Christians Urged to Prepare for Sharing Truth After Da Vinci Code Movie Released

[Soldier4Christ]

Brothers and Sisters,

As a career police officer, I know that the subject of teens is a very "iffy" subject, and it really needs to be put into context with one's thoughts at the time from their perspective. It appears there are several perspectives being considered in the last few posts, and I have a few other perspectives from law enforcement.

First, I can tell all of you that I taught my children to show respect, and there were obviously many things that I didn't tolerate. I'm sure that the same is true for all Christians who love their children.

I knew teens who were already career criminals at 13 years old. I also knew alcoholics and drug addicts at 10 years old. I worked with many teens who didn't live to 20 and many others who had their third or 4th trip to prison by age 20. In short, I'll tell you that I remember many who broke my heart and the hearts of other police officers who had been working with them, on and off duty.

Parents were most often the primary cause for teens who were headed for prison or the grave, but that wasn't the case all of the time. There were actually many cases where the parents became prisoners in their own homes and threatened or abused by their own children. I know that sounds odd, but it was really pretty common, especially when gangs, alcohol, dope, and single parent homes were involved.

It's true that I don't know how to define a normal teen, but I have a pretty good idea about how to describe decent teens who have a very bright future and they're simply struggling through the very difficult teen years. I probably also have a pretty good idea about how to describe exceptional teens who might be leaders or anything else they might wish for the future, and those I mainly know from church settings.

It hasn't been long ago that guns became the most common way for a teenager to die. I say this only to make a point that society obviously doesn't have a very good handle on ways to deal with teens in the gangs, dope, and other things associated with going down a path to their own doom. I have many ideas about how parents should have done different things, but it's really too late in the teen years to correct out of control problems that have been brewing for the majority of the teen's life. It definitely involves teaching respect for authority, the parents being the first to receive proper respect. However, you now have to talk about parents who were drug addicts, alcoholics, and involved in criminal activity or otherwise very poor role models in teaching anything, especially respect for authority. So, teens who are out of control or on a path to doom probably had a lot of neglect and/or abuse from improper parents.

I mainly wanted to mention a few things that would illustrate how multi-faceted this discussion could be and is. Regarding Sapphire, he probably fits into the category of exceptional teens who will be leaders or whatever else they wish in the future. That doesn't suggest that they don't have a few rough spots to go through. I don't know of any teens who don't have a few problems to deal with.

Ref. this thread, I really think there were some misunderstandings because of folks thinking in different perspectives - all correct I might add. But, regardless of how many perspectives our society has tried to think about teens, many of the results are a crying shame for a civilized country. There has to be better answers, more perspectives considered, and society as a whole trying to stop what is happening to SO MANY teens in this country. I have dozens of pictures of their faces still in my mind - the ones who went to their dooms.

In my heart, I'm positive that raising children in the LORD is the biggest key to having a young adult ready and able to make it in this harsh world. I am so happy that I knew and got to see many teens over my career who did make it, and they will be the leaders with a happy and productive life. What good and caring parents can't do, JESUS is with the Christian teens, and I smile every time that I think about them. This should be a matter of prayer for every Christian all over the world.

Name calling is not proper when Christians are involved in a reasonable discussion. It might even be good to get some input from Sapphire for this discussion. I know beyond any doubt at all that fine young adults are not an accident, and you would be surprised to find out how many fine young adults have been involved with police and other agencies in trying to find solutions. After all, many of them have become victims of the gang members, dope dealers, and other criminal types.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Psalms 37:39-40 NASB  But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in time of trouble. The LORD helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, Because they take refuge in Him.

Amen Brother. I had to quote that because it is well worth repeating. I understand precisely what you mean.

[Soldier4Christ]

Sweetpeas: Your words are like balm to a wound.  Thank you my friend.

=^..^=

Amen sister. He does have a way doesn't he.

[nChrist]

Hello TalkerCat,

Sister, I just read this thread again, and it brought back memories for me when I was a teen. One of them made me laugh pretty hard. I remember thinking that people over the age of 25 were over the hill and out of touch with reality.    I also remember many social studies that made me think:  If I didn't have so much homework, I could give them the answers to straighten everything out. We thought we could run the country from the school and do a much better job than the politicians. NOW, I'm laughing about today and wondering if some sharp group of young adults COULD actually run the country better than Congress and the Senate. 

I'm glad that I got a few grins because it also brought back many bad memories of the failures in police work. Many of us volunteered for off duty work in neighborhood projects, sports, and all kinds of positive things to try and help who we called "at risk kids." That was one of the concepts of what was called "Community Oriented Policing", and it did involve a lot of volunteer work and time by people who cared about the future of the kids. Part of it even involved some pretty personal work like mentoring and trying to be one who would listen to their problems and try to steer them in the right direction. The work was very positive and satisfying, but many of the results did break our hearts. But, there were also some success stories that made us very happy. In short, it was an emotional roller-coaster ride, and going to many of their funerals was hard.

