My greatest fear for our children

[Chris.]

Of all the perils our children today face, I fear one thing on par or worse than the devil.

I fear the greed of human nature could be worse than the devil.The devil has limits...


For that reason I strive to teach my children how marketing agencies manipulate their minds into believing the presentations on the media advertisements are beneficial for them.

I also teach my kids how the commercial music they hear is soulless and plastic. I teach them this when they are old enough!

I want my kids freed from the trap of marketing professionals. Because a free mind can find God and the abundance Jesus offers.

Am I on the right as a father?

 

[handy]

I think you're on track...

What marketing agencies, commercials, music, tv shows, etc. overwhelmingly pander to is what John had nailed down 2000 years ago:

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 1 John 2:16

 

[reba]

 

[Timf]

Am I on the right as a father?

I have used TV as a teaching tool. Satan seeks to use TV to reach children and draw them into his world. It is a balancing act.

When my oldest daughter was five she saw a Lawrence Welk show where a woman was banging vehemently on a piano wearing a gaudy feather boa. She turned to me and said, "She is immodest even though she has her clothes on".

TV is a good tool to use to teach about lying, deception, perversion, and seduction.

However, this teaching can only go so far. We also wanted our children to walk in truth. Wisdom and discernment come from God. Lying separates us from God. While we want to be able to recognize and avoid the evil in the world, we first need to recognize the evil in ourselves.

The Christian life is supposed to be about more than just keeping ourselves "unspotted" by the world. We are also supposed to be growing into the full image of Christ. Our churches are supposed to be helping in this. By this standard, it is difficult to think of any Christian, church, or denomination that is a "success".

Child rearing can be summed up as follows;

Deuteronomy 6:5-9 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

You may really want to consider home school.

 

[Milk-Drops]

I think it is fantastic that you are teaching your children critical thinking skills. ;)

 

[DarkHorseRising]

It's definitely a good start. If you're raising your kids in a home with Biblical values though, that may be even more effective. Marketers are only successful because they play off commonly held human weaknesses: greed, jealousy, fear, insecurity.

 

[farouk]

I'm baffled by the idea that if only "we" can get rid of Obama (I'm not promoting Mr Obama's re-election, either), then the values in vogue instead are likely to be Biblical.

More likely the voracious law of the jungle, commercial deceits and vested interests.

(For various reasons, I'm out of it completely.)

 

[Comprehender]

I think it is fantastic that you are teaching your children critical thinking skills. ;)

That is exactly what our hope is... thinking & realizing the tricks others & our own desires plays on our emotions.

We need to teach our children that their emotions are not them, so they don't need to act impulsively when they feel something, but use their intellect (common sense) along with spirit/intuition.

 

[jasoncran]

I'm baffled by the idea that if only "we" can get rid of Obama (I'm not promoting Mr Obama's re-election, either), then the values in vogue instead are likely to be Biblical.

More likely the voracious law of the jungle, commercial deceits and vested interests.

(For various reasons, I'm out of it completely.)

and sadly christians get suckered by the ulitmate marketers every time. the politicians. most know that only jesus is the way but many online posters seem to say otherwise. my pastor and also pastor adrian rogers and all who taught me say otherwise.

i listened to a pastor rant today like a good ditto head. im to the right but im no fool. i know that the republican are big spenders and have been for some time sadly. they claim small goverment and do no such thing. they do spend less the left but not as they say. its all in the open.

but that is for another topic and thread.

 

[Christ_empowered]

I think your approach as a father is an excellent one. The problem for you and your children is that the media is so incredibly omnipresent these days. I mean, I think as a society we're entertained to death. PC use from an early age, cell phones, facebook, TV...the mass media has us surrounded!

I admire you, but I'll caution you: I think its an uphill battle, and I think its only going to get harder as technology improves and makes us accessible to the media in ways we can only begin to imagine. Raising truly human, Christian children to become truly human, Christian adults is harder now than it has ever been, and its only going to get harder.

 

[Chris.]

Thanks for those good comments guys. It is going to be hard for us me might have to try to be more clever than the media people.

 

[Comprehender]

Thanks for those good comments guys. It is going to be hard for us me might have to try to be more clever than the media people.

