Holiday ‘confessions’ upset children

Press, 30 August 1980, Page 6

Holiday ‘confessions’ upset children

Young children attending what was advertised as a “children’s holiday ■programme” have been encouraged to' confess their sins before God and frightened with injunctions such as “God hates discos,” two: Christchurch mothers, have' complained. i But the organisers have expressed surprise that there' was a complaint and said that there was no attempt to camouflage the activities. Mrs Christine Beckett, of Linwood, took her -children,: David, aged six, and Tammy, aged five, to the Woolston! school hall last Monday and! Tuesday mornings for them' to take part in a children’s! holiday programme. Mrs Sharon Seddon, of Bromley, took her' daughter, Chris, aged 10. Both mothers were responding to a pamphlet en-: titled “Date, to be different”,! which their children brought; home from school.; The; pamphlet, featuring a happy; elephant, perched on stilts, I

['advertised films, singing, i Bible stories, games, competitions and puppets as ■ part of a “children’s holiday ; programme.” I In fine print at the bottom : of the pamphlet was written: r “supported by New Life -'Centre, Woolston.” Adinisision was free. No indication ■ of intent was given. The mothers said that they noticed the item “Bible > stories” and did not object to their children coming into ’ contact with Biblical paraJbles and the like. Both said it “might be good” for the: ! children. Neither was aware j ' of what “New Life” sig-: 'nified. ! Mrs Beckett said she understood from the sheet that there were to be some “fun and games” at the ■ school which could keep the children occupied for an, 'hour of two. 1 | J On the Monday evening, I however, they had come [home saying, “God hates i this” and “God hates that.” I David had said that God

'hated discos and when Mrs! ■Beckett told him not to be; silly, he had burst into'tears. The children had also j been enjoined not to take I,part in “witchie” games, I such' as “goblins.” ' Mrs Becket allowed her: children to return the next; •dav, thinking they had been ifrightened by a first contact: [with something new but; : harmless. They had then .[come home after the Tues--'day’s programme “visibly! 'unset”, and Tammy had said' she had been crying. Mrs; •Seddon’s girl likewise was! '“very upset.” ! David told a reporter that! 'there had been nd games at; all and that they had been: sitting down all the time.; ! They had watched a film; and listened to stories about God and Jesus, then asked if they had sinned. ! I “My kids are a fairly hon-i est. lot, and admitted they; ; had been naughty. They; were theri' taken away and' put in a room off the Mil.” jMri Beckett laid. “Next,!

thev were taken aside, one! by one, and asked what sins they had committed.” ; Both children were scared,: especially at being separated, but were too frightened, to say “no.” They were ihen encouraged to read and sign: a pamphlet confessing theirsins to Jesus. , Mrs Margaret Daly, leader of the Woolston programme and a member of the New Life Centre, said she was amazed there had been a complaint. The activities team was an inter-denomina-tional group with Christian standards. There had been games on the Monday, but not on Tuesday because it had rained. The children had not been given table games to p’ay with, which were available in the hall, but started the two-hour session with Christian songs. There were ho puppets as advertised because the Woolston ’ centre did not have any yet. The activities organiser (Mr# Sally Cowie) «aidi

yesterday that the main aim! of the programme was to! present the gospel to child-: ren. Five to seven years was! not too young for a child to' find God, but pressure! should not be used. She personally would not; have described discos as: something God hated how ■ ever, discos were placeswhere children could get! into trouble and it was right! to discourage them. Mrs! Cowie said there was no at-; tempt to camouflage the: activities and anything done' by a child was voluntary. j The emphasis was on[ teaching children “the sort! of thing they had got to: know.” such as being obedient to parents and teachers, and that Jesus Christ could help them. In the meantime, about 12! holiday activity programmes; run by New Life are coptinu-i ing at various schools and' community centres. They! have been advertised cor-' rectly in “The Press” as of! the “Joytime Bible Group.” I