Question/rant

[Mathew R Taylor]

Hey all,

I see your group forum pass by when a new thread is posted. One happened just now, and it got me thinking. I have my beliefs in God, and was raised Anglican (Church of England / Episcopalian), and have enjoyed service, and reading the bible from time to time, but do not subscribe organized religion.

I do not post this to troll, and my apologies to you who believe I am - it's not my intent. I recognize the need for any group to grow their own, and in this thread's case, specifically of spreading the word of God. That is your right and belief, and not for me to step on. That said, I was out to lunch today with a coworker having somewhat of a working lunch, and there was a gentleman in the booth beside our table with 2 young teens. The gentleman (and I refer to him as such as I do not know if he was a priest, padre, or whichever denominational title) was preaching the word of God to these two lads. They were carrying on a healthy conversation, when the gentlemen obviously was offended by what one of the lads said, and started in on a rant. He was pretty involved, an became heated as he continued (also escalating in volume). He got to such a fevered pitch, that I became unable to carry on my conversation. After stopping my conversation and listening to him speak, I waited for an opportunity to interject. Quietly, calmly, and professionally, I asked that he lower his volume as he was becoming quite loud and I was having a hard time conversing with my colleague.

He was upset that I had the gall to interrupt him, as he indicated that he was preaching the word of God. He indicated as much, and indicated that I look like I could do from listening to him as well. Now, I am clean cut and as I'm on work time, dressed in khaki's and a golf shirt. I have no visible piercings/tattoos or anything else that may indicate that I am unlearned/unclean or that I lead an unhealthy lifestyle that would warrant a comment like that. He didn't let the matter drop until I apologized (not wanting to make a scene more than I had already caused). He returned to his preach with the 2 lads as if nothing had happened. The issue bothered me, as did the indignant looks of the 2 young fellows listening.

I try to live my life based on parables I learned as a kid; I live with ethics and morals being black and white. I approached the situation as tactfully and politely as I could, yet this happened... Is this what our Christian Churches have become - I was under the impression that we should always treat others as we ourselves would like to be treated. As a leader in their Church's organization, doesn't it behoove him to set the standard that he wishes others to follow - to lead the way? Since I believe religion provides an excellent foundation with which to grow on, and to understand the spirit of many of our laws, how has this become acceptable behavior in our religious leaders? Also, since he's not in a dedicated place of worship and in a public place, isn't there some entitlement to equality of airspace?

Before you brush this off as a one off incident, don't. This isn't the first time that I've run afoul from one flavor or another of religious belief systems (I smoke or now vape, drink, have tattoos, been divorced, had affairs with my wife before we were married to name a few) - one of the reasons I personally don't subscribe. I'm willing to bet if you were to poll others not in your cultural framework, you would find a disturbing shift.

My rather long winded rant has lead me to this. For the people in my community that I count on to be the moral compass for any children I bring in to this world (that's you) do you notice this shift is occurring, and if so, what steps are you taking to become the golden standard I (and others) hold you to?

To those that are offended by me, before you judge me I invite you to get to know me; you will likely find I stand for the same concepts that you do, just not in the same manner. Last If you've read through this, thanks for reading - If I can get you to look inward to your organization that's all I'm looking for.

 

[Saintscruiser]

Welcome Mathew! What a rude man! I would have been offended and approached him like you did, and when he blew up like he did at you, I would have rebuked him in the Name of Jesus! That man was not demonstrating the love of God, and shame on him! It's people like him that helps to tarnish the Christian image. But, Scripture states a great falling away from God in the last days. I'd say his testimony is down the toilet.....I am sorry, Mathew. In the book of Proverbs, I wish I had a dime for every time this phrase is written: "Be slow to anger....." I am glad you've chosen to come in our area!

 

[lmrasch]

Hi Mathew, the incident you witnessed would have been very disturbing to me as well...What saddens me the most is the 2 young men being subjected to the onslaught.
I have had my fair share of spiritual abuse by well meaning Pastors trying to save my soul from hell and although it has taken me years to recover I can honestly thank them for it now. Not because they caused me so much pain but because their behavior didn't sit right with my spirit or who I believed God to be. That made me press forward into seeking truth for myself, taught me to love deeper, judge less, pray more and above all, trust God and not man. Man makes things imperfect simply because they are NOT perfect.
We cannot compare man to God nor make God responsible for man's choices.
It really is a blessing that you witnessed that horrible example of Christ's love because you can now pray for all 3 of these men . Your prayers count and they all need some encouragement.
God bless your heart for seeing it for what it was, WRONG!

