Over and over, "Divided" claims that Scripture forbids age segregated training. Statements are made that youth leaving the church is an expression of God's judgment over unbiblical youth ministry. Youth ministry is likened to Uzzah touching the ark in a way that God had expressly told Israel not to do and that youth ministry is doing something completely against the command of God. While saying that there are commands against youth ministry "everywhere" none are cited and the verses that are referenced have no direct application to ministries of the church. My favorite scene is the one with the anonymous witness sitting in shadows, turned away from the camera as some kind of secret government informant. The cheesy hype does little to build the case other than to create an oversold dramatic effect.
Hysteria and hermeneutics are not a good mix! If you have verses to support your position, then they should be clearly cited and expounded upon with legitimate hermeneutical interpretation. It isn't enough to simply cite a verse or chapter from Scripture and tag it to your pretext. Hysteria sells but isn't sound. Cults do it all the time.
Were children involved with adults in religious training in biblical times, as the movie suggests? If this were a value of NT and OT worship, why did the disciples try to chase off the children who came to Jesus? Where are the children in the outpouring of the Spirit in the book of Acts chapters 2 and 4? There simply is no model the embraces the methodology that "Divided" calls for.
I'm all for the discussion about the kinds of issues "Divided" raises but I am profoundly opposed to the hermeneutical excess it embraces.
