Daughter 11 wants to go on a Christian camp

Torry_Quine

Treevo wrote: »

Maybe to an evangelical, but not to the rest of us.

Not sure what you mean by that statement, sorry.

seven-day-weekend

suki1001 wrote: »

The church also go to that one too, you've now thoroughly put me off.

I thought it was only the Catholic kids that did all that - Boy, when I went to Lourdes on a school trip was I fed up of everyone throwing up in the dorms from too much alcohol! That was the wildest holiday I've ever had - made 18-30's look tame! (I have never been on an 18-30's and now I'm past it btw:))

My friends go to New Wine every year, it is a totally respectable event. They are mainstream C of E

I was also talking to a C of E friend last night, and their church youth group goes to Soul Survivor every year, so obviously not just for the 'Loony Fringe'.

suki1001

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

My friends go to New Wine every year, it is a totally respectable event. They are mainstream C of E

I was also talking to a C of E friend last night, and their church youth group goes to Soul Survivor every year, so obviously not just for the 'Loony Fringe'.

Sounds totally respectable:

"Although only 11/12 years old, I mixed with some of the older children. After a 'prayer' session where smoe people were fainting because they had been spoken to by 'god'... behind the tent this 'prayer' session was happening, was a dozen teenagers smoking, drinking, snogging and everything else teenagers do."

The church would be classed as mainstream, but they still speak in tongues etc.

seashore22

claire16c and Treevo - I'm also very shocked that baptists (for instance) wouldn't be considered mainstream. I suggest that if you asked people at your local C of E church, they would definitely think of them as a part of mainstream christianity. I assume that you count C of E as mainstream. If you think baptists are out there, you should see some of the churches we attended.

For the most part, I agree with what chirpychick had to say. The only thing I would add is that 11 may be too young for a Sole Survivor event. My children only went to something like that when they were in their mid to late teens. They were old enough and cynical enough to weigh things up for themselves.

suki1001 - I wouldn't worry too much about sending your daughter to the church youth group. I think my children benefitted hugely from having a christian perspective on life as well as a secular one. As adults they have decided that church isn't for them and I can sympathize with that, but I have absolutely no regrets in letting them experience it and make up their own minds.

notsobad

I would be weary. I am not religious but one of my ex best friends was. She seemed to get worse as we got older.
One day we were just talking when her daughter walked in and said she didn't like the boy across the road. Her mother went mad, saying that was very unchristian and not the way they should lead their lives.
It came out of nowhere, but I never left my children with her again, and slowly our friendship ended.
Before that day I would never have said she was like that. It made me very uneasy.

suki1001

notsobad wrote: »

I would be weary. I am not religious but one of my ex best friends was. She seemed to get worse as we got older.
One day we were just talking when her daughter walked in and said she didn't like the boy across the road. Her mother went mad, saying that was very unchristian and not the way they should lead their lives.
It came out of nowhere, but I never left my children with her again, and slowly our friendship ended.
Before that day I would never have said she was like that. It made me very uneasy.

The thing is I've met loads of lovely christians who are really into their faith. In fact it really helped me respect the fact they had a faith. I've met people with other beliefs, or non beliefs that I could say the same about. there are some Christians I've met that aren't nice - but then that label doesn't mean they're all lovely. While I realise you advice is well meaning. I'm not basing my judgement on one person alone.

notsobad

suki1001 wrote: »

The thing is I've met loads of lovely christians who are really into their faith. In fact it really helped me respect the fact they had a faith. I've met people with other beliefs, or non beliefs that I could say the same about. there are some Christians I've met that aren't nice - but then that label doesn't mean they're all lovely. While I realise you advice is well meaning. I'm not basing my judgement on one person alone.

I don't believe I asked you to.
I thought this was an open forum where people could post about their experiences.

Obviously I was wrong.

Edit - If you know lots of lovely Christians why did you start this thread ?

LondonDiva

Brighton_belle wrote: »

It's not a cult; it's a gathering of christians from all sorts of main stream churches - baptists, low church c of E's etc as well as the more modern 'house church movement' to holiday together and study the bible and worship.

All happy clappy's are fundamentalist though.
The fact it sounds far off what you think christianity is is a bit irrelevant though isn't it - as a non christian?

This... I've taken a group of young people to Soul Survivor a couple of times and we've had a blast. They certainly were not chained to 6 odd seminars a day and in no way were we on a Supermax type lock down!

I agree that, at 11, she may be a bit young for what is essentially a massive festival that I think she would be better attending in 2-3 years time.

What is not so amusing is the massive conclusions (and a hint I think of hypocrisy) that some posters have reached because they have no faith, but still think others should worship in a way that doesn't disturb them.

Oooh - just realised my response goes to prove we're not all perfect

suki1001

notsobad wrote: »

I don't believe I asked you to.
I thought this was an open forum where people could post about their experiences.

Obviously I was wrong.

Edit - If you know lots of lovely Christians why did you start this thread ?

It is, but you seemed to be basing your opinions of Christians on one person. I'm afraid I assumed your line: "I would be weary" - was giving me advice on the basis of one person and I was pointing out that maybe just going on one experience of a person wasn't enough to put me off socialising with Christians altogether.

I'm not sure if you've read the whole thread, but because I know lots of lovely different christians (and obviously some not so nice) was the whole point of me posting this thread because he seemed so cautious. It was only my husband who was concerned at first.

Yes you are of course allowed an opinion, but I thought you were giving me advice, which maybe given you were basing it on your experience of one person seemed a bit presumptive of a whole group of people, I was simply pointing that out.

suki1001

LondonDiva wrote: »

What is not so amusing is the massive conclusions (and a hint I think of hypocrisy) that some posters have reached because they have no faith, but still think others should worship in a way that doesn't disturb them.

Oooh - just realised my response goes to prove we're not all perfect

But it's not only people who don't have a faith that have shared their concern and this includes people who've been.