Should a christian go to a waterpark?

[Tarheel Baptist]

I actually thought, at first glance, this was another 'parody thread'.
It would never occur to me going to a water park or the beach or a public pool was 'sinful'.
I just don't get it, I guess.....
I constantly have an identity crisis here....too fundy for the freebirds and too freebird for the fundys. 

 

[T-Bone]

I am wondering how far I can take my new found liberty in Christ. Should I, in good conscience, be able to take my family to a water park this summer?

Not being the Holy Spirit...not sure I can speak to how good your conscience is or how clear it is concerning this matter.  Been to many waterparks living here in Az...did just fine!  So did my kids! 

 

[brianb]

I went to water parks as a kid and teen and even though I was quite a lusty boy I was there for one purpose and it wasn't to look at girls. You are not helping your kids by keeping them away from these places. The only thing that really stuck with me besides the water and slides was the music they played (80's stuff like The Romantic's Talking in Your Sleep).

 

[T-Bone]

I guess you could look at it this way...probably neither Schaap or Braemer took their kids to the waterpark...look what it got them.

 

[Biker]

I love water parks, I love the slides, the water.
But I abstain from going b/c I don't care to be around people that have less than 1/3 clothing on.

I abstain from going to certain areas of the American River here due to nudists. End up with nightmares

I realize that we are exposed to indecently dressed people wherever we go, but at a waterpark I would be literally inundated all around by indecently, immodestly dressed people.

We've went twice this year and I've never seen "indecent" people.  Usually much more than what God intended to be covered, is.
But I am quite focused on having fun, and playing in the raging waters

There would be literally no way to escape the temptation to lust except to keep my eyes closed.

What Waterpark do you visit?

I have personally not arrived to the point where a scantily clad female would not tempt me to lust.

It will likely happen. God promises we are constantly being conformed to his image (Col 3)

Two: I have children that are approaching teen years.
Even if I was so spiritual that I didn't lust, my children most likely aren't.
I know what was going through my mind as a teenager.

It's not being so spiritual. Different people are triggered by different things.
I need communication. Somebody doesn't do it for me.

Third, I don't want my children to dress immodestly, so I'm not going to a place where no one is dressed modestly and be a stumbling block to the opposite sex.

It's not your responsibility to worry about those who lust after you. Enjoy being in shape, have fun. If you make a friend whom your attire becomes challenging,  try to accommodate them out of love. Satan wins when we get distracted.

If it were a place where girls only swam with girls, and guys with guys, I would have no problem.

I don't get it. Maybe it's a fundy thing.

But to think that immodestly dressed people don't cause others to lust is patently naive.

We aren't animals. But of course, some are easily affected by plain old skin. Others need communication along with it. It's all good.
As long as we're saved, that's what counts

 

[brianb]

I love water parks, I love the slides, the water.
But I abstain from going b/c I don't care to be around people that have less than 1/3 clothing on.

I abstain from going to certain areas of the American River here due to nudists. End up with nightmares

I realize that we are exposed to indecently dressed people wherever we go, but at a waterpark I would be literally inundated all around by indecently, immodestly dressed people.

We've went twice this year and I've never seen "indecent" people.  Usually much more than what God intended to be covered, is.
But I am quite focused on having fun, and playing in the raging waters

There would be literally no way to escape the temptation to lust except to keep my eyes closed.

What Waterpark do you visit?

I have personally not arrived to the point where a scantily clad female would not tempt me to lust.

It will likely happen. God promises we are constantly being conformed to his image (Col 3)

Two: I have children that are approaching teen years.
Even if I was so spiritual that I didn't lust, my children most likely aren't.
I know what was going through my mind as a teenager.

It's not being so spiritual. Different people are triggered by different things.
I need communication. Somebody doesn't do it for me.

Third, I don't want my children to dress immodestly, so I'm not going to a place where no one is dressed modestly and be a stumbling block to the opposite sex.

