Child asks what religion he is after friends kept poking at his identity. His dad's answer blew him away
His dad reminded him that the rain belonged to everyone, and that the sun doesn't discriminate.
Children are not born with hate in their little hearts; it is taught and learned through their social environment. During a child's growing years, it is important to teach them good values and morals so they can grow up to become kind and empathetic adults. On March 6, Reddit user u/NOISY_BOY_69 shared a wholesome video of a father teaching his son respect and kindness when dealing with other people. In the video that has gained 61k upvotes so far, the father was seen helping his young son train in a gym when the son asked, "Papa, am I Hindu or Muslim?"
Surprised by the question, the father looked at the mother and asked, "What has he been saying since evening?" The mother replied, "When he went to play in the garden in the evening, a few other kids asked him." The father let out a long sigh before bringing his son closer. The father did not immediately answer his son's question; instead, he decided to put his son's palm on his chest, close to his heart, and said, "You feel that dhak-dhak (heartbeat), right?" He then put his palm on his son's chest, "See... I can feel the dhak-dhak in you, too. That same dhak-dhak is in you, that same dhak-dhak is in me."
He further told his son that he would be able to feel the same heartbeat in his friends' and uncle's chests. He then advised his son that if anyone else asked him whether he was a Hindu or a Muslim, he should respond by putting his hand on their chest, and theirs on his, and say, "You have a dhak-dhak, I have a dhak-dhak, so we're friends." The father wanted his son to understand that, no matter the religious differences, all humans are innately the same. "Understand this, just because someone prays differently than we do doesn't make them bad or wrong, and we should never make them feel small," he explained.
He also explained equality using analogies of the rain, the sun, and the wind, elaborating on how the rain falls on everyone, including him, his uncle, and his uncle's uncle. The wind also blows on everyone, just like the sun shines on everyone. Finally, the father said, "If anyone asks you again, and you feel like you have to give them an answer, show them the sun you wear around your neck, and tell them proudly, 'We are the ones who carry the sun. We are Stallions. We carry love and respect for everyone, and the world gives it back to us.'"
Religion plays a huge role in society anywhere in the world. A recent study done by PEW on the “Growing Share of U.S. Adults Say Religion Is Gaining Influence in American Life” in February 2024, shows that 18% of American adults said that "religion was gaining influence in American life… lowest level we had seen in more than two decades”. However, a year later, that percentage has gone up 31%, the highest figure seen in 15 years.
Before ending the video, the father emphasized, “Before I will teach my son how to pray, I will teach him how to not hate. The purpose of religion is to bring us closer to God, not to take us away from our humanity.” The video touched the hearts of several, who shared their thoughts in the comments. u/RachelScratch, a fellow parent, commented, “I love having talks like this with my daughter, though she asks questions constantly through the whole thing.” u/thankfullynot added, “I will always believe humans, people, are inherently good. It's the person, the individual, that must choose to be at peace with the world, or at peace with themselves and their actions. Good advice from dad here, be a friend to everyone, and choose to be at peace with the world.”
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