Prom: The Lion’s Den
By kyle.m on April 15th, 2008 Love is in the air. Girls are primming up for what they hope to be the highlight of their high school careers. Beauty shops across the country explode with business from a year of girls striving for that ideal look. Boys are thinking of the perfect way to flaunt their cash as if it has no end.
Of course, everyone knows you MUST go to prom. That is a given. There must be something wrong with the one who chooses differently. Pressure for one to find a date, any date, is almost insurmountable. pressure not only from the school and fellow peers, but from parents, as if their kid getting smashed, gettin’ low on the dance floor, and getting laid afterwards is a positive reflection of their parenting. Today, Social society’s rules command complete and mindless obedience.
rule 1: If you miss prom, you are a social outcast. You don’t want to be a reject do you?
rule 2: nothing is too expensive on prom night. Dazzle your date fine dining and exotic flowers. Don’t forget the limo!
rule 3: get laid!
Prom promises endless fun and stimulation, followed by cherished and fond memories. I have yet to meet the one who flaunts their prom pictures as if they are something to be proud of. Most stories I hear are either extremely debauched or embarrassing. Are such things really worth the hundreds of dollars people invest? It seems at the end of the day, the one with the biggest savings is the one who got the most from their prom night. As far as outreach goes, who will want to do anything with Body of Christ when they have all the stimulation they could want within arm’s reach?
Personally, i would rather spend an evening spiritually edifying with my freshmen, sophomore and junior brothers and sisters.
I don’t mean to preach, but I think it fair people hear the other side of the argument.
Well said Kyle,
I went to prom (At Stow)and it mostly sucked. Did the promenade – the best show of couple, in my opinion,the two dudes who walked arm in arm down the staircase, my brother and his best friend. They had a great time.
I on the other hand went with some guy I broke up with in April. Hated every minute of it and demanded, in my princess ways, to be taken home immediately. I should have stayed home with friends or walked down the stair case with my BF Kris.
I never look at the “gay” pictures and am embarassed I didn’t have the fortitude and courage to stay home.
Save yourselves and please boycott prom.
April 15th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Isn’t there a way to go to the Prom and enjoy yourself while not participating in all this debouchery?
I guess I see your point- you don’t want to drink and get laid but I remember Mark showing up at the Prom in his “Matthew Lesko” question mark suit- he and Di seemed to have a blast without the debauchery.
Are you going to skip the graduation ceremonies and the grad parties too?
April 15th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Kyle my brother, I will venture into the Word of the Lord with you. We will come across many tales worth telling. Then we will see who has more memories: those who got smashed and forgot everything, or us who hammered the bible and learned everything.
Question is though, when is it?
April 15th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Preach it, brother Kyle! Prom is an incredible waste of money, time, and youth. It is a cultural trapping that makes no sense anymore. How many kids die on prom night from drunk driving? How much money is spent on advertising to try to prevent kids from driving drunk on prom night?
April 15th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
thank you for your input Joe. I absolutely think you can have fun and have a blast at prom without tapping into the debauchery the rest of the people are, but i begin to wonder what the point of going even is? I will most certainly be going to the graduation cerimony because it is a recognition of the hard work many high schoolers put in. It is also a time to honor the brothers and sisters for their hard work. the same goes for non-christians, where we can congradulate them, do our best to love them. This is the same for grad parties. Among Christians this is absolutely refreshing and good to have. i remember Sean’s grad party, how loved he felt. He told me it was great having the support of brothers and sisters. I would say this is hardly comparable to prom. I am only saying i can find more spiritually beneficial things to do prom night. Dancing in a den of lions is not one of them.
April 16th, 2008 at 10:07 am
this is very interesting but what else can one expect from Kyle, the so called ‘rebelious’ that doesnt like anything the rest of us like.
April 16th, 2008 at 10:58 am
which in this case would be the world’s system.:)
if i’m known as a rebel of the Kosmos, sounds good to me.
who left the prom victim comment? I found that very enlightening.
April 16th, 2008 at 11:14 am
Kyle, you’re such a mean poo-poo head! Prom is the MOST IMPORTANT thing that will ever happen in your entire life! Just kidding, I never went to my prom, and I’ve never regretted that decision.
