Daughter 11 wants to go on a Christian camp

Treevo

Torry_Quine wrote: »

You can't force someone to convert. Even if someone does make a commitment they are still the same person and having the spirit of God living in you will not harm you.

A camp will be for children whatever the type. A Christian camp is probably very similar to others apart from the bible teaching and worship.

You can force people to convert - take a look at Africa. It's very easy to convert the vulnerable. Pretending otherwise is just silly.

I don't know many other camps that expect children to attend conversion courses for six hours a day, giving no alternative, literally. Everything else is closed down while the converting is in process.

suki1001

Torry_Quine wrote: »

You can't force someone to convert. Even if someone does make a commitment they are still the same person and having the spirit of God living in you will not harm you.

A camp will be for children whatever the type. A Christian camp is probably very similar to others apart from the bible teaching and worship.

That's debatable - I certainly think a child is much more impressionable. This is possibly comparable to the toy and they bright box in the Macdonalds happy meal, but worse. If my dd is going to have a faith, I'd prefer a more level playing field - I don't think she will get that at somewhere like this camp.

I don't get how this camp is the same as others.

claire16c

I honestly think you should show your DD the website, load up a random video which are people droning on about biblical passages & if you explain to her that's what the camp is about & not about doing fun activities as other church camps might be, she might realise she's not that interested anyway. At 11 I'm sure she'll get over it soon enough & find something else to want to do.

I don't think there's any harm in telling kids it's a good idea to keep sex for a relationship but doing stuff like telling them its only ok to do in marriage & doing things like ripping up pieces of paper to show that you 'left a bit of your heart/person' with someone you slept with so when you get married you're not 'complete' anymore is just awful. The techniques they use are sickening to watch.

Treevo

suki1001 wrote: »

That's debatable - I certainly think a child is much more impressionable. This is possibly comparable to the toy and they bright box in the Macdonalds happy meal, but worse. If my dd is going to have a faith, I'd prefer a more level playing field - I don't think she will get that at somewhere like this camp.

I don't get how this camp is the same as others.

Some people think that a child must be converted, no matter what the cost.

They can't see their own religion clearly and assume that it's all good - when that's evidently wrong.

claire16c

Treevo wrote: »

I think putting a young girl in forced (for that is what it is) conversion, with hundreds of others all having some quasi-orgasmic seizure while allegedly being 'entered by the spirit' is bloody dangerous.

You've got to ask the question why they want to get these children on their own and force them to stay for hours while several adults try to convert them to their beliefs?

For an 11 year old Id think watching people going crazy like that would be scary.

My friend went to see another friend who is into this stuff get baptised, I declined to go thank god, and she ended up bursting into tears because she was so overwhelmed with all these people acting crazy, and waving about & god knows what, and we were about 20 then! I probably would have just laughed so I'm glad I never went but either way I don't think it's a good idea for a young child.

Even their weddings can be really full on, let alone a camp!

suki1001

claire16c wrote: »

I honestly think you should show your DD the website, load up a random video which are people droning on about biblical passages & if you explain to her that's what the camp is about & not about doing fun activities as other church camps might be, she might realise she's not that interested anyway. At 11 I'm sure she'll get over it soon enough & find something else to want to do.

I don't think there's any harm in telling kids it's a good idea to keep sex for a relationship but doing stuff like telling them its only ok to do in marriage & doing things like ripping up pieces of paper to show that you 'left a bit of your heart/person' with someone you slept with so when you get married you're not 'complete' anymore is just awful. The techniques they use are sickening to watch.

She doesn't want to look at anything - I did offer, she's just too upset and disapointed right now. I have absolutely tried to explain our concerns, but it's difficult for her to understand and all I've been able to say is that it's extremely tough to say "no" when we can see how upset it making her, but as parents we have to sometimes make uncomfortable decisions that we feel are right and it's not the last time it will happen as she grows older.

claire16c

suki1001 wrote: »

She doesn't want to look at anything - I did offer, she's just too upset and disapointed right now. I have absolutely tried to explain our concerns, but it's difficult for her to understand and all I've been able to say is that it's extremely tough to say "no" when we can see how upset it making her, but as parents we have to sometimes make uncomfortable decisions that we feel are right and it's not the last time it will happen as she grows older.

Very true just wait til she's 16

Maybe show her when she's calmed down.

Brighton_belle

Torry_Quine wrote: »

You can't force someone to convert. Even if someone does make a commitment they are still the same person and having the spirit of God living in you will not harm you.

A camp will be for children whatever the type. A Christian camp is probably very similar to others apart from the bible teaching and worship.

You are technically correct Torry, you indeed can't force someone to convert, but you can create warm lovely fuzzy feelings though modern worship that can make it seem a good idea, especially to an 11 yr old who by their very nature, will be vulnerable and very possibly an 11 yr oldgirl will be a 'people pleaser' and want to be seen to do the right thing to the nice and people she will be surrounded by.
(I do appreciate you have emphased that as her parents they must do what they think is right.)
I'm not sure that SS is the same as other christian camps in terms of physical activity based, but more a retreat/worship/seminar based.

suki1001

claire16c wrote: »

Very true just wait til she's 16

Needless to say I'm dreading that one - I remember what I was like

Torry_Quine

Treevo wrote: »

You can force people to convert - take a look at Africa. It's very easy to convert the vulnerable. Pretending otherwise is just silly.

I don't know many other camps that expect children to attend conversion courses for six hours a day, giving no alternative, literally. Everything else is closed down while the converting is in process.

If that is what the camp the OP's daughter wants to go to then it seems somewhat excessive to have six hours a day on Christianity and I would have concerns.

Just because someone says they have converted doesn't make it that they actually have. It's far more than just saying the right words.

suki1001 wrote: »

That's debatable - I certainly think a child is much more impressionable. This is possibly comparable to the toy and they bright box in the Macdonalds happy meal, but worse. If my dd is going to have a faith, I'd prefer a more level playing field - I don't think she will get that at somewhere like this camp.

I don't get how this camp is the same as others.

If it's wall to wall Christian teaching then no it's not like other camps and I can absolutely see why someone would be concerned. Does she realise just what is planned to happen?

Brighton_belle wrote: »

You are technically correct Torry, you indeed can't force someone to convert, but you can create warm lovely fuzzy feelings though modern worship that can make it seem a good idea, especially to an 11 yr old who by their very nature, will be vulnerable and very possibly an 11 yr oldgirl will be a 'people pleaser' and want to be seen to do the right thing to the nice and people she will be surrounded by.
(I do appreciate you have emphased that as her parents they must do what they think is right.)
I'm not sure that SS is the same as other christian camps in terms of physical activity based, but more a retreat/worship/seminar based.

I agree that if it's more of a retreat/worship camp then probably not what is appropriate for the OP's daughter.