As a youth director, I pride myself on coming up with some pretty awesome games. As can be expected, however, some days I just don’t have the imagination or time- and resort to checking out the good ol’ Youth Specialties game idea books.
I’ve noticed often that some of the games seem pretty inappropriate- and I’d hardly consider myself conservative when it comes to levels of appropriateness. What I’m referring to are games where the rules state for the girls to ‘ride’ a guy like a horse, or games where kids are supposed to line up ‘guy/girl, guy/girl’ and then pass an object between them using their mouths, or necks, etc.
Let’s go ahead and ignore the possible awkwardness and sexual inappropriateness within the context of ministry that these games can promote- and just look at this fact; That any game that involves proximity or touch in any way that could even MILDLY be construed as sexual- the directions explicitly, and consistently, demand the pairs be guys with girls.
So, my question is this: Were the creators of these game books just simply creating uncomfortable fun by assuming the best bet for hilarity was pairing up guys and girls? Or were they explicitly avoiding anything that could be viewed as homosexual touch?
April 11, 2008 at 7:25 am
um the youth group at my church was playing dodge ball the other day. i thought that was an odd choice. next thing i know there was this little Pete Wentz look-a-like emo kid in tight black jeans, rolling on the floor in pain. Said the kid who nailed him the crotch; ‘dude it is what he gets for wearing girl jeans.” I wanted to punch the mean kid in the mouth, But that is why am the children’s director not the youth director.
April 12, 2008 at 1:13 pm
I know I shouldn’t laugh at your story, but my immature side says that I must. We’ll just credit it to good story telling… yes, that’s what we’ll do.