April 16th, 2008 at 11:51 am
Well Kyle, you’re very right. I, myself, plan on going to Prom. Why you might ask? I guess I’m thinking if at least some of us go to it. Then we can bring light to the other upcoming seniors, the horrible and awful truths of Prom…
I think it would be cool to hang out with all the seniors in our class before they all run off after their dreams and slowly grow to the realization of their depravity.
Honestly, I can see it going either way. I just want to find that out! My parents are paying for almost all of it! So I don’t have much to lose! Plus, we’ll all get to go to After Prom and have a blast! You were plannin’ on going to that weren’t ya? I know you love free food!
April 16th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
I confess. I am the former prom victim.
It was little old me – wondermom
Also known as the raging mother of Evan Beech and the three monsterteers, Seth, Noah and Henry.
April 16th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Wow Kyle you gots all kinds of comments! Keep-a-blogging.
I did have fun at prom, but it wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Although it was pretty funny to see Mark wear a suit covered in large multi-colored question marks and watch the reactions that he got! Also it was pretty funny to watch Joe dance and win awards for it!
April 16th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
Fascinating. Should I tell on Joe? Of course I shall. Why not? What he doesn’t tell you is he was a Prom predator, and on the prowl. Oh those poor, innocent, naive, and very young, sweet Christian princesses… (Do I mean Elli? …)
What Joe also forgot to mention was that Mark set out to disgrace the face of the little Prommies, and that’s what made it so fun.
But the silly little masquerades & constumes the Kosmos makes these kids wear!
It reminds me of what they did to this little 6-year old girl: http://neoxenos.info/repo/uploads/reponet/ImageLib/jonbenet2.jpg
April 16th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
way to Sacrifice for the younger dudes Smalley!
April 16th, 2008 at 9:30 pm
“Dancing in a den of lions” – I like the way you put that, Kyle. I also like the way you write and think about things from a totally unconventional, Godly perspective. In addition, It brings all kinds of rarely seen commenters out of the woodwork.
As for you Keith- I did go to Prom and had fun. I still remember the dude wore an orange tux with an orange baseball cap! Maybe I’m not as cool as you or Jake. I tend to agree with Di, it wasn’t the most magical night of my life they advertise, but I didn’t expect that either.
Anyway, I would imagine it would be fun to crash the prom as a group of xians (I wish I had that in HS)and have a good time dancing, but I’m sure whatever else happens you’ll have fun too. You don’t seem the kind that regrets decisions.
April 17th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
But Joe, 1 small question…by “fun”, are you referring to your Predator fun?
April 17th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Kyle, that’s a great blog. I remember in HS how everyone said this is the best time of your life… yatayatayata… That’s bull! I never believed it then and know it now for sure. What a waste… I guess I’m biased though, I never went to prom either and really never regretted it either.
April 17th, 2008 at 9:00 pm
For the record: I spent some time mocking the prom, but more time taking it seriously. All the time I spent on it was intensely selfish and evil – I was a predator. As much as people smile when they here about the question mark suit, my memories of both proms I attended are painful.
April 17th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
Hey Kyle, My prom experience was much like Marks. Not only was I on the prowl but I spent all my time trying to figure out how to look better than everyone else there. I was an unbeleiver and was focused on my pride and reputation. I do agree with Joe that it would be cool if you all stuck together, if you think thats possible with the worlds pull. I can easily see some of the wordies may have a naive outlook on Prom, and I pray that nothing happens. Guys will be prowling, girls will be flaunting, temptation everywhere! If anyone is going in order to benefit his brothers, focus on that, Satan will be trying to pull you all into the evil ways of the Kosmos.
April 19th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Let me clear the air – I’m busted too! I was a predator at Prom, no doubt about it.
Kyle – I totally agree with the stance you’re taking about Prom here. I apologize for not making it clear I totally support the stance you’re taking here. I think its super-mature and your peers would do well to heed you advice.
Prom is debauched and messed up. The girls here should know that guys are only interested in one thing at the Prom – being predators! I know this because I was one and know the perspective well.
