THE Wren Nest

Reposted February 20, 2025

I was trembling as I began taking steps toward the park. Am I making a mistake? Am I doing something wrong? Will people associate me with others there? These questions and others crossed my mind as my shoes hit the pavement on the way to my first event. Holding a prayer object, I took a deep breath and began to recite familiar words of faith.

For those who don’t know, this prayer object is a chain of beads used by some during prayer. There are specific prayers for each type of bead with flexibility in what they might be. When I pray with it, for each small bead I choose to recite a simple, ancient prayer that has brought comfort over the centuries. As these prayers are repeated, one can also meditate on mysteries or specific intentions.

You might think I’m unusual (and I am) but that was not my mission at the event. I didn’t go to preach, yell, hold signs, or judge. No, I showed up to pray because people pray for those they care about. When certain behaviors are celebrated in our communities they must be confronted. A text says in response to such things people of faith are to strengthen their beliefs; pray sincerely; remain loving; await mercy; and reach out to some who doubt. This charge was what sent me to the event with a prayer object in hand. I was on a mission to love.

Prayer is a powerful tool against negative forces (not the people at the event). Regrettably many have forgotten the spiritual nature of our struggles and the efficacy of prayer. I still struggle with this at times. But what other recourse is there? We cannot change hearts or bring about change alone. But we can all pray. The question might be “Why actually go to the event? Couldn’t you pray from home?” and the answer is yes, I could. I could also remotely connect with a loved one for a celebration but I’d rather be there in person. For this same reason, I wanted to be at the event to pray for (not at) the people in attendance. The command to “reach out to some who doubt” deeply convicted me to be physically present in prayer for others there. People often interpret “reach out” to mean “explain” and it was only through guidance that my own understanding changed. I am not tasked with convincing anyone of truth, rather, I am to show they are mistaken about people of faith. The text strongly addresses problems within communities of faith. It is by prayer, humility, worship, and hope in mercy that some might be reached.

As I walked, praying aloud with sweat seeping through my shirt I soon realized all eyes were on me. Rightly so, prayer objects aren’t a common sight there. Even still, I was filled with empathy for the suffering felt by those present. Feeling isolated, I walked on and incorporated emotions and distractions from my surroundings into my prayer. I spoke the words of the prayer with each bead and meditated on the hurting souls around me. The effects of certain behaviors are not always evident to some. That is because they masquerade as powerful forces in the lives of those they affect. Imagine living a life of such confusion or hopelessness. It was that hopelessness revealed that rested upon every soul I passed. I had become unable to say the entirety of the prayer as I continued. As I would pray part of it my eyes would be drawn to a particular person, my heart broke for them and in that moment, they were brought into my prayer. And so, I continued, pleading for mercy upon those I prayed for until I returned to my car. Nearby, a performance was taking place on a stage. People were watching as a performer danced about. Some watched in awe while others seemed confused. As tents and canopies began to come down around me, foot traffic toward the parking lot increased. I stood for a moment and looked at a young child holding a flag blankly watching. Suddenly, I recalled a common lament that “they’ve stolen the symbol!” This is in reference to an ancient story.

Back in my car I began to meditate on the symbolic roots of that image. In the story it was a reminder that severe judgment would not come again. That’s when I realized its meaning has not been changed or lost. I do not mean this in the sense that it needs to be reclaimed. Instead, it still displays mercy even now. I watched as a crowd celebrated in their own way, all the while displaying this symbol. An image that shows that despite negative behaviors, there is mercy. Despite struggles, there is mercy. And when we choose humility and diligent prayer for the sake of others, there is mercy.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have Mercy On Me.

Reposted February 19, 2025

Disclaimer:
The following content was originally published in 2022. It reflects opinions and perspectives from that time and may not account for developments or changes that have occurred since then. This republication has been edited to remove all identifying information and is presented for discussion purposes only.

Drag Queens and the Push for Influence Over Children

For years, a common defense against criticism of certain activist movements has been the claim, “We just want to be left alone.” This narrative, however, doesn’t hold up under scrutiny. Evidence suggests that some within these circles—particularly those tied to academic and organizational efforts like storytelling events for kids—have ambitions that go beyond personal freedom. What started as a murmur has grown louder, echoing through public libraries and school classrooms, with a message that seems to demand access to young minds.

