His statement took me off guard. I knew him and his family well. He was nineteen when he declared to me, “I’m never going to make my kids go to church like I was!” I was puzzled by his declaration, so I ventured. “Really,” I said. “Yeah” was his response. “Was there something taught you at church that was bad? I mean, were you taught sound principles about how to live your life and to be Christlike in how you treat people?” “Well, yeah, but I was forced to go and I didn’t want to,” was his reply. I asked him some follow-up questions that centered around his overall experience at church, and he had nothing but positive things to say. In fact, the more we talked, the more I questioned the original statement. Now I know that as kids, we don’t like some things our parents make us do, but after our exchange, I really couldn’t figure out what was so negative about his “religious” experience, other than he didn’t like having his parents force him.

Many years have passed since that conversation, and true to his word, his children were never forced to attend church. And his kids chose not to go at all…ever.

And I’m reasonably sure that his religious upbringing had a positive impact on his life and identity. Something that his kids missed out on. And I ponder, from time to time, on those children who are ‘forced’ to go to church, just as they are forced to go to school, the dentist, or the doctor, if they realize the good that came into their lives… being forced. Because I know I ‘forced’ my kids to go to church and also school. I didn’t physically coerce them, but I pushed them to go when they were under my roof. I don’t regret it. I believe I was making a righteous decision as a parent to guide and direct them in ways that I thought would benefit their lives, and I have no regrets about it.

So, if you are one of those kids who was ‘forced’ to go to church each week, take a moment to ponder in your heart and mind about the good things you were taught and that you had parents who were trying to look out for your best interests. Because that is what it was all about. Rising every Sunday and attending church as a family. And I was one of those ‘forced’ to go when I was a kid. And looking back, my parents didn’t want me to just pick up some good teachings; in their minds, they wanted to provide me with the opportunity for ‘eternal salvation!’ All these years later, I’m pretty happy to know that my parents loved me enough to want that for me. It’s something to think about!