Posted on 10/03/2007 11:49:50 AM PDT by Alex Murphy
MARIPOSA -- This is a mountain town where there's a Bible verse painted over a pizza-parlor door and a local politician keeps a cardboard cutout of John Wayne holding a Winchester rifle in his office as proof of fealty to the NRA.
But a proposal to bring "Paintball for Jesus" to public land has some people riled.
"I'm sorry, maybe I'm missing something in my upbringing as a Methodist, but Paintball for Jesus? God help us all. Seriously, this teaches bad habits of shooting each other," said Mariposa County Supervisor Brad Aborn, 71, the John Wayne fan who is a former Vietnam War Navy helicopter pilot.
Church youth leader Jeff Tomerlin contends, however, that paintball is the perfect ministry.
His church, New Life Christian Fellowship, wants to play paintball on 15 acres of county land.
"I really wanted to do something for the youth where they could see godly adults acting as mentors. We thought about going the skateboard route, but none of us are skateboarders," said Tomerlin, 45.
After church on the third Sunday of every month, a group of teens and adults from New Life cooks up a big meal of hot dogs, gives testimonies about Jesus, suits up in camouflage and grabs donated paint-shooting guns ("markers," in paintball terms).
The players affectionately have nicknamed their paintball and Jesus games PBJ. Tomerlin hopes the lessons of discipline and teamwork that families pick up while playing will have the sticking power of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. "They learn life lessons like depending on each other, and they learn that sometimes if you go out on your own, you get hurt. It can sting when you get hit."
(Excerpt) Read more at modbee.com ...
I think paintball would be excellent practice for the coming showdown between Christians and Muslims.
And this is the best they could do????
Wasn't that bad habit placed on display in that classic Gene Wilder film, "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory"? As I recall, spitting, nose picking, eating too much, too much TV, too many sweets and shooting people were all vividly portrayed as bad habits. I can't remember the Oompa Loompa song for it at the moment, but I'm sure there is one.
I suppose if the church group wanted to use that public land for football it would be ok. But those folks would be overlooking the violence and warlike mindset that football teaches. Next thing they know Christian kids would be in the bad habit of knocking folks to the ground! /sarc
I play paintball (woodsball) with my sons, and I go to church with them too(along with my wife and daughters). Paintball is an excellent game that can teach so many valuable lessons. As an outreach it is wonderful; it is so much better to have the lessons this game can teach conveyed in a proper manner by Godly men and women.
This is a striking example of scriptural ignorance and a liberal mindset infecting a town. Lord help them.
And your suggestion for a superior activity and the reasons why it is are...
Why we should do these things is because we were told by God these would be good things. Well, He didn't include the pizza but I don't think He would mind.
Sigh. If only He would do the "loaves and fishes" trick with pizza when I'm around....
When you got together for those things in the good old'n days I am certain you never engaged in such ungodly (and "uncool") activities as softball, touch football, bowling or perhaps one of those obviously evil games like capture the flag, flashlite tag or (heaven forbid!) hide and seek.
Getting together on a field, sharing scripture, praying, witnessing, playing paintball and having some pizza are all good things too. God didn't mention pizza, or softball, or paintball, but I agree with you - I think he would approve.
Actually, looking back at this time in my life, I can honestly say, no we did not play games (and I was in my early 20s). When we did have free time and were not working or studying, many of us would spend it in fellowship, bible study and prayer. That's not to say we didn't do some "fun" things; it simply wasn't a priority to us.
I don't wish to come off sounding self righteous because I have my own faults with my priorities. But people who would rather play touch football, play paint ball (or anything else) over the word of God need to examine their priority. That includes me who constantly struggles with this. It doesn't mean we have to spend 24/7 in the word of God or not enjoy some "fun" activities. But let's be honest, few of us spend hardly anytime at all reading the word of God once a week let along daily. Christianity to many consist of Sunday's church service, Wednesday's night prayer meeting and now and then helping around the church or "fun" activities.
Faith is imparted through God's word yet we give out back packs instead of Bibles. Few are focused on God's word anymore. Can you honestly say that we encourage kids to read and meditate on God's word-truly?
Not wishing to sound like a prude, kids get paint ball and touch football in many different settings. My son is constantly invited for events like these. We don't need to foster it in churches. If we're going to show ourselves as godly men, then perhaps we should show kids that carrying a Bible around and asking some thought provoking questions isn't as "uncool" as it seems.
And after everybody is done they can sing a rousing chorus of “Dropkick Me Jesus, Through the Goalposts of Life.”
CC&E
I couldn’t get the ‘guns and pizza’ outing to catch on at our church. (the idea came from a mormon online cartoonist though —)
Kinda like biting your nails and picking your nose. Nasty habits, all.
Maybe it was part of their “spiritual warfare” program. (smirk) :-P
ROFL! (willy wonka reference)
I love paintball but my body hates it. (not the pain of the game, the pain of my muscles AFTEr the game!) And my checkbook hates it.
Hey, I went fishing with an older gent from my church a LOT and that was good discussion time about the Lord.
Unfortunately our friendship and mentoring time (I called him my adopted uncle chuck) was cut short by some rude relatives of his that figured a girl couldn’t POSSIBLY like fishing and hunting that much and so something else MUST be going on...
ROFL!!
Feed the poor, care for the sick, visit those in prison are all supirior activities. Why? Because Jesus told us to do them. I take the kids in my chuch to help feed the homeless on Saturday mornings and also to help out at area nursing homes. Faith without works is dead.
That's not to say we didn't do some "fun" things; it simply wasn't a priority to us.
You acknowledge that you participated is other activities. Perhaps those activities were church sponsored, or maybe it was limited to your fellowship group, perhaps a picnic, whatever. The fact that this news story became widely circulated doesn't suggest any priority level paintball has for this group. I would hope that the leadership is holding this as a way to draw in kids; holding such an event is a great way involve kids from outside the church.
Jesus attended weddings, changed water into wine, went to dinner parties. He met people where they were. You make some valid points, but those points dont invalidate a youth outreach that uses paintball. One can lament all day long about the fact that an unchurched 16 year old will not attend their prayer meeting. Alternatively, one can hold their prayer meeting and fellowship at the beginning and lunch time of a fun activity that is run by adults and kids who conduct themselves in a Godly manner.
The world is told all the time that we are different, and we are. But they are told that our difference is not good. This is an opportunity to demonstrate a bit of what that difference actually is. I have told many people that God's word and God's rules for living are not for the purpose of being a cosmic killjoy with a great big list of "thou shalt nots". Instead, because He is our Creator and Designer, His rules demonstrate His love for us. We could go in circles for days on so many issues regarding where lines should be drawn. We could discuss if you or I are eating too much (that time and money could be used for so many other things), or if you or I live in too nice a house (same thing), or drive too nice a car (and again), or that any time not spent specifically in prayer, study of scripture, and God centered fellowship is misspent. But you don't get to decide where that line is for other people. You and God work out where that line is for you, as do we all.
For some, sadly, that line is drawn squarely between that person and God. Prayer and the hearing of the word and witnessing can perhaps change that. And if a friendly game of paintball is someting that helps open their ears and hearts then I say let the scripture and paint fly.
Agree completely. And while I would wonder if they are also participating in some or all of those activities, we do not know that they are not.
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