This is an updated and expanded rework of Kjos’s 1990 volume Your Child and the New Age. Twenty-three years ago Kjos was warning of the infiltration of New Age mysticism and other corrupting influences into our schools, society, churches and homes. Things have gotten considerably more complicated in the last two decades and certainly none of these influences have abated.
Kjos’s documents the near saturation of secularism, mysticism, occultism and unbiblical worldviews in everything from schools to music to literature to the church. So prevalent are these demonic influences, as Kjos demonstrates, that one feels helpless to guard against them. Nevertheless, after each chapter showing the dangers of a particular concern is another chapter giving specifics on how to guard our children. These chapters are usually shorter, specific and often centered around putting on the armor of God (see pp. 19-22). The author is correct when she writes, “Unless we help our children build a mental framework and filter based on biblical truth, the world’s philosophies will squeeze them into its mold” (p. 90). This is especially challenging in a world in which biblical knowledge and values are rapidly vanishing (p. 119).
There is much of value in How to Protect Your Child… It is biblically sound, well written and carefully documented. One weakness is that many of her quotes and illustrations are dated, stemming from the 60s-90s (no doubt due to the fact that this is an update of a 1990 book). In an Internet world such examples are of little value except to show the roots of what we are living today. Another concern is that the book so overwhelms the reader with all the things wrong in our world that this reviewer felt like running away and hiding and taking my loved-ones with me. Kjos is clear, however, that we cannot run and hide; instead we must put on the armor of God and fight.
Readers will not accept everything Kjos claims but this volume will open their eyes to many dangers that are often accepted or ignored.
Reviewed by Gary E. Gilley, Pastor-teacher at Southern View Chapel.