This one comes straight from the files of the sick and twisted. There is lot of adult material found in the pages of Scripture. Prudent parents are careful in their choice of which Biblical stories they share with their children before bed time. There is everything from murder and adultery to graphic descriptions of hell and divine judgment. One of those stories is the depiction of God’s punishment of Lot’s wife. According to Genesis 19:13-26, angles of God instructed Lot and his family to flee Sodom and not look back before it was destroyed by God. Lot’s wife disobeyed, turned back and was turned into a pillar of salt. Scripture doesn’t reveal the name of Lot’s wife so let’s just call her Morton.
While there is plenty of application to be found in Morton’s death, one thing is for sure. This is not the type of material for children’s coloring books. Yes, you read that correctly. On the web site for the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Jehovah’s Witnesses there is a page for “Family Worship Projects.” One of the activities is a “connect-the-dots” type of coloring page for children. Clicking on this link will open up a pdf of a picture of a horrified Morton being turned into a pillar of salt.
Does this strike anyone else as being… wrong? Picture this. Family devotions at the JW Walker home.
Gather around children! Tonight we are going to read the story of God destroying Sodom and Gomorrah right before bed time. Do you know what happened to Lot’s wife when she disobeyed Jehovah? That’s right little Johnny. She was turned into a pillar of salt and died a horrifying, painful death. Do you know how we are going to remember Morton’s fate? Oh, you peeked didn’t you little Suzie? That’s right, we have a connect-the-dots coloring page that shows the actual moment of Morton’s transformation from flesh to sodium chloride! I know, isn’t that exciting?
I am pretty sure that whoever designed this coloring page doesn’t have any children. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the follow up lesson to this. “Tonight we are going to put salt into our skinned up knees so we can better appreciate just how Morton felt as she was being punished by Jehovah!”
Sleep tight little Jehovah’s Witness children.
I see that you have started censoring Mormon comments that show others how you could be wrong.
Kind of makes you look like a want-a-be cult leader.
Fred,
I don’t understand why you continue to use arguments that do you no favors. If me “censoring Mormon comments,” makes me look like a cult leader, then wouldn’t that also be true of all the Mormon blogs and YouTube channels which censor my comments?
(If me “censoring Mormon comments,” makes me look like a cult leader, then wouldn’t that also be true of all the Mormon blogs and YouTube channels which censor my comments?)
They do not claim, like you, that it is an open blog. You do.
You held my comments from your flock until you could read it and because of the amount of time it took you to reply, it looked like you were not letting others read my comments.
You must have been on vacation or something.
(Your comment is awaiting moderation.)
See, even now this new comment awaits your blessings before you allow it to be viewed.
Yes, it does. I do that for ALL posts for the reasons I have already explained.
Fred, in all do respect but my post was delayed for a couple of days .
So what . Please stop complaining about this particular issue .
Where do I claim that this is an open blog? I have the settings on this blog set for comment approval. If I don’t do that, spam bots will post and advertise all sorts of inappropriate things. It would create more work and frustration to try to find and delete all of those posts. It is much easier to read the comment myself and approve of them if they meet the standards of my comment policy.
Aside from being antagonistic, your comments pass the standard. I have never withheld a comment of yours. Some times it takes me awhile to read through all of the comments. When that happens, you’ll just have to be patient.
Keith,
Have you become so desperately bored that you have reduced yourself to maligning a coloring book activity created by Jehovah’s Witnesses? This is actually quite sad. You mentioned to me on another post, you teach your own children how to spot logical fallacies. If you are looking for another simplistic example, you’ve found one with your most recent post. The conclusion you reach, if it can be considered that, is simply to ridicule another’s faith by questioning the propriety of the content of a connect the dots coloring page. Does this in any way form a substantial doctrinal or theological argument against their beliefs, or is it just making fun? Don’t you accept and teach the same biblical story? Have you taught it to your children?
Perhaps we should, for the sake of fairness research foolhardy children themed lessons “Christians” use? A fast internet search reveals several, however a particularly funny one, in addition to a graphic depiction of John’s head on a platter you can color, and in keeping with the contentious spirit of your post, is this:
http://www.coloring.ws/cain-and-abel.htm
Here we have a printable coloring story, with or without words, explaining how Cain killed his brother and was cast out. Particularly troubling, is after you teach your. children about fratracide, you can click on another link and see more “Cain and Able activities.” What are those?
Now to exaggerate for the purpose of dramatic emphasis and obfuscation …
“What are ‘other Cain and Able activities?’ Perhaps we make weapons and teach our children to lose their tempers and strike each other down? How ridiculous ‘Christians’ are …” HarHarHar.
