The costs we are responsible for...

(Please keep updated concerning the upcoming protest demonstration at Mars Hill Church this weekend: http://groups.google.com/group/stopthehitting ).

What are the costs of hosting Ted Tripp here in Seattle at Mars Hill Church?

Let's check his website:

http://www.gfchazleton.org/ministry/seminar_host_info.htm#promotion

2. What costs am I responsible for?

The seminar host is responsible to cover the following costs:

■ $3,000.00 speaking fee

■ Travel
- We will procure the airline ticket.

■ One night's lodging

- We ask that you procure the lodging since you will know the most about accommodations in your
area. Due to his frequent traveling, Pastor Tripp prefers to stay in a motel if possible. Pastor Tripp
usually arrives Friday in the late afternoon or early evening, and departs immediately after the seminar
concludes.

■ Checks must be made payable to Grace Fellowship Church.

- You will be invoiced the week after your seminar for the balance of $2,500.00 ($3,000 - $500 deposit)
plus travel costs.

It strikes me that he has not included all the costs on this list.

Here's some other costs:

1. Children will pay pain, fear, bewilderment and anxiety. Some will pay their sexual and/or emotional health. Some may pay their physical health.

2. Parents will pay the price of their compassion and parental instincts not to hurt their babies and children. Some will pay their healthy relationships with their children.

3. Extended families and friends will pay their unity and peace to Ted Tripp, as relationships are frayed by disagreements over his punitive practices. How many in the Christian community have seen grandparents alienated from their children and grandchildren (I have), or have seen long-time friends painfully divided over punitive discipline techniques (I have).

Please check the articles on the "Parenting in Jesus' Footsteps" website:

http://parentinginjesusfootsteps.org/

Here's the testimony of a woman who got Tripp-like spankings, and what they cost her:
http://www.nospank.net/carol2.htm

"Mother firmly believed in spankings as discipline for her children because they "worked" so well. All she needed to do if my behavior displeased her was say, "Carol, do you want a spanking?" and that would frighten me into obeying her. And if she told me to do the dishes and I didn't do them very well and got spanked for it you can bet those dishes were unusually spotless for the next couple of days. But spankings also left me with lifelong emotional and sexual problems that I still don't know how to fix despite years of therapy. My mother got an obedient daughter and cleaner dishes and I got a lifelong mess inside me."