23 Comments

1. 

   Donna October 8, 2011 Reply

   Your story brings back memories. How weird is it that we didn't realize how weird that kind of thinking was?!

2. 

   "Hannah" October 8, 2011 Reply

   Anyone remember the rule prohibiting snowball fights? What the... Throwing a snowball was not allowed. Except it seems there was an exception made for the orphans and their caregivers. And it's a good thing, b/c I had no intention of depriving them of such a small, simple pleasure.

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     Donna October 8, 2011 Reply

     oh, i remember that in Russia. 1993. crazy. lol. snowball fights were foolish back then.

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     "Hope" October 8, 2011 Reply

     How sad! I'm grateful snowball fights were usually allowed at the training center in my corner of the woods, although it was a rare occasion when it snowed in Skiatook, Oklahoma! I remember vaguely one time we had an all out snowball fight with two teams, a snow fort and everything. Unfortunately, I was usually so intent on my work that many times I didn't make it out to join the others for the fun times. My intensity in my work did end up "biting me" later on when I wasn't able to keep going physically! I learned the hard way how important fun, rest, and relaxation are!

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     Elizabeth Cook October 9, 2011 Reply

     Yes, I remember when it snowed during a counseling seminar at ITC. The girls from Texas (and probably other southern places) were screaming and happy. Some of them went out and were throwing snowballs, etc. Mr. G talked with us at breakfast about how the Proverbs 31 woman probably wouldn't have thrown snowballs - at least in a parking lot where they could break car windows.
     
     Sigh. I remember thinking that prohibiting snowball throwing seemed rather extreme (although being careful not to break windows was probably a good idea). Last I checked, the only things Prov. 31 said about snow was that the family was well prepared with the proper clothes.

     • 

       "Hannah" October 9, 2011 Reply

       How the heck does a snowball break a car window?

     • 

       Aimee October 12, 2011 Reply

       I was wondering the same thing ... how hard and how fast must a snowball be for it to actually break a car window? ... I mean, really?

3. 

   "Hope" October 8, 2011 Reply

   Reading your post at first made me want to laugh when I heard Mr. G's response! Then as I read, I felt saddened to see how deep the "no fun" idea went. Taking time for fun has been challenging for me at times too, although I hope I'm growing in that area. After my first year of living overseas, one friend (who'd worked overseas 20 years) told me I needed to watch a movie each week just to de-stress, relax, and have fun! This past year, which was my third year overseas, the game nights with friends were sometimes a lifesaver in helping me relax and regain perspective. Scheduling fun is so important to healthy living! I smile when I think of one friend this year sharing that one of her goals was to implement more "fun" into her life! That encouraged me too. Along the same lines, I've often heard that laughter is a key to being able to serve long-term in ministry. I loved it last year too, when I saw one of my supervisors conducting a serious meeting and then breaking it up with humor or frivolity.
   
   I like what you said to about learning that God wants me to live in joy. How freeing that concept is!
   
   Thanks for your post!

   • 

     Rachel K. October 14, 2011 Reply

     even Jesus knew how to have fun. i mean, He hung out with His buddies (the disciples) on a boat (I'm on a boat!), had a dinner party with a bunch of good 'ole boys, and provided the wine at a wedding. we should follow His example. :)

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       "Hope" October 14, 2011 Reply

       Rachel,
       
       Thanks for the reply! I loved the examples you gave too! (I think this is the Rachel K I know, if not, sorry!) Wish you could have been here tonight and seen me dancing - yes dancing! I'd love to dance together sometime! I have a vague memory of one dance at ES - do you remember that? After teaching that session at ES how many years ago...my face goes red thinking of all I taught! Man...wish I could change it! It was my first time dancing in the US (I'd joined in overseas on some of their dances) and it was great! I loved learning the makarina! It was great looking around at everyone's faces too - everyone was so full of joy and fully expressing it with their whole body! The dance was a fitting celebration of what God had done in our hearts during the past week at a conference/workshop. It's great to be free to express! Yay!
       
       -Eureka

4. 

   Laura Iversen October 8, 2011 Reply

   this was post me, but I believe it. sports were banned. we still played co-ed volleyball at Labor day, but it may have been the last time. I've had the same problem since them, and it's really helped me to be with Pastors (WOMEN!) who think it's spiritual to have fun!!! :)there's all sorts of Jesus all over some movies.

5. 

   SaraJ October 9, 2011 Reply

   "Amuse" means, literally, "without thinking." And since it's obvious that there is no time God wants us to NOT be meditating on Him and His work, then we shouldn't seek out times of "amuse"ment. That's a rough summary of a talk Gothard gave at one of the early seminars at the ITC. He also talked about how he came across two young men with a newspaper. It was bad enough they were reading the newspaper, but then they said they were just reading the comics, which made it ten times worse!
   
   He drew comparisons several times between "foolishness" and "humor." In retrospect, humor seemed limited to witticisms and funny skits. Everything else was simply wasting God's time.
   
