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Why American Parents Should Reject ‘Three Harmful Lies’ in Today’s Culture, Pastor Says

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Ahead of Father’s Day on June 16 of this year, a West Coast religious leader shared “three harmful lies” that he believes American fathers are told, directly or indirectly, in today’s culture, and why parents must reject these falsehoods in order to do the best job possible in raising their children.

“Many dads are hard-working, funny, kind and smart,” said Pastor Jesse Bradley of Grace Community Church in Auburn, Washington.

However, some of the “harmful lies,” he said, circulating today about parenthood “are deceptive and difficult to identify. They are clever, strong and simple.”

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However, once dug up, “they can be thrown away,” Bradley said.

He told Fox News Digital: “Replacing lies with truth is powerful.” With faith in God, “dads can be freed from the mental traps that can too easily entangle people.”

Some of the “harmful lies” circulating in today’s parenting culture “are deceptive and difficult to identify. They are clever, strong and simple,” said a Washington state pastor (not pictured). They should be rejected, he said, and replaced by extremely important truths. (iStock, courtesy of user eggeeggjiew)

With Father’s Day just a week away, he shared three lies that he believes “must be eliminated from the souls of fathers” so that dads can be the best parents possible for the well-being of their children.

Lie #1: ‘You can’t be a good father’

Bradley said a “false message of defeat can be debilitating” for parents.

“It resonates with every failure and mistake… It’s too heavy a burden” to carry.

“Your past experiences in life do not define you.”

Men whose fathers were “absent, abusive or distant,” he said, may still carry scars from those experiences and may be “unwittingly living their own lives.”

Bradley, himself a husband and father of four, said: “God is a healer and is close to the brokenhearted. God is a Father to the fatherless. You have a heavenly Father who is always faithful and good; so receive his love that lasts.” forever.”

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For fathers who may be struggling in their roles, he said, “God will bring other men into your life who you can learn from and who will fill some of the ‘daddy void’ you may have endured. Your past experiences in life do not “. “I don’t define you.”

father and son fishing

“The truth is, you can be the father you never had.” (iStock, courtesy of user shironosov)

So “let the negative pieces motivate you to be very different,” he advised.

“Your story is not over. The truth is that you can be the father you never had.”

Lie number 2: ‘It’s okay to be an independent parent’

Today, many men are tempted or encouraged to “go it alone, which may initially seem attractive,” Bradley said.

“Relationships can be complicated at times, but they are worth the investment.”

In a chaotic culture, “independence appears to be less complicated and includes less drama. Taking refuge in the ‘man cave’ can provide the desired shelter from the storm,” he said.

The Christian pastor said the problem with this thinking is that “we are not made for isolation. We all need God and other people.”

father and little daughter

“Enjoy your children and connect with them daily. Listen to their fears, find activities that are meaningful, give them wise advice, and create memories together.” (iStock)

The lie here, he said, “is that we are self-sufficient and can better control our lives if there is no one near us or around us. We turn to entertainment and hobbies as a refuge, or work becomes our escape.” “Life becomes superficial.”

In his opinion, it is “common in a fast-paced and challenging culture to distance yourself from God, distance yourself from your spouse, distance yourself too much from your children, and not have many close friends.”

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Bradley said: “No parent wants the legacy of being distant. Relationships can be complicated at times, but they are worth the investment.”

And he added: “Connecting with the family bears many fruits.”

Lie #3: ‘Being a father is not that important’

While many other people “can achieve your work at workreplace yourself on your men’s weekend league team or serve as a volunteer, you are the only person in the world who is the father of your children,” Bradley said, addressing dads directly.

jesse bradley family

Pastor Jesse Bradley, shown with this family, has a message for other parents: “God is with you every step of the way. The truth is, being grateful and intentional as a parent leads to deep joy.” (Wayne Jackson)

That special role, he said, “should be appreciated and placed very high” on the list of priorities.

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Bradley said, “Enjoy your children and connect with them daily. Listen to their fears, find activities that are meaningful, give them wise counsel, create memories together, read the Bible, open your heart, attend their games, go on trips.” , pray with them, and try your best dad jokes.”

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He said the work of being a parent “is relational, intellectual, emotional, physical and spiritual.”

She advised other parents: “Don’t give your best at work and just bring the ‘leftovers’ home.”

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He also said, “God is with you every step. And the truth is, being grateful and intentional as a parent leads to the deep joys of parenthood.”


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