What do I do about the uncomfortable parts of the Bible I'm not ready to explain?

Here at The Next Generation we believe that having children read the Word of God at an early age is a MUST.  However, there are consequences when they do.

One of the stickiest is when your child runs across passages involving explicit sex (Gen. 38 & Song of Solomon), rape (2 Sam. 13) or even incest (Lev. 18 & 1 Cor 5).

The thought of having to explain any of that is extremely uncomfortable as a parent.  Especially if your child is 8-10 years old when they do.  As a matter of fact, some of you might be bookmarking the passages above to advice your children to skip the chapters when they come to them.  However, I believe doing so would be more harmful than good.

Consider...

Your children are exposed through the internet and entertainment many of these uncomfortable topics.

It seems unfair to live in a society that has changed so much in just one generation.  A generation ago, even through the beginnings of the sexual revolution, protecting children from inappropriate topics such as graphic sex was common courtesy among adults.

With the rise of the internet and the acceptance of same sex marriage, sex has become the new cultural god.  Cartoons, family time television sitcoms and popular movies, songs & novels all promote the idea of unfettered sex to our children.  Public schools teach the acceptance of these lifestyles as early as Kindergarten and experimentation with these lifestyles as early as Mid (Jr.) High and High School.  Children with access to the internet can run across these uncomfortable situations without trying, even on child friendly apps.   Explicit songs lyrics blared from their friends phone or at a store are almost unavoidable unless you lock your children in their room so they will never be exposed...(though authorities frown on this option).

Because of these painful truths, we propose inoculation through the use of God's Word rather than avoidance.

God in His providence chose to keep these details in the Word of God because there is something to be learned.  In every one of these passages above, there is punishment for those who have stepped outside of God's plan for the beauty of sex (Gen. 38, 2 Sam. 13, Lev. 18 & 1 Cor 5).  There is also celebration when sex is put into its proper placement (Song of Solomon).

We should encourage our children to have an age appropriate understanding of God's plan for sexual relations (for intimacy and procreation, Gen. 1:26-27) and the context for which such relations should take place (in marriage between one man and one woman, see Gen. 2:23-25).  From that foundation, we should point out to our children that every time these parameters that God has placed has been breeched, the consequences are tragic.  These consequences could have been avoided had those involved simply adhered to God's standard rather than the world's.

By not avoiding the uncomfortable passages of Scripture, we actually help train our children to navigate the pitfalls society is currently placing before them.  Besides, we would rather your children hear from God and from you, as a parent FIRST, before they are told by someone else.