Children troubled by parents' religion want 'exit' system, survey shows

Children troubled by parents' religion want 'exit' system, survey shows

However Japan's current parlement want that religion organization group to be exist and still received cash from their sales.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/11/02/national/spiritual-sales-japan-unification-church-bill/

A recent survey of the children of followers of religious groups has found strong support for establishing a mechanism for them to "escape" both their parents and the groups if they are troubled by the group's activities.

Children want to escape the oppressive and many meaningless strictures of religious families and communities.

News at 11.

Unfortunately this is not only a problem with Japan and the Unification Church.

And societies reward these religious institutions with tax exemption, allowing them to amass great wealth, and use that wealth to influence politicians in many countries.

It is great to see Japan starting to do something about a serious problem - religion in society. All religions get a free pass on taxes, influence politics with their money and organized voting blocs, and even create political parties like Komeito or the many Christian democratic parties in Europe. And they impose their values on nonbelievers also - they can’t have abortions and insist everyone else can’t either.

Other countries should follow the Japanese lead and start limiting religion in society.

Another cult, complaining about another cult , stealing it members ,a country where critical thinking and questions of authority is frowned upon, is ripe for culting

Nagoya,lack of critical thinking lead to cultism in a society,where people are not able to be their individual self,have you been in a organization like this

Freedom of religion is a guaranteed right. Just like any group religious or not, you're free to join, you're free to leave. The government should stay out of it.....unless religious groups break the law.

Should any child be subjected to any religion before it is old enough to make up its own mind? It's indoctrination pure and simple.

Its sad that many parents "brainwash" their children with their religious beliefs. "God" rarely comes to individuals on their own free will.

Among those who left their religious groups, 58.3 percent said they had a bad relationship with their family and 45.9 percent said they struggled to assimilate into society due to religious values that remained even after leaving the groups.

Born to the cult member parents, many nisei don't usually know or have "exit resources" outside the cult community. For them exit means flying to settle in another culture in another country, not coming back to the home society. It's a pretty tough job.

Interesting how helpful the government is being.

Now I thought the original problem was with all the LDP cult members and money exchanged, and the interaction for financial gain.

I’m sure we will be hearing little of that.

Freedom of religion is a guaranteed right. Just like any group religious or not, you're free to join, you're free to leave.

Yes, it is, and it should be protected

The government should stay out of it.....unless religious groups break the law.

Right, then religious cults should also be taxed as any other business in Japan as well. They break the law by stalking people, and soliciting people on the streets to join their groups. Those activities should be deemed illegal as well.

Freedom of religion is a guaranteed right. Just like any group religious or not, you're free to join, you're free to leave. The government should stay out of it.....unless religious groups break the law.

Madness.

Do you really think a frightened teenager - who has almost certainly been mentally or physically abused- has the means to just simply leave one of these cults?

The Japanese govt should have the powers to remove children from any cult if there is even the slight suggestion of danger. Children in cults like the Moonies, Aleph, Scientology etc would be much better off long term away from their parents.

Parents should give their children their choice in every thing. Not brainwash them when their brains have not developed.

In addition - I will add Jehovahs Witness to that shameful list of cults where the government should take children away from parents in the event of any suspicion of mistreatment.

These are NOT religions, the are Mind Controlling COLTS just like any other colt anywhere else, some hide behind their fancy by using names like Church or group but the fact of the matter these are COLTS plain and simple.

Many children are raised in religious family and their churches or temples or and are living a good life as happy as any other kid.

At age 15, I knew I wasn't going to follow my parents religion, but didn't say anything until well after college. From 16 until I moved out, I was working every weekend, missing church. They were members of a cult - the Catholic Church - though it isn't as bad as some others. I'm calling it a cult based on never being asked what I wanted and being lead through a number of church jobs and "sacraments" in which I had no interesting.

But I was a child under my parents care and it was their responsibility to teach me things they thought were important. Their religion was part of that teaching.

One of my sisters joined the Jehovah Witnesses for 2 yrs and pulled her husband and child into it. We though it was a little fringe and worried about their stance on medical care

"we don’t accept blood transfusions because the Bible forbids taking in blood to sustain the body"

-ref: jw.org

Think of any life-saving surgery that may need blood transfusions. Those aren't allowed.

