Aladriel wrote:I would ask which one is actually practicing their religion? I would say that's the most practical and most simple answer.
And though cahoots and Phx have really good answers, I think that usually the child winds up going with the mother's religion. I think that just assumes that is the mother who is practicing and obviously, she's going to take her child with her.
I am a Mormon, and no I'm not easily offended. I was an athiest for most of my life and was recently baptised in the mormon church. My wife, and all of my children were raised in the mormon church.
It sounds as though Titus might not be that active in the Church, so I would agree, whichever parent is more serious about their church is the one where the child should start off.
Some of the posters have mentioned letting the child choose at some point, and that sounds good, but the Mormon Church is much more than simply a religion, it's more like a culture. Children start socializing in the nursery at age 1 and mostly stick together until they are about 16 or 17. My daughter is just entering the Church University, (BYU), and went to seminary at church at 6:00 a.m. Every school day all through high school. My eleven year old son is now saving money to go on his Mission. It's not a casual thing, but a lifestyle.
I do know several teenagers who have drifted away from the church, but they usually just become less active, and rarely ever change religions.
A couple of the things that I always liked about the Mormon Church even when I was an atheist was that they take care of their own, the men are all straight shooters, and they have the closest, most remarkable families of anyone that I have ever met.
I used to be a 24/7 pothead for over 20 years, and also used to be the manager of a girlie bar...lol I gladly turned away from that lifestyle to embrace the Mormon way of life many years before I actually converted.
I wouldn't force religion on anyone, or any child. But if you are a serious mormon then it would seem unlikely that your child would be anything else. Which of course takes us back to the beginning. Which parent is more serious about their religion, and what would you like your child to get out of religion while they are young?