If my personal experiences count for anything, I would say that there are practices and doctrines in many Christian churches that are harmful in that they can exacerbate existing mental illnesses and traumatize children who are exposed to it. I know being exposed to behavior such as what is seen in this video was traumatizing to me as a nine year old boy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6ck5...eature=related

I just wonder how many Christians on this forum see this as mentally healthy behavior and safe for children to be exposed to. Here's a video that claims that such behavior is "proof of god". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAWF_...eature=related Same kind of madness. Here is a forum site in which a woman shares some of the trauma she suffered in a Pentacostalist organization. http://www.psychforums.com/cult-abuse/topic2609.html . Here is an article on a study of tongue talking from neuroscience and what parts of the brain are involved. http://mindhacks.com/2006/11/09/the-...ng-in-tongues/.

Here is another study of the phenomena.

http://www.slate.com/id/2153947/

Another thing that I question when it comes to exposing kids to are some of the doctrines and beliefs that are taught to children. An eternal burning hell, missing the rapture, the devil , just to name a few horrors that children are regularly exposed to in churches all over the world. No one has explained to me , to my satisfaction anyway, what the difference is in sitting a five year old down in front of a Tv and having him watch a Stephen King or George Romero movie, or just listen to a sermon where a preacher describes hell as if he was born and raised there, or how horrible it will be on Judgement Day when your name's not found in the Lamb's Book of Life, or what awaits you if you miss the Rapture. I wonder how many Christians think it's healthy to expose kids to this kind of thing?