Would you allow your teen to go to church event with friend?

[Anonymous]

DS63 wrote:NP here. I do not understand what Kentucky has to do with anything. With that said, My (jewish) DD (13 yo) was invited by a "friend" to a similar night. She pressured me to let me go. I told her if there is anything that makes you uncomfortable, call. Well, before the movie, they had the new kids stand up and tell something about them selfs, including there religion. After that my DD was repeatedly asked about accepting Jesus.

She is a strong kid, and endured.

She later found out the kids wee supposed to bring non-christians to the movie.

I grew up in a church that was always using movies and summer camp as a draw to evangelize to kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd definitely let my kids go. I figure you never know what is going to bring your child peace and help them to be the best person they can. So, they might as well try different churches and activities. And, if it turns out to be just something that is safe and fun to do, that's fine too.

[Anonymous]

I'd let my 13 year old go to any church event she wanted, except for fundamentalist denominations. I was raised hardcore fundamentalist. Holy hell, I'm not exposing my child to that level of crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is everything that is wrong with America right here. OP, if you have questions about the event or the kid, call up the mom. Say, "I heard you guys are new here. Let's have coffee." Instead, you gossip about this mom you've never met on an internet forum. You check with the other liberals to find out what the correct PC response is. The correct human response is to get to know the other family, particularly if they're new to the area. Have them over for dinner. Welcome them to DC.

+1,000 I'm sure she considers herself open-minded.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It might very well be a great church, a fun activity, and a chance to hang out with a new friend. But there are indeed churches that encourage their teens to bring friends to activities and then put them on the spot by asking them to "pray the prayer of salvation" and publicly proclaim their love for Christ. It can be an awkward situation for any teenager.

I think the people who are suggesting you check out the church online beforehand have the right idea. And talk with your daughter ahead of time to give her some idea of what to say in case she's suddenly faced with over the top evangelizing.

Agreed. I had experience as a teen in at least three church youth programs. Our youth group in a very liberal denomination felt very non-religious. I also attended good friends' Presbyterian youth group that was completely non-proselytizing. And then I attended a Young Life meeting, which was fun and good-spirited up until the point I felt that they were trying to save my eternal soul.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It might very well be a great church, a fun activity, and a chance to hang out with a new friend. But there are indeed churches that encourage their teens to bring friends to activities and then put them on the spot by asking them to "pray the prayer of salvation" and publicly proclaim their love for Christ. It can be an awkward situation for any teenager.

I think the people who are suggesting you check out the church online beforehand have the right idea. And talk with your daughter ahead of time to give her some idea of what to say in case she's suddenly faced with over the top evangelizing.

Agreed. I had experience as a teen in at least three church youth programs. Our youth group in a very liberal denomination felt very non-religious. I also attended good friends' Presbyterian youth group that was completely non-proselytizing. And then I attended a Young Life meeting, which was fun and good-spirited up until the point I felt that they were trying to save my eternal soul.

And what, exactly, is wrong with that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is everything that is wrong with America right here. OP, if you have questions about the event or the kid, call up the mom. Say, "I heard you guys are new here. Let's have coffee." Instead, you gossip about this mom you've never met on an internet forum. You check with the other liberals to find out what the correct PC response is. The correct human response is to get to know the other family, particularly if they're new to the area. Have them over for dinner. Welcome them to DC.

+1,000 I'm sure she considers herself open-minded.

Not to mention, "tolerant."

Where is OP, by the way?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It might very well be a great church, a fun activity, and a chance to hang out with a new friend. But there are indeed churches that encourage their teens to bring friends to activities and then put them on the spot by asking them to "pray the prayer of salvation" and publicly proclaim their love for Christ. It can be an awkward situation for any teenager.

I think the people who are suggesting you check out the church online beforehand have the right idea. And talk with your daughter ahead of time to give her some idea of what to say in case she's suddenly faced with over the top evangelizing.

Agreed. I had experience as a teen in at least three church youth programs. Our youth group in a very liberal denomination felt very non-religious. I also attended good friends' Presbyterian youth group that was completely non-proselytizing. And then I attended a Young Life meeting, which was fun and good-spirited up until the point I felt that they were trying to save my eternal soul.

And what, exactly, is wrong with that?

What's wrong is that I misunderstand what I was getting into. I thought it was just a social event. I was not interested in being saved.

My point for OP is just that church youth group activities will reflect the theology of that particular church. Churches want to share their messages, whatever those are, with young people, and the parents and kids should be educated about what that particular group stands for.

[Anonymous]

OP is afraid that once her child is exposed to religion, even once, that will be that, since her sour nasty atheism, while presumably perfectly rational, just can't withstand some good ol Kentucky fried superstition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd let my 13 year old go to any church event she wanted, except for fundamentalist denominations. I was raised hardcore fundamentalist. Holy hell, I'm not exposing my child to that level of crazy.

Because it would be redundant to what she gets right at home, correct?

[Anonymous]

Look honestly whenever some kid tries to get your kid to do something at their church (unless it's something like give soup to the homeless or some good works type of social justice thing) it's ALWAYS about converting/brainwashing/proselytyzing your kid.

That's just how they roll. These religious denominations are told that they can get into heaven as long as they bring more souls to Jesus (or something like that). Proselytizing is a major part of these religions.

I'd just tell the kid "Sure go to the movie and listen to their sales pitch afterwards but DON'T GIVE THEM ANY MONEY."

[Anonymous]

Yes, I would allow my child to go. I don't think the movie is inappropriate for a 13 year old - I read Night by Elie Wiesel in 7th grade, and was able to appreciate it. Also, I feel like my child can think for himself, and is not going to affected by the religious aspect of the event, unless he considers it and decides it is right for him, which is also fine by me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd let my 13 year old go to any church event she wanted, except for fundamentalist denominations. I was raised hardcore fundamentalist. Holy hell, I'm not exposing my child to that level of crazy.

replace fundamentalist with Orthodox Jewish upbringing and that's me. My kid can go to a Pentecostal revival or a mosque or a mainstream Jewish service if she wants but my hands get clammy thinking about her heading back into what I left. Hell no.

[Anonymous]

Am I the only one who finds it ironic that all these people are insulting and condemning OP for not being open minded? Pot, meet kettle.

I grew up in an evangelical family in the rural south, and I find the judgmental proselytizing of many Christian sects hugely offensive. As a teenager, I walked out of a supposedly non-religious teen event that a girlfriend convinced me to attend with her when they started praying for all of the lost souls --- the Jews, the Catholics and all the other folks who belonged to mistaken churches. I assume the Kentucky friend's event will be fine, and I'd led my child go, but let's not pretend not to understand what she's nervous about.

[Anonymous]

Good grief OP. You are embarrassing yourself. It's a MOVIE. Worst case scenario is ...?
Are you by any chance Jewish?