This is a very slippery slope, What's next, CPS removes my son because I am Atheist and they claim I am hurting his spiritual welfare because I do not teach him of a god?

Answer 9

In some cases yes; impressing those sorts of beliefs on a young child is never going to be anything but harmful.

It's not an issue of the parent's beliefs, it's about them pushing those beliefs on their children, which isn't exactly conducive to a psychologically healthy upbringing.

Answer 10

Everyone has a right to their beliefs  .So no  the parents can teach there children anything they want .

Answer 11

In this particular case, yes.  If you showed up with Jesus drawn upside down with spikes through his eyes, that is also a belief, but not one that a child of 7 should be walking into school emblazoned with.

Answer 12

WTF? There was a white pride parade in CowTown? Oh man I hate that s**+... err city even more now.

As far as the family... nah, no reason to take the kids but mom needs some guidance as far as acceptable clothing... I don't send my daughter to school with pentacles drawn on her out of respect for the LOGOS (Christian) program running out of the same school. This isn't about bad parenting it is more about people who are idiots and have no emotional maturity.

Answer 13

I do not agree with the belief system of those parents, however, a lot of people wouldn't agree with my belief system.

Would we than remove children from homes of atheists?  Or, in a strong Christian society, Muslim?  That just seems absurd doesn't it?

I think this is wrong on so many levels.  It is like, something I read a while ago on here, a lady thinking that all people who do not breast feed their children should have their children taken away, unless there is a medical reason (which a doctor signed off on) that the mother could not breast feed.  How stupid is that?  

I think, as long as the children are not being harmed (and having swastika's drawn on them is not harmful, though may be inappropriate), I will let you raise your children with your belief system and I hope you will let me raise my children with my belief system.  

This world just gets crazier and crazier.  I am all for limited government involvement in personal lives.

Answer 14

Only if those beliefs are seriously harmful to the child.   In the case mentioned in the article, I don't believe the children should have been taken out of the home, regardless of the extremely racist nature of their beliefs.  However, in some religions, certain medical treatments (such as blood transfusions) are forbidden.   What if a family practicing one of these religions has a child with hemophilia, and refuses to allow him medical treatment?  In a case like that, I think the child should be removed from the home.

Answer 15

you live in canada? well, all i can say is they don,t do that in the usa!

Answer 16

would u want your kids taken away just because u felt 1 way and someone else felt another? my answer is no... we might not like it, but they r not your kids.

Answer 17

Never, unless those beliefs have the potential to harm the child, including leading the child to have a life not conforming with the law.  For instance, in a religious community where fathers slept with daughters as a "belief" (just an example, and I DON"T think it should happen that way), because that it against the "normal" of society, and is against the law, a child could be taken, because their life would be considered in danger.  The same could go for poligamy.  

I do believe that if a religion has beliefs that can be considered an endangerment, against the law, or to do permanent phsychological harm to the child, that intervention should be taken, where the parents have a right to education, counseling away from their spouses (in the instance that a wife might be so scared if she wasn't told there was another way out), and a definite chance for re-unification to make sure that the child's best interests are at hand.

Sometimes, teaching children to be so public with private beliefs can be dangerous to them.  Teaching that child to do something like what happened in your article could get them killed if they'd worn that to a school in Memphis, or Atlanta.  I don't believe it's ever healthy to teach your kids to hate, and in this case, I personally believe that the message was endangering to the child.

Answer 18

Yes I do..if one's beliefs override what is right..in this case

when hatred is taught and has a history of death..and encourages violence..being a good mom is loving your

kids and showing them that all culture is unique ..that no

color or race is better then another..we should dislike the behavior of the individual if the are in the wrong..

not hate the entire race for one persons mistake...

These children need to learn compassion and understanding.

As for religion...only if that religion overrides what is best for the child and that child is being harmed by it

Answer 19

I don't think her children should be taken away. It will do more damage than good. I do believe they need serious councelling and Calgary Children's Aid Society should be involved in seeing that the councelling takes place and that the children are protected from neglect and abuse.