Indoctrinization

[OnceConvinced]

In another thread on the topic of childhood indoctronisation, I made this comment:

How can you say that religion is not responsible for indoctronation?

Twobitsmedia replied:

Religion can only do so if the subject is willing to be indoctrinated.

So, my questions.

Does a child have a choice when it comes to being indoctronised?

Can a child know they are being indoctronised?

Can a child avoid being indoctronised?

Please justify your answers.

[olavisjo]

If you had not been indoctrinated as a Christian, you would probably have been very active on Internet forums debating the merits of religion and such. You were not born a full blown fanatic, but not lukewarm either.

I must admit that I have no idea what you're talking about.

The response was specifically for OnceConvinced.

I was never indoctrinated as a Christian nor am I a fanatic.

The first part may be fact, but the later is your fancy.
You have written 450 posts since 24 July 2008, you are a fanatic my friend.

[Thought Criminal]

If you had not been indoctrinated as a Christian, you would probably have been very active on Internet forums debating the merits of religion and such. You were not born a full blown fanatic, but not lukewarm either.

I must admit that I have no idea what you're talking about.

The response was specifically for OnceConvinced.

I was never indoctrinated as a Christian nor am I a fanatic.

The first part may be fact, but the later is your fancy.
You have written 450 posts since 24 July 2008, you are a fanatic my friend.

I'm verbose and you're insulting. You've been reported for calling me a fanatic.

TC

[Beto]

I'm not sure I'm following. How is someone born "fanatical", religious or otherwise?

born
2 a: having from birth specified qualities <a born leader>

Thanks, I know what the expression means.

I can see someone being born with a genetic predisposition for excessive enthusiasm, however that isn't the same as saying one is "born a fanatic". That completely disregards all the factors involved in the development of a person's character, and deresponsibilizes people for "extreme personalities", the formation of which they had a hand in creating.

[olavisjo]

If you had not been indoctrinated as a Christian, you would probably have been very active on Internet forums debating the merits of religion and such. You were not born a full blown fanatic, but not lukewarm either.

I must admit that I have no idea what you're talking about.

The response was specifically for OnceConvinced.

I was never indoctrinated as a Christian nor am I a fanatic.

The first part may be fact, but the later is your fancy.
You have written 450 posts since 24 July 2008, you are a fanatic my friend.

I'm verbose and you're insulting. You've been reported for calling me a fanatic.

TC

You made an assertion, I simply gave you evidence to the contrary, no offence was intended. I proudly consider myself a fanatic.

fa·nat·ic
Pronunciation: \fə-ˈna-tik\
: marked by excessive enthusiasm

[JoeyKnothead]

I'm verbose and you're insulting. You've been reported for calling me a fanatic.

You made an assertion, I simply gave you evidence to the contrary, no offence was intended. I proudly consider myself a fanatic.

How much longer are theists going to be allowed to insult atheists, and hide behind their embracing the insult? This has been an ongoing debate lately, and we've got to find a way to solve it.

Theists, please understand that some of the terminology you use, while accepted within your churches and your group of friends, is not acceptable to atheists or others. And vice versa to atheists.

Just because your doctrine gives you these notions does not make them right for everybody. Of course, this is a two way street, and atheists should be called out when we err as well. I repeat that to make sure you know I'm not piling on here, atheists must learn which concepts and language are insulting to theists as well.

[Thought Criminal]

You made an assertion, I simply gave you evidence to the contrary, no offence was intended. I proudly consider myself a fanatic.

fa·nat·ic
Pronunciation: \fə-ˈna-tik\
: marked by excessive enthusiasm

Your definition is incomplete. A better one is: "a person with an extreme and uncritical enthusiasm or zeal, as in religion or politics."

Extreme and uncritical is not good. I would reject both of these descriptions.

TC

P.S.
My dictionary supplements the definition with the following usage note:

Syn. enthusiast, zealot, bigot, hothead, militant. FANATIC, ZEALOT, MILITANT, DEVOTEE refer to persons showing more than ordinary support for, adherence to, or interest in a cause, point of view, or activity. FANATIC and ZEALOT both suggest excessive or overweening devotion to a cause or belief. FANATIC further implies unbalanced or obsessive behavior: a wild-eyed fanatic. ZEALOT, only slightly less unfavorable in implication than FANATIC, implies single-minded partisanship: a tireless zealot for tax reform. MILITANT stresses vigorous, aggressive support for or opposition to a plan or ideal and suggests a combative stance. DEVOTEE is a milder term than any of the foregoing, suggesting enthusiasm but not to the exclusion of other interests or possible points of view: a jazz devotee.

[Confused]

Moderator Note:

Ok, since the definition of a "fanatic" has absolutely nothing to do with this thread, can we please stick to the OP?

Thought Criminal: As I see it, olavisjo has already stated no offense was intended. If you have commonly been insulted by him in a manner that would consistently show him intentionally being offensive, then we have no proper documentation in the form of reports to support this, so we must take him at his word that he wasn't trying to be offensive. In the future, can we try to keep this kind of thing out of the threads as you can already see how it is taking it off track?

joeyknuccione: Your comment was not directly needed here was it?

Please take note: if you wish to comment on what I have written here, do it in a PM please. There is no need to clutter this thread as we have so many others.