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In Reply to: Re: Documentary: "Faith &Fear: The Children of Krishna" posted by Perry on August 17, 2004 at 13:24:21:
The big issue I keep bouncing around in my head involves parental rights versus children's rights. Parents have the right to raise their children in whatever religion they choose, no matter how bizaar the belief system. (I wish they didn't, but they do.) Certainly, adults have the right to embrace whatever religious beliefs they choose.
Kids have a right to grow up safe from abuse & exploitation. Kids have a right to an education that will prepare them to interact and cope with the larger world outside the home. Kids have a right to medical care that will keep them alive & healthy.
Where does society draw the line when religious belief is used to justify abuse, exploitation & inadequate education and medical care? How does society respond when a religious group has written policies that adhere to the basic rights of children, but in practice the group condones inadequate education and economic exploitation?
It's like the research study on 172 Family kids that shows the proportion with personality disturbance is no greater than that of kids in the general population. Personality disturbance occurs in the general population of teenagers & young adults at an extremely low frequency. In fact, this form of psychopathology is not typically diagnosed until someone is in their mid to late 20's.
That said, it does not logically follow that growing up in the Family or the Krishnas is a good thing for child & adolescent mental health. It also does not follow that the rights of children born into these new religious movements (NRMs) aren't violated on a regular basis. Do parents who belong to these NRMs have the right to raise their children in such a way that they have virtually no resources (educational, experiental, financial, social) to emancipate from the group as young adults?
