Hello everyone. My name is Rebekah, I am a lifelong Christian woman (and mom), of two beautiful children who are now teens and wife to a man I am madly in love with who is pillar of faith in The Lord.
My son (sophomore in high school) has always had a rebellious streak, ever since he was very young, but recently he is out of control and I don’t know what to do but pray.
I recently found a book in his backpack when I was going through his things, called The Raw Materials of Futility. Initially I didn’t think much about it but my son has never been much into novels so I took a look inside and was appalled. The book is full of atheist ramblings and at one point even parodies The Bible recasting Satan as “the good guy.”
Needless to say I was horrified and immediately grilled my son about where he got this book, because I SURE didn’t buy it for him and neither did his dad. He resisted at first, refused to tell me, and I had to ground him to his room for two days before he finally gave up that he got the book from a friend who had ordered it on Amazon.
I am appalled that this kind of material is just out there, available to our kids, with no content warnings or ANYTHING for parents to know what their kids are reading.
Worse yet, since my son read this book he has started to question our family’s Christian faith! I have sent him to my pastor multiple times but he continuously comes away questioning authority more and more, and now has begun calling us names and is refusing to go to church. Yesterday I saw he had drawn a pentagram on his palm with an ink pen!! I made him wash and scrub it off but I am terrified that he has invited demonic possession into his life and into our household.
What can I do to counteract the negative influence this book has had on my son?? I am afraid for his soul and for the soul of my entire family!!
Hello Rebekah ...
I and my 5 siblings were raised in a christian home. My mom and dad were good, faithful, loving believers who trained us up in the faith.
However, they made sure that we each understood ... that our faith was our own ... which we could choose to base our lives upon ... or to discard when we came of age.
Now they kept a christian home. No matter what we personally believed ... or didn't believe, ... they expected us to uphold and respect their christian values in their home, which included weekly church attendance until we were 18 or so.
They didn't try to shield us from knowledge of the world ... they were willing to discuss with us their thoughts and feelings of the pro's and con's of different ways of living ... and of our frank questions about the faith.
What was most vital for us ... is that they lived a life that trumpeted their values. Their household was consistently kind and nurturing ... to those within the family and without. My father worked consistently ... to support his family ... and my mother lovingly managed the home. They extolled the value of education ... and of working for your living ... and of family.
There are memories of good times ... laughing and loving, and enjoying one another in the Lord. And there are memories of clear direction and expectation ... with accountability for when we failed to live up to their expectations. And they were willing to be honest with us ... about their own faults and failures.
Despite all of this, rebellion did rear its head ... amongst myself and my siblings. It is easy to question the wisdom of one's elders ... when you are not responsible for your own well-being. We all explored options ... other than what our parents had presented. But we all, ultimately, determined that their guidance was best for our lives ... and each of us found our own grounding in the faith.
As has been said ... you cannot make your children's ultimate decisions for them. They will be exposed to many things in life. It might be best if that exposure begins when they are still surrounded and supported by loving parents.
God is faithful. When you are not there to guide your children, ... He is. Trust Him to bring them through the dangerous twists and turns of this life. Continue to set the BEST example you can of a loving christian home. Pray mightily for your children's well-being and development .. and against anything that might come against them.
And ... buckle up, ... you're just getting started. Too much upset ... and undue controlling behavior, ... will ultimately hinder your objectives. Take a breath, relax, ... and learn to let God have his way ... and your children.
My wife and I have faced this same situation in our household ... and we, ultimately, ... just had to trust God to accomplish His will in our children's lives.
Trust Him ... for He will have His way ... anyway.
Sending prayers your way ...