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

 

[LisaLisa]

I agree with what the other 2 ladies said, that's just terrible and that man failed miserably. Many Christians do fail miserably on a daily basis, myself included. I'm sure sometimes Jesus is sitting up there watching with his palm on his face thinking "You're Doing It Wrong!".............LOL!!!!!!!!!

But, I will say this. Alot of times we see an error or offense made by a Christian brother and sister and we sometimes forget that they are only human too. For that one error that he/she made, there were probably 100 good things that he/she did, but those go unnoticed by the world, the only thing that is focused on and remembered is that one mistake. That's sad.

Now let me throw something out to you. You saw that exchange, and it bothered you, it would have bothered me too. And then later you said ......."For the people in my community that I count on to be the moral compass for any children I bring in to this world (that's you) do you notice this shift is occurring, and if so, what steps are you taking to become the golden standard I (and others) hold you to?"

This is the part of your entire post that stood out to me the most. First, why are you counting on others to be the moral compass for your children? Second, what steps are you taking to become the golden standard that God Himself hold you to?

I'm not trying to be harsh, quite the opposite in fact. I think this is a wake up call to you, from God, to step up to the plate and teach your children, and be a Christian father. God laid down a very specific instruction for fathers. You are the spiritual head of your household, this is your responsibility. Do you take this seriously, or do you leave it up to others to do it for you? Why or why not?

I believe 100% that your lunch encounter was not a coincidence at all. Nothing that transpired that day was just a random event, and your posting here is not a random event either. God uses people to get our attention, to motivate us to seek Him and change our lives. I believe that God Himself is calling YOU to step up to the plate now. The only thing that is important now is, what will your answer be? This is between you and God, a rhetorical question.

I would encourage you to pray about this, and don't dismiss it, your family is counting on you, and so is God. Will you hear His call or ignore it?



PS. I have a tattoo too! And if I told you the things that I used to do before I knew Jesus, you wouldn't even believe me. It doesn't matter where you've been, it only matters where you're going.

I once heard it explained like this. A vision of 2 beings. First was an angel, in all of his splendor, beauty and glory. That angel was in a high position, but the angel was standing high, turning slightly, looking down and beginning to fall.

The second was a homeless drunk man, laying in a ditch, in a drunken stupor. The man was reaching up and trying to crawl his way out of the gutter.

Guess which one was in the correct position???? The one that was reaching up and moving forward.

 

[LisaLisa]

I had something else that I wanted to share with you Matthew from my own personal experience. I grew up in a household where my father rejected his spiritual duty to his family, my mom, my brother and me. I suffered greatly as a result, so did the rest of my family.

I grew up with no faith, no guidance and no moral compass. As a result, I was eaten alive by the world and was involved in things that would make a mother/father cringe. It's a miracle that I'm still alive, and that's the truth. I do take responsibility for the poor choices I made as a teenager and young person, but I will say with 100% certainty that my fathers decision to shuck his spiritual responsibility played a huge role in forming what I was and what I became, and it wasn't good.

As a young adult I married someone exactly like my father, like alot of girls do. Another one who rejected God, and he abused me terribly. I left, very scarred, with a 12 month old baby to raise on my own.

Years later, I married again, this time to a "good" man by the worlds standards, but again, someone who refused his spiritual responsibility. I continue to suffer because of his lack of spiritual guidance in our home. I love him dearly, but something is seriously missing, and that is a spiritual head of the household. There is no substitute for you and your position and your responsibility. Take it from me, a person that has been there done that, and continues to live with the aftermath of not having a godly man to guide, love and comfort.

I hope you will take these words that I have written, with love, into serious consideration for the sake of your family. Your decision will have a profound effect on them, one way or another.

Take this to God, your father, in prayer.

We are always here to help you, answer questions, or encourage you.

 

[gramakittycat]

My reaction to your lunch event was one of disbelief that a so called man of God would respond in such a manner.Completely innappropriate!In this day our familys are much more influenced by the outside world than it was in my day.

 

[Mathew R Taylor]

Thanks for the responses, and welcoming thoughts to this group.

