My daughter does not want to go to church and says that she is an atheist. It has been going on for about 6 months.

I feel it is my Christian duty to bring my children up in the church, but is there any point in forcing her if she doesn't want to go?

Will this turn her away from God even more. She is 13 years old.

you cant force her . . . that is why you cannot rule out the role of family altars in a home.
Do you read the bible and pray with ur kids? Do you show them a good example of a christian mother?

As parents you are meant to be an epistle to ur kids, most times they wont understand certain biblical concepts unless they can see it in their parents. The best you can do is go on ur knees for her.

Yes we read the bible and pray every night before going to bed.I believe it is the influence of her peer group.I believe that the family that prays together stays together.
I try my best,but as she is growing she is developing her own ideas about the world.I believe that she will come back to God in the end.

pray and love her. thats all you can do and God will do the rest. we cant force people to serve God then it wont be real in their lives. FAST AND PRAY. God works miracles. I am fasting and praying for people in my world as well and i believe and know God answers prayers. God bless

I myself am single mother of two children, raising them going to church regularly since they were born. Now they are actively church youth choir as well as active member.

Actually you cannot force your 13 yr old going church with you. Just pray for her in the deliverance of changing her heart back into the right path. Don't worry! God will lead her back into path at his own time, not yours. Only way if whole family gathering go church together, so your daughter won't be alone at home, stuck no choice have to go with you.

It sounds like your daughter is rebellious and got bad influences from peer pressure of wrong crowds. Pray for her!!

Yes we read the bible and pray every night before going to bed. I believe it is the influence of her peer group. I believe that the family that prays together stays together.
I try my best,but as she is growing she is developing her own ideas about the world.I believe that she will come back to God in the end.

If I may clear some of this questions, it will go along way to make my suggestion. At what level are your involvement in the church? How much time do you have have your Kids,Church and your work?

that is why you cannot rule out the role of family altars in a home.

Do you have this in your home and if yes since when?

Shallom!

shallom my brother. We are very active within our church and the children have been attending from a very young age. I work in a school so that I can spend holidays off with my children.
The church that we go to has lots of young people and they are encouraged to take part in the worship.
I ask my daughter to pray with us at home, and even if she doesn't want to say the words to at least be with us as a family member and to listen to what is being said out of respect for our faith.

yvskc:

I try my best,but as she is growing she is developing her own ideas about the world.I believe that she will come back to God in the end.

Seems you've got a very smart daughter here. Don't force her. Allow her to excercise "God-given freewill".

I can sense that she is very intelligent.

You need to sit down with her and discuss this atheism of hers deeply. You need to show her the pitfalls and the lies contained in the yarns of atheists. You need to show her that God exists.

Her faith response seems not to be a blind one, but an enlightened one.

Forget all that mumbo jumbo about praying together and celebrate her for who she is,
otherwise you will spend your last days on earth miserable and alone. it's a guarantee.

Don't just tolerate her beliefs. It's not enough. You must appreciate her as she is.
Don't allow your primitive religious beliefs to tear apart your family. Tolerance is just step 1.

@ poster:

since she seems to be an intelligent child, let her know you respect her views. However, you probably need to brush up on your own knowledge base in order to discuss with her in intelligent language she understands, rather than "commanding" her to do stuff. In short, surprise her with your own intelligence too. Let her see you through different eyes. Not as an "oldie' who's out of touch with real life. Need I ask if your church is culturally Nigerian.

Then you might want to try getting her interested in a different youth ministry. One where she'll meet youths her age who can show her being smart isnt limited to certain circles.

Besides, what will she be doing alone at home on Sundays or whatever days, after the rest of the family have gone to church? Entertaining her friends? Who's keeping an eye on her? Of course you cant watch her 24/7, but still.

Seun:

Forget all that mumbo jumbo about praying together and celebrate her for who she is,
otherwise you will spend your last days on earth miserable and alone. it's a guarantee.

Don't just tolerate her beliefs. It's not enough. You must appreciate her as she is.
Don't allow your primitive religious beliefs to tear apart your family. Tolerance is just step 1.

Oga Seun, which kin misyarn be dis? Calling yvskc's beliefs  'primitive' is hardly an effective means of encouraging her tolerance or 'celebration' of her daughter's differing beliefs! I wonder if you'd have so careless if yvskc was of another Abrahamic religion that wasn't Judaism,   


[size=3pt]*runs away in anticipation of trouble* [/size]

@topic,No you cant force your daughter to church,its too late !
@poster,you need to get closer to God yourself,commit your daughter to him.initiate and have talks with your daughter,see what made her believe in what she believes in now.my sister,you need to pray harder ooooo.

wonders shall never end. one moment christians are  popular and cantankerous Christians the next we have primitive religious beliefs.

do i sence an attempt to ridicule christians here? respecting religious beliefs should be for all religions not just for the vocal minority.
@poster. please pray hard. this is your child the enemy is not permited to have a rebelious child in your house. if at 13 she knows to be an atheist she must know too that as a mother you must know some few facts of life she do not know. my prayers are with you

ifyalways:

@topic,No you can't force your daughter to church,its too late !
@poster,you need to get closer to God yourself,commit your daughter to him.initiate and have talks with your daughter,see what made her believe in what she believes in now.my sister,you need to pray harder ooooo.

she definitely cant force her daughter to believe in God, but maybe she should carry her along to church anyway. Teen pregnancy is a very real possibility here.

that's why I asked what the daughter would be doing at home by herself when everyone else is in church.



