The Hitler Jugend lives!

[gridlore]

A Nashville church that's fighting to keep from registering its daily child ''camp'' as a state-licensed day-care center posts armed guards on the church grounds, which is raising alarms for state human services officials.

The church also defied a court order yesterday and continued with its day camp, which accommodates more than 150 children up to age 5.

Priest Lake Community Baptist Church officials say that the guards carry their weapons legally and that the state is trying to force an ''atheist'' view on the congregation by requiring it to register as a day-care provider.

Right. You need armed guards and a surveillance system for a Bible Camp. A camp for kids under 5 that lasts 12 hours a day. That's brainwashing boys and girls.

Thanks to filkertom for the link.

Comments

[arib.livejournal.com]

For some reason, reading this article makes me feel like I need to start walking around armed.

gleh.

[nolly.livejournal.com]

That's just bizarre.

It's not clear to me from the articles if they've always had the guards or if this is some sort of overreaction to the state trying to get the licensed or closed.

But, as a Christian and the daughter of a relatively conservative Southern preacher, that's bizarre.

[kengr]

I'm of two minds about it. "Children's services" departments in *every* state are noted for over-reacting (and under-reacting). And I can understand a church wanting to avoid the state getting involved.

But yeah, it does seem rather "off".

As for "brainwashing", please keep in mind that parents are *allowed* to do that. The alternative is the state micromamaging what folks get to teach their own kids.

I know a lot of parent abuse this right. But consider what the government would do if they got to pass judgement on what was "proper".

[snippy]

I think that's an overreaction.

To me it sounds like a combination of a congregation that is strict, perhaps Millennial-focused, is advertising absolute Christian security for your kids, and also thinks government is already overreaching in regulating religion out of public life.

It's obviously operating as a child care. Calling it brainwashing is painting with a pretty broad brush--after all I sent my kids to YMCA day camp, does that mean they were brainwashed?

I don't like them, and I wouldn't send my kids there, but I support their right to run it how they want. I also support the government regulating day care centers even if they're religious, so I think the appropriate action is likely being taken.

[drewkitty.livejournal.com]

This explains it all, from the article:

"The pastor of the church and his son are both former Metro Police Department employees."

I am no fan of Christian fundamentalists. I am particularly no fan of the idea that fundamentalists who dabble in politics should be allowed to do so on a tax-free basis. However, the church appears to be well within its rights, and the state appears to have a case of gun phobia.

Now I would be a tad concerned about their weapons control procedures, especially during shift changes. The key point is that a firearm must always be locked up or under the individual control of a person (i.e. holstered) so that a child doesn't access one.

I can think of one good reason for this level of security: large day care facilities can have nasty problems with child custody and/or domestic violence. If I were in a nasty child custody dispute with an abusive ex-spouse, I'd certainly pay extra to put my child in a facility with good well-trained security -- which by description of conduct in the article, these appear to be.

My only real concern with 12-hour "services" is whether the kids are getting potty breaks, lunch breaks and playtime in addition to lectures and singing.

(Speaking as someone who was kicked out of Sunday school for freethinking, I wouldn't last a day in that setup.)