To think guns don't belong in Sunday school?

[anothersoddingcold]

Obviously not real ones but..... I'm involved in a largish Sunday school. Kids split into groups for a craft and teaching session then come back together for an active play session. Several of the younger leaders keep suggesting a Nerf gun session would be fun for this session. I hate toy guns with a passion anyway but the thought of twenty kids learning about the bible, being kind to each other etc....then coming out to tear around shooting each other just seems completely wrong? Or am I just an old fuddy duddy now? Thanks.

The Bible is full of violence. If guns bother you why not suggest they play stoning adulterers and sodomites (with fake rocks of course). Or catch and crucify (this is a version of tig).

Nah, let them stone each other instead.

Or turn each other into pillars of salt, or drown each other.

off ground smiting?

Tig you're a pillar of salt?

I would probably agree with you, I hate guns, plastic or otherwise.

Thinking about it, I might have to change my lesson plan for next week. I am teaching the primary aged children the story of David and Goliath, and at the end I had planned on getting them to use a pom pom shooter (which we are making during the session ) to fire pom poms at a life size picture of Goliath. It might be a little hypocritical even my dislike of toy guns.

YANBU. Jesus didn't stone anyone. I wouldn't like it either.

It's a Nerf gun. If anything it helps with hand eye coordination, not how to kill people with a foam sausage. Jesus litterally fucking wept. Get some perspective.

If you're actually genuine about this then you're 100% the reason why I (and several hundred others) wont use church playgroups either.

Guns bad
Misogyny, homophobia, slavery ok

Gotcha

I agree with you OP, that it would be very inappropriate. There must be dozens of other possible activities to choose from, that wouldn’t involve guns?
I used to teach Sunday school many years ago, in a farming community with 25 kids, mainly boys, to supervise. One week I rather unwisely let them re-stage the battle of Jericho, and had to explain to one parent why her dc was bleeding profusely from a split lip!

Erm I think the OP was saying she is teaching the kids about being kind to each other, not misogyny, homophobia and slavery

I agree with you OP. I don’t mind nerf guns really for playing with outside but I don’t think church is the place. How have you handled it with the younger leaders? Have you discussed with them why you object? If it was me, I would try and discuss with them and come to an agreement but I also wouldn’t want to alienate them by laying down the law. Maybe you can think together of some other physical activities that you could do that are less likely to descend into playing at combat? Parachute games maybe?

Um Araiwa could you highlight the part where I said misogyny, homophobia, slavery are ok? I can't seem to find that!
(And I'm gay by the way...100% accepted by my church)

Thanks for the replies everybody, interesting opinions and yes I take your point that the bible is full of violence I just look at the problems that guns are causing around the world and can't seem to see them as toys
I realise my two ds will want to use them eventually though so maybe I should lighten up.

Thanks misspotty, I think this post is driven by the fact that I probably haven't handled things well and and have just said "not in my sessions please" they've been ok ish about it as they're very nice people but perhaps I'm being ott.

It's a Nerf gun. A toy. A harmless foam dart shooter for children to play with. It is nothing like a weapon. What the heck is it going to teach children apart from how to have fun?

Its not like its a wooden cross, with somebody's child nailed to it until they are tortured to death

YANBU. I would pull my children out if any class or extra curricular where they did this. It is just poor taste. Might as well be making up rap songs full of made up profanities. It is an imitation of so etching harmful. Children are learning through play. Do you really want to teach them that shooting at each other is fun? Clay pigeon shooting-fine. Nursery guns-not fine.. It's mot the guns but the shooting at each other that is the problem.