Stu, if you're an outsider, challenging and questioning have little impact. If you're born into a group, challenging and questioning can be very effective.
In addition, your view that creeds are imposed on children is but one perspective. It's valid if religion is solely an ideology - and I suppose that's the case for some people and some religions. But that perspective doesn't tell the whole story. I would submit that for most religious groups, what people believe is secondary to the concept of belonging to a community. I do not believe that an ideological perspective is primary for people other than Internet wonks.

-Joe-