This series aims to explore a notable academic paper from the movement, one that outlines a teaching approach rooted in playful, boundary-pushing ideas for early childhood. The document, written by advocates within the community, reveals intentions that diverge from the public-facing assurances of harmless fun. We’ll start by unpacking the creators’ backgrounds, define key terms to understand their framework, and point to what I believe is a critical revelation about their goals.

Who Wrote This?

The paper comes from two figures deeply embedded in activism and academia. One is a professor specializing in gender and sexuality studies, while the other is a performer and organizer tied to a well-known children’s storytelling initiative, alongside pursuing advanced studies in media and culture. These aren’t fringe voices—they’re educated, influential, and deliberate in their work. Their paper offers a clear window into the motives behind these storytelling events, and I’ll argue it shows a plan to steer kids toward a lifestyle that challenges traditional norms, with broader implications for schools and families.

Key Terms to Know

To grasp the paper’s intent, let’s define a few concepts as the authors might see them:

• Queer: A rejection of fixed categories—gender, sexuality, or otherwise. It’s fluid, rebellious, and opposes what’s “normal” in society, often framed as a personal and political stance.
• Pedagogy/Praxis: The methods and goals of teaching, here applied to young kids, likely under 10 years old.
• Grooming: A term from anti-abuse advocates, describing manipulative tactics to gain trust, coerce compliance, and avoid detection—often by someone close to the victim, like a teacher. It starts subtly, confusing the child to exploit their natural reliance on adults.

These definitions set the stage for what’s argued in the paper: a teaching model that doesn’t just introduce kids to diversity but encourages them to adopt a worldview that rejects conventional boundaries.

The Big Reveal

Here’s the crux: the paper ends by suggesting this approach isn’t about showcasing different lives for empathy’s sake—it’s about teaching kids to live in a way that defies norms. It frames this as a playful, imaginative act, but I see it as a deliberate push to reshape how children think about identity, rules, and society. The goal, I’d argue, is to plant seeds for a broader cultural shift, starting with the youngest and most impressionable. This isn’t about tolerance—it’s about transformation, and the evidence lies in how they describe their methods.

Stay tuned for part two, where we’ll dig deeper into the paper’s own words to show how this plays out. If you’re skeptical, I encourage you to seek out the original document yourself. The ride’s just beginning.

Part Two: The Plan in Their Own Words

In the first part, we introduced a paper advocating for a storytelling movement targeting kids. Now, let’s let the document speak for itself. This isn’t about outside interpretation—their stated aims reveal a strategy to reshape young minds through a lens that views “normal” as inherently oppressive.

The paper traces the movement’s origins to a desire to connect toddlers with a culture defined by rejecting societal norms—a stance that’s both political and personal. It describes events where performers read books to kids, often with themes of breaking gender rules or embracing outsider status, sometimes tying these to playful yet edgy topics like messiness or bathroom humor. Picture that: adults in exaggerated costumes linking taboo ideas to a child’s daily life.

They go further, imagining a classroom where the teacher—dressed as a performer—upends the usual authority figure. Loud, rule-breaking, and extravagant, this figure urges kids to question everything they’ve been taught. The paper calls this “strategic defiance,” encouraging children to talk back and challenge norms. It’s not subtle: they want kids confused, their sense of right and wrong scrambled, to make room for a new identity.

The authors admit this goes beyond exposing kids to diversity or empathy-building tales. Publicly, the movement claims it fosters creativity and understanding, but the paper argues for something “deeper”—a dismantling of traditional values to cultivate a generation that rejects them outright. They frame norms as arbitrary, something to toy with, not respect.

This isn’t a side effect—it’s the point. The paper positions kids as raw material for a cultural overhaul, targeting their trust in family, tradition, and truth itself. To its advocates, these are oppressive shackles to break. To me, it’s a calculated effort to influence the next generation, starting with storytime.

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