http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090508/ap_on_re_us/us_school_dance_flap

Just another grand example of how some Christians preach acceptance but practice alienation.  This is just outrageous.  As I've stated before on these forums I do not claim that there is a God, and I do not claim that there is not a God, but thinking that a God would be against a young man attending something as harmless as a prom is ludicrus.

You want to know what I think is wrong with our society?  The people who think that they're fixing it are the ones who keep it messed up.  Think about that for a while, because it makes perfect sense.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090508/ap_on_re_us/us_school_dance_flap

Just another grand example of how some Christians preach acceptance but practice alienation.   This is just outrageous.   As I've stated before on these forums I do not claim that there is a God, and I do not claim that there is not a God, but thinking that a God would be against a young man attending something as harmless as a prom is ludicrus.

You want to know what I think is wrong with our society?  The people who think that they're fixing it are the ones who keep it messed up.   Think about that for a while, because it makes perfect sense.

Lumping all Christians together in this isn't quite right. This could easily have been another religious little group (other than Christian).  The Problem here is just that particular fundamentalist church and it's "outrageous" beliefs and statement (and I'll bet there are other fundamentalist churches like this one out there.) to suspend someone from attending their high school pro coz it forbids holding hands etc...

Would have been better if he brought a guy to the prom, see how the church would have reacted to that one.

That parents do not have anything to complain about, they sent their child there and should be aware of what they were doing.  The kid should go to the dance, then forget about graduation, grab his diploma, put on his running shoes and not look back.  ;)

Yeah, as a private institution they can pretty much write any bylaws they want that don't involve rape, murder or pillaging of small settlements :P  Hope the kid can transfer his credits somewhere else and graduate though.

It is not about acceptance or tolerance or anything like that.

This church (and I guess, their school) espouses certain values and behavior, and they expect their members to adhere to the rules, which is why the students had to "sign off" on the rules.

The kid proceeded to violate the rules and so he's out.

Mind you, I think the church/school rules are too uptight, but I have a unique solution to how to address this.  If you do not feel that you can follow the rules, then go to public school, or some other private school that does not require your compliance. No muss, no fuss.

It is called "freedom of religion" and the school is exercising its constitutionally protected rights.

The whole no dancing, no rock music, no anything fun attitude works a lot better when you're isolated from modern society.  The family might as well become Amish.

At least then, they'd be able to live sheltered lives without continual temptations.  Eventually, that kid's probably gonna snap.

The whole no dancing, no rock music, no anything fun attitude works a lot better when you're isolated from modern society.  The family might as well become Amish.

At least then, they'd be able to live sheltered lives without continual temptations.  Eventually, that kid's probably gonna snap.


Amish allow their kids a few years to explore modern society before they decided to fully embrace the congregation.  Kids are allowed to listen to rock, drive cars, smoke etc... etc.  It's considered a rite of passage. It's one heck of a kick ass time for Amish kids. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumspringa

Watch out for those Amish kids on spending sprees at the mall!!!! ;D

Alcohol and sex at the prom?

Gosh, things sure have changed since my time!
8)

Those bozos wouldn't know it if Jesus himself arrived on the young man's behalf.
"Hey, don't hassle the kid, or he won't listen to me for the rest of his life!"
"Get outta my office, long-haired hippie freak!"
:P

Amish allow their kids a few years to explore modern society before they decided to fully embrace the congregation.  Kids are allowed to listen to rock, drive cars, smoke etc... etc.  It's considered a rite of passage. It's one heck of a kick ass time for Amish kids. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumspringa

Watch out for those Amish kids on spending sprees at the mall!!!! ;D


Good point...  Amish are more progressive than most when it comes to that.

I wonder how many of them actually go back to living the Amish life after experiencing all that stuff.  I know I wouldn't.

Lumping all Christians together in this isn't quite right. This could easily have been another religious little group (other than Christian).  The Problem here is just that particular fundamentalist church and it's "outrageous" beliefs and statement (and I'll bet there are other fundamentalist churches like this one out there.) to suspend someone from attending their high school pro coz it forbids holding hands etc...

