On Sunday morning we were driving to church downtown. When we got to about 3rd and Hennepin we noticed a lot of people around getting ready for something. I told Jeneva that it was probably a parade and wondered what the occasion was. A few moments later Jeneva pointed out the "pretty rainbows" and asked what the sign by it said. "PRIDE." Shoot! Not planning on talking about this yet! So we didn't. Thankfully her questions didn't persist. Of course if she were to go to a Minneapolis Public School in the fall, she would be get introduced to this topic in the classroom...from her teacher...through a specific curriculum emphasizing alternative lifestyles. Rumor has it that this would begin at the tender age of...kindergarten. This has been a hot conversation topic among many of my friends (many of you) with near school age children. One thing we haven't really talked much about is how do you respond if your 5 year old has a question? At this age, it should be avoided, but they don't stay 5 forever. Our kids watch and model how we respond to sin. Do we model 'loving the sinner, yet hating the sin?' I think so.
3 comments:
Definitely a tough one. We've had a couple of conversations with Grace along these lines in the last year (she's 9) and I hope we've been able to make it clear that, while homosexuality is certainly a sin, people who practice it are in as much need of Jesus' grace as we are and that we should pray that they will put their trust in Him. May we NEVER give her the idea that we "hate gay people"!
(We explained the concept by saying it was when a man wanted to marry a man or a woman wanted to marry a woman. She said, "but men can only marry WOMEN!" She obviously hasn't been exposed to the fore mentioned "curriculum" :) )
I completely agree with you, Melissa. We should be saddened by their lifestyle and PRAY for them that Jesus would pour his grace upon them and they would trust in Him.
We didn't realize the parade was going on until we were driving home from church. We got stuck on the long block on 7th Street between Marquette Avenue and Hennepin (where the parade was). Police let traffic through gaps in the parade. And we got a very sad show of a float of dancers--a man in a speedo, men dressed as women, a woman with very little clothing--all dancing erotically, some with one another. Following them was a crowd of children holding signs that said "Yes" on them. How heartbreaking that children were following that float! Thankfully, Henri didn't notice, I think.
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