Haaarch. Hairball Noises Against Censorship is totally a good idea for a protest movement against this stuff.
Unrelatedly, group projects are basically never a good idea. Unless... nope, still terrible.Thursday, November 22, 2007
I Want For Christmas: Caffeine, Seratonin, and/or Hard Drugs
Please let this nonsense not be starting up again over such a great book: why do people think God does not want little kids to read fascinating, challenging, beautiful stories?
My wee Boopsie is off to Montreal with no parental supervision for her fencing tournament. On Sunday I will, hopefully, get out to see her! I am very excited.
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"why do people think God does not want little kids to read fascinating, challenging, beautiful stories?"
I don't think it's a matter of them thinking that God doesn't want the little ones reading it. I think it's a matter of the parents' insecurity and a matter of the irresponsible use of one's freedom of speech.
Parents, for a large part, simply feel that they are not well-equipped to compete against children's literature and pop culture. I think that they are so-equipped - but indeed, it is not unlike parents to worry. It's what they do, and it's how they keep their children safe from all manner of horrible things in this world.
Of course, there is a line to be drawn - a point at which a person must step back and allow the child to fend for himself. Should that line be drawn when a novel - directed at children - discusses such notions as killing God and hating established religion? I don't know.
Is it responsible to direct stories of this subject matter at children? It is, perhaps, something of a conniving, treacherous thing to do: sneaking beliefs into children's minds before they are even able to really comprehend what they are reading, what system of beliefs and values they are submitting themselves to...
But then, as a child brought up in a Catholic family, I know that I was subject to such "treachery" as well. I was baptized long before I could remember. I was herded into Sunday schools and the pews every week never really understanding what was happening around me, why I wasn't allowed to have a nap.
Indoctrination? Maybe... I find it hard to argue with the intention behind it, though. In my experience, the teaching of the Church is one of love. To show love and compassion to all. The parents of the Church are to pass this message on to their children. Often the message gets skewed and corrupted - they are people, after all.
However, all the more reason to show love, knowing that there is a deficiency out there somewhere...
Theology is - in my opinion - a very grown-up subject. It's why kids don't really know what's going on at church. It's why they are more excited about the fact that Santa comes on Christmas Eve rather than the chance to celebrate the glory of Christ with more of their community than they would throughout the rest of the year.
And indeed, it's not theology that massively influences children. It is the actions of their parents. With media becoming more and more pervasive, I can see how easy it could be for parents to lose sight of their impact, and to succumb to fear that their child is listening to everyone else besides them...
My God, I know I'm afraid... But my God shall make me brave.
****
Pretty heavy, eh? =P
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