Would have been better if he brought a guy to the prom, see how the church would have reacted to that one.



I'm not lumping them altogether.  That's why I said, "Some".  I've known other Christians who think that what the school is doing is ridiculous.  I also agree that the student and his parents were full aware of the rules when they signed them and chose to go to that school.  However, my point is that the School believes that what they believe is correct, and therefore have followers who are going to try and push their beliefs onto other people.  I'd like to think that when the students graduated high school that they would go about life thinking, "This is the way we are, and this is the way they are" and leave it at that.  Some will, :).  Some won't, :(.  Instead they'll go around trying to change people.  Believe me, I know.  I've been around my fair share of them.

Exactly.  These Christians aren't most Christians.  They're hardly even Christian at all.  For them, Christianity is a means to an end, and that end is cultish mind control.  Jim Jones and David Koresh were "Christians" too!
::)

Good point...  Amish are more progressive than most when it comes to that.

I wonder how many of them actually go back to living the Amish life after experiencing all that stuff.  I know I wouldn't.


Quite a lot of them.  Amish population has increased in numbers.  I guess it's all in the mentality of it. 

Quite a lot of them.  Amish population has increased in numbers.  I guess it's all in the mentality of it. 


True...  and I guess they'd be totally on their own if they did choose to become part of mainstream society.

The odds are kind of stacked in favor of them staying with their families.

True...  and I guess they'd be totally on their own if they did choose to become part of mainstream society.

The odds are kind of stacked in favor of them staying with their families.


Yes, and it's not a big deal to them.  I think most Amish would tell the Christian school to let the kid go to the prom and probably scold them for not letting a kid be a kid. :)

My thing on the Amish is that they have their kids already set in their beliefs long before this trip outside the community comes, so many of them think that all this stuff is satan's work and are bound to return.  It's good that they get to experience the outside world, but most of them have their minds made up long before they leave the Amish community.

On this story, I saw it last night on Yahoo!. . .unfortunately I have to agree that it is the uptight school's right to brainwash children whose parents pay to send their kids there.  Those who hear music of the rock genre and such, well they may question the brainwashed education that the school's teach.  I have a major problem with private religious schools and universities in general, though I don't think most are this ridiculous.  I agree with the post above about going to the prom, getting his diploma and high-tailing it out of there, God did not say "Thou shall hate rock music". . .oy. .  ::)

I'm not lumping them altogether.  That's why I said, "Some".   I've known other Christians who think that what the school is doing is ridiculous.   I also agree that the student and his parents were full aware of the rules when they signed them and chose to go to that school.   However, my point is that the School believes that what they believe is correct, and therefore have followers who are going to try and push their beliefs onto other people.   I'd like to think that when the students graduated high school that they would go about life thinking, "This is the way we are, and this is the way they are" and leave it at that.   Some will, :).   Some won't, :(.  Instead they'll go around trying to change people.  Believe me, I know.  I've been around my fair share of them.

I think what the church is doing is ridiculous as well, and I call myself a "Christian". I have attended (in the past) some fundamentalist churches and I know where they are coming from (although I disagree, which is probably why we aren't there anymore).  I'm not trying to preach here, but when Jesus was here on earth, He told us to love everyone, not to shun and judge others. 
I think no one should "push" their beliefs unto others.
A gruesome story a little off topic here, but there is a guy at our church and 2 years ago he met a woman from Iran at University. They became boyfriend/girlfriend.  She eventually became a Christian and she went back home to Iran to tell her family.

Her family and friends stoned her to death. They killed her. True story. This guys still lives in pain everyday. This was just last fall. Religious matters are so sensitive.

Exactly.  These Christians aren't most Christians.  They're hardly even Christian at all.  For them, Christianity is a means to an end, and that end is cultish mind control.  Jim Jones and David Koresh were "Christians" too!
::)



I agree wholeheartedly Max. I am a Christian and I wonder myself why some get so hung up on these sort of things.