Kids sometimes forget that adults used to be kids too. Reminds me of my own teenage years. My mom was very religious and often left me/us alone at home while she went to church. Of course we had friends over. Or went visiting friends who were also home alone.

We watched movies, and did regular teen stuff, but I dont doubt there were some who were getting it on as well. Maybe my mom's fervent prayers saved me from teenage pregnancy. A classmate of mine wasnt so lucky.

Don't force the kid.

What you have to do is encourage the kid to find the right religion for herself.

I am a Muslim not because my father is a Muslim.

My Mother happens to be a Christian I decided to choose the religion suitable for me.

Even after my fathers death I remain a Muslim.


Note: You forcing the kid into been a Christian might materialise in something you do not want.


My sincere advice is for you is to call upon the kid, discuss about her choice of religion but you have do your research properly on her line of religion or else you will lost the battle.

Then, explain what makes your god superior to hers and the advantages of a Christian life over hers.

she definitely can't force her daughter to believe in God, but maybe she should carry her along to church anyway. Teen pregnancy is a very real possibility here.

Buhahaha. Atheist kids don't get pregnant that easily. They use contraceptives.
It's the church kids who get knocked up because they can't be seen buying contraceptives.

Seun:

Buhahaha. Atheist kids don't get pregnant that easily. They use contraceptives.
It's the silly church kids who get knocked up because they can't be seen buying condoms.

I wish. Even western countries still have a high rate of teen pregnancy, despite liberal abortion laws and very high contraceptive use.

teenagers only think they're mature enough to cover all the bases. They're not.

and na church kids dey buy condom pass .

Children these days scare me. At 13 already living their own lives what next?

lmao Seun. So true esp those Catholics

Lady T

@D-reloaded

tpia, most churches forbid contraceptive esp The catholic church which is why you see Hispanics and co with their numerous children

They never remember the part of No fornication but since they don't want to be seen as premeditating on the act, aka KNOWINGLY buying condoms to sin, they do without hence the babies and claiming "heat of the moment"

LadyT:

@D-reloaded

I've missed you jare. _{that's if you know who this is}

@ poster,

force her to go with you, i guess she is still an infant and very likely under the influence of her peers, i dont know what laws prevail in your area though,at a later age, may be 18 she can decide to walk with her head. always make her understand that the decision to be whatever is solely dependent on her.

Seems you've got a very smart daughter here. Don't force her. Allow her to excercise "God-given freewill".

there is nothing wrong in exercising her God given freewill but at what age? is she the one catering for herself? if you talk about free will, it means i would have started making love at age four, you will think its stupid but that the truth, you dont grant freedom to a child all of a sudden, if you must it got to be gradual. what kind of freedom are we talkin about?

All u people wey they live away dey vex me
Wetin concern us wit if u pikin no 1 go church?
Flog am now, abi u dey fear Police and court case
You no knw hw 2 do am the African way?
because that kind pikin na "Ogbanje" we dey call am. Ask your Husband
Can hlp u out sha; [b]to test 4 witchcraft Flog and wit broom and your already
refigerated pepper spiced cain[/b]
Wen me i dey grow i no get say whether to go church or not
Wen them never finish to dey sell "egba pankere"

Send her back to Nigeria to a boarding school run by missionaries.

i think that 13 is still young to decide on church or not , but pray for her.
or ask her y she doesnt want to attend, maybe she's not comfortable there or maybe she doesnt like the pastor

There is a Rev. King in Naija dat can help o
Even in the prison He's still performing Signs and wonders
He has various effective methods of Performing Deliverance o!

you don't need to force, her all you need to do
is to show her more love, make her to understand
the benefit of going to church, not just being a church
goer but to be the doers of the word and most
importantly watch the type pf friends she keep

Yes you can make her. Why not. Will you force her to go to school if she says she does not want to. Yes you will. You cannot force her to accept Jesus but you can make her go to church with the rest of the family. She does not get to make her own rules.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your path. Proverbs 3:5-6

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. Psalm 1:1

As a Christian your counsel should come from God's word. You would not get good counsel [/b]on christian issues from those who are not christian but [b]scorn.

Go to those God has placed over you for spiritual guidance ie Pastor or Fellowship leader etc and get them to pray with you on this issue. As Christians we have the Holy Spirit as our guide (not nairaland) John16:7- 13. Please stay strong in faith and do not let fear enter your heart just focus on the word.

This counsel is given on the assumption that you have asked Jesus Christ to come into your life. If you have not that should be your starting point.