Tell Me Like I'm 5.

[Halsoft]

What is Christianity?

[Nicki]

Trusting in Jesus Christ as our Saviour and also Lord (the boss) of our lives, because he died for us, having said he was the way to God, the truth and the life, the light of the world, and God himself.

[Nessa]

Maybe we should be asking a five year old to explain it to us

[IceMobster]

Maybe we should be asking a five year old to explain it to us

Already done. Hahaha!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEGTLbW_L00


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QK9gPy ... 2464119371

What is Christianity?

You can't explain Christianity to a 5 year old. You need to wait until the kid is old enough to start asking the questions by itself. That would probably be around 12(actually depends a lot on the environment the kid is raised in).
You can say how Jesus died for them, how they are able to repent from sin, what sin is,etc etc. but they would not understand. Being 5, only thing you have in mind is having fun and playing around, exploring the things around you and not discussing metaphysics, philosophy and religion, lol.

[Philip]

You can't explain Christianity to a 5 year old. You need to wait until the kid is old enough to start asking the questions by itself. That would probably be around 12(actually depends a lot on the environment the kid is raised in).

It totally depends upon the individual child. Both of my boys understood enough and that their hearts and minds had truly embraced Jesus for me to have confidence they were ready for baptism around 8 or so. Yes, there is a LOT about Christianity, what Christ calls us to, that a child can't fully understand. But they CAN understand what Jesus and Scripture says is crucial that they know and embrace. The rest is a life-long learning curve - for everyone.

[Halsoft]

Why do you feel that the only way to God is through Jesus?

[IceMobster]

You can't explain Christianity to a 5 year old. You need to wait until the kid is old enough to start asking the questions by itself. That would probably be around 12(actually depends a lot on the environment the kid is raised in).

It totally depends upon the individual child. Both of my boys understood enough and that their hearts and minds had truly embraced Jesus for me to have confidence they were ready for baptism around 8 or so. Yes, there is a LOT about Christianity, what Christ calls us to, that a child can't fully understand. But they CAN understand what Jesus and Scripture says is crucial that they know and embrace. The rest is a life-long learning curve - for everyone.

As I said, it heavily relies on the environment the kid is raised in. If s(he) was raised in atheist family, that day (for baptism) might never come.

Why do you feel that the only way to God is through Jesus?

Probably because Jesus' life reflects the perfectness of God the best.

[Philip]

Hal: Why do you feel that the only way to God is through Jesus?

Because this is what the New Testament redundantly teaches. If one believes what Jesus and His apostles redundantly taught - people, by the way, whom KNEW whether or not Jesus had overcome His death on the cross.

"No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to use—eternal life." (1 John 2: 23-25)

Here's the other thing, people CLAIMING that there are multiple routes to God do not make it so - not if there is only one way to Him (Jesus!). When I was a kid, there was ONE secondary highway that was the only way to travel to my grandparents' house. There were many roads and highways nearby, but none of them connected to where they lived, only ONE road did. I could have claimed or hoped that there was another or shorter way to get there, but that wouldn't have gotten me any grandma cookies! So, if there is but one truth about a matter, that is exclusive and different from every other claim, then ONLY that one thing is true about it. This is the issue with Jesus.

[Nessa]

Lets give God a little credit for being able to reach those that have basic understanding
They know more than what we often give them credit for too.

[Nessa]

Maybe we should be asking a five year old to explain it to us

Already done. Hahaha!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEGTLbW_L00


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QK9gPy ... 2464119371

What is Christianity?

You can't explain Christianity to a 5 year old. You need to wait until the kid is old enough to start asking the questions by itself. That would probably be around 12(actually depends a lot on the environment the kid is raised in).
You can say how Jesus died for them, how they are able to repent from sin, what sin is,etc etc. but they would not understand. Being 5, only thing you have in mind is having fun and playing around, exploring the things around you and not discussing metaphysics, philosophy and religion, lol.

Dont suppose these tribal people sat around discussing or understanding metaphysics, philosophy and religion much either.. You know, with being too busy running around trying to survive and having fun killing each other and all..

[IceMobster]

Maybe we should be asking a five year old to explain it to us

Already done. Hahaha!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEGTLbW_L00


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QK9gPy ... 2464119371

What is Christianity?

You can't explain Christianity to a 5 year old. You need to wait until the kid is old enough to start asking the questions by itself. That would probably be around 12(actually depends a lot on the environment the kid is raised in).
You can say how Jesus died for them, how they are able to repent from sin, what sin is,etc etc. but they would not understand. Being 5, only thing you have in mind is having fun and playing around, exploring the things around you and not discussing metaphysics, philosophy and religion, lol.

Dont suppose these tribal people sat around discussing or understanding metaphysics, philosophy and religion much either.. You know, with being too busy running around trying to survive and having fun killing each other and all..

What does this have to do with anything? What is your point?
I am pointing out that you can not explain a religion (in this case Christianity) to a 5 year old for him/her to fully understand it.
As I said in the post above, when you are 5, you don't give a damn about all of that (philosophy,metaphysics,religion). Only thing you care about is playing around and having fun.

[Nessa]

What does this have to do with anything? What is your point?
I am pointing out that you can not explain a religion (in this case Christianity) to a 5 year old for him/her to fully understand it.
As I said in the post above, when you are 5, you don't give a damn about all of that (philosophy,metaphysics,religion). Only thing you care about is playing around and having fun.

