Childhood conditioning has EVERYTHING to do with belief in EVERYTHING, including gods, fairies and the afterlife. That's what children's brains are for.

The baby's brain is a virtual blank canvas on which the adult attempts to paint the very same picture that HIS/HER canvas contains. The growing child's brain takes on this information whether it be right or wrong. This is mostly OK. We teach them to walk, talk, write, do arithmetic, wipe their own backside and eat with utensils etc. But we should NOT teach them rumour and false stories about gods. This can be very damaging when taken to the extreme.

Children can be taught the difference between right and wrong without resorting to threats that the Bogey Man/God will come and punish them if they don't behave.