Moral Compass comment - We all want to improve on what our parents did when raising their own children, or adopt things that went well. I appreciate that my parents required me to attend Church until such time as I could make an educated decision as to whether to attend or not. My feelings are that I have a good basis on faith, on God, and on living a solid life which stemmed from my youth experience. When I do have young ones, I will push for the same, and I will offer the same choice. If it is their belief that they wish to stay with the Church organization, then I will support it. If they decide that they will not continue in the community, I will also support that.

As for me finding God, perhaps you misunderstand; he's not lost to me, nor are his teachings. Since I believe that he ultimately created everything around us (whichever creation theory you believe) I see proof of him every time I use any of my senses, and He is with me wherever I go. In my personal opinion, any religion that will condemn any individual to Hell for not following their particular brand of faith and precepts is flawed. I understand the messages and live my life in accordance to those messages as best as I can (and learn from my mistakes) - and you will find that many are the same if said slightly different in religions around the world. If I feel low and need to commune with God, I go to nature as I feel the most connected with Him there. I don't judge where others are in their journey of beliefs; be it polar opposite to my own, to non existent - I believe that everyone must make peace with their Maker in their own way, and in their own time.

Again, I do believe in God, enjoyed and understood the teachings of Jesus, and have read many versions of bibles throughout the years (and will continue to do so in the future). I do not practice my faith as you do, but does that make me wrong?

Personally, I don't believe so and think that it's up to the Lord and I to reconcile when I pass from this life to the next. Again, I appreciate the comments, and thanks for letting me express mine it is refreshing. Too often, I run into a wall where a person will shut down to being open to other ways of celebrating His life and teachings, and get branded as heretical for not following to the beat of their drum.

 

[blondeambition3]

Thanks for the responses, and welcoming thoughts to this group.

Moral Compass comment - We all want to improve on what our parents did when raising their own children, or adopt things that went well. I appreciate that my parents required me to attend Church until such time as I could make an educated decision as to whether to attend or not. My feelings are that I have a good basis on faith, on God, and on living a solid life which stemmed from my youth experience. When I do have young ones, I will push for the same, and I will offer the same choice. If it is their belief that they wish to stay with the Church organization, then I will support it. If they decide that they will not continue in the community, I will also support that.

As for me finding God, perhaps you misunderstand; he's not lost to me, nor are his teachings. Since I believe that he ultimately created everything around us (whichever creation theory you believe) I see proof of him every time I use any of my senses, and He is with me wherever I go. In my personal opinion, any religion that will condemn any individual to Hell for not following their particular brand of faith and precepts is flawed. I understand the messages and live my life in accordance to those messages as best as I can (and learn from my mistakes) - and you will find that many are the same if said slightly different in religions around the world. If I feel low and need to commune with God, I go to nature as I feel the most connected with Him there. I don't judge where others are in their journey of beliefs; be it polar opposite to my own, to non existent - I believe that everyone must make peace with their Maker in their own way, and in their own time.

Again, I do believe in God, enjoyed and understood the teachings of Jesus, and have read many versions of bibles throughout the years (and will continue to do so in the future). I do not practice my faith as you do, but does that make me wrong?

Personally, I don't believe so and think that it's up to the Lord and I to reconcile when I pass from this life to the next. Again, I appreciate the comments, and thanks for letting me express mine it is refreshing. Too often, I run into a wall where a person will shut down to being open to other ways of celebrating His life and teachings, and get branded as heretical for not following to the beat of their drum.

Yes, I am in complete and total agreement with you on this aspect. You don't have to believe as "I do".

All I'm commissioned to do is 'share' the Gospel which is the 'Good News' of Salvation through Christ Jesus.. that's all. I bless everyone who 'hears' the message whether they choose to believe it or not. I still love and wish all the best, no matter what.

 

[chimney55]

I agree with what the other 2 ladies said, that's just terrible and that man failed miserably. Many Christians do fail miserably on a daily basis, myself included. I'm sure sometimes Jesus is sitting up there watching with his palm on his face thinking "You're Doing It Wrong!".............LOL!!!!!!!!!

But, I will say this. Alot of times we see an error or offense made by a Christian brother and sister and we sometimes forget that they are only human too. For that one error that he/she made, there were probably 100 good things that he/she did, but those go unnoticed by the world, the only thing that is focused on and remembered is that one mistake. That's sad.

Now let me throw something out to you. You saw that exchange, and it bothered you, it would have bothered me too. And then later you said ......."For the people in my community that I count on to be the moral compass for any children I bring in to this world (that's you) do you notice this shift is occurring, and if so, what steps are you taking to become the golden standard I (and others) hold you to?"

