I had an experience today I thought I'd share with you as yet another reason to homeschool. I know neither of us need convincing but I like having a bank of reasons to give people when they ask me why I want to homeschool my children.
Today the year 9 students (14 year olds) were asked to create presentations on the invention that teenagers cannot live without. Some of the projects were very good, with the winning team (from my class) claiming braces are vital.
What was shocking is that one class did a presentation to the whole of year 9 that condoms are the invention that teenagers such as themselves can not live without. They claimed this to be the greatest invention. Some students in my class also had asked if they could use this for their presentation, and I had a conversation with them that this was completely inappropriate and wrong. I emphasized that as a Catholic school we would not be promoting premarital sex and that contraception is against the Catholic faith.
It is shocking that students wanted to choose this for their "greatest invention," yet even more so that they were allowed to present this in a formal assembly to the whole of year 9 with no teacher stopping the presentation midway and no reprimand given. I found myself in the unusual place of being grateful someone in my class had asked about this earlier so that I could address it before they saw this presentation.
So even in a so called Catholic School, children will learn that they cannot live without condoms. As for me - I'll be homeschooling my own children!
Angela.S.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Not All "Christian" Education is Created Equal
The following is an account from a teacher in the U.K.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
The Irony of It All
...[I]f anything like HR 3200 were to become law, ... “Many people who aborted their babies, years ago, will find themselves being pressured to die before their natural time.”
Ironic, isn’t it, that if the approximately fifty million babies aborted in America since Roe v. Wade had been allowed to live, millions of them now would be working and generating wealth in a country supposedly concerned with becoming unable to pay for Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and health care?
(This is an excerpt from Are the “Death Panels” for Real? by Lee Duigon)
Friday, November 6, 2009
Doug Wilson Talks About His Film Collision
The documentary COLLISION pits leading atheist, political journalist and author Christopher Hitchens (God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything) against fellow author and evangelical theologian Pastor Douglas Wilson on a debate tour arguing the topic “Is Religion Good For The World?”. Lives and worldviews collide as Hitchens and Wilson wittily and passionately argue the timeless question, proving to be perfectly matched intellectual, philosophical, and cinematic rivals.
"Collision" available from American Vision
“(Christianity) is a wicked cult, and it’s high time we left it behind.” - CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS
"There are two tenets of atheism. One, there is no God. Two, I hate him." - PASTOR DOUGLAS WILSON
"Collision" available from American Vision
Monday, November 2, 2009
Cry Babies
When making the case that abortion is murder, many faithful believers know all the appropriate verses to quote from the Scriptures. They correctly quote Psalm 127:3 “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.” Yet, in day-to-day life, they are less likely to practically embrace the fifth verse of the psalm, “Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them…” You see, part of a full quiver is young “arrows” that are noisy, smelly, and often a handful. Not all “pro-lifers” are as “pro” the life of children when a sermon, a plane ride, or a wait in a bank line involve little ones who show in public that they are fallen sinners.
This was made very clear recently as I discussed with fellow Christians a news headline. The mother of a two year old was escorted off a flight from Texas to San Jose, CA because the child was “unruly” and “wouldn’t calm down.” My fellow Christians immediately told me about “the flights from hell” that they had been on and if the child referenced in the story was anything like the one on their flight, he should have been ejected.
Well, I have a story from the other end of the nightmare, as a mom who was travelling with a 16-month-old daughter who did not understand why she was not allowed to walk up and down the aisles of a plane flying from California to New York. I am sure many on my flight were annoyed at the constant, high-pitched scream that resounded through most of the flight. I am sure many had their derisive impressions of that mother who could not control her child. No one but my husband and seven-year-old son (who found another seat on the other side of the plane) knew that I had gone to our pediatrician and requested a prescription that would make my daughter calm on the flight. You see, I did prepare for what I thought was likely to happen. The problem was that the medicine didn’t work–not one little bit.
I remember all too vividly how the flight attendant screamed across the big 747, “Please, do something with that child.” I am certain that more people opted for the in-flight movie that day just to silence the noise. I did get a respite during the movie when she fell asleep for about fifty minutes. Unfortunately, it came just when they delivered my food and I couldn’t reach it because I was afraid moving might wake her up! By the time we got to New York, I felt like I needed the Red Cross!
