I was raised by parents who, during my childhood, were trying to find their religious identity. They were both born in China and were exposed to some Buddhist teachings in their village, but not enough for them to call themselves Buddhists. Eventually, they immigrated to Maryland. Immigrating to America, a largely Christian nation, was a huge culture shock for my parents; they didn't expect religion to have such an influence here. Given the ubiquity of Christian churches in America, it is not surprising that my parents began exploring Christianity. As a child, I had no choice but to follow my parents' religious journey. At the height of my parents' involvement in Christianity, I was enrolled in Sunday school. However, my enrollment was short-lived, as my parents decided to turn to Buddhism. Even though I didn't understand the concept of religion, I knew they had made a change and chosen one thing over another. I just couldn't rationalize their decision; I could only follow their footsteps. Although they chose Buddhism, my parents did not become religious and only practiced it quietly. Parents are undeniably the major force in the propagation of religion. Children do not find religion on their own; their parents introduce them to religion. According to a study conducted by the National Study of Youth and Religion, 82 percent of children raised by very religious parents were religiously active as young adults. In contrast, only 1% of adolescents raised by nonreligious parents were religiously active as young adults. The problem with teaching children religion is that they are taught what to think rather than how to think. Parents are authority figures, and children know nothing other than to listen and follow their parents without criticism....... middle of paper ...... the.... ..ies do not exist but rather the lack of belief in deities. Theists, on the other hand, assert the existence of a deity and are therefore responsible for meeting the burden of proof. No religion is more valid than another, because no theist has provided the necessary evidence to support their claims. Unfortunately, many children are indoctrinated by their parents' religion and taught that questioning their faith is a sin, creating a never-ending cycle of gullible believers. Faced with extraordinary claims, the rational position to adopt is that of skepticism. Karl Yee, 19, was born in Silver Spring, Maryland on December 17, 1996. Currently, he is a student pursuing a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. at the University of Maryland, College Park. Some of his interests include solar energy, control systems and electrophysics..