ASL Songs

[pastor's wife]

A friend's super fundy sister was visiting and mentioned that she knew ASL. I told her that I'd love to learn the motions to a Christian children's song so I could teach it to the kids and we could do it in church for special music some time.

She looked at me disdainfully. "Sign language isn't for drawing attention to yourself. It's only acceptable to use if there's a deaf person who needs translating." I was humiliated. That happened nearly 15 years ago and I never forgot her superior tone as she rebuked me. Add that to one more reason why I'm glad I'm not fundy anymore. Now I can raise my hands in worship and gesture and even dance if feel like it.

[leaving]

It's not only the deaf that use ASL, so that woman was ignorant anyway, Pastors Wife. We are currently learning ASL for a son who hears just fine. While he hears just fine he does not talk just fine. Talking is hard for him so he usually chooses not to do it at all. ASL is good for children with lots of disabilities, not just deafness.

[paul]

(06-17-2011 10:23 AM)pastors wife Wrote:  She looked at me disdainfully. "Sign language isn't for drawing attention to yourself. It's only acceptable to use if there's a deaf person who needs translating." I was humiliated.

Sorry you had to deal with an idiot. How typically fundy. Expression of any kind is not allowed unless your MoG rubber-stamps it. You can only be an individual if you are just like your MoG. Yuck!

[Jenni]

I had the same thing happen at my Fundy church. I knew the signs and was going to sign while a friend sang a song, but we were told we couldn't do that unless there was a deaf person present who needed the translation.

I definitely agree that ASL is useful for lots of reasons. I have a friend who taught her son ASL when he was a toddler because he heard and understood a lot more than he could say, and when he couldn't communicate he became frustrated and threw tantrums. Once he had a way to communicate, though, the tantrums disappeared.

ASL is also wonderfully useful when trying to communicate with someone across a room without shouting.

[Darrell]

I used to do ASL songs to a pre-recorded soundtrack at my old fundy church.

I guess I've always been a bit of a rebel.

[Jenni]

Gasp! Pre-recorded music - you must have been in one of those "liberal" fundy churches.

Sometimes when I'm on the bus I sign (yes, sign, not sing) along with my iPod. I keep hoping my actions will be interpreted as weird enough to keep people from sitting next to me (thus ensuring my personal bubble isn't popped), but alas, in San Francisco I'm just another shade of normal.

[Darrell]

Quote:Gasp! Pre-recorded music - you must have been in one of those "liberal" fundy churches.

I was also the music director so it was my call

[paul]

(06-17-2011 12:01 PM)Jenni Wrote:  ASL is also wonderfully useful when trying to communicate with someone across a room without shouting.

Combine this with fundy churches and pastors and you now know why my wife taught our children from a VERY young age what the signs for "No" and "Stop" and "Sit Down" were.

[Jenni]

Yep. My students learned all of those signs, too, before our first chapel service every year. I used them when the "teacher glare" wasn't cutting it.

[Perry]

My niece has Down syndrome. She is now 9, but she has a hard time speaking clearly. When she was little we started to teach her ASL and it has been very useful.

There is a lady at my church that wants to be a deaf interpreter at the church (the church has a ministry for mentally handicapped people, but there aren't any deaf people as far as I know). She has gone back to college to learn ASL. I think it's a neat idea, but knowing the people at my fundy church, I know she would probably get made fun of behind her back for it if the pastor allows her to do it during a church service.