We were set up with headphones and began our tour. Within the walk up one flight of stairs and the turn into the first room, we started doubting our decision. The museum tour began with graphic drawings of punishments and actual torture devices. Cue the scary music on the headphones, and you've got a few uncertain CampbellClanKids and one adult. I've since gone back and read the reviews, and some folks say, "Bring the kids! Mine loved it! Had quite the adventure!" complete with kids having a ball with the actual implements in the prison. So, I'm just wondering when I see the photos of their children grinning and playing with the torture devices, what's different about my kids that they didn't have this experience at all?
They live a sheltered life, I'll admit that. We don't feel like we need to expose them to the every aspect of the world to equip them to live godly lives. But we have never prevented them from seeing or discussing real life either. They don't live sanitized lives here. They've seen people who are clearly being trafficked for sex. They see people on the streets here daily in horrific physical conditions. They've seen real 7-year-olds (the age of the youngest occupant of the prison) begging for food barefoot in the winter. So, they've seen harsh realities of life. Why did it affect them (all 5!) so strongly? I've thought of this several times since and wondered. The only conclusion I can come to, is that, as they made their way through the museum, it wasn't really funny or even fun in the slightest because they kept thinking of the people who were incarcerated there. I guess they all just took it very seriously. It wasn't so long ago that high schools took field trips to prisons as a deterrent to crime. Not a bad idea!
This is not a political statement in the slightest that I am against prisons. I'm for them. I'm for the death penalty when it is deserved (I believe it is scriptural.) But each person who spent time in this place was an individual on the wrong course in life. And somehow, we all just kept thinking about that. I decided not to take many pictures. But we did finish the tour. And for any room that my two youngest didn't want to venture in, we passed by. I also felt that it revealed a very strong moral code in the Scottish culture. They didn't tolerate crime. And hence, they have a moral code that has lasted (longer than ours in the US). In later years after some reforms, the prison provided literacy courses and teaching from the Bible.
This was the actual court room with wax figures. You could sit among the figures. I did that. Even knowing a wax lady was behind me, I turned once to speak to my daughter and saw a lady and nearly fell off the jurors' bench!
This was one of the prison cells with a hammock as a bed. These photos were the only ones I took. Trust me, there was all kinds of stuff in there. One room was for mentally insane prisoners. When you peeked in, you could see the wax figure and hear the recording of his ranting! If you are curious beyond my post, you can look online. I'm not going to say, "Don't visit." It was memorable. It just provided for me a look at the hearts of my kids. They took it very seriously, and thought much of how hard life was for many people. They left there counting their blessings!
We did manage one photo op! This was at the end, while we were waiting for CC, who read every plaque and bio of every famous prisoner ever there.
This one needs a bit more time in lockup!
How could she be guilty of anything?
We got back on the road to see more beauty!
Loch Fyne!
The sun set so early! Firstborn hopped out to take these last two before it went down.
1 comment:
I am glad is was sobering, as it should be to us all. Sin was never meant to be something we play with or are exposed to - That is very Biblical. Paul even says this in Romans. I would want my kids to be shocked by it as well. It is not a life we live and I believe that is what is sobering. We have all, your family and mine, been C from a very early age. We are still sheltered from many things even still. Kathleen, as you may remember, is a lawyer. She works for the largest city in her state as an assistant city attorney. The times she has visited real jails housing real prisoners were very sobering to her. It is something that still grips her. I imagine you never get used to it. TV has glamorized many things. If more people could be gripped by the reality of these things, I dare say our prisons would be less full.
I have often wondered why God called a pure young woman such as my K to deal daily with the wrongs of this world. Being a lawyer is not a job I would want unless I was called into it. However, I have watched a definitely called young woman dispense compassion and mercy every time it was in her power to do so. Not one time has she regretted it. What this old sinful world needs is JC. If my precious daughter can be a light in some of the dark corners, then her life is not wasted and that pleases this old woman.
Melanie K.
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