Nicholas Taylor
H World Lit
Mrs. Spruill
12 May 2013
Religion
Slavery. Dictatorship. Sex trade. These are all examples of one common characteristic; people forcing others into performing actions against their own will. How would you feel if somebody made your decisions for you and there was nothing you could do about it? You most likely would not be happy; in fact you would probably be outraged at some of the decisions that were made. One of the biggest decisions in life that can determine your character, your friends, your personality, and even your job… is religion. Religion has caused wars, ended wars, and is a prevalent factor in every single person’s life throughout the entire world. Parents should not choose the religion of their children because that single decision has the ability to ruin and change one’s life progressively from the time they are in grade school all the way up to the time they are on their death bed. If a child is forced into becoming a follower of a religion that is considered a minority religion in the area they live while in grade school, it astronomically increases the chances that that particular child will be bullied. Bullying is a harrowing problem that unfortunately can be found in every school throughout the country. One definite attribute that contributes to bullying is religion. A recent study showed that one in four kids that have been bullied before have been bullied because of religion. Bullying is only physically harming to the victim in certain cases, but is mentally harming to the victim in every single case. To cope with the mental stress, teenagers may turn to drugs, alcohol, or self-harm which is extremely harmful to the victim. All this is caused because a parent decides the religion of their child and can be prevented by simply letting that child choose their religion. Another reason why parents should not choose their kid’s religion is that religion is a personal choice that should be made by one’s self, and not by somebody else. If a child is deprived of this personal choice, they will begin to resent their parents.
If this happens, the child will not see or speak to their parents for years to come. That separated relationship is unhealthy and can be a factor leading to depression, which could consume and ruin that child’s life. Even later on in life when the child is old enough to have