Now, I'm thinking about the original topic of this thread. I already know some adults calling themselves Christians who buy part or all of the DaVinci Code and other recent books that cause doubt in the Bible by actually calling it a lie. If some adult Christians can be deceived, many young adults will also be deceived. This makes me very sad because I know that life is pretty hard at times, even with JESUS with us. Many pretty intelligent people will reject the JESUS depicted in the DaVinci code, but OUR JESUS isn't in the DaVinci code. May God help us stand up against the devil!

Love In Christ,
Tom

Proverbs 2:7-8 NASB  He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, Guarding the paths of justice, And He preserves the way of His godly ones.

[sincereheart]

Brothers and Sisters,

As a career police officer, I know that the subject of teens is a very "iffy" subject, and it really needs to be put into context with one's thoughts at the time from their perspective. It appears there are several perspectives being considered in the last few posts, and I have a few other perspectives from law enforcement.

All this has me thinking. And yes, thinking IS painful for me!
I think it's true that we all come from different perspectives on this. What saddens me though, is that one teen is being held up as a scapegoat for ALL teens. 
And the subject of "teens" has always been around and always will be. Each generation remembers how things were "back in the day"....

First, I can tell all of you that I taught my children to show respect, and there were obviously many things that I didn't tolerate. I'm sure that the same is true for all Christians who love their children.

One of the many lessons I want my kids to learn is that, even though it's not always easy- we have to see any person, of any age, through the eyes of the Lord.  And in His eyes, there is worth! Not one of us is any better than the other! And though we all have different personalities, there is a place for us with Him!

I knew teens who were already career criminals at 13 years old. I also knew alcoholics and drug addicts at 10 years old. I worked with many teens who didn't live to 20 and many others who had their third or 4th trip to prison by age 20. In short, I'll tell you that I remember many who broke my heart and the hearts of other police officers who had been working with them, on and off duty.

Amen! I've worked with kids for 25 years in the classroom, in counseling, in Sunday School, and in my own home. I've worked with "normal" kids and every exceptionality in Special Education. I've had desks thrown at me and guns pulled on me and even been asked out by some.  Oh yeah, I even had one young man pull off his leg (literally - it was wooden) and threaten me with it. That was all in the emotionally disturbed/behavior disordered class, by the way.  Though they were a volatile group, they were also amazing in their love! 

The group of kids that I saw that were most misunderstood were the special education kids in the "Gifted" classes. Those were the best and brightest of all kids- test wise- with high expectations thrust on them because of their "giftedness". 

Parents were most often the primary cause for teens who were headed for prison or the grave, but that wasn't the case all of the time. There were actually many cases where the parents became prisoners in their own homes and threatened or abused by their own children. I know that sounds odd, but it was really pretty common, especially when gangs, alcohol, dope, and single parent homes were involved.

The biggest problem I've seen has to do with the fact that parents have become so materialistically minded that children are left to raise themselves. They don't need more "rod", they simply need parents to care and be there for them! Our societal expectations have decreased the value of doing without "things" to care for what the Lord calls "blessings".

It's true that I don't know how to define a normal teen, but I have a pretty good idea about how to describe decent teens who have a very bright future and they're simply struggling through the very difficult teen years. I probably also have a pretty good idea about how to describe exceptional teens who might be leaders or anything else they might wish for the future, and those I mainly know from church settings.

It's funny, but I remember being a teen and I remember them being much like they are now, personality-wise!  And for the record, I don't ever want to be a teen again! 

It hasn't been long ago that guns became the most common way for a teenager to die. I say this only to make a point that society obviously doesn't have a very good handle on ways to deal with teens in the gangs, dope, and other things associated with going down a path to their own doom. I have many ideas about how parents should have done different things, but it's really too late in the teen years to correct out of control problems that have been brewing for the majority of the teen's life. It definitely involves teaching respect for authority, the parents being the first to receive proper respect. However, you now have to talk about parents who were drug addicts, alcoholics, and involved in criminal activity or otherwise very poor role models in teaching anything, especially respect for authority. So, teens who are out of control or on a path to doom probably had a lot of neglect and/or abuse from improper parents.

Amen! Only today's parents demand respect without earning it and by that I mean that they simply aren't there for our youth! Our youth are simply left alone to raise themselves!

I mainly wanted to mention a few things that would illustrate how multi-faceted this discussion could be and is. Regarding Sapphire, he probably fits into the category of exceptional teens who will be leaders or whatever else they wish in the future. That doesn't suggest that they don't have a few rough spots to go through. I don't know of any teens who don't have a few problems to deal with.

