PIETY & POM-POMS

CHEER:

We love Jesus
Yes we do
We love Jesus
How bout you?

Everyone who considers themselves Christian.........I really need your help trying to understand at what level are we trying to convince children there is a Christ? Please use the comment section and help me understand. I'm trying to practice TOLERANCE. Here goes...............

As we all know, Tori has signed up to do cheerleading for a church basketball team. For a certain amount of $$, you can get a cute little uniform, megaphone and a guarantee that you will be cheering at a game every weekend for a couple of months. In addition to the basics, you also receive a children's magazine with The Gospel according to Matthew included. This magazine talks about really positive things for kids and includes situations like:

If your parents brought home a new game and your little brother takes it first, what do you do?
The cool kids at school are making fun of your friend behind his back, what do you do?

These examples are there to show the kids how to choose the right thing to do. We all want our kids to have good examples and to choose the morally correct answer. I was actually enjoying reading the magazine despite the inundation of God and Jesus in every sentence. Then I couldn't believe my eyes, was it true?

JESUS TEACHES ABOUT SEXUAL SIN
"You have heard that it was said, 'You must not be guilty of adultery.' But I tell you that if anyone looks at a woman and wants to sin sexually with her, the he has already done that sin with the woman in his mind. If your right eye causes you to sin, then take it out and throw it away. It is better to lose one part of your body then to have your whole body thrown into hell. If your right hand causes you to sin, then cut if off and throw it away. It is better to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell."

JESUS TEACHES ABOUT DIVORCE
"It was also said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a written divorce paper. But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife is causing his wife to be guilty of adultery. The only reason for a man to divorce his wife is if she has sexual relations with another man. And anyone who marries that divorced woman is guilty of adultery."

What in the Hell does this have to do with little ten year old girls cheering for a basketball team? Is this relevant information for a child? This program is supposedly designed to boost you child's self esteem through positive interactions. How good can you feel if you are thinking about sex and are instructed by God to sever your body parts? How good can you feel if God is saying the mother that you love so dearly that was beaten by her first husband is considered a hussy because she is a divorced woman?

Am I missing something? Am I overeacting? Have Bubby and I made a huge mistake signing Tori up for what seemed, an innocent religious organization trying to promote cheerleading?

Last night I asked Tori if she had read her magazine. It appears she has not. Good. I can put it through the shredder today, hoping that another one doesn't magically appear in her gym bag.