Are Christians Guilty of Indoctrination?

This is one of the more commonly levied accusations against Christians, but is it true? It would be wise for us to begin by looking at what the word indoctrinate actually means. According to Cambridge Dictionary, indoctrinate means "to often repeat an idea or belief to someone until they accept it without criticism or question." Are there individuals who claim to fall under the banner of Christianity, particularly cults like Jehovah’s Witnesses and Latter-day Saints, that do this? There’s evidence available to demonstrate that this is true. I’m sure there are well-intentioned Christians who have fallen into this pitfall as well.

We should be aware, however, that about 200 years ago or so, indoctrinate simply meant "To teach; to instruct in rudiments or principles." (You can find that exact definition in Webster's 1828 edition.) Nevertheless, we can go by the modern understanding of the word and compare that idea with Scripture:

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6).

Just as parents are responsible for teaching their children foundational concepts and life skills (e.g., looking both ways whilst crossing the street), Christians have been commanded by God to train up their children in a manner that honors the Lord. This brings me to another relevant point: We are all religious. Yes, you read that correctly! So, how do several dictionaries define the word "religion?" Well, consider the following definitions:

• "a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith."
• "any specific system of belief and worship, often involving a code of ethics and a philosophy."
• "a particular system of faith and worship."
• "a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects."

To be clear, each of these dictionaries lists multiple definitions for religion. Even so, we can see that religious beliefs are not confined to church buildings or even the Bible, for that matter. If we’re being honest with ourselves, everyone subscribes to a particular set of beliefs and practices! Even those who would classify themselves as "not religious" still believe in something (whether it’s themselves, other people, the material world, etc.) at the end of the day. They are religious! Thus, a secular humanist who teaches that human beings are not special creations but rather the result of random chance processes is just as religious as a Christian who teaches on the Days of Creation from Genesis 1.

Lastly, God hasn’t commanded us to blindly accept the teachings of His Word without taking the time to study them first. In fact, the Jews of Berea were commended as being "noble" because they "searched the scriptures daily" to discern whether or not the Apostle Paul had been preaching truthfully (see Acts 17:10–11). This is the exact opposite of indoctrination! In 1 Thessalonians 5:21, Paul gave the following exhortation:

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

To "prove all things" is a teaching that runs diametrically against the popular understanding of the word indoctrination. Furthermore, the Bible teaches that every person must decide of their own free will to accept or reject the gift of salvation that has been made available through the life, death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. This decision cannot be made on a person’s behalf by someone else. Romans 10:9–10 makes it clear that this must come from the heart:

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.