Thursday, May 12, 2005

Some fights I have had part one

Thought I might share some of my fight stories, might share some physical fight stories but those are really old, or just sport matches so lack the emotional component.

I was a youth pastor at a church in California. Had a great bunch of kids, many from outside the church culture, and most into alternative music of some sort. I was pretty into punk rock at the time and was usually wearing my boots, had multi colored hair and so forth. I wasn't very popular with the other youth pastors, even though I was with their kids.

Well we planned a summer youth camp. We did this annually and it was always a good time. This year I was placed in charge of the after service hang out times. We decided to do theme night, encouraging people to dress up, and have fun with it.

The first night was disco night, the second was beach party night and the third was hip hop. We had evenst planned for each night.

The first night was pretty fun. We played Saturday night fever soundtrack, as well as many other disco staples. We had a dancing contest. And though not everyone dressed up there was quite a bit of polyester, and gold chains. It was fun.

The next night was scheduled to be great. Everyone put on their bathing suits, and we would play volleyball, have floor surfing contests, frisbee football and so forth. I picked out a great tape by the ziggens who play funny surfy punk music, but also have a positive attitude and no swearing and what not. Well the camp speaker decided to talk for two hours and we didn't have much time for anything so we just put the music on and let everyone hang out and play a bit of volley ball, and then the trouble started.

The kids from my group were dancing a bit, having a good time, and some of the other kids from one of the other youth group started pogoing, and mildly bumping into each other. It was kinda funny, we were all laughing. Well like I said there wasn't much time left so we called time and sent everyone to their cabins. Then the youth pastors had this urgent meeting.

Seems one the pastors had a big problem with this "mosh pit" that had been going on. And I was being told I had to tell my kids that moshing was not allowed at the camp. I not so politely told them that it was their kids that were "moshing" and besides who are we to be tell people which kind of dancing is good and which is not.

We got into a heated arguement. Mr. Kiss ass said, "well, you are the district leader and we are called by God to respect the leadership so whatever you say is what I'll do" Another said, "I just feel in my spirit that this is wrong" I pointed out that we had just had a disco dancing contest, and that disco was perhaps the most sexually promiscuous movement ever, and yet they have a problem with the least sexual form of dancing ever. Mr kiss ass even admitted that was a good point. I was told that there would be no more moshing for the remainder of the camp.

I responded, " I will not be intelectually dishonest with my kids, if you expect me to tell them that one kind of dancing is wrong but another okay, I will not do it. How are we going to tell them that moshing is wrong, but disco dancing and break dancing, (contest the next night), was okay. If you say no dancing period I will tell my kids that, but I will not single out moshing" They agreed and that was the official ruling.

The next night they decided to have a pillow fight instead. This included a gladiator type showdown between some of the bigger kids and youth pastors with the whole camp shouting for blood. There were many injuries, two people were knocked dizzy and one was actually knocked unconscious.

That was much better

the rev

4 comments:

Gareth Williams said...

It's obvious that the Bible teaches that jumping up and down is some sort of satanic ritual, yet whacking each other with pillows is okay!
Its amazing to think that we share the same faith with people like this (and more amazing that people probably have the same reaction to me and my religiosity.)

Anonymous said...

You're a funny dude. Good story.

Anonymous said...

That's quite odd. Its funny how being behind someone else's eyes leads to other perceptions of reality. And coming from good Christians who are to love and accept, etc. wow! A good chunk of personal religious time should be spent in tearing down curtains.

MS

Anonymous said...

at least fighting doesn't lead to sex....