Infiltrating Children’s Literature

When it comes to notions of the supernatural and the ideas of a battle between good and evil, generally, people pass it off. What is the reason for this? It ties to religion and the notion that you should never discuss politics and religion.

What if we don’t have a choice? What if religious concepts that are less favorable are packaged in cute little drawings detailing the very things most people do not want their little kids inundated with?  Well, it seems that by ejecting God and the notions of Judeo-Christian ideas about the supernatural, hell decides to seep in, and most places are numb to the very notion of it all.

Think of the Children

Morality, supernatural concepts, and religion are all innately within us.  The Christian Bible asserts that we all have a concept of morality dictated by our conscience. The Epistle of Romans states that God planted in us a conscience that understands universal right and wrong. We know that we are not supposed to outright murder, we have an understanding that thievery is wrong, and we definitely hate infidelity in our interpersonal relationships.

On the other hand, supernatural fascination is learned. Our culture has embraced everything except the Judeo-Christian perspective. Everything is fair game to believe and assert but the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. When they took away the 10 Commandments as well as the notion that God isabove all, we started seeing less and less moral behaviors and more and more hedonistic ones. These are middle and high schoolers.

Remember historically that the reading of the Bible was inherent to a good and thriving education? Well, that’s all gone. Now kids are either tax write offs used once a year by irresponsible fathers, or cudgels to use against detractors of your perspectives. But more often than not, they are targets to push a narrative for the future. Case in point, books found in your local retailer.

The Devil is a Lie

These words were made famous by American rapper Rick Ross in his song of the same name. It’s been said that the greatest trick the devil has gotten away with is convincing the world he doesn’t exist. But let’s be honest, we see that he does, and he’s coming after the kids. Author Aaron Leighton wrote a kids book entitled, “A Children’s Book of Demons.”

The book serves as the gateway to understanding the demonic and encourages children to call upon such with sigils that serve as “phone numbers” to call your very own demon.  The official Barnes and Nobles overview of the book states, “Don’t want to take out the trash tonight? Maybe you’re swimming in homework? Perhaps that big bully is being a real drag? Well grab your coloured pencils and sigil drawing skills and dial up some demons! But be careful, even if these spirits are more silly than scary they are still demons.”

A Barnes and Noble editorial writer notes regarding this book, “Leighton integrates a hands-on craft element into this playful guide that invites readers to conjure gentle demons by writing their sigils, which serve as “a phone number” straight to the spirit. The demons necessitate specific summons (a riddler named Corydon requires a sigil “drawn in bright red, the colour of a clown’s nose—preferably while you’re giggling”), and express specific characteristics and abilities that range from pragmatic to gross. They include “Flatulus,” whose talent is passing gas; “Quazitoro,” an expert at finding missing objects; and “Spanglox,” the supposed best-dressed demon in the underworld, who offers cutting-edge fashion advice. Leighton’s renderings of the multieyed, multiarmed, sharp-toothed demons are outlandish without being creepy, and the creative concept will likely inspire some readers to create demons of their own.

The book guides kids in how to essentially conjure up their own demons to do kid things like making up their own farts. Is it all fun and games? Maybe. But Barnes and Nobles, as well as Target and Wal-Mart, don’t offer coloring books with Bible characters or Bible stories. You have to go to a Lifeway store for that, and even that’s going to be antiquated soon enough, which means you better know what you’re looking for on Amazon, because Christian bookstores are going under.  

Raise Your Kids How You Want but…

There is definitely something to be said for the glaring hypocrisy and logical inconsistencies of today. People are vehement against religion but will look at astrology signs for help in garnering future understanding.  Morality is considered nothing but a social construct, and unless immoral actions are immoral if done to you. Your kids shouldn’t be forced to believe in some Flying Spaghetti Monster in the sky, but you have all the green light in the world to read a book that hints at giving them the means to call upon their own supernatural demon as an imaginary friend, and that’s alright!

Parent them how you’d like, but it is no wonder that when you block heaven from them, you let loose hell on them. While books like these are glamorized, Judeo-Christian values are indeed demonized, and Jesus is somehow is to blame for your downfall.