Naaman was the captain of the army of the king of Syria. He was very important to his king because the Lord used him to lead Syria to victory. Naaman was a great and powerful man, but he was also sick with leprosy. The Syrian army sent many groups of soldiers to fight in Israel. One time they took a little girl from the land of Israel. This girl became a servant of Naaman’s wife. She said to his wife,... Read more
Does anyone remember the Donut Man? Like a donut, he says there is a hole in our hearts that can only be filled by God’s love. I’m sure he is a well-intentioned man trying to share God’s love with little children. I’m not sure I have ever been able to sit through church listening to children singing God songs without crying. The faith of a child is so pure it crowds out any doubt. I think the idea behind this... Read more
Those “social justice warriors”….. I see that phrase a lot, the quotations implying we aren’t legitimate, aren’t to be taken seriously. I saw that again this week and thought, that’s right, I am a Social Justice Warrior, and look out world, because I am raising my kids to be warriors as well. I mean, aren’t there some things worth fighting against and fighting for? So, here is a list of things that I want for my little Social Justice Warriors: Understand the... Read more
Scripture offers occasional parenting advice, and some of it is good, but the Bible was never meant to be a parenting manual. There are a few scattered verses that talk about raising up children, discipline, and a handful of generic bits of wisdom, but few offer specific pieces of advice or relevant applications for today’s society. To make matters worse, Jesus—the central figure of Christianity—was never a parent. He didn’t have to worry about changing diapers, taking kids to school,... Read more
I am confident that my great-grandkids, when they play sword-fighting, will make lightsabre “vwing-vwing” noises. But I am less confident that they will know and tell stories about the guy who got eaten by the fish or the guy with the talking donkey. Why? Because my kids know beyond doubt that my love for Star Wars is full-throated and uncomplicated, and they share in that love. But for much of their lives, they also knew that my love for the... Read more
Dr. Christy Sim, a domestic violence expert, posted this on Facebook: “Every single time my toddler watches Frozen & we get to the scene where Kristoff wants to kiss Anna, I say the same thing. “Lilly look! He asked for consent! That’s so awesome!” And we cheer. Every. Time. I thought it was a concrete way to cultivate in our children a sense of control over their own bodies as well as combat rape culture. I asked Dr. Christy if she would be willing... Read more
Every parent messes up their kids. It’s inevitable. But when you throw toxic Christian theology into the mix, the results can be spiritually damaging. So many good Christians are harming their children because they’re genuinely trying to be faithful to the religion they’ve been taught. My book How Jesus Saves The World From Us: 12 Antidotes To Toxic Christianity provides twelve ways to avoid passing on a faith that hurts more than it heals. 1. Worship Not Performance. In my first chapter, I... Read more
I have this question but I don’t have a good answer. What about the Bible? What about faith? What do I teach my child when I fall into that category known as “progressive Christian” but I don’t fit there neatly? I don’t know how to tell my daughter what I believe when she’s old enough to start asking. I want to say, “No religion has it all right. We who are called to faith, to religion, to the spiritual–we’re trying to... Read more
I spoke to their children and told them, “Don’t be like your parents. Don’t make yourselves filthy with their filthy idols. Don’t follow their laws or obey their commands. I am the Lord. I am your God. Obey my laws and keep my commands. Do the things I tell you.” ~ Ezekiel 20:18-19 I cannot tell you how many times I heard, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right,” while growing up. Adult sermons, children’s sermons,... Read more
I have read all sorts of commentaries lately both for and against North Carolina’s so-called “bathroom bill.” I agree with the 250 leading sexual abuse and domestic violence prevention organizations that have come out in opposition to these bills. I agree with them for a number of reasons. First, I think transgender people have the right to use bathrooms in peace. Second, I think intersex people — who are constantly glossed over in these conversations — have the right to use bathrooms in peace. They do not deserve to be... Read more
Unfundamentalist Parenting
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