The Nature of Good & Evil...

From the Mouths of Babes

Two young boys at a Montessori school were involved in a serious discussion about whether "bad guys" existed or not.

In Montessori teaching, they don't let the young children play bad guy/good guy at school, or emulate superheroes or play with guns.

One of the boys insisted to the other that "bad guys did NOT exist!"

The other boy was saying "they DID exist," very adamantly.

The boy who believed in bad guys turned around and said to his teacher, "Bad guys do exist. My dad told me."

The teacher responded, "what did he tell you?"

"Well," he answered, "my dad said a person stole money from a bank and he was a BAD GUY!"

By this time the whole room was listening intently. Their teacher was conflicted: will I admit that bad guys exist or not? she thought.

"Are bad guys real?" the disbelieving little boy asked.

The teacher answered, "I think sometimes there are people who make bad decisions, or bad actions, or bad choices... but that does not necessarily make them a BAD GUY... it means they made a very bad choice..."

Ellie, a three-and-a-half year old girl who was listening jumped up: "Yes! Like George Bush!"


please read more about my thoughts on the evolution of Christianity at EmergingChristianity...

Falling From Grace...

We found out recently that the youth pastor at a church my wife once attended quite a few years ago was found with exploitative and pornographic materials on his work computer.

As this scandal unfolds, unconnected pieces from years past - unanswered questions, puzzling circumstances (unnamed abuses and assaults in a small, rural town) - begin to fit together and paint an even darker image.

That night, Jen wept and I choked back tears and nausea. “I trusted him,” Jen said in shock.

He was a friend and confidant to her - a good natured peer, 25 years old. I didn’t know him well, but had liked him when I met him.

So I don’t really know what to feel. I’m angry, as young ladies close to us have been victimized not only by this sad predator but by a church that allowed a young man to lead a co-ed ministry without proper supervision or accountability.

But I’ve seen the same at churches I’ve attended. This type of tragic negligence is nothing new…

Forgive me while this anger burns a little while.

All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.
Psalm 14:3

...please read more about my thoughts on the evolution of Christianity at EmergingChristianity...