Use Common Sense

Recently, I received an Email post twice from two different sources, telling me not to go see the movie "The Golden Compass" and to condemn it outright, because the author of the books the movie is based on is an Atheist. One of the times I read that article was on my own list, and as I read it, I found myself muttering, "Oh no. Here we go again. Drama is going to hit the list, and I really don't want that."

The "Drama" didn't happen. Instead, my friend Tom C. who I've known on and off for the past thirty plus years, asked a simple question. "Don't you think you should see the movie before condemning it?"

The other person who sent the article told me that she hoped Tom would research the information at hand before writing such a question again. While I can understand where she is coming from, I have to disagree. Maybe it'sbecause I see the internet, particularly Email lists used as a place where too often articles are sent, that don't have enough information in them about the topics of which they are written. Whatever happened to the days when parents had open discussions with their children about the differences between good and evil, or about creation and science?
I loved it when my Dad and I would sit on the couch when I was a child, and he would read to me. This was a practice we started when I was very little. Dad always had me tag along with him to his studio andcreate art with him. But, the reading times were the best.

When I started my freshman yeear of high school, Dad and I both felt it was time to graduate to reading classics, such as "The Hobbit" and the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, books like "Chesapeake" and "The Covenant", anything that would stimulate my mind. We often had discussions about these books that were quite stimulating.

I wonder what Dad would do now with his grandchildren if he were alive. Would he practice the same tradition with them and discuss the Harry Potter Books, or "The Golden Compass"? Probably, because Dad was from a long line of people who loved to learn. I know he encouraged all of us to do that. I think though, if I had children, I probably would be the one to carry on that tradition, because he did it with me the most.

Wally and Katie Metts have practiced that tradition in their household as well. I always loved it after Shaklee meetings, when Bert and I, along with Wally and Katie would settle around their kitchen table in their basement kitchen in their house that they lived in at the time. They've since moved into a lovely spacious home, where the creative spirit abounds, and I know once Wally is well enough, we'll go back to that practice around their kitchen table again, over a pot of wonderful tea.

I remember one such discussion very clearly about the time the Harry Potter books were beginning to be popular. I think Michael was twelve and Pilgrim was ten. Can't remember offhand. I had heard several Christian commentators say that Christian children should not read those books. Somehow, the topic came up at the table. I asked Katie how she felt about those books as a parent. Her response to me was refreshing. She told me that she allowed her children to read them, because she knew where they stood with regards to imagination, faith in God, following Christ.

Why shouldn't more kids who are Christian have that opportunity? I think the answer is apathy. Parents and schools are putting way too much emphasis on the internet and computers and not enough on books. Books have been there long before people started putting things up in cyber space as gospel, long before films were made of them, films that for the most part don't even really follow the books in question.

I would only ask that those who sent forwards to others Email, please look at the information being sent very carefully. Think about whether enough information is beign given in the forward. If not, please realize that what you're thinking of doing is cluttering up space in a person's in box that really doesn't need to be cluttered up unless you're going to encourage people to look whatever information is out there. Remember, your parents just as mine, would not have done that to you, if Email had existed then. Why should you do that to everyone else?