I believe the Children are the Future

(In homage to a Supernatural episode)

So, Rowan Williams believes we should allow children to have a childhood and stop bestowing them with consumerist values? I wholeheartedly agree. I am not a fan of consumerism in the slightest.

You sense the huge "but" (forgive me) heading this way???

BUT, I can not help but think, in my cynical way, that this comes at a time when the Anglican Church has sworn to take it's ministries to the children? I read a blog post at The Freethinker detailing this (READ: Freethinker - Cradle Snatching) and can't help think that this is in the same vein.

For a start I don't think it's consumerism the Church are really against, I think it is the modern information culture to which we expose our children. This, I am all for! Under moderation of the parent, the child should be free to explore different ideas and learn more about the world. It is what is required to produce a sufficiently critical thinking yet open minded individual. It is this modern technical attitude towards communication and information which views the Church as outdated and frankly, laughable.

Secondly, the Church's attitude also, I feel, reflects a lack of confidence in children themselves and of modern parents. I can understand this to a point but do feel it to be a rather sad outlook to have. Surely, if exposed to modern "values" such as consumerism, in controlled doses, a child can be prepared for modern life, without necessarily taking on those values for themselves? I myself can be guilty of the odd consumerist splurge, however I would not consider myself to judge only upon that value. I can see that there are many things in life far more important than money and possessions, whilst understanding the pressure felt by some to own a certain car etc.

Why don't the Church have faith in mankind?

GG