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How old is she?
If you've read any of my posts or visited the political forum recently you know I'm not a huge advocate for religion and God speak. This doesn't mean I hate it entirely. One of our girls has been going to local church functions with my wife's brother for some time now. I've given her the run down on what church and religion is all about she has a pretty good grasp on the good, bad and ugly when it comes to what an organized religious based system is all about. I told her she could decide for herself what she wants to believe and not believe but that we would have no part in any activities that pushed a childs belief in one direction based on fear or damnation. This has all been more of a social thing than a church function. Pretty much all the activities and gatherings have been positive and fun nearly devoid of hardcore religious propaganda and general pandering.
Well there is a retreat coming up and its not just a day thing but a weekend planned to gather the kids and go camping in a safe not so far away area. Advertised to bring kids closer to nature and god. My fear is this is where they take it from egg tosses, hay rides and innocent socializing to serious preaching. I'm inclined to tell her she can't go. Not because I don't want her to be friends with her peers but I don't want them warping her mind with fire and brimstone. Now so far I haven't seen any of that and a good part of me feels if she's preached to she'll see through it but these regular social gatherings are accessible by just about anyone and its a come and go thing where as this is going to be an isolated somewhat closed door event. 30 kids 3 already in place chaperones so I've explored that avenue.
Judgement call. Your thoughts?
How old is she?
What is it exactly that you're afraid of?
volunteer to chaperone and see for yourself since you aren't selling any trailers these days. You could make some extra cash by getting a bag from bigzak and selling dirt weed joints to the kids.
LOL@ an atheist giving a child an objective opinion on what “church and religion is all about”…
I guess you skipped the part about “salvation by grace through faith”….
dang what religion is this? They really don't try and scare kids anymore not that I'm aware of.
12
Brainwashing her into believing that there is only one way to live her life and thats by the word of god or she'll be damned to . I feel like she's old enough to be beyond that but even grown adults have been manipulated before.
They tell you weird too like dinosaurs walked with man and crap like that. I don't want false info diluting her mind.
If it was anything else I'd be hardly worried but the Angel Luv posts has scared the crap out of me. You know she didn't wake up one day being that way it was instilled in her over time. Maybe at a camp I don't know.
I let my daughter go with one of her friends to a weekend retreat (her friend is not the same religion) and she didn't come back brainwashed or anything.
She actually had a good time, and we're not a particularly religious household.
Oh, and since your stepdaughter is the same age my daughter was when she went, there should be plenty of hormonal pre-teenage drama to distract her. Because that neven ends, even in church camp.
I think you should be more scared of, of what she watches on tv or does with her friends on the weekend then what she learns in church.
I did that. They already have 3 or 4 set in place. They aren't making room for anymore because they don't want the kids to feel like their being watched over by mommy and daddy. This way they can explore nature independently.
I probably worded that in a bad light. Didn't sound that bad the way it was described to me. Doesn't mean it didn't scare me less.
Thanks for reminding me how bad my job is right now.
maybe its outdoors so they can watch for the alien landings
Sorry but I'm not raising my kids to think without common sense. My opinions are based on rational thought and real applicable truths not mumbo jumbo.
I'm not sure.
I went through 12 years of catholic schooling and I turned out great
I just find it funny how people think that Christians are these psycho,wierd,ignorant fools who dont know how to take part in critical thinking.
Christian people are some of the most intelectual people in the world. Even if you are not a Christian. Being an atheist doesnt prove anything as far as intelect goes along.
And believing in the Bible isnt called being brainwashed. Being brainwashed by a certain sect of people would imply that they are a cult. Christianity is not a cult. That girl is safe.
Unlike previous generations these kids are desensitized to TV and movies....just doesn't have the same impact it on america it once did. We do keep our eyes on who they run with on the weekends.
I think thins like this can only help her make up her own mind over time. At her age, she isn't going to have any huge revelation regardless of what they tell her (if they tell her anything). She probably wont even be paying attention long enough to remember anything official anyway.
She wants to go, to hang out with her friends and get into the pre-teen drama, as Spurswoman said...
Let her go...she needs to experience these things, you arent goint to force her hand one way or the other, regardless of what you think.
I'll preface my reply in the same manner I did in the political forum: I am a person of faith, so therefore my world view is obviously impacted by this.
I think one thing is fairly certain here: Whether directly or indirectly, your daughter will be preached to at this event. It could be something as subtle as thanking God around the campfire, or it could be something as direct as a sermon on Sunday and direct question/answer sessions among the group. If this makes you uncomfortable, it is within your rights as a parent to not allow her to go.
However, if you are asking for advice, I would suggest that you allow her to go. The bottom line is, she's going to hear information like this at one point or another. It could be now, it could be in college while walking from one class to another, or any of another dozen events where religion enters our life intentionally or unintentionally. However, this is your opportunity to control how and when she hears this. It sounds like this will be a safe, controlled environment with people she knows and trusts. I'd say that's a much better way to get introduced to Christian concepts than from a yelling preacher on the street corner shouting about fire.
The bottom line is that one day she'll have to make up her own mind about where she stands with such beliefs. If you'd like, you can continue to reiterate to her that no matter how persistent people are, she needs to choose for herself what to believe, and not be forced into anything. That's perfectly fine, but I don't think you have to worry about anyone brainwashing her at this event. She'll likely just get information, which she'll get one way or another anyway.
You say she's been hanging out with these people for a while now? So you've met and talked with the parents and the kids? I think you should be able to tell to what degree they are involved. These kids are her peers, so outside of you, they are her first line of information. Has she told you that her friends have presented that kind of thinking to her? Because if you're worried about kids being influenced, well her friends have likely been raised in that church, and you should be able to see that influence in them. It's just like anything else in parenting, you don't want her to associate with people who may not be the kind of influence you want for her; check out her friends, you'll know right away if they are being "indoctrinated." Then if you decide to let her go, just open up a line of discussion when she gets back and let her tell you what she saw/heard and how she felt about it. I really think it would take more than a weekend to make a serious impression.
Yea what was on back then?
Elvis being filmed from waist up on TV so people wouldnt see him shaking his hips?
Tv and movies are so much worse now than ever. Kids are being brainwashed on TV. not in church. Actually a Good Christian church would speak out on brainwashing children.
In my eyes they are a cult. I'm not saying they are bad though I'm just fearing that behind closed doors they'll bring the damnation and going to unless you do as we say talk.
I think there are far worse circles your 12 year old could be running in.
My memories of retreats I attended as a kid are mostly about my friends and the fun we had. I don't remember fire and brimstone. You've obviously taught your daughter to take a critical look at things and think for herself. She'll be fine.
I'm not saying that TV isn't worse now than it once was but kids these days aren't affected by it nearly as much as they once were. The majority of kids these days aren't freightened by horror movies they realize its fiction not reality. How many people holed themselves up after the Exorcist? Times have changed.
I don't think its a Christian church though. Baptist, Methodist, non-denominational....I can't remember.
I think you should let her make her own decision when it comes to spiritual matters. And it's better to have your daughter get into a church group and have morals and principals based on religion than have her out blowing guys for cigarettes.
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