We touched on a topic in Sunday School yesterday that I have been considering writing about for a while. I figured I would take the opportunity and write a post on it.
Why is it that so much of what is in the Bible, especially the Old Testament, is only relayed on the level of a childrens' story? Furthermore, why are those stories that don't fit so well into kids' lessons canned pretty quickly?
I dislike this for multiple reasons, not the least of which is that it gives people the impression that the beliefs behind Christianity are fairy tales in their very nature. The whole thing starts to become this sanitized idealistic world that could never in a million years be real because it fits better in a storybook. The idealized world that is portrayed couldn't be real if we wanted it to be. Here are some examples.
Noah is a prime example and was mentioned in the book that we are studying. Should a story containing such destruction of life be considered a kids' story?
The story of Esther is always told as a story of beauty and courage. It is indeed a story of beauty and courage. Let us not forget that the second chapter in Esther makes it clear that she joined a harem and pleased the king in that role. This is how the Bible implies God used Esther, though God is never actually mentioned in the book. Again, the unedited version is not a story for the kiddies.
How about David? This was a man who did right in God's eyes but that does not mean that he was the kind of man that I would have wanted to be associated with. Even ignoring the events with Bathsheba, David oversaw the deaths of many and was not incredibly progressive in his views toward women. His redeeming quality was simply that he understood and accepted humility.
I do think it would be unwise to go to the opposite extreme and say that the purpose of the Old Testament is to magnify sex, violence, deception, et al. There is no denying that nearly every story from the Old Testament shows the humanness of man in adult terms, though.
In class I was asked what I thought the purpose of the stories in the Old Testament was if it wasn't to be a simple childrens' storybook. Given what I know from the New Testament I believe that the purpose of the Old is to point either to Christ or at least the need for Christ. What other purpose could there be?
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Check out the Brick Testaments version of the flood made of legos, but not really a kids story!
http://www.thebricktestament.com/genesis/the_flood/gn06_11.html
http://www.thebricktestament.com/genesis/
the_flood/gn06_11.html
it got cut short.
Actually here is the index for a lot of old testament storys with a ratings guide for nudity, violence, sex,and cursing.
http://www.thebricktestament.com/genesis/
index.html#the_flood
Forrest, those lego pictures are hilarious! Probably not suited for children.
THat is funny, I didn't read the FAQ's.
I grew up in church. Because of that I learned the bible stories in the fairy tale sort of way, and with most of them have never bothered to learn anymore. I didn't know Ester joined a harem until you said it on Sunday. I've learned from our class that I have a lot to learn still. I think that the packaging of stories that way made the bible less real to my life when I got older. I thought of biblical times as being more "life on the prarie, go out the well..." kind of life. Rather than huge Roman empires and sin everywhere. Somehow we need to do a better job bridging the gap during junior high and high school, I think.
I have always seen the old T as a testament to human nature and that we aren't perfect, but even though we aren't perfect God can still use us.
ie. Esther, David, Judah, Moses, Jacob, Abraham, Sarah, Solomon, Samson....
All these people had less then perfect track records and yet God used each of them in mighty ways....even before He sent His son and the Holy Spirit.
I don't mind my kids knowing the Bible stories, I lay it all out there for N who reads her Bible on her own anyway. As for C we explain things to him when he talks about lessons he's learned if he has things not so accurate. Dash is big on accuracy.
What better way to teach your kids that bad things happen to people. We aren't always in control of our environment, sometimes we make bad choices...but God does not leave us or forsake us. He is there for us now, just as he was there for us in all the times he saved His people and the believers in this world. Giving us the opportunity to have and know true salvation and redemption through Christ.
Just to clarify, I certainly don't object to teaching OT stories to kids. What I object to is that the kids' versions of the stories is what is always emphasized, even to adults.
When I have kids, I probably won't read the unedited book of Judges to them until they are old enough to comprehend depravity. However, once they are past that point, why teach the less-than-honest version of the stories?
I didn't think you were objecting to the OT being taught to kids. I was simply answering with my opinion of "what other purpose could there be?"
I have always learned a lot from the OT, kid version and otherwise. I have to admit, the kid versions I got weren't that off because we read the stories straight out of the Bible when I was growing up and talked openly about them. But we also didn't have Vegetales to eductate us!
I think it's even more powerful when you have the background of what was happening during that time, which is what I've learned more as an adult being married to a history buff.
Similarly I have enjoyed the classes I've had as an adult and am involved in now that speak to what was happening in the cities that Paul went to. I believe context and learning of cultures adds depth to what I have already gleaned from the stories as a kid.
I object to it being edited for adults and I object to it being edited for kids that can read.
In my opinion if you are at the age you can read it for yourself then you should be getting the real thing in classes too. We certainly are okay teaching stories other then the Bible that are less then G rated to this age group, why should the Bible be held to a different standard?
I don't think we give kids credit for what they can and do understand personally.
Truth be told, this is one of the things I am concerned about when I have kids. How should Bible stories be relayed to very young children?
I don't really have any intention of reading a story that contains a depiction of rape to a five-year-old (when I have a five-year-old) regardless as to whether it is in or not in the Bible. In that sense I will likely be editing what I read if only to choose what stories to avoid. I guess that is a bridge that I will cross (or jump off of :)... ) at that time, though, because you I know I won't understand the situation until I am presented with it.
I think you know what your kids can handle, and you give them what they can. I know what parts of a story will teach my kids, and what parts will simply traumatize them. It's just finding balance.
I agree with siminole, kids have a way of letting you know what they are ready for.
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