If I had been in a position to administer corporal punishment, the situation would have been somewhat relieved, but even back then (1986) parents had to be on guard when spanking a child. The very people who are philosophically against spanking are the same who find children annoying and bothersome. To many, I suppose I was “guilty” of one of three things: travelling with a child, failing to keep her from disturbing them, or having had her in the first place! I am sorry to report that since my experience, our culture has only gotten more intolerant of children.
The woman in the news report was categorized as “a stay-at-home mom.” I am not sure why that was an important detail, except to indicate that this child might be better off in daycare, or, possibly, to prove the feminist point that a woman without a “career” is incompetent and stupid. In any case, my gripe is with fellow believers who are ready and eager to proclaim the sanctity of life while embracing much of the world’s negative views about young children.
How quickly we forget. We all started out as children!
This was made very clear recently as I discussed with fellow Christians a news headline. The mother of a two year old was escorted off a flight from Texas to San Jose, CA because the child was “unruly” and “wouldn’t calm down.” My fellow Christians immediately told me about “the flights from hell” that they had been on and if the child referenced in the story was anything like the one on their flight, he should have been ejected.
Well, I have a story from the other end of the nightmare, as a mom who was travelling with a 16-month-old daughter who did not understand why she was not allowed to walk up and down the aisles of a plane flying from California to New York. I am sure many on my flight were annoyed at the constant, high-pitched scream that resounded through most of the flight. I am sure many had their derisive impressions of that mother who could not control her child. No one but my husband and seven-year-old son (who found another seat on the other side of the plane) knew that I had gone to our pediatrician and requested a prescription that would make my daughter calm on the flight. You see, I did prepare for what I thought was likely to happen. The problem was that the medicine didn’t work–not one little bit.
I remember all too vividly how the flight attendant screamed across the big 747, “Please, do something with that child.” I am certain that more people opted for the in-flight movie that day just to silence the noise. I did get a respite during the movie when she fell asleep for about fifty minutes. Unfortunately, it came just when they delivered my food and I couldn’t reach it because I was afraid moving might wake her up! By the time we got to New York, I felt like I needed the Red Cross!
If I had been in a position to administer corporal punishment, the situation would have been somewhat relieved, but even back then (1986) parents had to be on guard when spanking a child. The very people who are philosophically against spanking are the same who find children annoying and bothersome. To many, I suppose I was “guilty” of one of three things: travelling with a child, failing to keep her from disturbing them, or having had her in the first place! I am sorry to report that since my experience, our culture has only gotten more intolerant of children.
The woman in the news report was categorized as “a stay-at-home mom.” I am not sure why that was an important detail, except to indicate that this child might be better off in daycare, or, possibly, to prove the feminist point that a woman without a “career” is incompetent and stupid. In any case, my gripe is with fellow believers who are ready and eager to proclaim the sanctity of life while embracing much of the world’s negative views about young children.
How quickly we forget. We all started out as children!
Friday, October 16, 2009
Not Eating Everything You are Served
By the time homeschooled or Christian schooled graduates attend college they have a long history of being trained to respect and honor authority. This is how it should be because the fifth commandment begins with the concept of submitting to the rule and directives of one’s parents and extends out to all legitimate authority ordained by God. As the Westminster Shorter Catechism makes clear, one honors God by honoring those He places in authority over us, which begins with parents and extends to those in authority in the various spheres of life. By implication, all people are to be treated with honor, whether positionally they are our superiors, inferiors, or equals.
When young people venture into the secular settings of higher education, all too often those in authority have achieved their position because they subscribe to the “religious” tenets of the institution. Godless worldviews and philosophies rule the day, and the tenured professors are those who adhere faithfully to the doctrines of a humanistic worldview. It is standard operating procedure for students to be barraged with humanistic, materialistic secularism in classes ranging from English composition to biology to language. How do we help Christian students facing these assaults?
First, by answering some questions:
The second question is meant to identify whether or not the young person truly knows what occurs on a college campus. In addition to the intellectual assaults, there are moral assaults that come from the hedonistic lifestyle of non-Christians. Christian worldview conferences like the yearly West Coast Christian Worldview Conference are designed to prepare students for what lies ahead. If travelling to one of these conferences is prohibitive financially, lectures are often available on CD in mp3 format.
