# XI Commandment... (God and All That For Your Kids)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"XI: Never forget that passing on life literacy goes for passing on the hope only spirituality offers. So you have doubts! Big deal! Join the club! So\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/2013\/03\/xi-commandment-god-and-all-that-for-your-kids\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"# XI Commandment... (God and All That For Your Kids)\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"XI: Never forget that passing on life literacy goes for passing on the hope only spirituality offers. So you have doubts! Big deal! Join the club! So\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/2013\/03\/xi-commandment-god-and-all-that-for-your-kids\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Why I Still Talk to Jesus -- In Spite of Everything\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2013-03-12T21:34:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2015-03-12T23:45:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Frank Schaeffer\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Frank Schaeffer\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/2013\/03\/xi-commandment-god-and-all-that-for-your-kids\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/2013\/03\/xi-commandment-god-and-all-that-for-your-kids\/\",\"name\":\"# XI Commandment... (God and All That For Your Kids)\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2013-03-12T21:34:33+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2015-03-12T23:45:19+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/#\/schema\/person\/ee5633fedc91f64f8ad476644ee614d0\"},\"description\":\"XI: Never forget that passing on life literacy goes for passing on the hope only spirituality offers. So you have doubts! Big deal! Join the club! So\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/2013\/03\/xi-commandment-god-and-all-that-for-your-kids\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/2013\/03\/xi-commandment-god-and-all-that-for-your-kids\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/2013\/03\/xi-commandment-god-and-all-that-for-your-kids\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"# XI Commandment… (God and All That For Your Kids)\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/\",\"name\":\"Why I Still Talk to Jesus -- In Spite of Everything\",\"description\":\"It isn\u2019t about "correct belief" but about life, love and character.\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/#\/schema\/person\/ee5633fedc91f64f8ad476644ee614d0\",\"name\":\"Frank Schaeffer\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4be7268c44448a37f02f8b6a0f50dc56?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4be7268c44448a37f02f8b6a0f50dc56?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Frank Schaeffer\"},\"description\":\"Frank Schaeffer is an American author, film director, screenwriter and public speaker. He is the son of the late theologian and author Francis Schaeffer. He became a Hollywood film director and author, writing several internationally acclaimed novels including And God Said, \\\"Billy!\\\" as well as the Calvin Becker Trilogy depicting life in a fundamentalist mission home-- Portofino, Zermatt, and Saving Grandma.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/author\/frankaschaeffer\/\"}]}<\/script>\n","yoast_head_json":{"title":"# XI Commandment... (God and All That For Your Kids)","description":"XI: Never forget that passing on life literacy goes for passing on the hope only spirituality offers. So you have doubts! Big deal! Join the club! So","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/2013\/03\/xi-commandment-god-and-all-that-for-your-kids\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"# XI Commandment... (God and All That For Your Kids)","og_description":"XI: Never forget that passing on life literacy goes for passing on the hope only spirituality offers. So you have doubts! Big deal! Join the club! So","og_url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/2013\/03\/xi-commandment-god-and-all-that-for-your-kids\/","og_site_name":"Why I Still Talk to Jesus -- In Spite of Everything","article_published_time":"2013-03-12T21:34:33+00:00","article_modified_time":"2015-03-12T23:45:19+00:00","author":"Frank Schaeffer","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Frank Schaeffer","Est. reading time":"2 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/2013\/03\/xi-commandment-god-and-all-that-for-your-kids\/","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/2013\/03\/xi-commandment-god-and-all-that-for-your-kids\/","name":"# XI Commandment... (God and All That For Your Kids)","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/#website"},"datePublished":"2013-03-12T21:34:33+00:00","dateModified":"2015-03-12T23:45:19+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/#\/schema\/person\/ee5633fedc91f64f8ad476644ee614d0"},"description":"XI: Never forget that passing on life literacy goes for passing on the hope only spirituality offers. So you have doubts! Big deal! Join the club! So","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/2013\/03\/xi-commandment-god-and-all-that-for-your-kids\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/2013\/03\/xi-commandment-god-and-all-that-for-your-kids\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/2013\/03\/xi-commandment-god-and-all-that-for-your-kids\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"# XI Commandment… (God and All That For Your Kids)"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/","name":"Why I Still Talk to Jesus -- In Spite of Everything","description":"It isn\u2019t about "correct belief" but about life, love and character.","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/#\/schema\/person\/ee5633fedc91f64f8ad476644ee614d0","name":"Frank Schaeffer","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4be7268c44448a37f02f8b6a0f50dc56?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4be7268c44448a37f02f8b6a0f50dc56?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Frank Schaeffer"},"description":"Frank Schaeffer is an American author, film director, screenwriter and public speaker. He is the son of the late theologian and author Francis Schaeffer. He became a Hollywood film director and author, writing several internationally acclaimed novels including And God Said, \"Billy!\" as well as the Calvin Becker Trilogy depicting life in a fundamentalist mission home-- Portofino, Zermatt, and Saving Grandma.","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/author\/frankaschaeffer\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1331","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1161"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1331"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1331\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1331"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1331"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1331"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}

{"id":1331,"date":"2013-03-12T15:34:33","date_gmt":"2013-03-12T21:34:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/?p=1331"},"modified":"2015-03-12T17:45:19","modified_gmt":"2015-03-12T23:45:19","slug":"xi-commandment-god-and-all-that-for-your-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/frankschaeffer\/2013\/03\/xi-commandment-god-and-all-that-for-your-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"# XI Commandment… (God and All That For Your Kids)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

XI:<\/strong> Never forget that passing on life literacy goes for passing on the hope only spirituality offers. So you have doubts! Big deal! Join the club! So you\u2019ve moved on and \u201cgrew past\u201d your grandparents\u2019 \u201csimple faith.\u201d Let me tell you their faith wasn\u2019t so simple!<\/p>\n

You\u2019re still grateful for the sense of belonging you experienced in your childhood. You still remember being held in loving arms. Sincerity is an overrated virtue. Just because you\u2019re not so sure about God anymore \u2014 if you\u2019re old enough to read this , unless you\u2019ve become an idiot you will doubt God\u2019s existence at least some of the time. That doesn\u2019t mean that you can\u2019t pass on what you were given in the secure cocoon of your childhood.<\/p>\n

The comfort of the spiritual routines and the contemplative inner life you experienced connected you to a mystery that will remain after you see through the credulous embrace of mythology.<\/p>\n

Finding hope in paradox is the point, not your faith or lack of it.<\/p>\n

When it comes to your children leave out the things that drove you crazy about the form of spiritual journey your parents launched you on if you want to, but you can still acknowledge the beneficent gift that life is.<\/p>\n

You can still take your children to church if you feel that the spiritual life you shared shaped you in good ways. Know this: you\u2019ll never arrive at a conclusion . Life is defined by changing our minds.<\/p>\n

So don\u2019t wait for certainty before you do anything about faith for your kids. Don\u2019t rob your children of comfort just because of your doubts.<\/p>\n

As your child grows share your doubts, and tell the truth about your loss of faith if and when it happens. And because life is a journey faith may also rekindle from the most unlikely sources and in the oddest times.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t think your child can get to where you got to in your journey by beginning their life of faith where you may to end yours.<\/p>\n

(to be continued in this space tomorrow\u2026<\/em>)<\/strong><\/p>\n

To book Frank Schaeffer to speak at your college, church or group\u00a0contact\u00a0him at<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0Frankschaeffer.com\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Frank Schaeffer<\/a>\u00a0is a writer and author of\u00a0<\/em>Crazy for God: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of It Back .<\/a><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"