An evangelical Christian group plans to try to convert children as young as 5 at Portland apartment pools, public parks and dozens of other gathering spots this summer — a campaign that's got some residents upset.
They've banded together in recent weeks to warn parents about the Child Evangelism Fellowship's Good News Club, buying a full-page ad in the local alternative weekly to highlight the group's tactics.
"They pretend to be a mainstream Christian Bible study when in fact they're a very old school fundamentalist sect," said Kaye Schmitt, an organizer with Protect Portland Children, which takes issue with the group's message and the way it's delivering it.
CEF says Protect Portland Children is a shadow group run by atheists who seek to dismantle Christian outreach. The group said its methods are above reproach.
"Children are easy to manipulate, we all know that," said CEF's vice president Moises Esteves. "We don't use any of the schemes and high-pressure tactics that we're accused of. Nothing could be further from the truth."
Actually that might be exactly the truth as revealed by a site called "The Good News Club: Endangering Chidlren."
On that site they have a page dedicated to the curriculum used by CEF, which includes paragraphs like this:
There is a name for this.
And that name is "child abuse."
This is the one thing that ticks me off about the Obama Justice Department. They don't do anything on their own about Constitutional abuses of the first amendment.
ReplyDeleteI have emailed the Justice Department with a question: Considering "Intelligent Design" has already been judged as religious (Kitzmiller v Dover Area School District, 2005) why do they not do something about these idiots who are continually trying to push the crap into the schools?
I expect no answer for at least a couple of months - if at all.
And THIS stuff? I was under the impression that wasn't supposed to allowed, too.
Actually public school buildings have long been a place for communities to hold events, the rule is they must not fund any and give open access to all groups. But sorry if President Obama has been too busy saving the USA's economy from total collapse and trying to end two wars, and saving people's lives by giving them access to healthcare to worry about a relatively small issue that for decades has been governed at the state school board level. I wonder if the President could take care of my road not being graded? That's it! I've got it now! The Texas county I live in hasn't graded the dirt road by our ranch because....It's Obama's fault!
DeletePoint 1: I never said anything about Obama himself, only the Justice Department. While it may be part of the President's bailiwick, it is not something which draws a lot of his attention.
DeletePoint 2: Since I didn't say anything about Obama himself, you can take your sarcastic statement and shove it!
Point 3: My complaint was simple. Since it is already judged illegal and unconstitutional, why isn't it ENFORCED?
Simple comment/question. Nothing to do with the economy or how busy HE is.
You seem to want to jump to the most trivial part of my comment. Are you not concerned about the main reason I wrote?
Leland, I think he just has too many plates in the air, but I share your concern. Until enough people rise up and protest, it will be pushed aside.
DeleteWhy don't YOU shove it or do something in your community to change it.
Delete@ 11:11
DeleteAnd who says I DON'T?
Just remember: You generally become the first three letters of the word when you ASSume!
Also, it is far more powerful a force if the Feds can be brought in and ENFORCE the court's decisions! Slap them enough and the message just MIGHT get through.
So you see, while I am attacking this from the local grounds where I live, I also am trying to get Erik Holder and his staff to do what THEY are supposed to do!
If YOU want something done along these lines, change the attitudes of a few Texans and slap a few extremists.
And fix your own damned road! Or complain about it where you NEED to, not here.
Sorry to make first comment O/T but does anyone know why, if you visit shawnchristypoliticalprisoner.blogspot.com, the page reads simply "Blog no longer exists"??
ReplyDeleteFirst Malia receives threats, now Shawn's Mom's entire blog is gone ...??
WTF???
That's a good question.
DeleteIt's getting absolutely no media coverage here either, Gryph.
ReplyDeleteMany communities allow schools to be used for religious purposes after school hours. The school down the road from me allows a church to use the cafeteria to hold services on Sunday. I assume they pay... I hope. When my children were young, we had a few instances when they were evangelized to. Luckily both always were skeptical, asked many questions. Questioning is a trait that all children should be taught. Apparently religious families don't allow that.
ReplyDeleteHaving the club meetings in the school is an important part of the plan. It gives implied approval to the message. "I learned it in school" and "my teacher told me" since children will view any adult that works with them in a school building as a teacher. Often it is the parents that are most in need that sign them up for this, grateful to have an activity where their children are supervised a bit longer. What harm can there be in a little "God loves me" bible class? If only that was all it was. What harm indeed.
ReplyDeleteI have another word for all of this: "fucking lunacy."
ReplyDeleteMy little girl came home from Sunday School and said it was her teacher that day who said she was a sinner. She was 4 y.o.! She never went back to Sunday School.
ReplyDeleteWhat did you expect when you sent your child to a cult gathering?
Delete"They pretend to be a mainstream Christian Bible study when in fact they're a very old school fundamentalist sect," said Kaye Schmitt, an organizer with Protect Portland Children, which takes issue with the group's message and the way it's delivering it.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what makes Ms Schmitt assume this isn't mainstream christian teachings? It's the basis for the whole christian religion.
It isn't what they are teaching. Rather, it is the WAY they are teaching it. If you click on the blue TPM at the top and read through the last paragraph of the article, you'll understand why so many are concerned.
DeletePeople who believe in spooks and spirits are dangerous and we need to protect our children from them.
ReplyDeleteParents of an Aspbergers ADHD young adult told me about him having nightmares as a child after the teacher told him he was going to hell because he couldn't sit still. True story from a Baptist school.
ReplyDeleteEveryone needs to read THE GOOD NEWS CLUB by Katherine Stewart to understand the harm these groups are causing. Some kids come home from these meetings very upset as they've been told they won't go to heaven if they don't believe as they teach them. They lure these kids into their after school programs with candy, cookies, etc. Don't allow your kids to take part in these "clubs", but read the book if you don't believe me!
ReplyDeleteFor some odd reason, things like this weren't allowed to happen in the public schools my kids went to. I wonder if it's because the parents had meetings with the PTA, the principal, and the teachers at the school to voice that this absurdity shouldn't be allowed in Public School? One over eager science teacher passed out "intelligent design" and "creationists" material mimeographed as an addendum to their lesson on "evolution". She didn't have a job the next day for "not following the curriculum and the lesson plan she submitted (omitting, of course, any mention of creationism nor intelligent design).
ReplyDelete