I had posted a few comments on Cedars Sparlock Song on Youtube.
Mostly that I didnt feel that parents should manipulate their children into behaving. I also didnt think parents had the right to raise thier children in such a crazy restrictive way. If you want to convert as an adult, that is your choice.
This is the long winded response I get in a youtube email.
Let me explain...
By focusing on the whole toy thing, you're missing the point of the whole DVD and the reason why it was released. The point is to teach your children based on Bible principles. Do you know what the difference is between a law and a principle? A law is something that is based on the time period and the audience. That's why laws change. And that's ok. As cirumstances change, laws have to be updated and/or removed to be valid. But principles never change. They're timeless and they affect any audience. Let me illustrate: Laws are like the clothes hangers in your closet. They can be moved around or taken out completely, and new ones can be added. A principle is like the closet rod on which the laws (hangers) are hung. It's stationary. It doesn't move, or change. Example: Principle - You must love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39). Laws that "hang" on that principle - don't murder, steal, commit adultery, lie, cheat, abuse, etc. If you apply that principle of loving your neighbor, then by extention you won't be doing those bad things, because those actions hurt your "neighbor," or fellow humans, and you don't hurt those whom you truely love. Look at the passage that I cited, Matthew 22:36-40. Jesus said the two greatest commandments were to love Jehovah (God) and to love our neighbors. The he proceeds to say "On these two commandments the whole Law hangs, and the Prophets." The "Law" and "Prophets" he was refering to were the passages in the scriptures that dealt with the laws and prophets, so basically the entire Hebrew Scriptures. So every law and everything the prophets said were in some way based on those two priciples: loving God and loving neighbor.
So the whole point of "Sparlock" was to help the child learn to base his decisions on his love for Jehovah. You can't really explain all of that to a young child, but you have to take baby steps and start somewhere, preferably when their young. SOMETHING is going to fill a child's head and shape his way of thinking. Satan hates all of us, including young ones. He starts as early as he can to twist our morals and thinking. It's a CONSTANT battle to counteract that influence. But it can be done. Like I said before, Jehovah wants parents to teach their children HIS ways and views (Deu 6:6-7). That's why he's given us his word (2 Tim 3:16; Rom 15:4). Do you know why he wants us to know his ways and to apply them in our lives? He created us and he knows how we tick, what's best for us, what makes us happy, what makes us sad. He sees the entire picture. He knows what Satan ultimately wants. He knows the dangers involved in not listening to clear, time-tested advice and counsel. He's spelled everything out for us. All we have to do is LISTEN. It's not like he's left us to our own devices to figure things out the hard way. He's lovingly provided all the direction we need right now. And for parents, they not only have to teach themselves, but they are responsible for teaching their children as well.
I know you think spiritual topics shouldn't be discussed with young ones. I don't know if you believe in the Bible or in God at all. But I'm sure you know of these three faithful examples found in the Bible: Samuel, Jesus, and Timothy. Guess what they all have in common? They were all taught from an EARLY age to love Jehovah and worship him HIS way and live according to his righteous principles and standards.
SAMUEL - 1 Samuel 1:19-28; 2:11 -- When Samuel was weaned he was brought to serve in the temple, that was the fulfillment of the promise that Hannah had made to Jehovah (1 Sam 1:11). Children were nursed much longer back then than they are now. He was about 4 or so. His parents taught him about Jehovah and true worship at the temple, so it's not like he had no idea what was going on. They taught him from infancy.
JESUS - Luke 2:40 -- "And the young child continued growing and getting strong, being filled with wisdom, and God's favor continued upon him." In order for him to be filled with wisdom, his parents had to be teaching him. Luke 2:41-50 -- When Jesus was 12, he and his family went to Jerusalem like they did every year. This time he stayed behind in the temple (without his parents knowledge, they thought he was with others traveling with them). What was he doing there? He was having deep conversations with the priests and scibes. The term "questioning" in that passage means "counter questioning," he was having a very intelligent conversation with them. And they were "in constant amazement at his understanding and his answers." Again, he was 12.
TIMOTHY -- 2 Timothy 3:14-15 -- Paul wrote to Timothy and said, "from infancy you have known the holy writings."
I hope this helps you understand why Jehovah's Witnesses take the teaching and training of their children very seriously. Sure a little plastic toy can't hurt a child. But that's not the point. The point is to "go on bringing them up in the discipline and mental-regulating of Jehovah" (Eph 6:4).
With all of that said, I'm curious... why waste so much energy fretting over that part of that DVD? Why not make a video about REAL problems, like child abuse, neglect, animal abuse, domestic violence, etc. No offense (literally... I'm not trying to offend you or be sarcastic), but did you even watch the DVD? Or did you just see what that person posted? If you have watched it, did you watch it with the goal of finding something to nitpick? Either way, based on your reaction to everything, I doubt that you saw the example that the Society was trying to set for parents. When the child disobeyed, the father didn't scold him, or beat him, or yell at him to "CLEAN THIS MESS UP!!!" No. What he DID do was lovingly reason with his son on why he should have obeyed, and then said "Why don't we clean this up together?" Then later, he obeyed his mother the first time, without her having to repeat herself. What was her reaction? She didn't think "Good he finally did something right!" No. She said "I'm so proud of you! Thank you so much for obeying mommy!" And when the boy brought home his "Sparlock" toy, she didn't snatch it away from him and scold him for having it. She inquired about it, acknowledged that he was excited, and took her time in thinking about what she wanted to say. Then she gently reasoned with him and used Bible examples to show how Jehovah feels about spritism, which is what the toy represented. After they threw it away together, she suggested something fun to do, and they went to ride their bikes together.
Do you see? There are lessons for the parents as well. These videos aren't just teaching children. They're teaching parents to imitate how Jehovah and Jesus train and interact with us.
Please don't be so judgemental of people who love their children very much and only want the best for them. A truely loving parent who cares for their child's welfare provides loving direction to help them grow into balanced, informed adults who love their Heavenly Father, and who are fully capable of making good decisions so they can live happy, healthy lives.
~Female Name Removed