Keith, I am often surprised by your lack of foresight and judgment in addressing some of these ridiculous topics for the sole purpose of mocking the faith and beliefs of others. This is particularly bad, as I already mentioned, owing to the fact this is just teaching a bible story you both believe in, and have likely also addressed with your children, of course along with the necessity of addressing logical fallacies.
Thanks.
Travis,
The reason I posted this thread was because it was brought to my attention by former Jehovah’s Witnesses who had nightmares as children because of images similar to this one which appeared in Jehovah’s Witness books. It is disturbing to them and it is to me also. Some Biblical stories are not appropriate for young children and anyone who thinks “family activities” like this is acceptable for small children needs to do some serious thinking.
You probably don’t know very much about Jehovah’s Witnesses so it might be wise for you to actually talk to former Jehovah’s Witnesses about their involvement in this cult before you criticize me about posts like this. It can be MUCH more psychologically damaging than Mormonism. These people need confirmation that this type of behavior is not acceptable. The problem isn’t with them, it is with “God’s organization,” The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.
Keith,
What you are really advocating is your disapproval of the way in which a particular people teach their children. Doing it in a manner and under circumstances which also cast a negative light on the “Word.” Are there really lessons in scripture that are inappropriate for any age group, or has society merely become overly sensitive to what it dictates as appropriate or not? As I explained in my comment on the “second installment,” you were shortsighted in your analysis, failing to examine the intended age group and audience for this graphic before insinuating it was designed for “small” children and overly generalized in opining it to be offensive to any particular majority. I am sorry that a “former Jehovah’s Witness” was deeply troubled or disturbed by this image. By that same argument, is “Christianity” disturbing because we commemorate the torture and murder of an individual man? Do you teach your children about Jesus’ suffering and death or do you omit that lesson at “family time?” Is a woman being turned to salt for disobedience worse than a man being flayed and crucified? Where does that line get drawn and who draws it? You, or the parents of the child?
Why would you assume I, “probably don’t know very much about Jehovah’s Witnesses?” Independent of whatever knowledge you may have respecting “Jehovah’s Witnesses” and where you obtained that knowledge you presume too much about my own experiences. I may know a great deal about the faith, perhaps I am a former “JW” myself, if so, I would have a much greater insight respecting both it and “Mormonism” having been part of both. Regardless, I obtain knowledge about other faiths and religions from speaking to those who believe in and practice that theology. I find disaffected members have something to add, but usually it amounts to a wholly negative perspective. I believe polarized opinions are closed minded and try to be more objective when I seek to obtain knowledge. I don’t judge the belief system of others, designate them worthy of hell or damnation, rather, I seek to understand and appreciate the truth they have received, identify and live accordingly to it as well.
Thanks.
What a vile, twisted cult. It never ends.
Keith, the look on Lot’s wife’s face as pictured in this Watchtower article reminded me
of the picture of people who are being destroyed by Jehovah at Armegeddon as
depicted in the ” From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained ” book published by the
Watchtower ( 1958, p. 208) . As you know the life of a Jehovah Witness young person
is not an easy life . The fear of a looming destruction of those who are not loyal to
Jehovah spurs Jw’s , young and old alike into more activity , particularly field service.
Around the same time as the pictures in the “Paradise ” book were being viewed by
children there appeared a story in the Watchtower’s 1961 Yearbook ( p. 273) about
an 8 yr. old girl who was begging her JW Aunt to take her out in field service. The Aunt
thought the girl should possibly wait but the girl stated , ” You know , to be saved at
Armageddon you have to preach , and if you don’t let me go out and I am destroyed, it will be your fault.” This little girl had learned well what loyalty to Jehovah meant,
and she got involved in field service. Now considering all the things that JW kids
are’nt allowed to do in everyday activities , having a fear of a pending doom because
of Jehovah’s wrath on those outside His “Theocratic Organization” , is something these
kids don’t need in their lives . But then they are the children of ” Watchtower witnesses” .
Sad .
Keep up the good work Keith , Jw’s deserve to hear the good news of Jesus !
Keith, thank you for bringing up this topic. I have been a Jehovah’s Witness for 35 years and I find these children pages offensive.
A key point that others seem to miss is that out of all the stories they could have started with, this one was choosen. Why not start with a story about Jesus? Why go right to a violent scene? That is my problem with it. I do have a child and I feel this material is not approiate for her. I expect better from a religion that claims to be God’s only channel of truth. The more I learn about the history of our religion and see the current developments, ones much more serious then a coloring book, the more I doubt that claim.