It's not your responsibility to worry about those who lust after you. Enjoy being in shape, have fun. If you make a friend whom your attire becomes challenging,  try to accommodate them out of love. Satan wins when we get distracted.

If it were a place where girls only swam with girls, and guys with guys, I would have no problem.

I don't get it. Maybe it's a fundy thing.

But to think that immodestly dressed people don't cause others to lust is patently naive.

We aren't animals. But of course, some are easily affected by plain old skin. Others need communication along with it. It's all good.
As long as we're saved, that's what counts

In America 100 or so years ago when people started going to beaches for swimming and recreation (it used to just be for fishing just like in the Bible) they would keep females separate from males. But it became a problem because it meant husbands separating from wives and brothers from sisters in families. It is mostly families that go to the beach in the summer so you see how this wouldn`t be popular. This was in a time when America was more conservative in how they dressed. It was even against the law for men to be shirtless up until the 1940s. What you`re seeing with fundies is they are trying to keep those old American ways alive but they also don`t see Jesus and the early church doing this and they are just trying to do what Jesus and the early church did. It`s not necessarily as some suggest because men have a lust problem - they may do it because they believe that`s what Jesus would want them to do.

 

[ChuckBob]

I reccomend Splash Country at Dollywood. Firetower Falls is a trip. Also, those mountain women will nip any lust problems in the bud.


ChuckBob

 

[Torrent v.3]

I am wondering how far I can take my new found liberty in Christ. Should I, in good conscience, be able to take my family to a water park this summer?

Yes, just be sure to be honest about your kids ages and pay the correct rates.

 

[kaba]

Your "confessions" were funny, Aleshanee!!! My 24 year old daughter still gets asked if she is 16! She loves it.  I think when I finally hit 60 (Many many moons from now) I will deny the discount at the movies! But I cant wait until my husband turns 55 so we can move to a 55 plus community...cheaper home prices.

 

[Torrent v.3]

I am wondering how far I can take my new found liberty in Christ. Should I, in good conscience, be able to take my family to a water park this summer?

Yes, just be sure to be honest about your kids ages and pay the correct rates.

i have a confession to make....  :-[ .... ...  i was getting into movies at the childrens rate well into my 20s...... they never even questioned me... .. i don;t do it any more..... but it;s been a couple of years since i started paying full price..... . .. .i just always figured it was payback for all the grief and disrespect i suffered for being short and looking like a kid..... which still happens occasionally...  :-\ ...  but not as often as it used to......

but one thing i still do sometimes is save my drink cup from mcdonalds and then go back in to refill it again even after i already left the restaurant......... . i know that;s terrible....  :-[ .....  and if i was still a catholic i would be going to confession about it .....  but hey.....  i played their stupid mcdonalds monopoly game for years even going there more frequently just to buy large root beers and french fries to play it... only to find out later all the winners were mcdonalds employees when the news reported the whole game had been a scam and an inside job....  ........  but i know.....  it;s no excuse......  :-\ ..... even thought they shorted me french fries on happy meals before i still have no right to do that.....  :-[....  .

Yes, you do.  You are catholic. I am priest.

I absolve you, my child of any guilt for taking that cup back to McDonalds for a free drink.  They make so many millions per year on drinks. It probably costs them $0.18 per drink and they charge $1.00.  SO you are just getting back to a place of equilibrium in the Universe of McDonalds Spending.

 

[OZZY]

I am wondering how far I can take my new found liberty in Christ. Should I, in good conscience, be able to take my family to a water park this summer?

If you feel the need to have to ask the posters here if it is right for YOUR family to do something . Please by all means wear a life jacket if you do go, I doubt if you can swim without assistance !

 

[Biker]

In America 100 or so years ago when people started going to beaches for swimming and recreation (it used to just be for fishing just like in the Bible) they would keep females separate from males. But it became a problem because it meant husbands separating from wives and brothers from sisters in families. It is mostly families that go to the beach in the summer so you see how this wouldn`t be popular. This was in a time when America was more conservative in how they dressed. It was even against the law for men to be shirtless up until the 1940s.

