Some things are just odd to me
I have been taking my girls to vacation bible school this week (using the same curriculum that my husband sells, the songs of which I have already heard WAY TOO MANY TIMES). I didn’t think they’d let Aliyah participate or if they did if she’d be willing to stay but she’s been having a blast. I signed them up at a church less than half a mile away with little care of what kind of church it was so that we wouldn’t have to worry about car arrangements. It’s a small Presbyterian church, creatively called Westminster Presbyterian. *smirk*
Today on our walk there I was musing about something that has always struck me as odd. When I was growing up, my parents would have NEVER allowed me to go to a religious service of a strongly different Christian persuasion much less another religion and would have been out for blood if an adult of another religion tried to convert me. And yet, we were encouraged on a regular basis to bring our “unsaved friends” to VBS, kids church, youth group, church camp, etc. where they would most assuredly be subjected to a pint-sized version of the 4 spiritual laws and asked if they wanted to “ask Jesus in their heart” upon which time they would join other little impressionable children at the altar and tearfully say the sinner’s prayer.
I find this odd… Let’s set aside the niceties, I find it unconscionable and I find it completely ridiculous that there is this double standard. At least be consistent. If you’re going to subject children to evangelism, you better allow your children to be, at the least exposed to other religions.
Now, seeing as we’re at a Presbyterian church, I doubt there will be any altar calls, so that’s refreshing.
Another thing that I will expose about myself that is probably a little odd is that I would be more inclined to send my child to a Buddhist children’s carnival than I would a conservative baptist VBS. I guess we all have our quirks.
Technorati Tags: vacation bible school, evangelism
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- Posted by Mak at 12:28 pm
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Mak,
I wouldn’t be too sure about the altar call — we had Billy Graham preach once at the Pres. church I used to belong to. Well maybe that was exceptional…
My kids are thoroughly enjoying VBS at the Lutheran church where my little one has been going to preschool. It’s the happening place around town this week, from all appearances. It will be interesting to see what they do for their wrap-up on Thursday night…
I do appreciate your finding it “odd”. I was surprised to see a couple of families I know to be Catholic at the VBS — but I can’t imagine anyone is trying to convert them to Lutheranism, with or without an altar call.
The other day my 14yo just allowed as how she was glad that we’d never done VBS when she was little. This was one of the reasons. The evangelism double-standard sticks in her craw.
To be clear though … that was not on my list of reasons for not doing it. I was just lazy and could not get into it.
I was raised Presbyterian. Your post reminded me that my parents brought us to a Methodist VBS despite the fact that OUR church had a thriving VBS. Now it makes me wonder, “What was THAT about?” I’ll have to ask my mom when I see her in a couple of weeks.
PS — I love the new ‘digs.’
now that IS interesting Don - would love to hear the reasoning. Now, I did remember that my parents took me to my first VBS at a Seventh Day Adventist church but I’m pretty sure that was because we lived in a town of 500 people and it was the ONLY VBS and our regular church was an hour away.
thank you Don
I do too hehe
I wrote about targeting children for paradigm shift a couple months ago.
http://themoralcompassblog.blogspot.com/2008/02/targeting-children-for-paradigm-shift.html