[Anonymous]

Dear Merry,

I believe the objection lies in the idea that groups of people know for having no resepct or feeling for the original belief system of others.

Missionary activity is something that makes people with other cultures and beliefs systems uncomfortable. Missionaries in human history are well known for putitng their own belifs forth at the expense of the cultures they come into contact with,.. often destroying them utterly and intentionally.

(look at the native hawaii's and native american tribes in American history alone)

SO when people start talking about using their clowning to minister to children it smacks loudly and somewhat offensively of propoganda. It comes across as people trying to convert your children behind your back.

And I'm sure all of the people here who have children would take offence to find out that their children were being taught that their beleif system was incorrect and that they should actually be scientologists or shiite muslims behind their parents backs.

Tha is one of the main causes of offence that MANY MANY people take.
And to have people start veiwing all clowns this way is somehitng that makes the other clowns uncomfortable.

There seems to be a real push in american clowning to dirve out allclowns that don't fit into a certain very small and mundane category. Especially any that don't jibe well with the christian mythos and some of it's tennets.

Also the attitude that those of us who do not believe in ministration through clowning are inherently wrong for doing things that don't fit into your beliefs is very off putting.

So it is a matter of unclear motivations and a history off shady behavior that make others take umbrage at the idea of people teaching gospel to children under the guise of clowning.


That and the attitude that ministry clowns take towards those who clown for anyone other than just little kids are what make other clowns (a few I know personally) and manymany normal peopel outside of the clowning community uncomfortable and very much distrusting of your actions.

I hope that clarifys things slightly and that with this knownledge you might be better able to bridge those gaps that pop up in this community.

Love and Puddles,
Inky Bobo,
(Loyal Sidekick)