Reading Bent or Immoral Stories

I've been reading some of the posts on a loop about Scarlet Letter. Even though I haven't read it since high school, I do plan to have my kids read it when they are old enough to discuss the issues. If I only had my kids read whole, wholesome stories, I don't think I would be preparing them for their future. I believe God wants us to train our kids to deal with the world and that includes reading "some" of their literature. I don't want my kids to only read bent stories, but I do think they need to read a few. If they read them under my guidance, then I can guide them through with a Biblical worldview. Lucky for me, we use George Grant's humanities curriculum and he lectures on the literature selections from a humanities and Biblical perspective.

Last year we read Epic of Gilgamesh - oh my! I wasn't prepared for that one, but it gave us great opportunities to discuss issues and compare that myth with the true account of the flood. Another of our books was the Iliad. Some might not want their kids to read Iliad because of the violence, but it was a fantastic story for our discussions and the nature of man. Let's face it man's nature hasn't changed since the beginning of the world. We can learn a lot from the classics in this way.

Just to let everyone know, I don't have my younger son reading any of this right now. I think parents know their kids best and they also know when is the best time to read books. I listened to Julie Earl a few weeks ago discuss Lord of the Flies on her Shakespeare CD. She discussed the value of reading bent stories. She did encourage parents to have their children read whole stories for the most part. When they are old enough, they need to deal with bent stories because the world around us is bent. (Thank goodness the end of the world's story is whole through Jesus Christ) As far as the Lord of the Flies, I don't remember it but my husband thinks it is a great book. I'm not too interested in reading about boys on an island and what happens. BUT, it is a great description of human nature. We think kids are all good until they grow up, but that is not the case. They have an old sin nature that takes control often. Golding does a masterful job of showing the nature of man, using "innocent" boys. (last sentence from dh)

Personally, I will always choose a whole book over a bent book for my own reading. But, I believe there is a place in our own studies and our kids' education for bent stories.

Blessings,
Kerry