Religion is something that I wouldn't alter, but it needs to be clear that modern medical practices need to be allowed by any religion. If they don't, then ban that religion. I'd ban the Catholic church based on their anti-abortion stance, for example. It is a medical procedure that can be life saving in many situations for the mother.

Anyone know where to find this Social Research Action Chiki Lab study? I see that Kyodo published the original article in English and JapanToday and Colors of India repeated the article in parts. I would like to read the original article.

Perhaps I'd go further. Indoctrinating children into any religion is child abuse. It's limiting their potential. I am certainly not against religion but all existing religions are flawed and mostly idolatry. They have in thousands of cases justified and concealed torture, war, slavery, child abuse, etc. No way should any child have to deal with that cognitive dissonance.

Freedom of religion is protected by the constitution. Cults and religious groups are different.

All children usually follow the culture and religion of their parents. Unlike in western schools, in Japanese schools, religion is not taught.

Another protection by the constitution.

The Constitution of Japan flatly states: The State and its organs shall refrain from religious education or any other religious activity (Article 20, Paragraph 3).

The report states "children" but no indication of their age. Besides religion there can be many aspects children may not accept from their parents. These are normal in most families. The parents want one thing, their children another.

From the article, we do not know the actual question asked. Asking the same question in different manners produces different answers.

No child or otherwise should not be forced to follow any religion. The constitution protects against not wanting to be part of a religion.

I was born into a strong Catholic family but I never became one. I was also excused from religious lessons at my school mainly because I was considered to be a "Catholic" and in a CoE state school. Also excused from the morning religious assembly.

In western militaries, religion is a major part of their services. not so in Japan.

The two main religions in Japan are Shintoism and Buddhism. Both do not recognize any single type of God.

All religious groups in most countries are exempt from taxes.

China is a country that bans religions including persecution and imprisonment. Many Islamic countries ban any religion other than their own.

Children should not be forced to follow any religion but the article on the report does not say how that could happen.

Very good suggestion, but it should include all kinds of religious organizations as well, it is obviously easier to include only those that have not yet been accepted into the default culture of the country, but there are people that are troubled by their parents Shintoism and Buddhist beliefs as well, with temples and monks repeatedly asking for contributions and participation in rites and ceremonies.

The Supreme Court gave religious exclusive over their religious teaching,and they can treat them as they see fit,and members can either adhere too them or face discipline for not following their teaching of the religion

In the US Christian religious groups have pressurized the local school boards to remove books they don't like. Even the dollar bill states "In God We Trust".

OGIUE Chiki, (Founder & Chief Director, Social Research Action CHIKI LAB). Can not find a website.

Muslims are banned from giving up their religion and be punished with death.

Theee are religions and there are businesses and political cults disguised as religions. The Moonies are a business. You give them money and they give you good vibes. (You may want to read the satirical novel Erehwon by Samuel Butler in this regard.). Cults like S.G. are both into money and political power.

The Moonies, however, have a special place in the world of mendacity. They impoverish people. They are tricky. They are devious. They are (let us say) less than honest at times.

Keep in mind that there are religious crooks all over they world.

It's a worst thing for liberal democracy when you government decides to choose for the people what religion to believe or not to believe.

Japan does not! In fact, Japan as a country is very tolerant of different beliefs and "gods". There was a time when it wasnt so, but today you can find just about whatever religious cult you want.

wallace Today 10:54 am JST

OGIUE Chiki, (Founder & Chief Director, Social Research Action CHIKI LAB). Can not find a website.

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/荻上チキ

There is a wikipedia article about him.

There was a time when the country banned Christianity or restricted its movement. Today, there are Christian churches. There are also Muslims and mosques.

The mainstreams are Shintoism and Buddhism all in many forms.

Yohan

thank you. No website for Chiki Lab.

Parents should not be taking decisions on behalf of their children after a certain age. This lopsided article only gives one point of view.

