A women I knew was over the moon when her 5 year old became a Christian.?

Question

They were at a church service and the kid went down the front and said be wanted to give his life to christ etc.
The mum couldnt stop talking about how her son had been saved etc.
I was appauled when I heard this - what do you think

Answer 1

I think it should be considered child abuse.

A five year old isn't mature enough to make that commitment. I wonder if she would be as equally thrilled if he came home and told her he had thought it over and decided to become a (something different than what she is).

Answer 2

I agree that it is weird but, then little kids will mimic their parents. A five year old doesn't understand the concept "Jesus" any more than it understands "Satan." All he or she knows is I that they are getting attention.


Plenty of people the world over have a right to resent the Catholic and Protestant Church given it's history of torture and stealing money/land from the poor. The Church is a political machine in this country too. Telling children they were born into sin is also messed up, while I'm at it. Okay, stand back and wait for flood of angry responses from people....


In answer to your question appalling? To me, yes. That said, I don't think anyone should out and out tell someone else how to raise their kids unless the child was being put in harms way. Aside from brainwashing (which he or she may recover from at a later date) there are worse things out there to expose children to. Besides telling someone how to live/ raise their kids would be too Christian.

Answer 3

I was 6 when I was saved. No one told me to do it (other than your normal every-day preaching), and I knew what it meant in the literal sense. I knew more at 6 than you would think... reminds me of that saying "You know just enough to be a danger to yourself."

I didn't know that it also meant that my young mind would be shaped so immensely by it. Being saved was also "giving up" on any of my questions about God. I believed completely for years. My questions eventually came back, left again, and came back again, and so on. My belief in God never wavered, however, until I decided to stop being afraid to look at things objectively.

When I did begin to look at things objectively, I could no longer say I believed in the Bible, and therefore, I could no longer be a Christian.

There's no way that your friend can keep her daughter from being saved. I in no way think that she should be so encouraging about it, though. Her daughter is too young to make this decision - and it doesn't matter whether you look at it from the viewpoint of a Christian or from the viewpoint of a non-Christian.

A Christian should respect salvation so much so that they would want a person to truly understand before accepting it. As a non-Christian who's had similar experience, I see it as an innocent girl agreeing to close her mind before she even has a chance to know that there are other points of view. That's really really sad... and yes, appalling.

Answer 4

I know another story of a young girl age 14 who gave her life to Christ. She may not have made an 'altar call' or walk down any aisle. What she did was in every small thing she gave her heart to Christ. She did chores beneath everyone else and did not accept praises. She directed those to God. She would take the blame for others faults and help them through those difficult times. In all ways she was subservient and humble. And in her actions her faith was apparent. She died a few short years later. She wrote an amazing journal that anyone can read today. St. Therese of Liseaux was canonized a Saint because she exemplified a Christ-like life.

These are the stories we should not stop talking about because they point us to Christ. They are not boastful of little Therese because they point to Christ's grace. They help us to understand what it means to be a disciple.

Yes, it is difficult for me to hear others so prideful of their 'being saved.' I am happy that little boy decided to give his life to Christ that day. How has he done since? What will his life be devoted to in ten years, 20, 50?

I am reasonably assured that St. Therese had been saved. She ran the race well and promoted the gospel. Her words were not merely words. They were actions. Her prayers were not idle. She did not just ask for forgiveness and a life in Christ, but she allowed forgiveness and her life to belong to Christ (through His grace of course).

It is obvious I do not believe in the 'once saved always saved' tradition, and we may disagree on those terms. But I should hope we agree that a life in Christ is not just words, but actions. Love is not just something we speak, but is something we show.

Answer 5

I would be appalled too, how can a five year old be saved, saved from what? the evil in am innocent child. I hate that crap, I hate churches that scare little children about satan. But don't be too hard on the woman she must have a lot of emptiness in her life if her childs precociious behaviour makes her feel more like a good person because hes so devout or whatever. Let her reap her emotional needs from the little ham, he saw everyone else doing it and wanted to join in., but if she wants to believe he is Jesus closest friend let her. Im just glad Im not a christian, trust me on that one.

Answer 6

That's a very strange thing to be appalled by. I suspect you have some deep anger toward the church. Did something happen to you that causes you to be bitter about it?

I mean, the woman is simply excited because she believes that her son has decided to accept God's will for his life. I don't know why you find that disturbing. Perhaps you're worried about whether someone that young can make a decision of that magnitude, but really, we all make incremental decisions all through life. Surely, whatever decision he made at 5 isn't as "complete" as a more informed decision that he might make later in life, but at least he's taken a positive step. It seems unfair to suggest that he can't make ANY decision for himself, just because he is young. Surely, he'll have influence from his parents at that age, but, seriously, is that so bad? He'll have enough bad influences later in life.

Answer 7

I'm sorry? It's not your kid, not your concern. Jesus said to allow the little children to come to him and unless we become as a little child (innocent and pure in heart) we can in no wise enter heaven.

You would damn a child and other people to suit your hatred? The fact is - a child who dies goes to heaven with or without your or your father's approval.

I can help but feel you are lonely and need Jesus in your life and it scares you, not knowing what others would think. If you werent, you wouldnt be so jealous of this woman and her son.

For the record - I am really not trying to rip on you. But really - something just doesnt jive with your being appalled about a child wanting to give his life to Jesus. Its far better than having an ambition to be a drug dealer or a gang-banger.

Answer 8

Some 5 year olds actually have understanding enough to really grasp what is going on. Besides, the Holy Spirit could touch that 5 year old just as easy as He could you and me and let him see that if he isn't saved he would die and go to Hell. Now that he has been convicted of his sins and got saved he has eternal life with the Father.

Answer 9

why would you be? just like people have the right to believe in nothing, they also have the right to beleve in a God, even if they're 5 years old. so exactly what are you appauled at?? the worse thing that's going to happen now is that the kid is going to be a moral person *gasp*!! HORRIBLE!!... lol....

Answer 10

What's wrong with it? I wish I had given my life to Christ when I was 5 instead of when I was 19 - it would have saved me alot of heartache and pain and it would have given me 14 more years of experience with learning about Jesus and learning how to love and serve my fellow man.

Answer 11

Praise the Lord and Glory to His Name. God can save anyone at any time. My daughter was 8 when she gave her life to Jesus and her Dad and I were, as you say, Over the moon.