Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

This is an ole-time Pennycostal practice. During every service at our campground the boys sit on one side of the church, and the girls on the other. Considering our current culture, Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?

All of the games are girls vs. boys.

Boys and girls are always pitted against each other in offerings.


I personally think it is an archaic practice. One that needs to go bye-bye.

I want my boys to like girls.

Seems odd that the church wants them to stay away from each other.

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

Sounds innocent enough on the surface but then what next, allow the boys and girls to walk around holding hands?

Better to draw the line at complete separation and keep their minds pure and on God.

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

Boys... sitting next to girls...?

Oooooooooooo, you got trouble my friend! I say trouble right here in River city!

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

What's wrong with them holding hands?

Would we rather teach them the opposite sex is bad, bad, bad!!!!???

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

It is not evil, but young men should be at the campground to learn of God. Then when faced with seducing spirits they can be pure until marriage.

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

This is NOT why most young people go to camp. It IS to meet and flirt with members of the opposite sex. Why do you think that the typical camp meeting can be so easily confused with a Hollywood red carpet premier (as far as cloths go)?

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

How sad for you and your children, I would be glad to PM you the location of some conservative camps, where the Word of God is still taught!

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

Then they should have boys camp and girls camp!~

I am not serious. But, hey, boys and girls notice each other. :)

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

Actually that is an excellent idea sister !!!

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

For some of the girls it is all about fashion.

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

Were the men and women separated on the day of Pentecost? Were they not all in one room and one accord or were the men on one side of the room and women on the other?
If there was separation in biblical times, how was Jesus' feet washed by a woman's hair?
Just curious. I've often thought about this subject.

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

And sadly when they grow up and go to general conference it still is.

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

I have heard that men and women were separated in the synagogue. And the reason that women were to be silent in the church. Because they were shouting questions to their husbands across the room.

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

I think pitting boys vs girls is idiotic. However separating them during service? I don't see the harm. I don't think being separated seating is going to make a boy not like girls...

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

Things haven't changed that much. This still happens today.. :heeheehee

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

If they followed Jewish custom and there is no reason to believe they did not, then in all probably they were on separate sides of the room.

In fact women were not even allowed in the temple area. So just congregating in the same building was a major breakthrough, and no doubt was more prevalent among the gentiles than Jews.

As to the second part, women were allowed to enter the room and serve, but outside the family setting they normally did not eat with the men.

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

Some wonder why their members have sexual hangups !!!!

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

Randy....Now some of us went just for the food...;)





























:ursofunny I agree, I went for guys!:tease

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

It has nothing to do with the Word of God or how it is taught. It is all about the birds and the bees. In conservative circles especially! When young people (and single adults) are continually isolated from others outside the four walls of THEIR church, camp meetings become all the more important for hormone driven activities, or the promise of such.

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

I think it's best to teach kids proper behavior and let them intermingle. Keeping them apart causes more problems than it helps, I think.

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

All I do know is that if I lived back in biblical times, I would want to be in the same room and as close to Jesus as I could be--probably sitting at His feet.

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

Diagrams of the Temple show that the Beautiful Gate (Acts 3:2) was an entrance into the Women's Court from Solomon's Porch (Acts 3:11 and 5:12). It seems that the early believers gathered in that part of the temple. Even Gentiles could access Solomon's Porch.

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

I thought camp meetings, youth rallies, etc. were great places for guys and girls to meet and develop relationships. Young people have a lot more choice in a setting like this than just the same ones they see all the time at the local church.

Sure, I can see separate seating during services and separate places at the altar for guys and girls, but they're gonna get together after the service. If they didn't, it would not be quite natural.

Guys against girls in teams and competition? That hardly seems fair.
Guys are generally brawnier and girls are generally smarter.

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

Hope that didn't sound too sexist.

Reminds me of two things:

1. Question: Why are blonde jokes usually so short?
Answer: so guys can remember them.



2. Suspended on a Rope

Eleven people were hanging on a rope, under a helicopter, 10 men and 1 woman. The rope was not strong enough to carry them all, so they decided that one had to leave, because otherwise they were all going to fall.