In my case, it was my mom who kept insisting that I join the religion I currently follow (not the same as the religion that I was born in) when I was a kid but I was too naive and stubborn to agree. Finally saw reason in my teens when things in my life went from worse to worst.

Now I have been a Buddhist for over 20 years and never regretted it for even a second.

Religion means to believe in something. True or not, nobody knows. I see no problem with it as long as those followers do not approach me personally and do not try to force me to join them.

About religious associations of any kind including charities, I think they should be considered as a kind of business and obliged to keep a transparent bookkeeping and their income should be taxed.

Some of those organizations are very rich, own land and buildings and I see no reason why they should be tax-exempt.

Children become adults at 18 years and then can decide for themselves. While they need the support of their parents it is very difficult to go against them.

Implementing any of the suggestions of the study authors would be grave violations of religions freedom and parental rights. Government has no right to make determinations that certain religions are good and others are not. Government has no right to judge the worth of a religion. It is strictly a matter of conscience for the follower.

Likewise no government has any right to interfere with the religious upbringing of children. Parents won't obey such laws either. I had extensive dealings with immigrant Soviet Jews when I worked for Chabad Lubavitch. I was the only Goyem working there. In the USSR it was illegal to teach any kind of religion to anyone under age 18 and the state aggressively enforced that law. Parents often raised their kids in secret, taught them at home and kept them secret from the authorities so they could teach them Judaism.

The calls here for government interference in religion, were they to come to fruition, would put Japan into the same lot of gross human rights violators as China and the many Arab states that suppress religion. I am actually appalled to read some of the posts under this article. There is no respect for religious freedom apparently in Japan. It is a shameful thing.

Can’t promise a happy life, but I can promise you a spot next to God, for just $99.99 (terms and conditions apply).

Good to get rid of this unification church thing. But let's not forget the bigger elephant in the room. Islam. Everybody is afraid to talk about it but wherever you go in Japan, new mosques are springing up. Their only exit strategy is death.

Very soon they will be powerful enough to ask the rest of us to cover our hair

Should any child be subjected to any religion before it is old enough to make up its own mind? It's indoctrination pure and simple.

If you want to play it that way, there are countless things kids are forced into. Should a child be forced to live with their parents before they are old enough to make up their mind? The important thing is whether the kids are abused mentally or physically, or persuaded to make donations to some scam religion.

I grew up Catholic and though I didn't particularly enjoy going to church, there was a feeling of happiness around my family afterwards, as if we had done some good deed, so I really didn't mind it overall. And though I no longer go to church as an adult, I like that I have the choice to go if I feel like doing so. I think I'd be uncomfortable going as a complete newbie.

Anyway I'm not trying to invalidate your opinion, but there is a big difference between a regular religion and cult/scams like the moonies, jehovah, and sokka gakkai, etc. We need to focus on the latter as these are ruining people's lives.

While they’re at it they should also designate the Mormon church as a cult and outlaw it. The monies have only been brainwashing and ruining families for half a century; the Mormons have been doing it since the 1800’s. I inadvertently was invited to a Mormon family dinner in Japan when we moved in. Didn’t know they were Mormon and the wife thought it would be a good idea because they had children our sons age. Worst 3 hours of my life. They passive aggressively tried to convince my wife that her religion (Islam) was wrong and that her soul would burn in hell. They were too ignorant to even argue with. Real Stepford Wives vibe.

Brainwashing and indoctrination of children into any religion should be an offence as a form of child abuse, in particular the Abrahamic cults

Unfortunately, the Japanese, who are known for throwing the baby out with the bath water, will use the Unification scandal to further avoid any spiritual inquiry, and will resort even more to a vapid life of entertainment and tech. interests ( like in modern America) with no shared inquiry into what life is all about. Which is just what the cult of secular humanism wants.

@Moonraker

Indoctrinating children into any religion is child abuse.

So it's ok for you to teach your beliefs and morals to children but religious people can't? Maybe you didn't realise this is discriminatory towards the very vast mmajority of the world's parents who are religious.

They have in thousands of cases justified and concealed torture, war, slavery, child abuse, etc. No way should any child have to deal with that cognitive dissonance.