Interesting tid bits. I think we've swung too far the other direction

What you`re seeing with fundies is they are trying to keep those old American ways alive but they also don`t see Jesus and the early church doing this and they are just trying to do what Jesus and the early church did.

Jesus and the early church likely swam nude, in rivers, with the same sex. After exercise via sports or manual labor.
It`s not necessarily as some suggest because men have a lust problem - they may do it because they believe that`s what Jesus would want them to do.

True. Some people think it is scriptural. Constantly bombarding ourselves with sexy images...maybe the
cup just runneth over? Limiting somewhere known for playing hard and exercise, seems extreme to me. Limit the other 90% of places you go instead, such as the Mall. I do. I hardly go anywhere because it's like watching an episode of Jerry Springer. Health food stores, cycling shops, trails, biking, gardening, work, gas stations, church, subway, that sums up my life. Anything outdoorsy in nature. Outdoorsy events are game.

Going to the mall here is like watching a Jerry Springer show. Not pretty. whatever is there, I can get at Goodwill for cheaper anyhow. fix it if needed.
I'll go to Whole Foods Market and if I find a pretty woman at the nutt bar, then I may be inclined to start a conversation about the raw pistachios or whatever. One lady made my heart race but that's the extent of it. Pointing out a beautiful women to my friends and vice versa is fun.

Sadly many men (seems especially Christian men) think because they go ape over seeing too much skin, its typical of men in general. Each time this animal like mindset is presented, it reminds me of a Rapists mentality. They call their victims "indecent" also. Even when they are not. And funny how these perverts never apologize. Even when it's their minds running amuck...

It's probably my background of sexual abuse which prevents me from lusting after strange-rs. If I lust, it's not after strangers. And I could care less now. used to freak over it. Understanding that I do not have the gift for singleness  just reminds me how normal that body process is. Though it's sin, it is so normal a sin that God assigned men to be with women to curb it.

 

[Biker]

I am wondering how far I can take my new found liberty in Christ. Should I, in good conscience, be able to take my family to a water park this summer?

If you feel the need to have to ask the posters here if it is right for YOUR family to do something . Please by all means wear a life jacket if you do go, I doubt if you can swim without assistance !

Ozzy be nice to Alayman's son. He can't help it  :-X

 

[Castor Muscular]

i have a confession to make....  :-[ .... ...  i was getting into movies at the childrens rate well into my 20s...... they never even questioned me... .. i don;t do it any more..... but it;s been a couple of years since i started paying full price..... . .. .i just always figured it was payback for all the grief and disrespect i suffered for being short and looking like a kid..... which still happens occasionally...  :-\ ...  but not as often as it used to......

but one thing i still do sometimes is save my drink cup from mcdonalds and then go back in to refill it again even after i already left the restaurant......... . i know that;s terrible....  :-[ .....  and if i was still a catholic i would be going to confession about it .....  but hey.....  i played their stupid mcdonalds monopoly game for years even going there more frequently just to buy large root beers and french fries to play it... only to find out later all the winners were mcdonalds employees when the news reported the whole game had been a scam and an inside job....  ........  but i know.....  it;s no excuse......  :-\ ..... even thought they shorted me french fries on happy meals before i still have no right to do that.....  :-[....  .

That's funny.  Here's one of my confessions:

New Jersey beaches charge to get on the beach.  When I was a kid, they gave you a piece of cloth you'd safety-pin to your swimsuit, which was your "badge" to get back on the beach after going on the boardwalk.  They changed the cloth pattern every day. 

Often, my friend or sister would pay to get in while I waited on the boardwalk with my towel.  Then I'd "accidentally" drop my towel off the boardwalk onto the sand.  My friend/sister would pick up the towel and hand it to me with their cloth badge inside.  Then I'd use it to go on the beach.