Exactly.
When we "veg" out on TV especially, we are like in a hypnotic state - more impressionable.
We've got to live with more awareness & integrity, about what influence TV, radio & internet are having in our & our childrens' lives.
We've got to be involved with our kids - know what's going on at school & with their friends.

 

[GojuBrian]

Exactly.
When we "veg" out on TV especially, we are like in a hypnotic state - more impressionable.
We've got to live with more awareness & integrity, about what influence TV, radio & internet are having in our & our childrens' lives.
We've got to be involved with our kids - know what's going on at school & with their friends.

Exactly, but what does this look like?

I feel overwhelmed sometimes. I can't be there with them everywhere and influencing them 24/7. I feel like no matter how good of a job I do as a father, the world will bombard them with ten times the amount of the opposite!!

Seriously, even driving down the road turning the radio stations,it's 95% garbage. They get bored with the same christian songs and it's not 'what their friends are listening to'. 2
Television is all but trash. Summertime around here looks like a flesh contest,etc... 2

 

[reba]

Thanks for those good comments guys. It is going to be hard for us me might have to try to be more clever than the media people.

Our God is mightier then than the media.. Be nice if i could hold that thought/belief all the time

Keep at it Chris over and over,

Jas 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Lam 2:19
Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street.

Dad took this verse to heart. He went out in the early morning hours lifted his hands and prayed for us.

 

[Comprehender]

Exactly, but what does this look like?

I feel overwhelmed sometimes. I can't be there with them everywhere and influencing them 24/7. I feel like no matter how good of a job I do as a father, the world will bombard them with ten times the amount of the opposite!!

Seriously, even driving down the road turning the radio stations,it's 95% garbage. They get bored with the same christian songs and it's not 'what their friends are listening to'. 2
Television is all but trash. Summertime around here looks like a flesh contest,etc... 2

I know what you mean, but I'll probably understand even more as my children become teenagers.

I think we need to step up & do our own brainwashing.
I know that sounds strange, but the fact is that we & especially our children are being brainwashed. Children's minds are like sponges - soaking it all in as if it's fact! They act like they're not paying attention - but they are! So, if they're going to be brainwashed, let's be the primary influence!

This is what I do (I'm a full-time Mom, though, so it's different, but maybe you'll get ideas)...
I put together a book of things I want my kids to know, mostly stuff I think they might miss in school, but some abc's etc. for the youngest. I've got info about health (we need to know our bodies well), about psychology (love languages), about science like astronomy & creation (which often confirms spirituality), about spirituality (scriptures & affirmations, values). I read a part from every section every day... now we have it memorized & it helps me too!

I wait until I have a captive audience (since my kids could easily be diagnosed with ADD).
When we're driving in the car, I tell them about issues I believe in, especially lies they may be bombarded with. I try to help them think for themselves by asking questions, & of course, they ask a million questions which leads to more issues.
Bedtime is also a great time to brainwash them with good stuff!
I read from "book of virtues" & we read a scripture with a thought & prayer before they go to bed. They love to be read or told stories before bed - often they'll take that over movies! Sometimes I slack though.

I try to be there to help them get along with each other, but this is a never-ending struggle.
I try to demand honesty, but this also is challenging.
I try to listen & pay attention to what they think & need.
As a parent, I make mistakes regularly- I do the best I can - & live & learn!

GoJuBrian,
My kids aren't heavily into music yet, but I am!
And I realized that they were singing lyrics - memorizing songs I was working out to.
So, I put together songs that are uplifting & that teach good values & now they sing along to that!
I just started a new thread about this...
http://www.christianforums.net/showthread.php?t=42666

 

[Comprehender]

Lam 2:19
Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street.

Dad took this verse to heart. He went out in the early morning hours lifted his hands and prayed for us.

Reba,
I got the chills reading this.
It reminds me of my dad too.
I grew up on a family farm & I'd get up with my dad every morning before the sun to tend the animals. Often through the barn, I could hear him vocally praying for us (he'd call us "chillins" ). It was so sweet & brings tears to my eyes to realize he loved us & that he believed in a higher power & prayer.

My dad also has a big heart - & helps those in need, in many ways directly & less directly through charities that help children.