Third, how does one know that the information he is being taught is true? For example, without a prior knowledge of Biblical economics, a student may not be able to see through the fallacies of Marxist economic theory. Without a Biblical understanding of history or mathematics, a student will not be able to recognize the lies being taught and false teachings can easily erode the solid Biblical foundations laid in earlier schooling.
The fourth question will prove to be the most unpopular. With all the work involved in carrying a full credit load, there is little time to check what a professor teaches against the more reliable teaching of Christian scholars. Moreover, if a student does this and brings the Christian perspective into class, the reaction of his classmates and professors can be very harsh. So, does the student blindly accept what he is being taught or take the time to counter the instructor and perhaps, double the time it will take him to get through school, if he is even permitted to graduate with such unpopular views.
With these issues in consideration, it is easy to understand why Christian students need to find mentors and develop a support group to check with regularly and discuss what is being taught in their classes and the temptations and moral assaults they face on a daily basis. Without this assistance, it can be difficult to recognize whether they are being converted to another way of thinking.
There may come a time when the content of a particular class becomes intolerable for a variety of reasons. The teacher may be antagonistic to opposing views. The teacher may be a Christian basher and refuse to allow Christian perspective or analysis to be introduced. I know of a recent case where the class discussion contained offensive sexual jokes and class discussions originated by the teacher, all under the banner of becoming an “effective” communicator. In truth, it was just an excuse to be crass. In cases like this, it is appropriate to drop the class and have nothing to do with such deeds of darkness. At times, this may mean dropping a class that is required for graduation. Ultimately, principle must govern rather than pragmatism. If Christians are to be salt and light wherever they go, physically remaining in degraded situations may serve to significantly dim that light.
The Lord often calls us to what we consider to be less than ideal circumstances. That is why it is necessary to stay connected to His Word and listen to the Spirit’s leading. It is also important for young people not to buy into the lie that once graduated from high school they are adults and no longer in need of direction and guidance from their parents. In God’s economy, turning eighteen or finishing twelve years of schooling does not remove a person from honoring God and his parents. Secularists count on young people responding to the lie that they should be able to stand on their own two feet, as a way to dislodge them from their belief structures and their community. Additionally, many schools require that students live in dorms for, at least, their first year. Why would they do that? Because it is a good way to debase students. Exposing and subjecting them to immorality is a way to break them down so that they are more open and susceptible to other wicked teachings.
In the end, those who have been trained to respect authority must be discerning when it comes to how they obey God in these kinds of circumstances. The key is in obeying authority that honors God. No one has any obligation to obey God-less authority or accept a bill of goods from subversives bent on denying the truth of God’s Word. Unlike when they were children, they do not need to eat everything they are served!
When young people venture into the secular settings of higher education, all too often those in authority have achieved their position because they subscribe to the “religious” tenets of the institution. Godless worldviews and philosophies rule the day, and the tenured professors are those who adhere faithfully to the doctrines of a humanistic worldview. It is standard operating procedure for students to be barraged with humanistic, materialistic secularism in classes ranging from English composition to biology to language. How do we help Christian students facing these assaults?
First, by answering some questions:
1. Are they attending the institution with a specific goal in mind, or are they just killing time?The first question is a very necessary one. Without a specific purpose, attending college can be a huge waste of time and financial resources as the student struggles to find his calling. It may be more beneficial for the young person to spend time doing volunteer work, going on a short-term mission trip, apprenticing in a field of interest, or getting a job. The decision to attend college can always be postponed to a future date when the student has a goal in mind.
2. Are they really prepared for what lies ahead?
3. What subjects will they be learning about for the first time?
4. Are they willing to spend the time it takes to verify the truth of what they are learning?
The second question is meant to identify whether or not the young person truly knows what occurs on a college campus. In addition to the intellectual assaults, there are moral assaults that come from the hedonistic lifestyle of non-Christians. Christian worldview conferences like the yearly West Coast Christian Worldview Conference are designed to prepare students for what lies ahead. If travelling to one of these conferences is prohibitive financially, lectures are often available on CD in mp3 format.
