Today as I was leaving the church office, my eyes came across a black and white picture laying on a work desk. I looked again; it was a picture page out of a children's coloring book ... depicting the courageous and cruel story about a man of God. This was a story from the Old Testament showing Daniel in the Lion's den.
A rather scary time for Mr. Daniel!
Way back when I was a kid in Sunday School, well, we weren't so politically correct. The way I recall it Daniel was to be placed into a dark smelly den of hungry lions to be cruelly killed and eaten alive.
Chills!
But God intervened! Teaching points, faith in God and courage.
In my day our illustrations were so vivid and detailed you could practically smell the den. These pictures were the result of courageous illustrators who dared to illustrated the truth.
I think that's what caught my eye was today's new type of Curriculum; the difference was so obvious.
In this politically correct color-book picture you see chubby young Daniel with a smile, next to this well-fed and relaxed lion with a smile and a mischievous look. Two friends and a den.
No fangs, blood and broken bones. No skin and bones or lions ready to jump on Daniel and turn him into meat. Nice kitty!
I wonder how the other pages of this Old Testament coloring book were illustrated. How did this sensitive illustrator handle David chopping off Goliath's head? Way too bloody to show kids! Lets just follow David as he walks along picking up his rocks. That will be nicer and isn't nice what truth is all about?
On Television and Cable parents get an advance warning, a disclaimer of sorts protecting their little darlings, lest they catch a picture of reality.
It seems truth is not as important as the spin you give it! Keep life ... smiles, and Happy! Happy! Happy!
And the book will sell well.
