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Okay, so yesterday evening I was out in the car with the husband, doing some shopping in Wichita Falls, TX. Got in a check, paid some bills, it's all good, right?
So we're driving along, and I see this billboard ad for a radio station with a little happy-face sun on it and the slogan "just for kids." Since I have two small kids, I was immediately intrigued. I exchanged glances with my husband and we switched over to the station to give it a listen, to see if it would be appropriate for when we have to travel in the car with kiddies.
The first thing I hear is a group of children singing in chorus. A moment later, I realize it's a Christian station, and they're singing about Adam and how children are like him, all beloved by God and given life in the same way, etc. Now, I am Christian, so this doesn't bother me overly. I don't believe that the expression of God's beauty and power by man is only evident in things that praise God directly, though, so I tend to shy away from "music with a message" sorts of things as my sole listening pleasure. The occasional tape is one thing, but a whole radio station is generally just a case of way too much at any one time.
Still, there's nothing wrong in having nice little songs about God's love and children being special in his eyes for little ones, right? I mean, it's all about the good love anyway. So long as it doesn't get into being overly preachy and keeps it on a catchy feel good level, that's a message that is good for kids to hear, right? I'm still disappointed that it isn't more general kid songs and stories and stuff... I'd listen to a station like that, if just to let them be happier in the car when we go places (we're 45 minutes away from the nearest town of more than 4,000 people), which means an hour-and-a-half round trip just to get groceries.
Then, the dreaded chorus hits, and I am utterly blown away. The children's voices, singing sweetly, ramp up a bit and start in: "I am not descended from mon-keys...." My husband and I just stared at each other, then turned the radio off. What the hell is that? Why would you place such a heavy doctrinal decision in a kid's song? It's supposed to be all "Jesus Loves Me" and stuff at that age, not Creationism vs. Evolution. That's for later. They can deal with their own beliefs then, once they're old enough to actually have some experiences with which to form them.
Aside from the surreal horror I experienced, though, it does make me think about some things. See, although David and I are Christian and are trying to teach the children about God and Jesus, we aren't part of any church. David went to the Pentecostal services when he was in Basic training, but we haven't been to a church since then, and never since the kids were born. I have been thinking about finding a church again, but everything I see about them locally just turns me off. I hate the judgemental aspects of the Evangelical Protestant churches, which is most of what we have around here. I hate the assumption that one denomination's doctrine is superior to another's, and must needs condemn those poor folks to hell. I hate that a number of aspects about my chosen profession would be judged sight unseen by many otherwise good individuals around here, and I just don't have the strength right now to educate them. I'm not up to fighting that battle at this point in my life.
This leaves me unsure where to turn, or what else is available to me that my beliefs won't clash with too heavily. I admire the Catholic religion in a lot of ways, but I cannot accept that the Pope as the sole divine authority on Earth, so I think that removes me from the running for Catholic Convert of the Year. I believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit and its presence on Earth, but I cannot reconcile that with the behavior I generally see in churches who are centered around those beliefs.
The other thing that troubles me is the question of when something changes from education to propaganda. At what point is it teaching my children my beliefs vs. indoctrinating them? I'm pretty sure the whole monkeys song is right over the line. VeggieTales sometimes treads a bit close to it for me, but I find myself unable to define the line well enough to find it with any regularity. If anyone can help me with this, I'd greatly appreciate it. Hearing some opinions might help clarify the issue in my mind.
So we're driving along, and I see this billboard ad for a radio station with a little happy-face sun on it and the slogan "just for kids." Since I have two small kids, I was immediately intrigued. I exchanged glances with my husband and we switched over to the station to give it a listen, to see if it would be appropriate for when we have to travel in the car with kiddies.
The first thing I hear is a group of children singing in chorus. A moment later, I realize it's a Christian station, and they're singing about Adam and how children are like him, all beloved by God and given life in the same way, etc. Now, I am Christian, so this doesn't bother me overly. I don't believe that the expression of God's beauty and power by man is only evident in things that praise God directly, though, so I tend to shy away from "music with a message" sorts of things as my sole listening pleasure. The occasional tape is one thing, but a whole radio station is generally just a case of way too much at any one time.
Still, there's nothing wrong in having nice little songs about God's love and children being special in his eyes for little ones, right? I mean, it's all about the good love anyway. So long as it doesn't get into being overly preachy and keeps it on a catchy feel good level, that's a message that is good for kids to hear, right? I'm still disappointed that it isn't more general kid songs and stories and stuff... I'd listen to a station like that, if just to let them be happier in the car when we go places (we're 45 minutes away from the nearest town of more than 4,000 people), which means an hour-and-a-half round trip just to get groceries.
