Innocence

[GodIsLove]

I struggle with wanting to maintain my kids' innocence. I'm a sensitive person and certain things over the years have bothered me, even just to hear about some sort of evil. It would stick with me.

So obviously we don't do violent shows or movies or whatever.  But this extends to not wanting to teach them certain things like:

So for example I have told my kids that people killed Jesus but he came back to life and lives to this day (and is basically the ultimate super hero accordingly to my son  :laughing7:) but I can't bring myself to tell them how he died. It's just so horrific and as a kid I was really haunted by it.

We have two illustrated bibles but I don't like reading from them because to be honest it's just so violent, especially the OT. Even as an adult I struggle with the violence in the Bible and it takes a lot of prayer and spiritual interpretations and just plain not reading those sections.

I remember learning bible stories as a kid and not "getting it" until much later, prob in the past couple years honestly. And I still sometimes don't "get it!"

What are some thoughts on this?

[Ross]

The bible history is gruesome.
And the history of man shows that there have been so many wars over petty stuff.

I remember learning bible stories as a kid and not "getting it" until much later, prob in the past couple years honestly. And I still sometimes don't "get it!"

Same here- learning is not a quick thing.
Wisdom only comes from experience, so if we cut out the experience we cut out the wisdom.
We were created to learn good from evil, if we do not learn what is evil that would cut out our purpose.
However, we do need to recognise that kids are at their own level of understanding- and as they grow will be able to absorb more info- hence we need discretion as to how to answer- but need to answer.  Show them how to process info, rather than cut out everything. Usually a one statement answer will do for starters, and if this stimulates more questions, we continue to answer until that will do. Must encourage the questions to be asked rather than smothering.
The positive need to be regularly laid before the children so that they are living in an environment where the children KNOW with FULL assurance that NO MATTER WHAT they will be supported.
SOOOoooo much to learn, and we are blessed to be aware of our True Teacher.

[WhiteWings]

What are some thoughts on this?

You don't want to hear them for sure.

Show your kids ultra violent movies.
Tell you kids Bible stories as they are. As God told them to mankind.

Being protective can, and I think, will backfire.
A parents job is for a large part to prepare children for life.
If you show/teach nothing about evil they will become aliens in the world they live in. They will be taken advantage of.

Ask yourself this: If Jesus had kids, would He never discuss evil with His kids?

In short: IMO a parent's job is show kids all aspects of life but teach them how to find and keep the safe road...

[rosered]

 

  Hi Godislove ,
 
  Yes ,our little ones are so innocent  and teach us well , huh? 

  You have a  wonderful heart  full of love for your children .
  Jesus wanted to do the same for Jerusalem  , to protect them from the harm  to come , but they were not willing .
 
I have  enjoyed the guys answers  , and sharing advice  to be helpful , that is the best anyone of us can do  for one another .

The thing about truth is  , we do have to grow in it  by Gods grace  allowing it ,by good counsel  [Jesus Word ]  and those with the same  , His testimony /witness   working in us  and by the experiences   that adds other fruitful  bounty of the Holy Spirit .


  I love it when I saw Paul say in the scriptures ,   and  my  own conscience bears witness   in the truth by the Holy Spirit


Romans  9 1I speak the truth in Christ; I am not lying, as confirmed by my conscience in the Holy Spirit.

Two things  I wish I would have known  better  back than  when raising   my children  ,as I have learned now .

Is to always ask God first and guide me though  the narrow path , and learn to wait on the Lord ,  so  all those doubting myself   all the time would have been removed , keeping a clean conscience  in every  decision made .

  I recall studying the bible  and telling my  hubby and two children at around 7  the boy and 9 the girl  , Did you know it is a sin to worry ?    I was looking up   the word meanings for faith  and found that    and shared it with  them all one evening .

It causes our faith to  shake  us up ,  We are not supposed to worry about our  needs  being met , but to put our faith  and  complete trust in God .

Well it was not even  a week or so later and I was   stressing about paying a bill on time   and   just  openly blurted it out   to my hubby and the children were present .
  My son  says to me  , Mom , you know it is a sin to worry about that !

  I was floored and chastened   by  that truth , it had resonated with my son in his innocence   to believe  in Gods Word   as I struggled  being in the world but not of it ...

That was a lesson well learned   and it stuck with me to this day ..    Our children  are our blessings  and was glad for the full of faith reminder .

  I know God is with you and yours sis , so    I have no worries , God will see you though it all to the end  , When you have Jesus peace , the world  just seems to take a back seat   and losses its power and grip on us ,   as we grow in truth and grace by Gods loving embrace ..
We become more aware of His presence in our lives as the faith is exercised  and strengthened  and added ,  when you look back with 20/20 vision  in a clear place  made   to walk in the Spirit and see what He did   perfectly   making a way  , when we were  looking at the trees  before us , instead of the big picture   being the whole forest  behind us .
  Trust becomes a must  and we begin to lean more and more upon Him  of every little thing .

  I am a huge believer in prayer  and it is so important to ask   the Lord for  these answers   to our  million questions  .
  I have also learned  he does answer us
I have opened the bible and  said , Show me LORD , please  ! I want to know you and what you want .. 

God has comforted with many answers many times  and in  many ways .
  I recall also   thinking  , like little children  , we  may want a bike , but the Lord will give you a tricycle first , for our  own good  , we are not ready for that bicycle yet , but in due time   with practice when we master the tricycle first  the bike will come    as a surprise  one day  when you are not expecting it 

  The lessons learned is all about overcoming the world and all that is in it   and greater is He that is in you than in the world  , our greatest  gifts are of the Lord Himself ,  to lead us and guide us    , out of it with full assurance  .

He is able  to take us to the promised land . Hid in His own Body . 
 
