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Soldier4Christ
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« on: June 21, 2007, 09:37:17 AM » |
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How to Raise a non-Christian
People of faith and values are concerned about the collapse of culture. Recent polls from Cornell University and Barna Research note that only 1 out of 10 children keep the faith and values of their parents. Further studies have shown that is because parents are not engaged in teaching their children cultural wisdom.
The mass media, however, is advertently or inadvertently teaching children their values, and even when these values are not inflaming lust, greed, violence, ambivalence, and envy, they are all too often undermining the sure salvation that is available only through Jesus Christ. And, all too often, caught up in the publicity machine of the Entertainment Industry, the church and its associates such as Christian magazines, radio and television are promoting the movies and entertainment that undermine its future and true faith and values.
Much has been said about post-Christian culture. Europe is a sad example. There are more Muslims in Europe than there are Protestant Christians. Why does this matter? Because eternal life in the Kingdom of God is only available through Jesus Christ, and if we truly love our neighbor, then we do not want him or her lost forever. According to surveys, fewer and fewer children understand this.
Although we don't want to be hard on the film characters Bruce and Evan, it is clear that the view of salvation and the view of God presented in the movies featuring "Bruce Almighty" and "Evan Almighty" does not adhere with the truth. Salvation is found in none other than Jesus Christ. When God became one of us, it is only as Jesus Christ. When God appears to Moses or anyone else it is as Jesus Christ. He is the Truth. And the Hebrew word for Truth means, "to reveal." Jesus reveals completely and totally who the almighty God is.
These winsome movies and many others scrupulously avoid this Truth, who is Jesus Christ. They present God as a clown of a thousand faces or as just one of us in a manner that is reminiscent of Henotheism at best and Buddhism and Hinduism at worst.
The writer and director of Evan Almighty acknowledge their Catholic Christian background, but they don't adhere in these movies to the Christian doctrine that Pope Benedict so faithfully defends. In fact, they graciously give warm kudos to other religions, and the watered down view they present of God contains more non-theistic religion than the clear representation of the Truth.
That said, people who know the Truth will not be hurt by this, but children of all ages may buy the lie that God is just a sweet old man. Witnessing to them may not get at the root of the confusion, and therefore too many of them will fall into the 90 percent of children who drift away from the Truth that can save their eternal souls.
It is interesting that movies don't mind using the word "God," "Buddha," "Mohammed," or the names of the saints, but they carefully and politically correctly avoid the positive mention of Jesus, unless, of course, they are taking his name in vain, even though they would never take the name of Buddha, Mohammed, or others in vain. What significance does this have? It shows the almighty power of the name of Jesus because it is only in the name of Jesus, through his death and resurrection, that anyone and everyone can be saved.
Therefore, while we appreciate allegory, incarnational theology, Jesus types and Christ types, the true story that the church should shout from the housetops and proclaim in every media is "Jesus Almighty."
After all, there is no other God and no other name through which we can be saved.
"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. …
"No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known." – John 1:14,18
Not only is the media the problem but all aspects that our children today are being subjected to and the lack of Godly parental involvement and guidance in their lives. The following statements were made by individuals, some of whose parents were Christians attending church regularly, that tell us in their words the reasons why they are non-believers and how to raise a child to also be a non-believer.
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It all started when I learned how to read. Somehow, I went on a tear through Greek/Roman myths, Norse myths and due to the early multi-cultural slant of my elementary school library, American Indian myths.
By the time I was started in 'formal' religious education, my reaction was "Oh, so these are 'our' myths". It was a long time before I really understood that people believed this. It was even longer before I understood I was supposed to believe.
So, if you want ensure a young child doesn't become swept up by religion, don't sheild them from it - innundate them with it. Pay special attention to those religions that no longer have any followers. Maybe even encourage them to try to make up one or several of their own.
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There's nothing quite like a steady dose of moral hypocrisy,
irrational obedience to authority and self-righteous
proselytizing to drum the faith right outta' ya'.
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Kids will find religion in the weirdest places...just let them be.
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My grade school taught Greek and Roman Religion and Mythology, and it certainly contributed to my Agnosticism, too. We had to read Homer and Beowolfe, as well. I learned about religion, or that other types of religion existed. The same questions, some critical and some logical, I asked about those religions I asked about Chritianity. And, because of recent events, I am asking the same questions about Islam. In college I learned about Judaism, Buddhism, various aboriginal beliefs, both domestic and African.
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At a private religious university, I was required to take a Christian theology course. One of the current greats in Christian theology (the class Instructor), opened the Bible to Genesis and said 'Let's discuss this myth of creation...
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To sum all these statements up, children learn what they are taught. If you want a child to learn the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ then we need to insure that is what they are being taught. Not other religions or no religion at all. Exposing our children to the teachings that are being presented in public schools and the media without proper Christian guidance is to teach our children against the things of God.
Think on this for a minute, are you sending your children through the fire?
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