I think what the church is doing is ridiculous as well, and I call myself a "Christian". I have attended (in the past) some fundamentalist churches and I know where they are coming from (although I disagree, which is probably why we aren't there anymore).  I'm not trying to preach here, but when Jesus was here on earth, He told us to love everyone, not to shun and judge others. 
I think no one should "push" their beliefs unto others.
A gruesome story a little off topic here, but there is a guy at our church and 2 years ago he met a woman from Iran at University. They became boyfriend/girlfriend.  She eventually became a Christian and she went back home to Iran to tell her family.

Her family and friends stoned her to death. They killed her. True story. This guys still lives in pain everyday. This was just last fall. Religious matters are so sensitive.



Well perhaps I'm being blinded to one side but from what I've studied, these occurances are anything but rare.  Call me a John Lennon wanna be, but I say that religion has been and will continue to be the origin of most violence, hatred and pain in the world. 

Well perhaps I'm being blinded to one side but from what I've studied, these occurances are anything but rare.  Call me a John Lennon wanna be, but I say that religion has been and will continue to be the origin of most violence, hatred and pain in the world.   


A lot of Eastern religions do not represent violence, hatred, and pain.  Ever heard of the Dalai Lama?  Methinks you are being too all encompassing in this assessment of religions.

A lot of Eastern religions do not represent violence, hatred, and pain.  Ever heard of the Dalai Lama?  Methinks you are being too all encompassing in this assessment of religions.


Dalai Lama, Hinduism correct? Yes, I have to admit, I do not recall any wars, sacrifices or other negative contentations with Hinduism.

Dalai Lama, Hinduism correct? Yes, I have to admit, I do not recall any wars, sacrifices or other negative contentations with Hinduism.


Actually, the Dalai Lama is a Tibetan Buddhist monk.  Hinduism has it's moments of violence, but they're few and far between (a Hindu Nationalist assassinated Gandhi; rioting during the partition of India).

Well perhaps I'm being blinded to one side but from what I've studied, these occurrences are anything but rare.  Call me a John Lennon wanna be, but I say that religion has been and will continue to be the origin of most violence, hatred and pain in the world.

It always has been, along with greed. Why would things change now?

I graduated from a private Christian high school, and went to a private Christian college for two years.
My father was a missionary during my adolescence...

This profoundly impacted the person I am today, and I'm not a Christian.
Growing up in that culture can lead to two things: Acceptance or Complete Rebellion.
I chose the latter and made several grave mistakes in life because of that choice. I realize this is very subjective- I have a good friend that I've known my whole life who was brought up the same way and he's "normal". He rebelled, but not too the same extent I did.

It is a very dangerous way to bring up a child.
And that's all I have to say (politely).  8)

It always has been, along with greed. Why would things change now?

I graduated from a private Christian high school, and went to a private Christian college for two years.
My father was a missionary during my adolescence...

This profoundly impacted the person I am today, and I'm not a Christian.
Growing up in that culture can lead to two things: Acceptance or Complete Rebellion.
I chose the latter and made several grave mistakes in life because of that choice. I realize this is very subjective- I have a good friend that I've known my whole life who was brought up the same way and he's "normal". He rebelled, but not too the same extent I did.

It is a very dangerous way to bring up a child.
And that's all I have to say (politely).  8)



While I do not know the specifics from what you've told me, you and I have had a different, yet very similar past.  I went to a public school, but then went to a Christian College for 2 1/2 years, and today consider myself a possiblist.  Someone who is willing to accept that there may be a Jesus Christ, but also willing to accept the concepts of Buddha, Allah, and other religions as well as the possibility of there being no God(s) or Goddess(es). 

I agree with you, and in all senses, you're right that is about all there is to say.

Her family and friends stoned her to death. They killed her. True story. This guys still lives in pain everyday. This was just last fall. Religious matters are so sensitive.


:o :\'(

Ant