When it comes to any kind of media, written or electronic the reader or viewer brings all their own experience to the table and what they understand from watching or reading tells as much more about them than it does the book or visual production.

I was so surprised when I talked to my MIL about the movie Dead Poet’s Society. I had a completely different view of the ending than she did. She thought the institution that punished the teacher did exactly the right thing. I felt that he had been unfairly blamed. We both saw the same flick but we each had different experiences with parents, institutions and teachers that affected our appreciation for the movie.

So as much I don’t enjoy the cartoon versions of the scriptures either on video (the kids see what color the shoes are and other irrelevant minutia) or in books I have decided it is not a terrible thing to start there. As long as one progresses to the real thing later and keeps an open dialogue going. Ultimately, over time, the right questions will be asked and the answers will make themselves evident.

Regarding Researcher (#27)’s comment, I’m not sure I agree. PG-13 movies might cover the specific acts, but I don’t think they come anywhere near the moral complexity represented by your average wacked-out Bible story (my current favorite: the story of Tamar in Genesis 38. I wrote a 5,000-word personal essay trying to work out what it all means, with not a lot of definitive conclusions). Most PG-13s (and most movies, period) take place in a pretty simplistic universe of good vs. evil or else they just don’t deal with very heavy moral issues.

And it seems like this is how we teach scriptures to kids and teens as well. It wasn’t until I got to college that I spent more than a minute or two thinking about whether Nephi’s killing of Laban REALLY was justified, or why it was OK for Jacob (and his mom) to do all that scheming to get the birthright. All the way up through seminary, these stories are presented in a basic/formulaic context: “Story X teaches Principle Y. The end.” (At least this is what I recall.) But in my own study now I am constantly struck by the feeling that (A) this story doesn’t mean what people always told me it means, or (B) I don’t think I’m getting all the information here, or (C) if everything I’m reading here is accurate, then God has a much more complex understanding of morality than I do.

But, sigh, what to do about it? I’d prefer my kids get a strong testimony that the scriptures give us good guidance and inspiration BEFORE they start worrying about all the nitpicky stuff, so it seems that the only thing to do when they’re young is give them the relatively non-controversial stuff, at least when we’re talking about moral messages.

But, I like the VeggieTales for my own viewing. They’re funny and cute. Kids have different standards than adults, thank goodness: if they enjoy it, and it doesn’t actually teach bad things, I’m not sure I see the harm.

Oh, and in case you folks were at all curious: the Church itself censors (and by censors I mean “skips”) huge chunks of scripture at least through Valiant 12. Our lessons up through tomorrow are:

– The Book of Mormon, a Gift from a Loving Heavenly Father
– Nephi Follows His Father, the Prophet
– Obtaining the Brass Plates
– The Tree of Life
– Lehi and His Family Are Led through the Wilderness
– Heavenly Father Commands Nephi to Build a Ship
– Crossing the Sea
– The Prophet Jacob Is Confronted by Sherem
– Enos Prays, followed immediately by:
– King Benjamin Teaches His People (that’s this week for me due to a snowstorm that canceled church last week, and no, I didn’t skip any lessons.)

Tomorrow morning I’m going to start with a genealogical chart and a brief rendition of “everything we’re missing in Jarom, Omni, the Words of Mormon, and the first five chapters of Mosiah.”

And by the way, we really did skip the entirety of Nephi’s time as a prophet, everything Lehi told his sons, and most of Jacob’s ministry. If you’ve ever wondered why your kids think of Nephi as a young kid (or why your teenagers say “Enos? Isn’t he that guy who prayed?”) this would be part of it. As far the actual written lessons in the book are concerned, Nephi is eternally young, and it’s not clear how, e.g., Laman turned into a tribe of Lamanites. I make a point of telling the kids that such-and-such died before the next guy took over (Laban and Sherem make two deaths total in ten lessons that cover something like two hundred years.)

Oh… and Dinah and the arms being cut off and Lot’s daughters and beheadings and a prophet of God sending a man to his death just to steal his wife (but we still read his poetry)? They freak me out and I’m 27. I don’t think it’s terrible to refrain from telling those stories to a young child.

I realize, however, that the discussion here is about young children. I joined the LDS church when I was close to adulthood, and did not become “active” until my children were small – so we have really learned together. I had (and still have) no problem telling them that I do not know or understand some things, that some things take time. Perhaps they will gain an understanding of the principle of line upon line…

By the way, I was able to finally understand Lehi’s vision of the Tree of Life by watching the Living Scriptures video. And although I find the cartoon readers lame, my children did like them when they were younger – and I was happy they were reading – well, learning – the scriptures.

When I first saw them it wasn’t the amusing take on the scriptures that bothered me. It was the light-hearted spoof of great literature. Omlet, the selfish prince of Denmark who won’t share his eggs with anyone plays a game of Battleship. “2-B?” “Not 2-B!” Omlet mumbles his dismay that he did not hit his opponent’s battleship. Sacrilege!

In a different episode actual grapes sing, “We are the grapes of wrath. We’ll never take a bath. Its our style to seldom smile and never laugh!” Steinbeck rolls in his grave every time it’s played.

The kids love it and so far seem to be taking their Veggie Tales with a pinch of salt.

Hulbut (at least the 1932 edition my wife grew up with) is hardly censored at all. The Jael story includes every detail from the Bible. And a storytelling volume, Hurlbut is far superior to anything the LDS Church has put out.

He’s 11-years-old hasn’t so much as grimaced at violent or sexual stories from the BoM. Not a blink.

He swore of girls forever, though, last week after making the fatal mistake of asking his always-forthright Dad what a “yeast infection” is after sitting through a Monistat commercial.

Yeah, son. Keep thinking that way. At least until you’re post-mission. :)

I started reading the NT to my kids when my oldest was four. I used a modern English version–not a paraphrased one but a real translation. They were exceedingly short sessions. I was sure no one was listening until the day my oldest climbed up next to me and said read the part about Jesus spitting in the dirt and healing the blind man.

Parent’s know what their kids are ready for. It is better to expose them to too much yourself than to not expose them enough and have them learn it elsewhere.

I have been a little squeamish about teaching my daughter about the Crucifixion and Resurrection (Easter is coming up). Right now I just explain that Jesus suffered for us and died and that he was resurrected. We have a few family members who have passed away and so she knows that resurrection means that their spirits will come back to their bodies some day. But I do try and shield her from some of the more difficult aspects of the scriptures. She’s only 4. I read the entire Book of Mormon by myself when I was 11 and don’t remember being bothered by much except wondering what ‘fruit of my loins’ meant. My parents thought it was funny when I asked them that…