They weren't able to choose that person, until the woman gave a very touching speech. She said that she would voluntarily let go of the rope because, as a woman, she was used to giving up everything for her husband and kids or for men in general. She was used to always making sacrifices with little in return.

As soon as she finished her speech, all the men started clapping.

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

Sam,

Your avatar is making me skeered. :notme

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

The Catholics separate their boys from their girls.

Boys = Priests, Girls = nuns.

That seems to have worked really well, huh?


lol

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

Considering our current culture.......
No matter what the current culture, Teenage boys and girls will be attracted and distracted by each other.
Afraid they will turn gay? Tell a teenager not to do something and what do they want to do more than anything else?
Separate them during services and they just want to be around each other more everywhere else.
Let them sit together...... well, lets enter the mind, emotions and hormones of a teenager for a bit eh?

"Great, I'm looking forward to camp, and all the awesome preaching, all my friends, no parents, and the GIRLS!! WOOHOOO!!!"

Now let them sit together during service.

Awesome, I can't believe she actually said OK! Now I'm sitting right beside her, and she is gorgeous!! I hope all my friends can see me now!
Oh my God, our elbows just touched on the seat armrest, I hope she doesnt freak out..... I hope I don't freak out. Alright now, I have to make sure I worship so her pastor doesnt think I'm a backslider. But I don't want to look wacked out or bump into her.... no wait..... I actually DO want to bump into her!
O Lord her hair is so ...... MAN!! and she has the greatest perfume ever put in a bottle.... Uh oh... I hope she likes my cologne, did I put on enough? I hope I didn't put on too much! I wonder if We can sit together for the next service? Should I ask her right after this one or wait till later? Oh man, here comes the preacher down the isle, he sure is preaching good tonight. umm... I'm not sure what the subject is, but he's preaching it hard! Oh yeah, not giving into peer pressure and live for God all your life, that's right. Oh I sure would love to life for God all my life with HER by my side! I wonder how much she likes me? GULP!! Our legs just bumped!!!!!! OK... OK, don't hyperventilate here, ...did she notice? Did she do it on purpose? Does she think I did it on purpose? I wonder what she would do I I touched her hand?
O lord will this service EVER be over? I wonder if...... whats going on? What the.....? WOW, church is already over! Should I go to the altar like everyone else? Man, there sure are a lot of people crying and pouring into the altar. I wonder what they are crying about? Wow, it looks like God really moved in this service, I'll have to get the cd to hear it. It looks like most everybody was moved by the preaching. I wish I knew what he said.
But hey! At least she is still here beside me! Look at that, everyone around us went to the altar, but she and I are still standing back here..... together!
Maybe she really DOES like me!

And that's the ones who actually came to camp wanting to GET something from God and hear some preaching. What about the ones who only came to get a boyfriend/girlfriend?


El Predicador
Silent No More Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 72

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?

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Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyWayne
This is NOT why most young people go to camp. It IS to meet and flirt with members of the opposite sex. Why do you think that the typical camp meeting can be so easily confused with a Hollywood red carpet premier (as far as cloths go)?

How sad for you and your children, I would be glad to PM you the location of some conservative camps, where the Word of God is still taught!


Teach the world all you want, but we are still human, and teenager are still children entering adulthood. With childlike discipline and adult like hormones.
13 going on 30.

Why are they conservative? Because it is enforced. Let em sit where they want, hang with whoever they want, listen to whatever they want, do whatever they want, and by next years camp they will make the liberal camps look conservative.

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

The separation is a good idea.

1) It makes getting to interact with a girl that much more of a challenge to conquer. If its too easy it won't be appreciated.

2) School systems are actually turning to this as a positive way to educate their children-- allows for greater focus and much more productive students.

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

It depends on why you do it and how it's presented. There are times when its appropriate and even needful. But separating boys and girls simply because of an inordinate fear of impropriety or immorality does way more harm than good.

