"They have no morals"

[Madea]

The statement has weighed heavily upon me. The words were spoken to me in a conversation late Saturday night with a young man who admittedly has had a lot of his own troubles (drugs, etc). He's now 35 and while divorced with a young daughter, appears to be on a better path that he previously was on.

But when he stated that today's young people "have no morals", well, the statement has just weighed heavily on me.

I have true concern with the direction of our world, and the world my children are growing up in.

 

[mei lan]

I know what he's talking about, and perhaps it's true of the world he sees. But I have said for years, and still maintain, that by far most of the young people in this country are good and decent people. There are TONS of Eagle Scouts out there, and kids who have jobs after school, and kids who study hard, and kids who don't drink, and kids who don't sleep around, and kids who don't get arrested ever. We just don't hear about those kids. We hear about the stupid kids, and the ne'er-do-well kids, and the kids who do sleep around all the time.

I do agree that the moral tone of this society is atrocious, and that includes adults and kids. A recent big rise in said immorality goes back to good ol' Billy Jeff Clinton, who taught us the wonders of oral sex, etc. But I still say that if Christians lived what they say they believe, this country wouldn't be recognizable, and I mean that in a good way. When the church looks just like the world, something is VERY WRONG.

Take heart, Madea. We grew up in a church that was deader than dead and totally legalistic, but we didn't know enough then to leave (parents, that is) and seek out a church that taught the Bible. But my parents persevered and taught us the right morals and values, and the three of us have turned out to be good and decent citizens (sister's mid-life crisis notwithstanding). Your example has more influence on your kids than you will ever know.

 

[naturegirl]

I know what he's talking about, and perhaps it's true of the world he sees. But I have said for years, and still maintain, that by far most of the young people in this country are good and decent people. There are TONS of Eagle Scouts out there, and kids who have jobs after school, and kids who study hard, and kids who don't drink, and kids who don't sleep around, and kids who don't get arrested ever. We just don't hear about those kids. We hear about the stupid kids, and the ne'er-do-well kids, and the kids who do sleep around all the time.

I do agree that the moral tone of this society is atrocious, and that includes adults and kids. A recent big rise in said immorality goes back to good ol' Billy Jeff Clinton, who taught us the wonders of oral sex, etc. But I still say that if Christians lived what they say they believe, this country wouldn't be recognizable, and I mean that in a good way. When the church looks just like the world, something is VERY WRONG.

Take heart, Madea. We grew up in a church that was deader than dead and totally legalistic, but we didn't know enough then to leave (parents, that is) and seek out a church that taught the Bible. But my parents persevered and taught us the right morals and values, and the three of us have turned out to be good and decent citizens (sister's mid-life crisis notwithstanding). Your example has more influence on your kids than you will ever know.

Yes, we are the role models for our children. If you lie, they have no problem lying, if you steal, they have no problem stealing. Don't think for a minute they don't "know" if you've done "bad stuff".

All we can do is provide the best example for the adults we want them to become. Sometimes the best parenting in the world can't keep them from stepping over the line, however when they do wrong they'll know they did wrong. It's when they don't care that the worrying should begin.

Never ever think they are too big to hug!!