Survey: 34% Of Children Of Religious Group Members Told To Donate
A survey shows that a third of people whose parents belong to religious groups, including the former Unification Church, have been told by family members to donate to the organizations.
A group studying social issues conducted the survey online in September. More than 1,100 children of people belonging to religious groups including Buddhist, Christian and Shinto organizations answered.
On a multiple-choice question about what they were required to do by their parents, 34 percent said they were urged to donate to the groups. Ninety percent were pressed to attend rituals, and 40 percent to join the groups or related ones.
Asked what they were told by their parents, 63 percent said not to violate doctrines, while the same percentage said their parents claimed to be successful because of their beliefs. Thirty percent were banned from attending school events.
Respondents who left their parents' religious groups were asked what problems they had. Fifty-eight percent said worsened family relationships, while 45 percent said difficulty creating new worldviews and getting used to social common sense.
On support from society, 73 percent mentioned a need to create systems to allow them to safely separate from their parents or religious groups; 72 percent called for disbandment orders for groups causing social problems, or nullification of their religious corporation status.
Ogiue Chiki, who represents the research group, said the survey has revealed that the respondents currently speaking out are not exceptional.
He said people are free to have their children believe in their religions, but that denying children's free will and forcing religious beliefs on them must be defined as abuse. He called for systems to enable intervention for children trying to leave religious groups.