Even the most ultra-con churches have problems with immorality, so the "no-touch" rules obviously DON'T work.

I vote for relaxed but well-supervised environments.

It really irritates me when adults tease children for being in the vicinity of the opposite sex--even when it's obvious they're just interacting on the friendly level. It shows the adult's discomfort with normal situations. I want my children to feel at ease with the opposite sex. There does NOT need to be an "electric" atmosphere simply because a boy sits next to my daughter in class--because that's somehow taboo. Nor am I the sort to go through the roof if a guy slings his arm around my daughter's shoulders.

Kids need to be taught what is appropriate, friendly, or familial--not that touch or interaction is altogether wrong.

I knew a trinity holiness church that taught no touch at all, until marriage. They also taught that father's shouldn't show physical affection to their daughters, and vice-versa for sons and mothers. Weird. And stupid.

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

I want to clarify something.
I am only supportive of separating the boys from girls during church services.
The most important thing then is that they focus on God. It's enough of a challenge focusing on the service when the object of your desires is sitting the next isle over. Mix em all up and concentration goes out the window.

otherwise, of course they need to mingle and socialize. As for contests involving Boys against Girls, if done right, it can really be a way to get them involved, enthusiastic and exited about it.

We must remember, just as men are different from women, teens are different from adults. We cannot approach things for teens the way we would as adults, we will lose our teens. They are not merely children, and they are not yet fully adults. Look back to your teenage years. Who were the most influential people in your lives?
Were they the "adults" that expected you to "Behave, grow up, act mature, and be an example" or were they the ones who made the effort to understand you, your challenges, your thoughts. The ones who got on your level and realized that teens will be teens, so they must learn how to reach you. Not just set rules or give you the reins to your own life and expect you to turn out OK.

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

I get what you're saying, meBNme. But...I attended a church once that separated men and women during prayer at the altar--even married couples. I HATED it. Anytime my husband and I wish to pray together, that should be a welcome part of church service. Now, have I seen some touchy-feely folks that took things too far? Sure. Anyone who's been around church awhile has. But that doesn't mean we should all be punished and kept from normalcy because a few idiots don't know what "appropriate touch" means.

I think it depends on what the environment is the rest of the time, whether this holds true for a church service.

In some churches, if there has been rampant immorality among the youth group, I can see how it could be necessary, but I think, at best, it's only a temporary solution. The real problem is not praying together, is it? LOL!!!!

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

Girls are the debbil ....



Bobby Bouche's momma- Waterboy

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

I agree 100%. I think it is VERY important for families to pray together in church. I do not advocate separating men and women, just teenage boys and teenage girls during the actual service.
I like how our church does it.
We have the youth section, right up front during church services. One side boys, one side girls. They can also sit with parents.
Classroom teaching, other events there is no separation.

I HIGHLY recommend camp meeting services have the separation during church.

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

Whoever taught this was apparently afraid of something....for themselves. Too bad they hurled it onto everybody else too.

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

The church I came into and attended for 9 years....at the altar men on one side, women on the other....always....

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

I see no big deal in it. Though better safe than sorry. What make me scratch my head is that it seems that people think that all kids are sex crazed. I think that the chances of a kid not paying attention is greater when it is all boy and all girls seperate. I was youth pastor for a good while and that was my observation. Switched it up. Row 1 boys, row 2 girls and stager it that way then you get the same seperation. At my church the youth groups is very girl heavy. It is 7 to 1 ratio easy.

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

It is a natural thing for opposite sexes to attract...

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

You are right, but not too often during a church service

Re: Is Separating Boys and Girls a Good Idea?
 

Many UPC's are like this


About three years ago we taked about this with our church and encouraged them all to did regard the "men and womens "sides of the altar and to intermingle.

Our guest is one of the reasons for this.

How often has a guest responed to an altar call and unknowingly went to the wrong side of the altar and been embarrased when they realized this.

It's been working goo for us so far for over three years and not one has fallen ito adultery over praying next ot a person of the oppsite gender yet.