There is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Emmanuels veins?

Question

and sinners plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains.

How many of you know this hymn?

Have you thought of the impact of these words on an impressionable child...a child who does not comprehend the symbolism of such.

.a fountain of blood?

What of the Lord's Supper..."this is my blood which is spilled for you...take, drink" Again little kids witness these things every week in Christian churches.

Are we brainwashing our children, and possibly scaring them into our religions and beliefs by such songs, practices etc...

Your thoughts?

Answer 1

G.C., when I was a wee lad down in backward Georgia, I was in the company of a gang of racist thugs and religious loonies, 'Primitive Baptists' they were called, whose church members often sang a hymn which included 'washing in the blood.' I remember that, at 7, 8, and 9, I thought it was weird: washing in blood? At 9 I became an atheist and dismissed it as yet more of the same.

Answer 2

And what about "washed clean by the blood of Christ?" That was a difficult one for me.

Ideas of blood and eating the flesh of Christ can be gruesome and scary to a child. But my parents just told me that it was not "real" blood. That worked for me until I got older and could understand the concepts better.

It is part of the ritual and beliefs and I don't think (I hope) it does not really do any harm if it's explained to the child. Even small children understand "make believe." Not that it's purely "make believe" to adults, but it is symbolism which can be explained as "make believe" or "pretending" to a child. I think what might be more harmful is saddling a child with guilt. Constantly telling a child he/she is bad and God does not like that and he/she will go to hell is more harmful to people. If I had children, I'd teach them more about the love and compassion of God.

Answer 3

I know this hymn and many others about the shed blood of the Lord Jesus. These hymns never affected me negatively as a child......and now as a Gramma I do not see where they negatively affected my children or grandkids. As Christians the very pivot upon which our faith turns is the shed blood of Jesus.

Answer 4

I gotta agree with ya G.C.

It was probably a fine hymn for its time. And its poetic symbolism is pretty good when it comes to the understanding of the price of salvation (through blood -- a life sacrificed). But it truly is pretty gruesome, especially to unchurched people and young kids who can't appreciate symbolism. What's worse, the people who probably like the song ONLY like it only because (a) they grew up with it (b) it's familar and (c) they sing it with no appreciation of the meaning. I'd sing something else...

Now the Lord's Supper is another story....

Answer 5

The Eucharist is a beautiful sacrament that was given to us by Jesus Christ. Children are not allowed to take the Eucharist until they are confirmed, which is not until they are older(the age of accountability). And the children are taught the meaning of the Eucharist in their confirmation education.

Answer 6

It's quite horrible, even for a grown up. Of course it's not nice for a child with a pictorial imagination to get involved with.

Answer 7

SILLY...... RABBIT..... TRICKS...... ARE..... FOR ..... KIDS!

AND......INGORANCE....... ABOUNDS!

You may have been raised with Some Religious Beliefs.... to know the Song and ONLY PARTIAL TRUTH?

Once Again...... ' PICTURES AND TYPES ' as The OT Passover was A WORD PICTURE OF THE CHRIST!

(1Corinthians 5:7) Therefore purge out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, as you are unleavened. For also Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.

SILLY...... RABBIT..... TRICKS...... ARE..... FOR ..... KIDS!

Thanks, RR

Answer 8

That is simply disgusting and vile. What a violent, bloody and cannibalistic religion.

Answer 9

sounds tasty