The tribal peoples understanding was extremely limited yet they ended up understanding the basics similar to a five year old or child

I have had two five year olds. I think I may know a little about how they think.
And they are very interested in God. Not just having 'fun' running around

So dont tell me all five year olds dont give a dam or cant understand at a basic level

The OP didnt start off by saying a full understanding either.
All I was saying is that it is possible to have a basic understanding and there is nothing wrong with that. Even a five year old can give spiritual insights.

[Philip]

Yes, Ness, God made understanding what He requires of all EXTREMELY simple - it's man that makes it into a complex game and agonizing search. Because if it was nearly so hard as unbelievers on this board commonly insist, next to no one would be saved. One would imagine, if this quest for God were anywhere near the great intellectual undertaking people here assume it to be, then only the very smartest and brightest would likely be saved. But God made it so simple a child can understand what He wants of all. Isn't it interesting how often those of great intellect and learning deny the obvious, that God exists. And yet they invent or are willing to buy into any number of immensely improbable scenarios to explain what exists. Children, however, need only a very simply explanation and understanding. Perhaps this is why Scripture states, "God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong."

Children lack and have far less sophistication in weaving fictions they want to agree with - meaning they are often more open to believing in something they have no reason to doubt. Of course, this can work in other ways, that they can grab onto false teachings if so led to them by adults. But their openness is something adults have often long suppressed - which often makes their (adults) openness to God considerably less.

[melanie]

Maybe we should be asking a five year old to explain it to us

Already done. Hahaha!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEGTLbW_L00


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QK9gPy ... 2464119371

What is Christianity?

You can't explain Christianity to a 5 year old. You need to wait until the kid is old enough to start asking the questions by itself. That would probably be around 12(actually depends a lot on the environment the kid is raised in).
You can say how Jesus died for them, how they are able to repent from sin, what sin is,etc etc. but they would not understand. Being 5, only thing you have in mind is having fun and playing around, exploring the things around you and not discussing metaphysics, philosophy and religion, lol.

Dont suppose these tribal people sat around discussing or understanding metaphysics, philosophy and religion much either.. You know, with being too busy running around trying to survive and having fun killing each other and all..

What does this have to do with anything? What is your point?
I am pointing out that you can not explain a religion (in this case Christianity) to a 5 year old for him/her to fully understand it.
As I said in the post above, when you are 5, you don't give a damn about all of that (philosophy,metaphysics,religion). Only thing you care about is playing around and having fun.

I think kids understand it better than we think.
I'm not talking about infant or child baptism, if people choose that for their kids then no doubt that is coming from a place of wanting them to know Jesus which can only be a good thing. Well except for maybe infant baptism in some cases. I think sometimes it is done out of tradition more so than anything spiritual. I say that because I moved to a new town, the one I'm living in now and didn't know anybody at all, my youngest started at school as soon as we moved here, followed shortly after by my daughter. They went to Catholic primary school, even though we aren't Catholic. So most of my friends are Catholic who I met through the school and their kids have been baptised as infants.
It is my experience through my friends and many at this school that the religious aspect of baptising their kids and sending them to a catholic school, is purely out of tradition. As most of them don't believe in Jesus, nor do they instill Christianity in their kids. They go through the motions, their kids do the sacraments but their is no real faith there.

I have chosen to not baptise my kids.
I have done so because I want them, at an age when they are ready to make those decisions for themselves. I have always been mindful to not push anything onto my kids. In my observations over the years when something is pushed too heavily onto kids and teens it can create the opposite effect.
In saying my kids are raised in a household where myself and my husband believe in God. I think it's probably a more relaxed approach than perhaps some Christians, in that we are not religious. I talk to my kids about love, kindness, genoristy, decency in the way we view and treat others. I don't fill their heads with doctrine or dogma although because my eldest two are not small children and I'm pretty deep with them in our discussions,we often have long conversations about the world, spirituality, different ways people search for God and when they ask me I tell them what I believe and why. So they have been brought up with an understanding of God, Jesus and Christianity but in an environment that has left them free to think and search on their own.
The result has been my daughter who has always believed and my son who believed when he was little then went through a period where he didn't. I didn't push him, or badger him. I did challenge him on a few things when he brought it up, not to change his mind but give him a different perspective. Then a couple weeks ago, he told me in passing that he did definately believes in Jesus. I was pretty stoked but just said 'that's great mate'. I was never really worried, I trusted that he would work it out in his time and in his own way.

Now getting back to the question do 5 year olds have the conceptual maturity to fully understand religion. No, I don't think they do. But I see an understanding that as adults we have lost. They don't understand theology and couldn't care less, they do just wanna play. But there is an instinctual spirituality in kids that as adults the world drowns out.
My youngest two are 5 year old twins and they come out with the funniest, most perceptive things sometimes about God. Faith is so easy and natural to children.
I read this great article about a study done on small children from all over the world, different backgrounds, cultures, religious and non religious and it asked them about God and creation. The kids all had some interesting things to say, kids are funny....out of the mouths of babes but there was a universal understanding of the concept of God, even those children who were being brought up in household with parents not believing in God. This changes as they get older because they start to be influenced by factors around them.

I think that's why Jesus said to have faith like a child.
It's natural and without all the complications and conditions we as adults put on it.
We get so stuck on doctrines and theology trying to 'understand God' that we lose that simple, instinctual connection to God.

I couldn't find the article but I found this one that kind of sums up the other
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religio ... laims.html

[melanie]

Maybe we should be asking a five year old to explain it to us

These kids are too cute;

http://youtu.be/iWkgHHp0kDY

http://youtu.be/DhRuKt5b0y0