Emotions, Education and Young People …

I mentioned an article in a previous post. I wanted to put an excerpt up that really set me to thinking …

In the Abolition of Man, C.S. Lewis argues that the major problem plaguing young people is not exuberant emotionalism, but â??cold vulgarity.â? When we teach children to be exceedingly wary of emotions, we are not preventing them from being duped by those who would take advantage. Instead we are preparing them to eat up anything because they are emotionally emaciated. The best defense against emotional gullibility is to teach the proper place for excitement. But in our fear of emotionalism, many churches have abandoned that ground, leaving the cinema as the surrogate to school our childrenâ??s feelings. And the kids are lining up around the block for lessons. The Dramatic Desire.

I recall a line from this book by Lewis as he referred to “men without chests.” He describes nuetering a gelding and then bidding him reproduce. He said this is what happens when we take the moral filter away and then ask for morality.

These two thoughts taken together help underscore much of the fascination with horror flicks and some young peoples foray into indulgent body peircing. Reminds me of the song from Nine Inch Nails redone by Johnny Cash titled, “Hurt.”

I should reflect on this a bit more.

About the Author
Husband to Patty. Daddy to Kimberly and Tommie. Grandpa Doc to Cohen, Max, Fox, and Marlee. Pastor to Snow Hill Baptist Church. Graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Reading. Photography. Golf. Colorado. Jeeping. Friend. The views and opinions expressed here are my own and should not be construed as representing the corporate views of the church I pastor.

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