We’ve had cruddy playgrounds this week and surly employees last week and gyrating nannies recently, but here’s our first report of playground proselytizing courtesy of a compelling Park Slope Parents posted email sent to us by one of our reliable and dedicate Park Slope source who enjoys sharing the wealth of info with the public at large:
FYI, the fundamentalist christian groups are back for the season proselytizing to children without parents consent in our playgrounds. Last year CEF handed out candy and coloring books but asked the kids first if they accepted Jesus Christ as their personal savior. This national para-church (CEF, Child Evanglism Fellowship comes to urban playgrounds through local church sponsorship with the sole purpose of converting children. It is actually very difficult to discern if the proselyters are CEF because they seem to hide behind their local sponsorship. If this practice is offensive to you, I advise you to call the parks department, ask the proseltyzers for their permits and then call the parks officers (they rarely have a permit and they should not be handing out things to children).
What next?
6 responses so far ↓
1 Jerry // Jul 1, 2008 at 12:22 pm
What kind of permit does one need to proselytize?
2 HankCee // Jul 1, 2008 at 1:14 pm
They are also on 5th avenue. They have a little table set up on a few corners, I have to walk by one on 12th st, everyday on the way to the gym.
They say the are from Oklahoma, had out water & try to get you to talk about Jesus. To me, it doesnt seem that they are just targeting kids, but adults too.
Kinda annoying
Whither the Hare Krishnas or the “smoke, blow” guys of washington square?
Makes me yearn for those days.
3 Julie // Jul 1, 2008 at 4:13 pm
If you plan to hold an event such as a puppet show, sing along, prayer meeting, or wish to distribute materials including fliers, books, samples, pamplets in a NYC playground or park you must first apply for and be approved for a permit. There is no law against proselytizing per se, but it sure is alarming when one’s children are approached by strangers and asked if they have been saved by J.C.
4 smartfather // Jul 1, 2008 at 4:34 pm
A perfect example of why you should teach your kids to NEVER talk to strangers. Especially these types of strangers.
http://www.smartfathers.com
5 Brenda from Flatbush // Jul 1, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Years ago, a local evangelical church ran a horrid after-school program in a then-vacant lot on our corner of Caton Ave. and Marlborough Rd., opposite PS 249; “Yogi Bear Sunday School” (unlicensed use of character, of course) would pull the kids in with a coupon for a free hot dog, and then they’d sit ’em down on tarps and holler about Jesus. I put up with them as well-intentioned fellow Christians until I heard them pumping out anti-Catholic hate speak; then things got interesting.
6 dolt-Dad // Jul 2, 2008 at 12:21 am
I wish one would approach my kid. She’d eat’em for lunch…