This is the part of your entire post that stood out to me the most. First, why are you counting on others to be the moral compass for your children? Second, what steps are you taking to become the golden standard that God Himself hold you to?

I'm not trying to be harsh, quite the opposite in fact. I think this is a wake up call to you, from God, to step up to the plate and teach your children, and be a Christian father. God laid down a very specific instruction for fathers. You are the spiritual head of your household, this is your responsibility. Do you take this seriously, or do you leave it up to others to do it for you? Why or why not?

I believe 100% that your lunch encounter was not a coincidence at all. Nothing that transpired that day was just a random event, and your posting here is not a random event either. God uses people to get our attention, to motivate us to seek Him and change our lives. I believe that God Himself is calling YOU to step up to the plate now. The only thing that is important now is, what will your answer be? This is between you and God, a rhetorical question.

I would encourage you to pray about this, and don't dismiss it, your family is counting on you, and so is God. Will you hear His call or ignore it?



PS. I have a tattoo too! And if I told you the things that I used to do before I knew Jesus, you wouldn't even believe me. It doesn't matter where you've been, it only matters where you're going.

I once heard it explained like this. A vision of 2 beings. First was an angel, in all of his splendor, beauty and glory. That angel was in a high position, but the angel was standing high, turning slightly, looking down and beginning to fall.

The second was a homeless drunk man, laying in a ditch, in a drunken stupor. The man was reaching up and trying to crawl his way out of the gutter.

Guess which one was in the correct position???? The one that was reaching up and moving forward.

Great answer, Lisa!

 

[chimney55]

Sorry! I double posted!

 

[chimney55]

Thanks for the responses, and welcoming thoughts to this group.

Again, I do believe in God, enjoyed and understood the teachings of Jesus, and have read many versions of bibles throughout the years (and will continue to do so in the future). I do not practice my faith as you do, but does that make me wrong?

Personally, I don't believe so and think that it's up to the Lord and I to reconcile when I pass from this life to the next. Again, I appreciate the comments, and thanks for letting me express mine it is refreshing. Too often, I run into a wall where a person will shut down to being open to other ways of celebrating His life and teachings, and get branded as heretical for not following to the beat of their drum.

Hi Matthew,

I too welcome you too. You don't have to agree with what I believe (Heaven knows, not everyone on this forum does! In fact, sometimes I think that very few do! )

You say that you have "enjoyed and understood the teachings of Jesus". Does that include His teaching that He is the way, the truth, and the life. And that no one goes to the Father but through Him? That's sort of where the "rubber meets the road" for a Christian and someone who calls themselves a Christian. Doing "good things" doesn't make someone a Christian. There are very "good" Buddhists, Muslims, and others around the world who would object to being called a "Christian". So, being a Christian must mean something else.

 

[blondeambition3]

Originally Posted by LisaLisa
I agree with what the other 2 ladies said, that's just terrible and that man failed miserably. Many Christians do fail miserably on a daily basis, myself included. I'm sure sometimes Jesus is sitting up there watching with his palm on his face thinking "You're Doing It Wrong!".............LOL!!!!!!!!!

But, I will say this. Alot of times we see an error or offense made by a Christian brother and sister and we sometimes forget that they are only human too. For that one error that he/she made, there were probably 100 good things that he/she did, but those go unnoticed by the world, the only thing that is focused on and remembered is that one mistake. That's sad.

Now let me throw something out to you. You saw that exchange, and it bothered you, it would have bothered me too. And then later you said ......."For the people in my community that I count on to be the moral compass for any children I bring in to this world (that's you) do you notice this shift is occurring, and if so, what steps are you taking to become the golden standard I (and others) hold you to?"

This is the part of your entire post that stood out to me the most. First, why are you counting on others to be the moral compass for your children? Second, what steps are you taking to become the golden standard that God Himself hold you to?

I'm not trying to be harsh, quite the opposite in fact. I think this is a wake up call to you, from God, to step up to the plate and teach your children, and be a Christian father. God laid down a very specific instruction for fathers. You are the spiritual head of your household, this is your responsibility. Do you take this seriously, or do you leave it up to others to do it for you? Why or why not?

I believe 100% that your lunch encounter was not a coincidence at all. Nothing that transpired that day was just a random event, and your posting here is not a random event either. God uses people to get our attention, to motivate us to seek Him and change our lives. I believe that God Himself is calling YOU to step up to the plate now. The only thing that is important now is, what will your answer be? This is between you and God, a rhetorical question.