Maybe you forgot

@Moonraker

They have in thousands of cases justified and concealed torture, war, slavery, child abuse, etc. No way should any child have to deal with that cognitive dissonance.

Maybe you forgot about atheists Stalin, Mao Tse Tung and Pol Pot and thier carnage and abuse? So should parents teaching their children atheism be also considered child abuse?

@DesertTortoise,

Government has no right to make determinations that certain religions are good and others are not.

Can a distinction not be made between religious beliefs and the actions of religious organizations? So to say "this is what we believe" would be OK, but to harass people to join or contribute funds could be considered illegal.

These whacky religions are everywhere, and there have been so many exposes of the excessive control exercised by their founders and senior adherents. Its hard to prevent adults who are dumb enough or psychologically needy enough to follow them, but children should not be compelled to do so if they feel upset or unsafe in doing so.

The government's therefore need to clarify in law what is unacceptable, apply itcross all religions, and provide a process whereby concerned children (or parents or friends) can express their concern and expect them to be investigated. So there would need to be e.g. special police and/or children's social worker units, and school psychologists would need to be trained to recognise symptoms of discontent in children, and they and teachers should be required to report it to the authorities.

The law on religious freedom is clearly clarified in the constitution and is easy to read and understand.

So it's ok for you to teach your beliefs and morals to children but religious people can't?

How do you know what I do, Concerned Citizen? Personally, I have quite strong moral beliefs but I have never imposed them on my child or anyone else I have taught. They can get there themselves.

Why is there this binary, religious or atheist too? I have never advocated atheism. It doesn't even make logical sense because you cannot prove something doesn't exist.

The world currently has over 3 thousand religions in use and it's more than reasonable to assume that you are not educated as to how they all operate.

How do you know what I know, Awa no Gaijin.?

You seem like you possess some erudition so perhaps you can point me to a religion that truly seeks our spiritual liberation, instead of rudely attributing ignorance to me. Because few/none have been raised in such an environment.

Seems to me you might both be making me into a straw man to make your points that saddling a child with a religion before they can make up their own mind is fine. And I already said I am certainly not against religion but any education MUST put open minds central before there is spiritual liberation. And no religion is willing to do that almost by definition. But spiritual liberation must be the central goal of humanity. Is it gonna come through any of the corrupt institutions that currently brainwash most of humanity?

"The survey also found that 71.9 percent of respondents agreed that religious groups that cause problems in society should be disbanded or stripped of their status as a religious corporation entitled to tax benefits.

In addition, 67.3 percent want legislation to designate certain groups as a "cult" and subject them to regulations to prevent abuses under the name of religion."

The government won't do either, though.

I'll make the point even more simply: spiritual liberation does not need an interpreting priesthood or a god concept or a statue or a set of rituals. Anything that comes between you and your own spiritual experience can only corrupt it and you. It was Carl Jung who said this seemed almost to be the purpose of organised religion.

@Moonraker

Indoctrinating children into any religion is child abuse.

How do you know what I do, Concerned Citizen? Personally, I have quite strong moral beliefs but I have never imposed them on my child or anyone else I have taught. They can get there themselves.

So, you don't teach or impart any morals on your children whatsoever? No right from wrong? You don't come across as someone that negligent. You've also promoted your morals right on this page by saying "Indoctrinating children into any religion is child abuse" So why you imparting your particular view of right and wrong to your children (and to others) OK, but religious parents imparting their particular sense of right and wrong to their children is child abuse?

Maybe you forgot about atheists Stalin, Mao Tse Tung and Pol Pot and thier carnage and abuse? So should parents teaching their children atheism be also considered child abuse?

@Concerned Citizen. Unfortunately for you, your argument has been demonstrated to be either shallow or knowingly dishonest.

The problem for your argument is this: Ask yourself how many times did Stalin, Mao or Pol Pot kill in the name of atheism. Zero. They killed millions yes, but for reasons of power and vengeance.

Then ask yourself how many have been killed directly in the name of god? The Crusades, Northern Ireland, 9/11, the Rohingya genocide, etc. So your god must be either totally inept or evil.