[handmaiden]

Right now, out there in the non-Biblically concerned world, there is a discussion going on as to whether parents have a moral responsibility to feed their children's guests.

At first, I was willing to ignore this discussion because no one was presenting a Biblically-supported point of view. But now, I realize that Landover Baptist Church has a spiritual responsibility to weigh in on this issue.

So, is it Christian and American to feed your children's little friends when they come to visit? Or is that a way to encourage communism and allow other parents to shirk their duties?

The great irony here is that discussion centers on this cultural practice of not feeding freeloading children in Swedish households. Sweden, as we all know, is a tragically over-taxed hotbed of sex and socialism as well as the suicide capital of the world, beating out even Japan.

As a mere female with only a layperson's knowledge of the Bible, I would like to know what our learned senior membership has to say on this subject. No doubt True Christian™ parents may have a perspective as well.

[Jeb Stuart Thurmond]

If the kids are needy, they are allowed to harvest the dandelions from the edges of your lawn.

Which reminds me, the standard way people deal with this problem is become health-food nuts, or some kind of super-vegan weirdo. Or just tell them you're a dumpster diver.

Can you tolerate very, very, very spicy food?

[Johny Joe Hold]

This can be a teaching moment. Have a kid call up a pizza place and order a pzzia. Then have the kid watch the pizza place's dumpster. After an hour or so the place will toss his pizza in the dumpster, and he can dig it out.

When explaining this to a child you can repeat a wise saying, "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime."

[Joanna Lytton-Vasey]

The Swedes are as a rule all-round-unacceptable and I have little time for their curious ways, but in this case their behavior seems entirely reasonable. Just think about the practicalities. Imagine if, say, the Hutchins boys were round at your place and you were expected to feed them all. Worse still if it were my boys!

No, it is a parent's responsibility to feed their own children, when and if appropriate. I hope that is helpful, Sister?

[Johny Joe Hold]

Originally Posted by Joanna Lytton-Vasey

The Swedes are as a rule all-round-unacceptable and I have little time for their curious ways,

Maybe if mothers offered other people's kids the food Swedes and Norwegians eat the kids would go begging elsewhere. Swedes and Norwegians eat only white food, boiled white potatoes, white bread and white codfish. "Eye appeal" and presentation is not in their culture.

[Jeb Stuart Thurmond]

At least they're not closeted Pastafarians.

[Elmer G. White]

Based on my extensive Biblical knowledge and lots of sincere Prayers, I find that the premise of this question is where the problem lies: "Children's Friends"? Why by Jesus Christ our redeemer and Savior should children have friends? Friends can make our life tolerable, in direct opposition to what Jesus strives to achieve!

Luke 14:26
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

If children have friends and - even worse - if these friends can come over or - even worse - if there is a sleepover, it will make life less painful for the children in addition to the inevitable experimentation with sodomy. I say: if the situation is so much out of control that the children have friends, Satan is already wrapping his throbbing tallywhacker into coils of barbed wire ready to rape these younglings the very moment they - and their so-called friends - perish and fall into the abyss. Feeding is of course and obviously a no-no. Jesus will eventually take care of that if He pleases.

Revelation 7:17
For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.


Yours in Christ,

Elmer

[Roland]

Originally Posted by Jeb Stuart Thurmond

If the kids are needy, they are allowed to harvest the dandelions from the edges of your lawn.
[...]
Can you tolerate very, very, very spicy food?

I can weigh in on this one. Dandelions are not spicy. You need to toss in some chilies for that. Dandelion pasta is even more tame than the spinach one I posted earlier. For chili try this one, it is an easy recipe:

[Bezukhov]

"For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat" ( 2 Thessalonians 3:10 KJV )


I'm sure in every Christian home there's wood to be chopped, crops that need to be harvested, a dozen or so acres that need to be plowed...