The family in the essay "A Mighty Fortress" is about a family who homeschools their children to make them more Christian by singing psalms and reciting the Bible as part of their schooling. They also aren't allowed to watch most television shows, mostly just movies from the 1950's. The family is only friends with other Christians who live life the same way they do. Their oldest children want to grow up to be a missionary and a housewife. And the parents hold a weekly session for other familes to teach them how to live the same way as they do. And they dont believe in dating or any type of attachment until marriage. This type of family who shelters themselves from the outside modern world is seen as radical these days and many people wonder why they chose to live this way.
Talbot explains that the family choses to live this way to keep their values in order. They want their family to stay together. They dont want to feel the pressures of the modern world that wants everyone to fall into the same trap of sin. They want their children to grow up in a safe environment where they keep family, God, and their morals a priority. They believe by exposing their children to the world today that they will just make bad decisions or choices and their lives will just be full of disapointment.
Many other families are choosing to live this way and the number has grown since the 1990's. Why do you think families, especially Christian, feel the need to escape from the modern world? Do you think technology, celebrities, and the media is ruining the hope for radical Christians to live a pure life in today's society? Or do you think these families are just avoiding the modern world because they are afraid to face reality?
Source: Talbot, Margaret. "A Mighty Fortress". February 2007. The New York Times.
When Brittany reported that more Christian families were converting into radical households, I was initially surprised. What would make these families want to live such sheltered, isolated and strict lives? And then I read the blog above. Under normal circumstances, I would never condone or encourage raising children in a sheltered world separate from reality, but after witnessing the horrors of modern society, who can blame them?
ReplyDeleteThe statistics of rape, murder and robberies are just numbers compared to the dangerous atmosphere of the modern jungle. How many instances in a day, do we find ourselves witnessing immoral acts take place? Family values, human decency and common manners are being replaced with self-interest and jaded individuals towards a “hard” world.
The youth in this society are losing their childhood, being forced into parental roles for absentee parents or simply hardened by a tough home life. If parents want to “shelter” their children from that pain and sacrifice of embracing their childhood, than I must have to agree.
Yes, taking such radical measures induces another category of derivation, of truth and a sense of reality; but when we stop to truly examine the quality of lives that are lived in embrace of this modern society, I think you’ll find a desire to escape.
I believe this is a great topic to talk about considering that come from a orthodox cristian household. Yes things out in our world today look really bad and many families like these choose to isolate their lives from the modern world, so that they dont fall to temptation or their lives do not become corrupt. One thing we should note is that in one of Paul's letters in the Bible he talks to the church about having self control. For example I am cristian and i go to school, and i go out and have fun. It all depends on what I do. People also have to know that you can interact with the outer world, all it depends on is what you do and if you have the self control.
ReplyDeleteCristian families feel the need to escape the outer world because there are so many bad things that they feel will bring down their morality.
Not at all. Technologies, celebrities and media can become a problem for a person when they lose all self control.
These families are not avoiding the real world, they are just afraid about how the modern world can affect and change a cristian family.
I was also surprised about the information in this blog, I did not realize before that radical Christian households were such a big movement, I always assumed it was just a few families here and there. I can't say that I fully support the decision the parents in this family have made, but I do see where they are coming from. There are a multitude of bad things out in today's world, but I don't think that means you should close yourself from the rest of society. This family and other families like them believe they are helping their children and instilling them with good moral values, and they are. Obviously the less interaction they have with bad things and the fewer temptations they have the more likely they are to live good Christian lives. However now you run into the problem of these kids not knowing what else is out there. I fully believe that you can be a good moral person and live with the rest of society at the same time.
ReplyDeleteI understand that these families are scared of society and how it can corrupt thei family, but that is no need to shelter yourself and your children. If you have self-control and truely believe in your religion, then there is no need to run away from the outside world. No one, not the media or anyone, can tell you how to live or what to think. So to shelter yourself from society is just making your life harder and more miserable. You don't know what is going on in the world. I personally feel that these families are going overboard. There is no need to go to such drastic measures when as a Christian family, they should have self control.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's because I'm from the outside looking in, but I don't think these monastic families are right. I feel as though there's something inherently wrong with forcefully instilling your values into kids like that. Even if you could consider it for the betterment of the children, making them grow up in such a closed environment is as good as brainwashing, because it's the only option they'll have known by the time they're old enough to think for themselves.
ReplyDeleteI understand that the parents mean well in trying to preserve their values, but their conservative practices are a bit too radical in my eyes. Would it not be better to have the kids interact with society and choose a lifestyle for themselves? It's more profound to have chosen good when given the option of evil rather than simply being forced to do good.
I do think that these actions are driven largely by fear of change. Rather than meeting the challenges of an ever-developing society, these families choose to cut themselves off from it. Taking away the global dynamic of community hampers social potential. In turn, I'm sure these families have unique problems of their own. The ideal Christian family hailing from the 1950s is largely a myth, and this vision of a perfect family achieved under social isolation is no different.
Like Alicia said,it is very surprising that there has been an increase of families since the 1990's who have chosen to live this "sheltered life." However, Brittany brings up so many valid points. Why shouldn't we all just shut ourselves away with nothing but a bible!?
ReplyDeleteFamilies are being torn apart by divorce more frequently than not. This has an immense impact on kids and effects who they become as an adult. Children have become numb to the sex, drugs, and violence they see on the TV every day.
