30 October 2016

Holy Halloween!

Last night, Tony and I packed up the kids into Mario and Luigi costumes (and me in Clara Irwin costume that I had to trial before FanExpo in a couple weeks) and went to the big Halloween party at the Pentecostal church in Colwood. This is a huge event for our area. >200 kids show up to get candy, see a "Mad Science" show, play carnival games, get pics taken, jump in a bouncy castle, and do crafts. It's a really big, really fun event.

Until we had to leave, that is. And why? Why did we have to leave? In the middle of the Mad Science show, which had zero evidence of any actual science in it while I was there, it became a Sunday school lesson. The stupid female assistant (of course) with the fake French accent (never did find out the point of that) kept screwing up the "experiment" and then it became a lesson about sin. He started asking who there was perfect. A few kids put up their hands. The man started laughing at them. Said he'd like to take them home because the kids at his house sure aren't perfect (cue laughter from parents). The one kid said, "My Mom says I'm perfect." He told her only God is perfect. And the Bible says... Then he literally used the word sin. And I said to my husband, "We're gone. NOW."

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

My otherwise delightful neighbours' pumpkins a couple of years ago.


So we got up and left. I let Pop go for a jump on the bouncy castle and play a few games first, and Tony and Crackle went back to the van (which honestly, was probably good timing for Crackle - he was handling the insanity well, but it's best to stop while he's still having fun.)

So it was fun. Except for shoehorning their shitty theology into a public party for kids. So now my kid wants to know if God is mad at him for every mistake he makes. Because the stupid woman didn't really hurt anyone. She just couldn't do the work properly. But that's what the man used to say no one is perfect, and God keeps track of our sins. OMG. What was the last thing I thought I'd be talking about on the way home? The nature of sin.

Absolutely disgusting. I complained about it on Facebook, and my clergy friend said, "Ew, gross!" So I'm comfortable that I'm not overreacting.

This is one of the reasons that people loathe Christians. We must be better than this. We don't have to cram Jesus into all the secular events. I mean, we can think about his message of love while planning, so that we can make it accessible for all. We can remember to have treats that are non-food for the allergy kids. We can seek justice and make sure that the treats we're handing out aren't made by child slaves. We can be good Christians, spreading love and kindness. I wouldn't have blinked if there'd been a little announcement about their worship times. Or if they'd popped a little "Welcome to our church!" note in with the first treat.

Still pining for a good church. :(