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the rapture & its effect on chldren
Let's not silence a discussion of possible problems in the name of cultural competence (a value which I hold extremely dear). Any 5 year-old who reports being "tired of living" would raise red flags for me, too.
More generally, has anyone studied what it does to a child to hear (often) about the end of days? About the rapture? Has this been examined from a psychological perspective? Maybe these kids are stronger, more hopeful, more resilient than others--I don't KNOW what the results would be. But the study itself seems to me to have merit. These ideas are becoming more and more prevalent in the U.S., although I understand young adults who have been raised in fundamental Christian churches often turn away from them, at least for a time.
And if the effects of these ideas on children have NOT been studied, I wonder why not. Seems like a natural topic for a master's thesis or doctoral dissertation.
Lisa Fontes, Ph.D.
Union Institute & University
---- Original message ----
>Date: Mon, 21 Apr 2008 06:45:11 -0700 (PDT)
>From: Todd McDonald <tmac5528@yahoo.com>
>Subject: Suicide Ideation - time to change the subject line
>To: Child Maltreatment Researchers <child-maltreatment-research-l@list.cornell.edu>
>
> I think the subject line of this email is
> misleading. I couldn't find anything on the website
> about suicide or suicide ideation. I also found
> nothing about encouraging children to end their time
> on planet earth. Personally I don't believe in the
> Rapture, but I also don't believe folks should be
> misrepresenting the religious beliefs of others, and
> somehow connecting visions of heaven with child
> maltreatment.
>
> Todd McDonald
>
>
>
> Sheri McMahon <dfmcmahon1@msn.com> wrote:
>
> Once again, I think these things have to be viewed
> in context. There have been folks believing in the
> Rapture forever, and a heck of a lot more since
> the Tim LaHaye series ("Left Behind") was
> published. Incidentally, more than a few are
> "called" to be foster parents, ok? Rapture
> theology, however, says God decides when it is
> time to be lifted up. Helps having the link, I
> thought there might be something really strange
> afoot.
>
> I'd focus more on, hm, making sure mental health
> needs of parents and children are met. People with
> acute mental illness may incorporate religious
> beliefs into their actions, and how many parents
> really do believe--in the throes of such illnesses
> and/or under extreme stress--that they are doing
> their children a favor by sending them back to God
> (not to mention those with notions that killing
> their children prevents them from enduring the
> suffering of the parent's suicide, ever having to
> be with the estranged partner again, coping with
> the looming bankruptcy or prison). Focusing on the
> religious beliefs per se is simply going to drive
> those whose religious beliefs are regarded as
> marginal further into the fringes (Hello,
> Eldorado).
>
> Notions about heaven being more desirable than
> earth have been around as long as notions of
> heaven and earth have been, and there is probably
> no way to teach about an afterlife with God
> without raising at least the theological
> possibility that one should hurry it up,
> (questions asks by precocious children and
> brooding teenagers) but I honestly do not see
> general relevance to child protection.
>
> I was thinking this has no general relevance to
> child protection--but it does. Cultural competence
> is not just about coping with Roma refugees from
> eastern Europe or Sioux religions or
> African-American child-rearing practices, it is
> about recogizing how deeply culture (including
> religious beliefs) are woven into everyone's
> lives, including one's own.
>
> Sheri McMahon
> Original Message -----
>
> From: Tom Hanna
> To: Child Maltreatment Researchers
> Sent: Saturday, April 19, 2008 6:16 AM
> Subject: Suicide Ideation: "Going home to god" -
> Part 2
> My original correspondent gave me this link. I
> would emphasize, however, that this is not a
> phenomenon limited only to one faith, and I am
> hoping to hear more discussion on the *general*
> concern.
> http://rr-bb.com/
> I quote from my correspondent with her
> permission. The original post she found said
> this:
> "And I know there has to be something to this.
> My daughter is almost five, and even at her
> tender age, she is already 'world-weary'. Of
> course, she's five, so she loves her toys and
> her bike. But she loves Jesus more than
> anything, and she asked me the same thing..."Are
> we going to Heaven to be with Jesus soon because
> this life is really hard and it's taking too
> long. (smiley face) Out of the mouths of
> babes..."
> I looked a little further into this member, and
> it appears as though this person is a teacher.
>
> Found at this link:
> http://rr-bb.com/showthread.php?t=37576&page=2
>
> Going to any thread in this website is enough to
> make me worry about all of these people, but I'm
> less inclined to be concerned about the adults,
> who have a choice in their religion.
> Thanks again for your help."
> End of quoted text from private communication.
> --Tom
> Original post by Tom Hanna:
> --
> I have recently been contacted by someone deeply
> concerned about an Internet Forum where parents
> seem to be training their children to reject
> this life in order to go home to their Maker.
>
> The concern expressed is that the parents are
> encouraging suicidal ideation, and that this
> will play itself out in action. Parents brag to
> each other when their 5-yo children say they are
> tired of living and want their Maker to come and
> take them away (In the case involved, I have
> provided the concerned person with links to
> http://ncmec.org and http://childhelp.org
> 1-800-4-A-CHILD so they can get some direct
> feedback.)
>
> Since such "loathing of earthly life" is a part
> of several belief systems, does anyone on this
> list have input -- historical or contemporary --
> that casts any light on the "risk" attached to
> the belief? How do CPS systems respond to
> reports of this kind?
>
> There is an additional dimension to this
> phenomenon. The "Discussion Forum" is
> "anonymous" so the concern is that anonymity is
> a dangerous cloak for possible harm. Any
> experience on this aspect?
>
> Is there a National Suicide Prevention hotline
> that might have already had to deal with this
> concern?
>
> --TIA
> --Tom
>
> --
> --
> Tom Hanna, Director
> Child Abuse Prevention Network
> www.child-abuse.com
> tom@child-abuse.com
> tph3@cornell.edu
> off 607.275.9360
> cel 607.227.4524
> fax: 415.962.0510
> --
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------
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