I would encourage you to pray about this, and don't dismiss it, your family is counting on you, and so is God. Will you hear His call or ignore it?



PS. I have a tattoo too! And if I told you the things that I used to do before I knew Jesus, you wouldn't even believe me. It doesn't matter where you've been, it only matters where you're going.

I once heard it explained like this. A vision of 2 beings. First was an angel, in all of his splendor, beauty and glory. That angel was in a high position, but the angel was standing high, turning slightly, looking down and beginning to fall.

The second was a homeless drunk man, laying in a ditch, in a drunken stupor. The man was reaching up and trying to crawl his way out of the gutter.

Guess which one was in the correct position???? The one that was reaching up and moving forward.

Great answer, Lisa!

Amen Yes! I believe that 'great' answer was also a 'God' answer!

 

[LisaLisa]

Great answer, Lisa!

Thank you!

 

[HyOnLyph]

Welcome MRT, I admire that you had the courage to speak up to the "gentleman". I hope he took the opportunity at a later time to reflect on what you said.
I look forward to other conversations with you.

 

[Saintscruiser]

Oh gosh, me too. If you knew me well now and looked back on me before I got saved, you wouldn't believe it. Not that I'm awesome now......I was just awful back then. I didn't break the law and worked for every dime I got....not on the streets either. I was what you would call responsible, but wanted it my way. I don't have a tatt >^oo^< and don't comment on anyone who does, unless their whole body is covered....trust me, I'd comment on that. For those that know me now, how I lived would curl your eyelashes! I look upon it like that person died and I was born again by accepting Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. I used to think that Christians were boring. Not true, as I have as much fun if not more fun than I did not being a Christian. But, that's me. I can't speak for everyone else.

I'm wrestling with myself over what stood out to me in your post. It's over letting your children decide for themselves. It's your job to teach them. "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he won't depart from it." Lisa is correct in her post. Case in point:

Eve got hoodwinked in the garden of Eden. Adam was the head of the family. Mankind fell when Adam took the bite of fruit, not Eve. If Adam had resisted the fruit, they would have been okay, after Adam explained to Eve what was at stake, and what she'd done. But, he didn't and you know the rest of the story.

 

[Mathew R Taylor]

Hi Matthew,

I too welcome you too. You don't have to agree with what I believe (Heaven knows, not everyone on this forum does! In fact, sometimes I think that very few do! )

You say that you have "enjoyed and understood the teachings of Jesus". Does that include His teaching that He is the way, the truth, and the life. And that no one goes to the Father but through Him? That's sort of where the "rubber meets the road" for a Christian and someone who calls themselves a Christian. Doing "good things" doesn't make someone a Christian. There are very "good" Buddhists, Muslims, and others around the world who would object to being called a "Christian". So, being a Christian must mean something else.

Good question - Yes I did enjoy the teachings, but I never came away from the lessons as literal. I have always been taught to critically think, and puzzle out the meaning; for when I do then I will truly understand the spirit and intent of the message. This was the case as a child, and with my studies in religion.

I guess I identify myself as Christian as I was born and raised occidental and that is the frame of my reality. That said, I don't call myself a Christian, because I am not. We all have a belief in God, and in general of the Christian beliefs, live in accordance to the same relative standards. I depart from conventional wisdom here for a couple of reasons:

1. I don't niche myself to any one interpretation; I can't read Imperial Aramaic, nor have I entertained that notion at this point in my life. Even understanding the language, I understand that His stories were handed down by many generations before being put down into written word and there is always something lost / added or changed by interpretation of those handing down the message. All of us could hear the same words, and almost every one of us would interpret it slightly differently. Consciously or not, we would all warp it to our frame and constructs. After reading several interpretations and adding to my knowledge of the Christian religion, I can better puzzle out the why of the message. This is why I will read and re-read the bible (just not necessarily the same one). How do I know if your interpretation will tell me the right way to look at homosexual relationships, blood transfusions, abortion, divorces or the myriad of other disagreements in the different views of Christianity?

2. The majority of scientists throughout time were deeply spiritual and religious. Specifically the scientists acclaimed with founding the principles of the scientific method were Christians. Therefore, it can be said that religion invented science. That's why I find the debate about creation humorous. What about dinosaurs? Where is the garden of Eden? Each side sputters that their view is right to the exclusion of the other, when I believe it's all in interpretation. Why can't both be the same story just viewed differently? Each story has holes, each require a leap of faith why not use both stories to come up with a unified view?