I would not go to the extreme that this Christian family (mentioned in the blog) went to but maybe everyone would be better off if we were all a bit more sheltered. Everything from manners to respect has gone down hill and it is truly sad to see.
We do not need to be isolated from the world or be preached to by other religious families to figure out that something is going wrong here. Values and morals need to be instilled in the youth along with other things that religion probably can't give them: understanding of others who are different from you and accepting them for who they are.
I think that what these families are trying to do is completely unrealistic. Living without disappointments? Without making mistakes? What kind of life is that anyways, it's not real. We all need to live our lives, make mistakes, and learn from them.
ReplyDeleteI believe these families are trying to escape reality by clinging to their ways. Of course it is great to have values and pass them onto your children. However, one day when they have to enter the real world and interact with other people they will be completely shocked at what they see. I feel as though sheltering your kid to that extent is just setting them up for an even larger disappointment in the long run. They can hold onto their values while also interacting with others who do not live the same lifestyle. However, it is important for young people to understand others and be accepting of their differences.
Basically, I just feel that these families are damaging their children. They need to let their children live in the modern world. This is the world we live in and that is the reality of it. They can still have values and use them to make a difference, but by sheltering them these parents are doing them no good.
These parents, by keeping their children sheltered, are actually being anti-Christian. I understand that the culture of our society today does not parallel with Christian beliefs, however that is no excuse to extract children from their culture. If these “Christians” truly believed in their faith, they would understand that God has a plan, and everything happens for a reason.
ReplyDeleteChristians are called to be followers of Jesus Christ, and live in his own image and likeness by example. When Jesus walked the earth, did he shy away from the tax-collectors, prostitutes, and sinners because they did not share the same values? No, Jesus embraced them! He accepted and associated with the tax collectors, he ate with them (Mark 2:16), he offered them salvation (Luke 19:9), and he even chose Matthew, a tax collector, as one of his twelve apostles (Matthew 9:9). In addition, Jesus talked to prostitutes, for he had compassion for them because they were trapped in sin (Luke 7:36-50). Finally, Jesus died for us sinners on the cross, the ultimate sacrifice.
Personally, I feel it is the struggles and hardships we face that lead us to God and the faith. In the essay “The Ones Who Walk Away From The Omelas”, written by Ursula K. Le Guin, the people needed to witness destitution in order to truly understand, and enjoy happiness. If children live a sheltered life and never understand disappointment and pain, how do they truly know happiness? How do they truly know God?
I understand the craving to escape our culture, and live a sheltered life. However, what would Jesus do (WWJD)? As Christians we are called to bring others into the faith, and by living a sheltered lifestyle this challenge is impossible. When one needs an escape one can turn to one’s church community. However, to have them be the only people one associates with is an oxymoron to the values of the Christian faith. To be a Christian one needs to have full trust in God. Trust him to help one live a Christian lifestyle in a society that does not practice Christian values. Through God one can live above the norm, but to shelter one’s children is just absurd!
I understand the desire to shelter children from some abrasive aspects of todays society. Children are the epitome of innocence. There are so many vulgar and suggestive messages and activites that occur today. The most frightening part of it all is that many of these children are numb to these things. Children are exposed to blunt messages of violence and sex at such a young age that it does not phase them. Profanity is integrated into everyday conversations. However, these aspects are a negative part of society at this point in time that we cannot ignore.
ReplyDeleteI believe that restricting kids from watching certain programs is a very good idea. I disagree with sheltering them completley. I have witnessed the downfall of this first hand. In my experience, kids that are extremely sheltered during childhood are shellshocked when they are put into real world situations.
Kids should be aware of the negative things in society and that they can be very detremental, they should also be taught Christian values. They should be taught how to handle violent or inappropriate situations and deal with them with Christian values.
I believe that the people that are trying to get away from the modern world are simply afraid to face reality. I think everyone should have there right to practice what religion they want to but there is a line between practicing religion and distancing yourself from the real world. The affects of celebrities and movies can have negative effects on a child, but it is wrong to shelter children from the world. A child cannot avoid it forever. The second it is time for a child to go out on their own, they will be in for a real culture shock. Unless a child wants to live their life under their parents roof, they will have to face reality eventually. A child should get a chance to see the world for what it really is before jumping out into it alone and to deny that from a child is cruel. Instead of sheltering your children from corrupt society, teach them that they can be better than society. If a children knows how to protect themselves and that they shouldnt be influenced by celebrities and movies and video games. You can teach a child to not want to abide by societal rules if you teach it early on in their life. Sheltering a child will not help them to not make mistakes, but instead will lead them to not have a chance to lead a full life.
ReplyDeleteI believe that it is a family's choice as to how and by what religion they decide to raise their children. What many of us see as "sheltering" others see as living life normally. For example, in a society where many of us go to church on sunday and then go about our daily lives the rest of the week,, this seems weird to us. But then on the other hand, take someone who is an Amish Mennonite. Their way of life seems absurd to many of us - living with no electricity or modern ammenities. I personally do not believe that any of us have the right to judge how a modern family decides to live. Even if these children do feel sheltered, when they grow up they can choose to live their lives and raise their kids how they want to. Who knows, maybe they think that our way of living is "Sheltered" too.
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