Third, how does one know that the information he is being taught is true? For example, without a prior knowledge of Biblical economics, a student may not be able to see through the fallacies of Marxist economic theory. Without a Biblical understanding of history or mathematics, a student will not be able to recognize the lies being taught and false teachings can easily erode the solid Biblical foundations laid in earlier schooling.
The fourth question will prove to be the most unpopular. With all the work involved in carrying a full credit load, there is little time to check what a professor teaches against the more reliable teaching of Christian scholars. Moreover, if a student does this and brings the Christian perspective into class, the reaction of his classmates and professors can be very harsh. So, does the student blindly accept what he is being taught or take the time to counter the instructor and perhaps, double the time it will take him to get through school, if he is even permitted to graduate with such unpopular views.
With these issues in consideration, it is easy to understand why Christian students need to find mentors and develop a support group to check with regularly and discuss what is being taught in their classes and the temptations and moral assaults they face on a daily basis. Without this assistance, it can be difficult to recognize whether they are being converted to another way of thinking.
There may come a time when the content of a particular class becomes intolerable for a variety of reasons. The teacher may be antagonistic to opposing views. The teacher may be a Christian basher and refuse to allow Christian perspective or analysis to be introduced. I know of a recent case where the class discussion contained offensive sexual jokes and class discussions originated by the teacher, all under the banner of becoming an “effective” communicator. In truth, it was just an excuse to be crass. In cases like this, it is appropriate to drop the class and have nothing to do with such deeds of darkness. At times, this may mean dropping a class that is required for graduation. Ultimately, principle must govern rather than pragmatism. If Christians are to be salt and light wherever they go, physically remaining in degraded situations may serve to significantly dim that light.
The Lord often calls us to what we consider to be less than ideal circumstances. That is why it is necessary to stay connected to His Word and listen to the Spirit’s leading. It is also important for young people not to buy into the lie that once graduated from high school they are adults and no longer in need of direction and guidance from their parents. In God’s economy, turning eighteen or finishing twelve years of schooling does not remove a person from honoring God and his parents. Secularists count on young people responding to the lie that they should be able to stand on their own two feet, as a way to dislodge them from their belief structures and their community. Additionally, many schools require that students live in dorms for, at least, their first year. Why would they do that? Because it is a good way to debase students. Exposing and subjecting them to immorality is a way to break them down so that they are more open and susceptible to other wicked teachings.
In the end, those who have been trained to respect authority must be discerning when it comes to how they obey God in these kinds of circumstances. The key is in obeying authority that honors God. No one has any obligation to obey God-less authority or accept a bill of goods from subversives bent on denying the truth of God’s Word. Unlike when they were children, they do not need to eat everything they are served!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Brothers Who Undermine
Today while driving, I heard a Christian talk show host and his guest, a local pastor, discuss the “negatives” of homeschooling. Both noted that at one point they had homeschooled their children. In so many words, they indicated that failing to place children in the public schools demonstrated an isolationist mentality that was antithetical to the gospel of Jesus Christ. The pastor made the outrageous statement, “My Master would have put His kids in public school.” He supported this statement by indicating that Jesus was against the Pharisees and their false piety. His solution was for families to learn how to deal in the “real world” by going to church, Sunday school, Wednesday evening service, and many other “church” events that would arm parents so they could prepare their children for the missionary work of spreading the gospel in the public schools.
It cannot be stated too often or too strongly that the “real world” is the world where Jesus Christ is Lord over every area of life and thought. Any other world is the world of myth, falsehoods, and deception. What naiveté to assume that Christian children can learn any academic subject honestly and correctly if the Word of God is not the foundation and starting point, let alone act as missionaries. What arrogance to claim that Jesus would want children in the hands of God-haters in their formative years.
With friends like this, who needs enemies!
It cannot be stated too often or too strongly that the “real world” is the world where Jesus Christ is Lord over every area of life and thought. Any other world is the world of myth, falsehoods, and deception. What naiveté to assume that Christian children can learn any academic subject honestly and correctly if the Word of God is not the foundation and starting point, let alone act as missionaries. What arrogance to claim that Jesus would want children in the hands of God-haters in their formative years.
With friends like this, who needs enemies!
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