Maybe you heard about the "Jesus Camp" where young children are exposed to Christianity and encouraged (some say pressured) to accept Christ, confess sins, worship to a picture of President Bush, etc. (to see a video on it: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=7UWIb4FwHPg).
Do you think there is (or should be) a certain age under which evangelism shouldn't be allowed? Is it unethical? Pointless? Exploitative? None of the above?
Obviously parents should decide this for their own kids but I am referring to times when parental consent isn't given or available.
2006-10-02 11:44:53 · 10 answers · asked by LisaT 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
First of all, if kids are worshipping to a picture of President Bush, this is wrong for so many reasons, the top reason being that only God is worthy of worship. If they think Bush is a living saint, I'd disagree with them to the highest, but they're entitled to their opinion. Protestant (and other) Christians have as much right to treat Bush as a living saint (oh, yucch!) as Catholics do to honor and revere (but not worship) saints who have died.
If the evangelizing comes from the heart, and not from outside pressure, I say no age is too young or too old. The Bible says that praise comes from the lips of infants and little children. Of course parents can teach their children to believe as they do, but this is true of almost all parents of any belief.
No age is old enough to evangelize if it doesn't come from the heart, if it doesn't come willingly.
My niece accepted Jesus at age three. She knows that her mother and the rest of our family are far from perfect. She now goes to a Christian college (after four years of public high school). My niece does not swallow whole the right-winged conservative bullcrap that passes for Christianity in too many "Christian" circles. She has had the experience of being more conservative than her secular friends and being more liberal than her church-indoctrinated friends.
Would that more Christians of all ages and of all walks of life have similar experiences!
2006-10-02 11:56:36 · answer #1 · answered by MNL_1221 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I love this question.
My folks are christians and I was raised under that doctrine. Though I have since left the flock. I still respect them and their beliefs as well as anyone who chooses that path.
My folks ran a christian camp. Though it was definatly not like this. They took inner city kids and kids who were underpriveledged and ran childrens activities. The message from the bible was revealed, but kids were never forced to accept christ. They were just shown that there is a god and someone who loves them and about prayer and the salvation message was presented, but in no way pressured. It was more just a camp to have fun, swim, dress up, camp fires, hike, nature stuff, and so forth. No evangelical craziness going on.
I definatly see where you are going with this camp thing though. The radicals who have a way of pressuring their kids into their beliefs. But this has gone on for generations in all religions. Look at islamic fundamentalist teaching their kids to shoot those who oppose islam...jewish coming of age partys... so on and so forth. Do i agree with forcing kids to do something or believe in something they dont wish? NO Way!
But I see it. I saw this little kid probably 8 or 9 with an older looking sibling maybe 13 or 14 on the corner the other day holding up "get saved" signs and I was like whoa... brainwashing a kid. My parents always took me to church and shared their beliefs. I was never pressured. They were not happy when I took my route into the pagan life style but they never fornced me to anything.
I think that parents have to share their beliefs and show how they worship and at a certian age kids make the decistion to stay with church or the temple or synogogue or worship alter... whatever and go from there.
2006-10-02 11:52:30 · answer #2 · answered by Sarah 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Parents have the right and responsibility to train their own children in the way they see fit for as long as the children are in their care. If that includes evangelism at any age, what business is it of ours?
I wasn't aware that Jesus Camp had kidnapped children. If I'm wrong, I'm sure the legal authorities can deal with it appropriately. The parents who gave their consent for their children to attend Jesus Camp can complain if they are not satisfied with the camp, but it is not their or our business to direct religion for anyone else.
Evangelism is an important part of Christianity as well as Islam. As long as no force is used, freedom of religion and speech applies to those who believe, as well as to those who do not.
Hoping the best for you...
2006-10-02 11:54:23 · answer #3 · answered by Debra N 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I personally think kids should be allowed to be kids, and not pressured to become minature Jack Van Impes. But that's just me.
Aside from that, I think that before a kid should take on evangelizing the masses, it is important to make sure that the kida actually understands what he or she is talking about. What I mean is that the kid is actually speaking from his or her own understanding of the text or the tenets of his creed, and not just regurgitating things his or her parents or preacher have told him or her. Pretty much, the kid should want to do it, and not feel compelled or pressured.
2006-10-02 11:58:07 · answer #4 · answered by Tommy 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Wolfs gown as sheep to scouse borrow sheep (members of the Church) from flock. maximum Sale individual do is mislead is to lie that are procedures to get a sale. Catholic and different Christians believe this “Church is the position human beings celebration to wish and their God's present day will be”. Then bible says this, “Mark 13:21 that if all and sundry says to you "seem! right that is Christ! or seem, there he's! do no longer believe. Matthew 24:13, If all and sundry says to you BEHOLD, right that is the Christ or there he's, do no longer believe them. “ The question to how does this verse chatting with. the most ideal logical, useful, and acceptable human beings that's chatting with is to the Catholic Church. I guess this biblical verse specking extra to the Catholic Church because God discovered it. you would possibly want to verify that it oldest in elementary words easily one of Christianity that continuous even with the actuality that previous cases till 1517’s. even as Martine Luther translates the bible to English, and twisted it including “faith on my own” from the former Greek bible. God knew what this develop into going to ensue that why this verse develop into written so as that we received’t stray faraway from his direction.
2016-12-04 03:45:39 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Once you become a Christian, you are responsible for bearing fruit. The fruit of a Christian is another Christian.
I know nothing of the camps.
2006-10-02 11:49:55 · answer #6 · answered by Rhonda 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like something else the media has made up to exploit Christianity.
2006-10-02 11:47:27 · answer #7 · answered by Stiletto ♥ 6 · 1⤊ 3⤋
I'm with Jay on this one except I think only some over 90s are acceptable, namely those who are deaf or dead.
2006-10-02 11:48:19 · answer #8 · answered by Bob-bob 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I think any age over 90 is OK.
2006-10-02 11:46:28 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
i don't think there should be an age limit. if someone is devoted enough to god, then i think you could preach about him.
2006-10-02 11:47:53 · answer #10 · answered by cloouvgeh 2 · 2⤊ 2⤋