I remember asking the questions  Lord   who killed you  ?   When  so young into this journey  called life ,    Was it for us all  or a few ?  or  was it the Jews ?   was it Judas ?  was it Satan ?

  I was wanting to blame  somthing ,  in my ignorance  and lack of understanding  Gods plan , As  the scriptures and  the Holy Spirit began to teach   the truth   , it started at another place  and ended up  at   this place at  the Tent with all my brothers and sisters  gathering  here ,   all those  become  answered prayers .

  Jesus  was sent by the Father   to  die on the cross  , He laid His own life down  on purpose , Only to take it back up again

  God showing His power to raise the dead  to life again  so we could and would believe   in Him .

  His blood was  needed to cover all our sins  and when He signed it  in His  pure  innocent blood [our sign to believe in His cross  ]  He blotted out the  old  contract God had  with satan [his works of old  holding us in  death ]  to hold us in contempt of court  of the assemblies , by redeeming us   out of the world  and paying the price , the wages of sin  is death ,

and becoming
  our advocate   by supporting our cause by buying us back  from death  and new owner  of us  , from slaves to the world and sin nature ,  giving us the opportunity   to become  His   beloved family  of God / His own Father   is now ours  too. 

  The   Truth has really set us free    to live  in peace with God  without   disruption ever  again  .  .
     
I always say , Lord I am not going to post today ,  and just read and  I never can just shut up about this wonderful  Heavenly FATHER and His beautiful and glorious Son,   making all the difference  in our world  and lives . To His glory we praise Him always to the ends of the earth , as it should be on earth as it is in heaven . we just have to believe it is so .

  God bless and keep you all sis ...     Gods love to everyone   , Rose 

[GodIsLove]

Thanks for answers!

To be clear on a couple points, I'm very honest with my kids as far as if they ask a question I always answer truthfully. We discuss evil as it pertains to their every day life (caution with strangers, guns, stealing, how to work out their disagreements with siblings and friends, anger, forgiveness, lying, thinking of others, etc)...and we read a lot of superhero books because that's what little boys are into, and there's a lot of good/evil in those. They aren't perfect stories of course but the interesting thing is that the back stories about how the "bad guys" turn evil are good teaching tools—one talked about jealousy turning a guy "bad" and Star Wars is a good story of how someone can go to the dark side so to speak and then be redeemed. Albeit these stories don't talk about Jesus as having a role. We talk about poverty and selfishness, homelessness, bullies, people who don't believe in God, that kind of thing. We talk about how we all are tempted to do wrong and we try to resist that, no one is perfect, etc. Plus my son is in public school, lots of opportunity to teach good and evil in THAT setting based on stories he comes home with.  :sigh:

It's more the horrific evils that I am not ok with exposing them to, but I think like Ross said, to teach to their level I'll know when this is ok to introduce. And prayer, like Rose mentioned. I pray a lot for guidance. And I'm a worrier! I guess I should ask my kids and husband to remind me to stop like your child did for you!

My kids have inherited my sensitivity I think.

The thing about knowing good and evil is this:

Teaching my kids, I feel that for their ages they have a pretty good grasp of right and wrong. Therefore if there is a violent part in a movie, they already recoil and don't like it. But other kids I know who just watch all sorts of stuff are desensitized to it and think there's nothing wrong with it. Some of those kids are violent in their play or act out in anger inappropriately. So exposure doesn't equal learning, it is more the teaching and talking and experiencing WITH the exposure.

I tend to think of the OT stories as partially an account of human awfulness, and partially stories with spiritual meaning that point to spiritual truths or prophecy. I think without the spiritual understanding the stories are lacking and may even paint the wrong impression. There are lots of adults who criticize the Bible and Christianity for this very reason.

Anyway thanks for the thoughts. Prayer, discernment, and stop worrying!

You are funny, Rose, to say you try not to post but end up posting anyway. I always enjoy reading your posts even if they are mini novels!

And, according to WW, ultra violent media. I guess for family movie night we will watch a Stephen King movie tonight   :winkgrin:

[WhiteWings]

I really like Stephen King, but most of his stuff is just humor instead of horror.
A nice King movie is Needful things. It's about the devil pitting people against eachother by playing their greed.

[marie glen]

I enjoyed reading this thread.. If someone asks about the violence in the bible.. (might be a bit sensitive for too young ears tho!) I tell them how the wars in the OT were against nations heavy into human, especially child sacrifice! I won't go into the terrible details, but what God worth His salt wouldn't be good and ticked off!? ..I pretty much leave it at that.. In my own head I pretty much gloss things over.. racking it up to His perfection and knowingbestness( :laughing7: ).

Yet as this world, through the fruit of dog eat dog (philosophy being taught, and the culture) becomes more and more unstable and thus more violence, it's good to know God's no wimp.. Hitler & Co. large and small won't get away scot free! (That I think, can be a comfort to people.)

[GodIsLove]

Marie, good word: knowingbestness!!

[Ross]

I enjoyed reading this thread.. If someone asks about the violence in the bible.. (might be a bit sensitive for too young ears tho!) I tell them how the wars in the OT were against nations heavy into human, especially child sacrifice! I won't go into the terrible details, but what God worth His salt wouldn't be good and ticked off!? ..I pretty much leave it at that.. In my own head I pretty much gloss things over.. racking it up to His perfection and knowingbestness( :laughing7: ).

Yet as this world, through the fruit of dog eat dog (philosophy being taught, and the culture) becomes more and more unstable and thus more violence, it's good to know God's no wimp.. Hitler & Co. large and small won't get away scot free! (That I think, can be a comfort to people.)

All this violence should point out that just killing doesn't resolve the underlying issues. Man cannot fix them, just try to cover them up.

Thanks be to God Who will resolve this correctly and point out the literal errors of mans' interpretation/definition of God.