Then, the dreaded chorus hits, and I am utterly blown away. The children's voices, singing sweetly, ramp up a bit and start in: "I am not descended from mon-keys...." My husband and I just stared at each other, then turned the radio off. What the hell is that? Why would you place such a heavy doctrinal decision in a kid's song? It's supposed to be all "Jesus Loves Me" and stuff at that age, not Creationism vs. Evolution. That's for later. They can deal with their own beliefs then, once they're old enough to actually have some experiences with which to form them.
Aside from the surreal horror I experienced, though, it does make me think about some things. See, although David and I are Christian and are trying to teach the children about God and Jesus, we aren't part of any church. David went to the Pentecostal services when he was in Basic training, but we haven't been to a church since then, and never since the kids were born. I have been thinking about finding a church again, but everything I see about them locally just turns me off. I hate the judgemental aspects of the Evangelical Protestant churches, which is most of what we have around here. I hate the assumption that one denomination's doctrine is superior to another's, and must needs condemn those poor folks to hell. I hate that a number of aspects about my chosen profession would be judged sight unseen by many otherwise good individuals around here, and I just don't have the strength right now to educate them. I'm not up to fighting that battle at this point in my life.
This leaves me unsure where to turn, or what else is available to me that my beliefs won't clash with too heavily. I admire the Catholic religion in a lot of ways, but I cannot accept that the Pope as the sole divine authority on Earth, so I think that removes me from the running for Catholic Convert of the Year. I believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit and its presence on Earth, but I cannot reconcile that with the behavior I generally see in churches who are centered around those beliefs.
The other thing that troubles me is the question of when something changes from education to propaganda. At what point is it teaching my children my beliefs vs. indoctrinating them? I'm pretty sure the whole monkeys song is right over the line. VeggieTales sometimes treads a bit close to it for me, but I find myself unable to define the line well enough to find it with any regularity. If anyone can help me with this, I'd greatly appreciate it. Hearing some opinions might help clarify the issue in my mind.
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Date: 2003-06-18 11:38 am (UTC)From:I can't say if mystical is the right word or not. I have never been part of a communal spiritual body for any length of time, so I don't really have any experiences of that type to draw upon. My parents never went to church either (big surprise there). I have personal experience to draw on and upon which I found my faith, but I am well aware that I don't hold all the secrets.
I tried to be part of a church when I was very young, but a lot of the claims they made (Southern Baptist) made no sense to me, nor could anyone provide a real reason why they believed that way. In the end I left, and never found another place to replace it. I've made a few attempts at finding a church home, but I've never run across a place where I felt comfortable. I don't know what that says about me or them, I just know that it is.
I know I'd like to find a church and religious community to call my own, a group among which to raise my children and provide them with a safe, structured place to learn about God, the Universe and everything. I've just grown weary of seeing thinly disguised fear, ignorance and hate behind that veneer of spirituality. The examples I see feel empty to me, and I can't determine why.
Oh, and for the record, the place I gathered much of my limited understanding of the role of the Pope is from communion, as presented in the Methodist and Episcopal services. Secondhand knowledge at best, true, but it's all I've got at hand at the moment. It's also been years since I've been to one of those services, so I'm working off fuzzy memory as well.
no subject
Date: 2003-06-18 11:55 am (UTC)From:A healthy skepticism about everything is good, I believe, but more often than not, it can become a habit of mind that prevents one from seeing the good above all the sordid and tawdry stuff to which we humans are prone.
I can't say if mystical is the right word or not. I have never been part of a communal spiritual body for any length of time, so I don't really have any experiences of that type to draw upon.
I meant "mystical" in the sense that you draw most of your faith from personal experience and use that as the paradigm by which you judge the truth or falsity of others' beliefs. Perhaps that's not right either, but that's what I meant.
I know I'd like to find a church and religious community to call my own, a group among which to raise my children and provide them with a safe, structured place to learn about God, the Universe and everything. I've just grown weary of seeing thinly disguised fear, ignorance and hate behind that veneer of spirituality. The examples I see feel empty to me, and I can't determine why.
Perhaps because I can never remember a time when I didn't go to Mass every Sunday and on holy days, it's hard for me to offer any advice here. It has always seemed to me, though, that it's dangerous to get hung up on the human foibles of believers and churches. You will find those aplenty in every church; no one is exempt. But if the underlying message is valid and you feel the need to praise God and draw closer to him in a communal environment, I don't see what the rest matters.
Oh, and for the record, the place I gathered much of my limited understanding of the role of the Pope is from communion, as presented in the Methodist and Episcopal services.
Well, I can think of few worse places to pick such knowledge up, since both churches arose in opposition to Papal claims of authority. The Methodist hymn "The Church's One Foundation" is a masterpiece of anti-Papal propaganda.
But I digress. :)