A Funny Story

In response to David Plotz's take on Samson in Blogging the Bible, first time frayster Soulsrcher wondered about teaching Bible stories to children. Soulsrcher is a "non-practicing Christian," but wishes to inform rather than indoctrinate the kids. (He? She?) chose to begin with Samson and Delilah, but is not clear on how to move forward. The entire thread is worth reading. The question reminded me of this funny story from my own chilhood...



I grew up in a believing household in Southwestern Virginia. My parents were raised in what I think are now called "mainline" (as opposed to "evangelical") churches. In the seventies, the conflict between those streams was not so politicized, and the fissures not so sharp.

Compared to our neighbors, my parents were very well-educated. We went to the Presbyterian Church, which encompassed a pretty big variety of religious beliefs. One of my most vivid memories of the time is that after communion was served (in my chuch anybody could take communion) the kids of the church would race down to the church kitchen to down the extra grape juice and grab as much bread (the host was cut up Wonder Bread) as we could. We then played hide and seek in the cemetery, crumbs of host falling from our mouths and our shirts stained with the blood of Christ.

I didn't believe any of it. I came back from Sunday School one day and announced to my believing parents that I was an atheist. At eight, I could not swallow the nonsense I felt they were feeding me, and I was indignant at the notion that I might be too young to understand such things. Gravity was intuitive to me, and growth as well. It seemed to me that the universe clearly followed laws, and anybody telling me that those laws could be disregarded willy-nilly -- just because there was some story of an angel, a ruffian, a wanderer, whatever -- well, I thought they were nuts. Star Wars seemed equally likely, but more honest because it was clearly a story. Unlike the pastel paintings of a bearded God, The Force had credibility.

The point is that your kids will react to what you do in unpredictable ways.

I still don't believe most of the Bible stories happened. I do, however, have a certain kind of faith. It came to me much later, not in born again style but as a result of incemental discoveries about the ways I found I was viewing the world. "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity" (from Ecclesiastes) spoke to me much more directly than the burning bush.

We don't really know our children, and we don't really know our God. You are searching, let them search with you. It's what will happen anyway, and it's ultimately more honest to yourself. That example ought to help your kids, as they get older, understand how to discover the things of this world, and help them find whatever faith that may.