Emma Bontrager Tributes

[ILG]

Originally Posted by Stephen Hoover

OK then...

I totally understand why they should have a few more liberties at a certain age, and no doubt will give my own children more liberties as they mature.

It should also be known the age for Rumspringa varies as well. 16 for some, 17 or 18 for other families.

Let's say I want my child to attend a Christian Bible School but they insist on a Liberal Arts College - they may get their way at that age.

Or lets say they are choosing to dress less conservatively than my wife and I do, again they may win.

No one is "leaving the door open" it is just basicly an acknowledgement that they have the power and legal right to move out, so a little tolerance is prefered over dumping ones child to the raving world. They still have some oversight from mom and dad in a very delicate time of life.

Among the Amish, burning bridges and cutting them off is saved for later... LOL! ...after they commit to the church and then want to leave!

I think the difference is that it isn't so much a parental choice as it is a church tradition. I don't see it as the same as joinging the youth group because the kids know that they are going to have a lot more liberty just because they turn a certain age because this is what is practiced. They know that if they want to have a cell phone or drive a car at this age that it will be tolerated. In the UPC for example, the youth are not going to wear pants, watch TV, and try certain worldly things simply because they are in the youth group. The youth group has youth leadership that teaches the kids not to do these things. If they do it, they are doing it against church teachings. The difference in rumspringa is the wide agreement to basically turn a blind eye during this period as an agreed upon church tradition. I am not saying the church condones what they are doing.....I am saying the church condones the tradition itself. I am not talking about drugs and sex here. I am talking about breaking the ordnung. Do you see the difference between a tolerating but grieved parent putting up with a wayward teen and a church tradition that says "Well, kids will do these things".