Is it good to teach children to exercise caution before believing in the assertions made by religious people?

Desiree: Is it good to teach children to exercise caution before believing in the assertions made by religious people?
If you teach your children that the world is full of religious nutjobs, each claiming that their bizarre dogma is the truth, is this going to make children cynical and make them devalue the lives of their fellow humans? But if you don’t teach them this, isn’t it going to make your children become vulnerable to the lies, trickery and cultish-coercion tactics employed by so many religious charlatans today?

Answers and Views:

Answer by Jordan
You can teach your children that there are religious nut jobs, but the bottom line is your children will still build friendships. I do not think they will devalue their peers lives.

Answer by Mike
I believe children should be taught unbiased information about religions of the world and let them believe what they want to believe.

Answer by Fred
Children should be taught the truth about religionoids. Religionoids each believe that they have some magical relationship with a magical fairy, and all are deluded. Children should not be lied to about fairies such as santa claus, the easter bunny, or the christian fairy.

Answer by Rev. Still Monkeys
I certainly think so. I hate when people say “You have to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything”, as if that has meaning. What if I was standing for Apartheid?
I say children should be taught to ask questions and expect answers.

Answer by ♥☺ bratiskim∞! ☺♥
There’s no guarantee that you child will/will not believe whatever you teach them. I say teach them what you’ve been convinced is the truth and let them make up their own mind about this when the time comes. If you want something to reach their heart, it’s gotta reach your heart first!

Answer by Little Angel
You have to warn children of all the anti-God stuff in the world. It has always been there but now with the internet and TV it is even more pronounced.

Answer by Jabberwock
I think encouraging critical thinking with a healthy level of scepticism is the best defence for kids to not get taken in by the philosophical snake-oil salesmen.

Answer by Justin Credible
It worked for my parents with me and my brother.

Answer by Tattler Lizard
yes indeed that’s the way to do it, I don’t want my kids hearing any of that junk.