What Are We Teaching Our Children?
Anyone who knows us knows what we stand for: teaching children the responsible use of home defense tools. But even more than that, we believe in teaching instructively, responsibly, and with respect. Those three together build a foundation for training youth in safety and maturity. If those qualities aren’t present—in both the adult and the child—then it’s best to wait and develop those character traits first.
The other day, my heart was heavy. I walked into a room and saw a very young boy—about kindergarten age—playing a first-person shooter game with his sister, who wasn’t much older. I asked how they were doing, and his response stopped me:
“I’m just shooting people.”
That simple statement carried a lot of weight. No hesitation. No understanding—just casual, normalized violence. It was so casual that he repeated it as he was just walking through the room shooting people. His words caused my heart to sink with sorrow.
That is the complete opposite of what responsible parenting should look like when it comes to both self-defense and entertainment. When young children are allowed to engage in games centered around killing, it desensitizes them to the value of human life. That should concern all of us.
Scripture speaks clearly about our responsibility toward children and the seriousness of leading them astray (Matthew 18:6). We are called to guide them with truth, care and integrity, recognizing that we are held to a higher standard and that there are real consequences when moral guidance is lacking.
In professional defense training, the focus is not on killing—it’s on responsibility and accountability. Many trainings avoid humanoid targets altogether for that very reason. Even organizations like the FBI use alternative targets to reinforce that mindset. The goal is never to glorify harm, but to prepare responsibly for the gravest situations.
Human life is precious. The use of deadly force should always be understood as a last resort—something weighty, never casual or entertaining.
What we allow, what we normalize, and what we teach our children matters. It shapes how they see the world, how they value life, and how they respond to conflict.
Train wisely, not negligently.
Honor what is precious.
Because even in something as simple as a video game—there is more at stake than we think.
All things for the Glory of God