The idea that you need to go to prom (and should just scrounge up any random chick to go with) is totally bogus! You could miss prom and not miss much at all!
That said, I think you Xian guys and girls can go to the Prom with the idea of going in there to infiltrate the lion’s den. But be really sober about it and come in with Kyle’s perspective that you’re dancing with a bunch of wolves. Girls especially shouldn’t be so naive as to think even Xian guys are trying to be predators (because they probably are).
April 19th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
yeah i love ur blog kyle no joke and will probably write something similar about other things soon – i totally agree and have for awhile becuz ive always said im probably not gonna goto prom and people are always like why???? like its so crazy and they are so astonished at it – like this dude – just imagine him saying WHAT YOUR NOT GOING TO THE PROM – http://www.chriskauffman.com/photosNavbarCharacter/astonished.jpg – yeah thats the usual response.pretttty lame.
April 19th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
I can’t believe how many comments you’re getting on this Kyle! I guess high school is one of those universal, painfully memorable experiences.
I didn’t go to prom, but I didn’t do anything eternally worthwhile that night, either. I did see “Lord of the Dance” which was fun but too corny.
But back to the point. A certain ex-Xenoid high schooler’s crazy mom once told me that “You only have high school once. God will be there when it’s over, but you’re only in high school once.” To which I mentally replied, “Thank God!” Because I hated high school. I think everyone in their right mind hated high school. You guys probably had a better experience because you were doing valuable ministry but college is going to be so much better! I loved college! I miss college! Maybe that is dorky or pathetic but it is a blast, especially if you’re doing ministry. It’s really hard but really fun. So enjoy!
April 24th, 2008 at 7:48 am
Hey Kyle,
I really like what you wrote about prom – there’s not much to defend as far as the “traditions of the kosmos”. However I thought I would share my experiences as the Sanguine that I can be. My senior year I went to prom with a dude I was dating and really respected. We were good friends and loved to dance. That is the main reason we went. We loved to dance, we were good partners and danced the entire night away. Granted, dancing was a little “cleaner” back then than it is now. We were into the disco twirling and swirling thing. I also had a really great group of friends that I hung out with on Prom night. They were funny and fun to be with, and not into the high style fashion thing. Pretty down to earth people. I went to a small high School, so no one put on aires with limos and shit, no after-prom trips to Cedar point. It was basically a fancy dance. Yes it was the thing to do. And frankly I think the people who didn’t go missed out. I was not a believer and that was what we did. WE had fun!!! We lived for fun!!
I know times have changed – everything seems to be way more intense. Even the way we celebrate all the Holidays – NewYears eve and Christmas are way more hyped than they used to be. But this is our culture. I don’t think these holidays are bad, or that dances are bad or immoral. It’s how you choose to be apart of it. Is it possible, perhaps even needed to enter into the Lion’s den with your light shining? How does one do that without getting their light extinguished or dimmed? I guess that’s what all of us have to figure out for ourselves. I don’t think the answer is to NOT go into the den. Life’s too short to be scared of it. I’m not saying you are scared of it Kyle – although there maybe some who are. Just some food for thought.
April 25th, 2008 at 8:55 am
Hey Kyle, want to go to Prom with me?
Haha. Just Kidding
April 25th, 2008 at 8:56 am
thank you for your input Indre. It is totally possible to have fun at prom, which is fine. One main reason I choose not to go is because I know we are counting on these lower-classmen next year. I just see a great opportunity to invest with them that night. I believe I will take much more from them than I ever could from prom.
April 25th, 2008 at 10:55 am
and sure I’ll go to prom with you Anele!!
April 25th, 2008 at 10:56 am
I don’t know Kyle, prom was pretty exciting and fun. It’s a great way to finish your senior year. I know what you mean with the people who go to prom trashed, but at my school, I know plenty of people who went to prom just for fun. And I don’t mean getwasteddancedirtyhavesex kind of fun. And since it’s a very special occasion for most, spending money to look nice is important to them. I guess there are a few different ways to look at prom and ours are different.
May 18th, 2008 at 1:30 pm