   I hadn't heard the HQ story, but having been properly primed, I would have agreed that the staff had a lot to repent of. Imagine making animal sounds at HQ!
   
   I am not a goal-driven, serious-minded person, so while I was in constant fear of committing "amusement" or even "folly," this teaching wasn't one that worked its way down deep. But obviously it's stayed with me, since I go through that etymology of "amuse" nearly every time I see the word.

6. 

   SaraJ October 9, 2011 Reply

   Did I say "young men"? I meant "fellas," of course.

7. 

   BeverlyB October 9, 2011 Reply

   I can just see the new slogan for ATI's HQ and Training Centers: "Giving the World a NEW Approach to Life: Taking the 'fun' out of 'Fundamentalism'!" Of course, then Fundamentalism would just be called "Damentalism" which sounds rather... demented... and scary. I don't know, maybe they should just keep the fun in Fundamentalism for now... It's sooo much better for their P.R., even if it's not included in practice. he he! ;-)

8. 

   Lauren B October 9, 2011 Reply

   I remember some fun times at the Oklahoma City training center. We had an incredibly fun spontaneous snowball fight during our walk to the park when it snowed unexpectedly one day. Of course, there were no more snowball fights after that. However, my time there teaching Character First! was enjoyable for the most part only because of a few leaders who weren't quite as strict in that area. I remember the guy in charge of CF teachers would pick up my group on Fridays. We called it the Fun Friday van group (remember those, John and Brian?). We got off a little earlier than the other groups so he would do things like take us for ice cream or give us a 7-minute tour of some small museum they had there. Whatever it was, it was extremely time-limited, but I appreciated his effort to throw a little fun into the harsh routine.
   The director at that time did try to squelch our picnic/hike - one of the very few times any of us left the training center for reasons other than CF teaching or church. That story's already been told on this site. Basically, I had to write out the whole book of Jonah because I couldn't remember minor details like Jonah's dad's name (didn't realize that was an important insight?). I remember being grateful that my Friday schedule had enough breaks in it for me to finish writing it out by the 5pm deadline so I could go on the trip the next day. But while I submitted to the ludicrous demand, I thought how ironic it was that I was spending my breaks in this way instead of playing with the children I came to teach and building relationships with them on the playground, the reason all of us were there in the first place. And all in order to placate someone who begrudged us a picnic and a hike!
   Oh, and I had a lot of fun on that hike. So there!

   • 

     Rachel K. October 14, 2011 Reply

     we had a fun van group too! at itc, when they had the inner city school. it was co-ed, and we talked all the way to school. yes, to the boys. and the boys talked to us! imagine that! mr. leckenby would roll his window down, even in the winter, pass his london fog over coat back to the girls who always got cold, and crank the heat up. the girls sat in the back, with the boys in the front. sigh. those were good times. and good friends!

9. 

   Wendy Blake October 10, 2011 Reply

   And the guilt over the wasted time that I had spent at home. I remember telling one girl how I used to spend an hour or so every day during the summer tanning and feeling horrible about how that time could have been used memorizing Scripture while I was tanning. She gave me this look of, "What about the tanning?" So I quickly explained that it was where no one could see me... which didn't help any. hahahaha
   I remember the "no playing in the snow" at the ITC. However, they did allow volleyball for which I am very 'grateful' since I would have literally gone crazy if they didn't. LOL

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     Tammy October 10, 2011 Reply

     Lol! Wendy. One of my favorite things to do is tan while listening to christian radio. It is so relaxing for me and brings my blood pressure down. I do a lot of thinking and praying during those times. "All work and no play makes Joe/Jane a dull boy/girl."

     • 

       Wendy Blake October 11, 2011 Reply

       Hahaha Me too Tammy!!! I really love laying out in the sun!!! I read or watch my children play or just relax and think and pray too!!! :D God made the sun and God made me and the two just totally agree with each other. LOL

   • 

     Aimee October 12, 2011 Reply

     I was accused of going to the tanning beds ... I've never been, but that didn't stop tongues from wagging behind my back ... I tan extremely easily and spend a lot of time outdoors. When I attended a week-long conference in the summer at OKC the rumors flew. Finally someone just out asked me how much time I spent in the tanning salon. It seemed an odd and silly question to me even then. ;D

10. 

    Donna October 10, 2011 Reply

    When I was home on a break, my dad got tickets to the circus for the family and I declined because I was scared God would be disappointed with my foolish use of time. I was soooo drunk on the Gothard's kool-aid. =( embarassing.

11. 

    Rachel K. October 14, 2011 Reply

    i totally get this! although i don't remember experiencing this mind set at a training center (although i'm sure it was like that), i do remember it being a big deal at home. having fun and "wasting time" was akin to dreadful sinning. i mean, really? reading a hardy boys book was going to rot my brain? i still feel compelled to always be doing something useful, so if anyone sees me, i won't get pegged as a loser.

    • 

      "Hope" October 14, 2011 Reply

      That's so sad! Wish we were closer together and hang out and do "nothing"!