How wrongful the foolish custom that has beset us, by deliberate trickery I am sure, that
we should call 13-17 year-olds children. We should call them young men and women.
I was "confirmed"
in a mainline church at 12, and deemed to be a young man, NOT a child anymore. Thus, I was to be able to understand
religious things for myself.
Wikipedia's article, Adult, notes that Jewish tradition sets 13 for adulthood.
And also, that many rites of passage
are accomplished around this age, world-wide.
Rightly so, the article notes that puberty
has occurred by this age, and thus, the person is able to reproduce.
We should not overlook
that the Creator is thus signalling that adulthood has biologically begun.
It is thus appropriate
that adulthood, socially, should be beginning, too.
I believe it is a great evil to call 13-17
year-olds, even 18 and 19 year-olds children, boys and girls.
What do we expect them ACT
like if we do this.
And how demeaning.
We should
insist they be called young men and young women and we should be expecting them to act like it.
The
Bible, in many places says Jesus Christ was to born of a woman, not a girl.
See this great
Youtube video, How old was Mary, the mother of Jesus, when she gave birth? (9:42minutes)
The say 12-14. Again the bible deems Mary to be a woman, in God's sight,
not a girl.
This practice of calling 13-17 year-olds boys and girls, is, I'm sure a deliberate
act of evil against God, and against us.