To do or not to do??? (I mean: to respond or not???)

[Esther]

hi,

I haven't posted here for a while, but I do try to read posts whenever I can.

I'm on a Christian email list for moms (most of them American) and I just read this there:

>>Yes! We did it! We translated Michael and Debi Pearl's
book "To train up a child" in Russian! 1000 copies gone in 2006! <<

:jawdrop :no2 :cry

I'm not sure whether to say anything to this 'little' comment... If I did, I'd probably open a HUGE can of worms...
Most moms there are of the punitive mindset/Pearl fans.

What do you think???
Is it worth saying anything? Would they be even open to hearing me at all???

Or shall I just unsub???

[Rabbit]

I might reply with something, then wind up unsubbing after that.

[hsgbdmama]

"I'm looking forward to seeing your translations of non-punitive parenting books, so people have another viewpoint."

And then unsub. :/

[TulipMama]

*shrug* You could let them know that they aren't the first. . .

http://www.tulipgirl.com/mt/archives/000643.html



Where are they in Russia? It is very, very mistaken to "evangelize" American "Christian" parenting ideas in a very, very different culture.


Send them to my blog post. I'd be happy to dialogue with them about how foolhardy it is to promote the Pearls in FSU countries.

[CelticJourney]

Pray about it. Is this someone who posts on that forum often? I can think of many better books to translate than that one for sure! I can't really make any suggestions because I probably wouldn't think twice about saying something (not necessarily a good, 'make friends' triat). If you speak, just do it in love and with grace.

[TulipMama]

Okay, posting again because it makes me very, very angry to evangelize cultural ideas like the Pearls' parenting and is imperialistic and very, very unwise. :banghead Do you know how many "functional" families I knew in Ukraine? Very, very few. Do you know how many people I knew (and yes, within the church) with alcohol problems? Not that these problems are unique to FSU countries, but they are so rampant that introducing a book like the Pearls is asking for church-sanctioned abuse.

Where is the Gospel in TTUAC? It's missing. So why use it to evangelize and disciple Russian-speaking believers? (Or any believers, for that matter. . .) :banghead

[Esther]

Everyone, thanks for your input!
Tulipmama, your link is fantastic. :tu

It's late here, so I'm off to bed. I'm praying about putting together a fitting response to that list.

Will let you know what happens. It might take a little while, because it's a moderated list. My post may not even get through...

But I really feel I need to speak up somehow.

:heart

[Esther]

Update: (it's Friday morning here, just after 9AM)

Late last night I got around to sending a response to that list.
It went like this:
hi ********,

Welcome to the list!

The following in your signature line caught my eye:
>>Yes! We did it! We translated Michael and Debi Pearl's book "To train up a child" in Russian! 1000 copies gone in 2006! <<

May I ask what your connections are with Russia? Have you lived there??? I'm just curious what made you translate TTUAC in Russian.

Please check out this link:
http://www.tulipgirl.com/mt/archives/000643.html

It seems others have already done the same. Or is this what you're doing???

Love & blessings,
Esther in NZ

And this morning I found 2 private messages in my inbox from 2 other moms on that list and they both said how happy they were I posted what I wrote.
One said she loved my post and thought she was the only Pearl dissenter and the other said she reads Tulipmama's blog regularly!
It's early days, I might get more responses.

I'm just praying it will open someone's eyes at least...
BTW, I loved the bit by Doug Wilson on your blog, Tulipmama! He is highly regarded on the list I'm on.

To be continued???

[mwwr]

:popcorn

[CelticJourney]

Cool! And another advocate for children is born! :happytears

[Rabbit]

That is just awesome.