Amen! And I'll say it again- I don't ever want to be a teen again!

Ref. this thread, I really think there were some misunderstandings because of folks thinking in different perspectives - all correct I might add. But, regardless of how many perspectives our society has tried to think about teens, many of the results are a crying shame for a civilized country. There has to be better answers, more perspectives considered, and society as a whole trying to stop what is happening to SO MANY teens in this country. I have dozens of pictures of their faces still in my mind - the ones who went to their dooms.

In my heart, I'm positive that raising children in the LORD is the biggest key to having a young adult ready and able to make it in this harsh world. I am so happy that I knew and got to see many teens over my career who did make it, and they will be the leaders with a happy and productive life. What good and caring parents can't do, JESUS is with the Christian teens, and I smile every time that I think about them. This should be a matter of prayer for every Christian all over the world.

Amen! As a parent, knowing God has His hand on them sure makes me rest easier! 

Name calling is not proper when Christians are involved in a reasonable discussion. It might even be good to get some input from Sapphire for this discussion. I know beyond any doubt at all that fine young adults are not an accident, and you would be surprised to find out how many fine young adults have been involved with police and other agencies in trying to find solutions. After all, many of them have become victims of the gang members, dope dealers, and other criminal types.[/b]

Amen again! And I don't see how calling a Christian brother in Christ as "weak" is helpful when he actually has a valid point about Christians only speaking out against something. 

[nChrist]

Hello Sincereheart,

Sister, I think there were several misunderstandings. Communications on a forum with someone you don't know anything about is difficult, especially after the misunderstandings are several layers deep with various posters. I think this thread is a good example of just how easy misunderstandings develop. We've all done it, even those of us who have used forums for years.

I just hope that we're all past the bump in the road and maybe be able to drive around the next one.

Love in Christ,
Tom

Psalms 139:9-10 NASB  If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me.

[sincereheart]

Hello Sincereheart,

We've all done it, even those of us who have used forums for years.

*Fluffs hair again* You poor things! Luckily, I've never done that! 

I just hope that we're all past the bump in the road and maybe be able to drive around the next one.

Like on the Autobohn? 

Blessed are the peacemakers, Tom! 

[nChrist]

Quote from: blackeyedpeas on Today at 07:21:14 AM
Hello Sincereheart,

We've all done it, even those of us who have used forums for years.

Quote from Sincereheart:
*Fluffs hair again* You poor things! Luckily, I've never done that! 

  Sister, I haven't done it today yet, but my wife did have to send me to my room for other mistakes I made. I told her I didn't do anything, so I have to stay here until I remember.        I'm beginning to think that second childhood might be rough.

[sincereheart]

  Sister, I haven't done it today yet, but my wife did have to send me to my room for other mistakes I made. I told her I didn't do anything, so I have to stay here until I remember.        I'm beginning to think that second childhood might be rough.

Ooh! Smart man! So you get all that peace and quiet? 
Hmmm.... I wonder if I can get sent to my room?
By the way, my 2nd childhood wasn't near as much fun as my 3rd! 

[Soldier4Christ]

By the way, my 2nd childhood wasn't near as much fun as my 3rd!

I wouldn't know anything about a 2nd or 3rd childhood.


My wife and kids say that I haven't left my first one yet.


 

[Soldier4Christ]

The ills of the world is a deep dark sickness. It is a sickness that is taking over many of our young through the uncaring inaction of those who supposedly care for them. The cure ( the medicine) for both is Jesus Christ and His word. The instrument for delivery (the syringe) is we, ourselves.

Do we try to jab that cure in hard and fast with tremendous force or do we do so with love and compassion, grieving for those that are already suffering so?



I, too work with many teens and their parents daily. It is a travesty what both are going through. True many of them are putting themselves through this pain, but unknowingly so, not knowing there is a better way.

Have you been doing your part in delivery the message to these poor lost souls? As Sapphire pointed out, something we should be doing daily at every opportunity not just when something such as the movie gives us something to complain about.

[Sapphire W34P0N]

See? This is why I hardly ever post anymore. Every time I do, arguments full of misunderstandings arise. Just 'cause I'm a teen.

*Yawn.*

[sincereheart]

See? This is why I hardly ever post anymore. Every time I do, arguments full of misunderstandings arise. Just 'cause I'm a teen.

*Yawn.*

As long as you understand that it's all your fault!   
And it will, of course, be different when you're 18.... 
or is it 21- 
unless you missed it when you were 13, going by Jewish tradition. 
Hey! Did you have a Bar Mitzvah? 

Ok, I think I've used most of the smilies! 

[Soldier4Christ]

This thread is now locked.