Have you ever had to sign a permission slip for your child to read a book for their literature class? I haven’t. I have had to sign permission slips numerous times for them to watch a PG movie in history class. They even list the movies they’ll view for the semester and I have the option of approving or disapproving the movies individually if I so desire. Yet, a teacher can assign any form of literature for students to read without parental consent, no matter how offensive.
My daughter started a new novel today for her literature class. She sat beside me last night reading while I was working on my computer. After multiple sighs, huffs and a few “Are you kidding me?” outbursts, I finally had to ask,
What’s the problem?
She was only ten pages into her new book and said,
They’ve already said GD like six or seven times. Why is this considered quality literature?”
My book, Rescuing Hope, A Story of Sex Trafficking in America, released New Year’s Eve. It is about a very difficult topic, sex trafficking, and in order to keep it true to the subject, I included some profanity. I did; however, go to great lengths to keep it PG-13 because I wanted teens to be among my readers and I did not want to offend them or their parents, nor did I want to break a commandment. Exodus 20:7 says,
You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name.”
Why will government organizations bend over backwards not to offend other faiths that exists, yet don’t just condone, but promote the use of literature that misuses the name of the God of the Christian faith without concern? Why is that so?
In the Christian faith, the name of our Lord is to be revered and honored. I am not Muslim, Buddhist or Hindu; however, I would not desecrate the names of their gods out of respect. Nowhere in the Bible does it state God has a last name and I’m certain if He did, it wouldn’t be damn.
What are your thoughts? I really want to hear from you on this. Please leave a comment here.
I believe there are a couple answers to your question.
1. Those other faiths wouldn’t stand for it, and
2. If every Christian parent lined up at the Principal’s office and said, “My kid is not reading this crap because it goes against everything I hold sacred” something might change. I don’t see that happening! In fact, this is what I have watched over the last 20 years:
Many Christians (myself included) either have or are still sitting back on the sidelines ambivalent to make a stand about anything. For years I have watched countless Christians stand with the world on little “seemingly harmless things” and say, “but it’s just a couple of bad words in a movie” or “it’s just a little violence in video games” or “everyone says that word $*@^ and it doesn’t bother me” or “it’s just a little revealing (clothes)” or “I don’t listen to the words of this r-rated rap music, I just like the beat” or “I don’t let my kids dress in scary Halloween costumes so it is okay to participate” and hey, “it’s just a little bit of nudity or porn.” It won’t hurt. God says for his children to stay far, far away from any hint of evil!
Non-Christian writers know that they can pretty much get away with anything in their books. The teachers aren’t making a stand (and choosing other literature), the parents aren’t aware in many cases (and hey everyone else has to read it), The kids may see something wrong with it, but who would they tell?
My 9th grader was presented with an extra credit assignment at school. He could have gotten a free 100 in Literature. All he had to do was go and see the new version of Romeo and Juliet complete with the homosexual agenda, violence and language. No thank you. He did not go to that movie even though it was rated PG-13. Unfortunately, he had already been exposed to the indecent modern language of the book. That won’t happen again on my watch.
Until Christians take a stand and say no to the world for themselves and their children; until we look and act differently from the culture we live in, these kinds of things will continue and I believe they will worsen!
Thanks for sharing, Julie. The squeaky wheel does get the grease.