 

[Mathew R Taylor]

Oh gosh, me too. If you knew me well now and looked back on me before I got saved, you wouldn't believe it. Not that I'm awesome now......I was just awful back then. I didn't break the law and worked for every dime I got....not on the streets either. I was what you would call responsible, but wanted it my way. I don't have a tatt >^oo^< and don't comment on anyone who does, unless their whole body is covered....trust me, I'd comment on that. For those that know me now, how I lived would curl your eyelashes! I look upon it like that person died and I was born again by accepting Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. I used to think that Christians were boring. Not true, as I have as much fun if not more fun than I did not being a Christian. But, that's me. I can't speak for everyone else.

I'm wrestling with myself over what stood out to me in your post. It's over letting your children decide for themselves. It's your job to teach them. "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he won't depart from it." Lisa is correct in her post. Case in point:

Eve got hoodwinked in the garden of Eden. Adam was the head of the family. Mankind fell when Adam took the bite of fruit, not Eve. If Adam had resisted the fruit, they would have been okay, after Adam explained to Eve what was at stake, and what she'd done. But, he didn't and you know the rest of the story.

So I'd like to respond about your "previous" life. I call that learning your way by living. The great thing about life is that it is a daily learning tool. We have leaning many moments in each day and we have a choice. Do we accept the teaching, or are we not ready for it? I have done plenty of things that are not right, plenty not good, and plenty evil in my past. That's the great thing though about faith - You were put on this planet to learn His message, and never are we so far gone from the light that we cannot be turned from the dark, right?

As for teaching youth this is where I agree and disagree - It's our job to teach the foundation and nurture the appropriate behaviors. If they stumble and fall, it's your job to pick them up, dust them off and talk about why it happened, and challenge them to solve the reason why the problem happened in the first place. Our most valuable "ah ha" moments are generally hindsight; reflecting internally after something went wrong. For me, it's more important to support an environment where the child can learn not only the rules, but the reason behind the rules. This gives a greater understanding more than blind obedience. Before the masses erupt I absolutely see the need for blind obedience in very restrictive settings. After all, if we all were blindly obedient there would be no dark to judge the quality of light, right? In order to learn not to be blindly obedient, you need to be given freedom of choice, which is what the Lord did for all of us.

Let me be clear - I am not advocating giving this choice to a 5 year old. One needs to have the maturity to understand. Before they are ready, you need to parent and impose order, reason and fulfill the role of mentor and teacher. Your role is not to be a friend and blindly let your child to do what they will with no restrictions or punishment. Personally, I think many parents have strayed into this school of thought which has caused a plethora of issues with todays youth.

 

[Saintscruiser]

You're talking about learning the ropes of life by hard knocks. Yeah, that does happen. It's OJT. However, spiritually Mathew, I thought I was 'saved.' I hadn't a clue that I wasn't, until I had a radical change in my life. Let me explain it thusly....when I went with my folks to church that morning, I walked in wearing (not literally) black and walked out wearing white. This was 25 years ago and it's never changed. I felt spiritually clean.....I felt accepted by Jesus as I was, but He didn't leave me that way. He began teaching me a little at a time. Becoming a born again wasn't an OJT feature. That is physical/mental but becoming a born again was spiritual. Complete difference. I cried for 3 days. I could breathe again. I felt clean.....the weight of the world had gone from my shoulders to Jesus'.

My next thought was my son, who was a young teen. It was my job to make sure he learned truth, because I was going to have to answer to God one day on my parenting skills if I didn't. I love my son enough to teach him about a Savior who died in his place on a cross to cover our sins.....and He never even committed a sin, but He paid the price. He became a born again Christian the following summer at a youth retreat.

Ya know, people would tell everyone how to win a million bucks, but not about Jesus. Something is really wrong there.

 

[chimney55]

Let me be clear - I am not advocating giving this choice to a 5 year old. One needs to have the maturity to understand. Before they are ready, you need to parent and impose order, reason and fulfill the role of mentor and teacher. Your role is not to be a friend and blindly let your child to do what they will with no restrictions or punishment. Personally, I think many parents have strayed into this school of thought which has caused a plethora of issues with todays youth.

This is what's referred to as "training up a child in the way he should go"...