dealing with fundamentalists

[Guest guest]

>>When I first read the above paragraph, my initial

response was, " But you're not 12! " Oops, so sorry--12

years, 9 months as my daughter would insist. Her

skin's not quite thick enough yet to let most of these

sort of things slide, but I have seen a bit of this.<<

--If I'd been in a Christian-dominated school at 12, I

would have wanted the advice I gave. Nobody is ever

ready to deal with people who are insulting, until

they get practice. If she's surrounded by conservative

Christians, she'll get practice.

>>More often than not she tells me that her emotions

get in the way at the time, and afterward she thinks,

" Why didn't I say so-and-so? " <<

--This is not a 12 year old thing. Adults have the

same problem. Most people, of any age, are not

prepared ahead of time to deal with " culture wars " .

That's why Bush won two elections. Instead of dealing

with fundamentalists in a mature, intelligent way,

most secularists either ignored them or insulted them.

It backfired.

>>The point is that she, too, recognizes this as an

appropriate way to deal with the clashes, and with

practice I hope this sort of thing will come more

easily to her.<<

--If she knows that, then she's ahead of many adults.

>>She said, " It sounds to me like Jesus IS the only

Christian. The rest of us are just trying to copy

and making things up as we go. " <<

--I think in her case, age isn't going to be much of a

problem. If adults fail to stand up for sanity, their

kids will. Adults have been far too avoidant of

conflict, and when conflict has been forced upon them,

they have been unprepared to deal with it gracefully.

Give kids that advantage, if they are interested. We

do, after all, live in a country where fundamentalists

don't kill you for standing up to them, especially if

you do it with genuine compassion. Iranians have an

excuse for being silent. We don't. And from what I've

seen, young people have a hunger for sanity that is

not satisfied by the silence of their parents. They

will, one way or another, stand up for what they

believe. Enabling them to do it without insulting

their " enemy " is a good idea.

>>I tried to explain to her Jung's concept of

individuation and how it related to her moment of

insight.<<

--Even Jesus had to break with tradition and single

himself out as a unique voice. Your daughter may be

closer to him than anyone on the religious right.

Probably not a fun task if you're 12. But is it EVER

fun? Actually, it can be, if you learn how to let

insults slide off your back and debate creatively.

I've met young people online who delight in giving

fundamentalists Bible verses they aren't used to

hearing from non-fundamentalists. Never underestimate

the power of smart-ass kids to challenge adult

hypocrisy. That's why I don't worry about creationism

being taught in schools. I know what teenagers can do

when they're inspired, and the questions they'll ask

in class will be incredibly entertaining and

insightful. All they need is encouragement and

information. Believe me, the evangelical parents " arm "

their kids for battle and coach them. But progressive

kids are quicker on their feet and they don't need a

script. Just point them toward information when they

need it, and remind them to be Christlike toward the

Evangelical kids, who usually just lack enough

exposure to other points of view to know how to accept

differences.

>>This daughter, by the way, does identify herself as

Christian.<<

--All the better. Progressive Christians will be the

undoing of fundamentalist hypocrisy.

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