Daughter 11 wants to go on a Christian camp

hardpressed

I'm sure if she was going to pick up any weird ideas from the group she would be doing that be going to the meeting week by week.

I've been on church group holidays as a helper everyone has a whale of a time, activities during the day, we had an hour or so in the evening with fun churchy stuff but nothing heavy.

skintchick

suki1001 wrote: »

I think she is old enough to make up her own mind - he doesn't though (god help him when she's older). He thinks she will be too influenced.

Anyone else see the irony in this post? :rotfl:

thatlemming

I went to loads of these, from about the age of 8 until 14, and I ended up solidly atheist. Ours didn't really promote Christianity as such though, it was more morals and a bit of spirituality. Most of it though was stuff like swimming and climbing etc.

claire16c

One of my friends went on one of these in the 6th form mainly because she fancied a boy who was going. She came back as a very happy clappy totally different person who went from being a close friend of ours who probably went to church once a year at Christmas to someone joining the CU at uni & doing all kinds of religious stuff out of no where (not bad things but it was like she had a personality transplant) but the worst was she practically stopped talking to anyone who wasn't in her new religious circle.

I dread to think what went on in that week & I always feel sad that we sort of 'lost' her. So based on that experience I would not send my child to the one she went on!

Maybe if it was a more c of e type thing that wasn't as full on I would let them.

Macca83_2

My parents weren't very religious. Im definitely not religious. But, I did go on a few of these camps when I was younger, mainly because my friend was deeply religious and she asked me to go.

I really enjoyed them. The happy clappy stuff really wasn't for me but I enjoyed the social stuff. We went snow boarding, sledging, camping, even day trips to the cinema and ice skating. It was more the chance to make friends and try new things.

skintchick

I've been on a lot of these camps and my experience was that it was mostly fantastic activities like abseiling, climbing, sailing, day out at the beach, etc., and in the evenings a Christian discussion with worship (singing) and prayer.

I was a Christian before I went on them and I don;t remember anyone who wasn't becoming one as a direct result of the camps.

I'm not sure why people are so scared of their children becoming Christians anyway?

Treevo

I wouldn't allow mine to go on such a trip. I remember going to a non-religious holiday club in a Church that spent every spare minute ramming religion down our throats as soon as our parents were out of earshot and so I wouldn't trust any group like this as far as I could throw them. They exist to convert children to their religion, so I think your husband is absolutely right.

Corelli

From reading other people's experience here, it is obvious that all 'Christian Camps' are going to be different. Your only answer is to find out more. Not just from the leaders, are there parents of your daughter's friends, or older teens who could fill you in more?

My experience of these camps comes from a couple of families I knew who went to camps is that the Christianity side of it was very very important to them. They were a chance to renew their faith, be amongst like minded people and I doubt a non Christian would have felt comfortable with the intensity of it all.

Aaaah, as I type I remember the organisation they went with, it was Spring Harvest, I've just looked at their website. No way would I go there, but them I am not a Christian.

Doubtless there are many more camps and I would recommend further investigation.

One thing I would want to think about too is how varied are your daughter's socialising possibilities? Unless she is very strong minded she might well superficially adopt the beliefs of her friends as a way of fitting in. Maybe you could give more balance, if necessary, by finding other secular youth groups. Have you got a Woodcraft group near you? They can be a great experience, with weekly activities and camps.

suki1001

Thanks for everyone's replies.

The concern of my oh is the church is quite evangelistic - talk in tongues etc (they always have though), but not everyone is like that.

The camp is called Soul Survivor - so I think it's a bit like this spring harvest, which means I'm not sure it's like some of the ones others have described. My oh took one look at their website and freaked.

Treevo - you raise some valid points. My dd has just learnt the joy of finding friends at secondary school after having a thoroughly miserable time at primary school. I'm in two minds about how influenced she could be, but then her other friends at school don't go to this church group. I do know she got a lot of flack at school for sticking up for a girl who was being bullied - a teacher told me about it - she stuck to her guns though, so maybe she's not quite as influenced as she might have been in the past.

I'm wondering if it is like the ones my other friends used to go to.

Another point is I did go to an Alpha course run by them years ago- I did go to church for a little while, but haven't for a long time. My oh went to one of their first sessions and thought they were incredibly manipulative, so he thinks they will be the same towards her. He can cope with her once a week youth group, but not with the thought of a week.

duchy

If your DD wanted to go away for a week on say a PGL holiday would her Dad also find "reasons" for her not to go ? Some Dads do find this age a bit of a struggle as their little girls are becoming independent young women ? Maybe suggest it as an alternative and see how he reacts ?

If your daughter attends Christian social groups then it is inevitable she's going to make Christian friends and want to do stuff with them -and if you make the camp "forbidden fruit" you may make it all the more attractive. Yes if you let her go she may come back deciding she wants to become a Christian (I also don't see the problem with this - with the pressures put on our young people -I see a bit of positive peer pressure to be a good counter balance). Whether at that age it'll last any longer than any other teenage interest is another matter.
My son's father also had an irrational dislike of churches .....yet was happy our son had the advantages of an excellent CofE primary school and Christian friends . I feel if you are giving your kids the chance to choose then you need to give them the chance to explore too. Churches can change quite a lot if the leaders change -why not go for a Sunday or two and see what kind of vibe you get from this particular church now ?