So after a lot of thought and discussion, B and I decided to send our kids to a local vacation bible school this week. It is being sponsored by a large Baptist church in the area. We were both raised Methodist -both of our dads were Methodist ministers for a short while when we were young- and after looking quite a while for a Methodist church in the area that would not just tolerate but honestly welcome our family- a whole other blog post- we finally discovered a Unitarian church that welcomed us with open minds and hearts. We love this church but sadly they do not offer any kind of summer program for the kids. So our kids are happily singing about God and Jesus every morning this week. I have to say I have been a bit paranoid the whole week- I stay every morning through the assembly time to make sure nothing 'unfriendly' is said. Do I really think something about gay marriage or gay rights will be said in front of 600 k-6th graders? Yep, that's how my mind rolls. The only questionable, somewhat uncomfortable moment was this morning when they were asked to accept Jesus into their hearts. Seems a little young to me but I guess that's how you hook em'.
The real issue is not with the church and its mission- it's with my opinion of organized religion. Needless to say, I have not been real impressed with 'Christians' over the last 30 years. God- yes. Jesus-yes, with some unanswered questions. Christians telling me that my love for my wife is a sin that needs to be forgiven- nope. Do I think I am a sinner? Yes, I think we all make mistakes and are not always good people. Do I think love is a sin? How is that possible? If I was not faithful to my wife- if I murdered and was a thief- if I went out of my way to hurt others- then yes, I would be a sinner. The whole argument of hate the sin, love the sinner just does not fly with me when it comes to homosexuality. God made me this way- how can our love be a sin?
So there is definitely some conflict when it comes to our boys and church. I want them to believe in God. I want them to understand how to be good in a world where there is a lot of pain and bad people. But I never want them to think less of themselves or their family because some 'Christian' tells them their family is evil and that their moms are sinners and not worthy of the love of God.
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| R enjoying an icee at the family night |
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| P and R before the bouncy house |
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| P enjoying his icee |
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| R going to town on a hot dog |
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| B and her boys before the family night service |
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| P and I singing some songs during the family night service |
It sounds like your boys have the good fortune to be being raised in a very loving and kind household. I can't imagine believing that is somehow evil.
ReplyDeleteKind of a hard place, yes? Both my partner and I were raised Catholic, but we have both left the church due to views on so many, many things. My daughter went to Montessori school up until last year when she finished up 6th grade and that was as far as they went. We researched ALL the area public and private schools and then let her ultimately choose. She chose a Catholic school. Not for their religious views, but because she loved their science lab. I was terrified, actually met with the parish priest. He was surprisingly welcoming and she has had minimal problems there and wants to attend for her last year of junior high next year. It's been a tough pill for me to swallow all year, but I am trying. And she has learned enough about the Catholic religion to know that she has no intention of converting, so glad that she has learned a lesson on her own without my fingerprints all over her back. But...wow...it was tough. It IS tough. Sometimes we just have to swallow hard and hope for the best.
ReplyDeleteAll best wishes to you and yours. I'm not a believer, myself, although I was raised to be, so you never know. I'd be fine with my kids being religious as long as they didn't become Republicans.
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