Newtown Massacre Isn’t a Plug for Christian Homeschooling
Another public school massacre has taken place. This time it involved very young children at a distinguished elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. And of course, Christians en masse will jump on the “he (the shooter) was mentality ill” bandwagon.
This shows again how Christians claim to be Scriptoriums, but function in life like any other the Bible is just a book written by men crowd. In the New Testament we read the historical account of King Herod ordering the death of every child two years old and younger in Bethlehem and surrounding regions. Whatever means were used to slay these infants in front of their mothers would have been a very gruesome scene. But yet, if Herod or any of the soldiers that carried out the act were “mentally ill” the Holy Spirit didn’t get the memo. And this is mass murder of infants on an unfathomable scale. Moreover, there are no words for how trite Herod’s reasoning was in comparison to the order.
We don’t know much about this hideous massacre, that’s “hideous massacre” not “tragedy,” other than the fact that the murderer was the live-in-20-something son of a school teacher employed by the school. She was found dead at her home where the son/murderer also lived. Obviously, something went awry in that relationship and the social/professional connection with the school ended up in the crossfire. But it wasn’t a “senseless” act, it was a SINFUL act, and like many other similar acts—well planned.
It is understandable that the world has no answers for these events for they can’t even rightly identify such with correct words, but Christians shouldn’t ape their ignorance—they should at least act like being a Christian means that we live by God’s wisdom and He informs us according to the world He created.
Sometimes that means using common sense which God is not opposed to. He gave it to us for a purpose. We have raised-up a whole generation of hyper self-centered adolescents via child-centered parenting on steroids. Christians have added to the fray through such things like homeschooling which teaches our children that they are either too good to be schooled with the world’s children or too mindless to defend themselves intellectually. Or both. Yes, indeed, because Christians are weak thinkers, for sure the public schools would drag our children into hell with little or no effort. This is a valid fear because American Christians have never been more dumbed down which is a Protestant tradition from the Dark Ages.
Couple this child-centered parenting with the steady flow of violent images that are poured into the minds of our children through TV, movies, and video games. The result is people who do not take “no” well. Examples of the violent results abound. Parents who cut off a teenage boy/girl relationship because of inappropriate behavior end up dead at the hands of the offended teens. A mother who refused to let her son borrow the family car—dead accordingly. Former friends of Charles Manson; such as, the Beach Boys and Neil Young among many other top recording artists point to his failure to obtain a recording contract as being instrumental to the horrific acts that followed. As Neil Young stated, “Charles didn’t take rejection well.”
When these events take place, it would be better if Christians would simply remain silent. We both echo the world and reinforce their beliefs that we don’t know any more than they do, or we implement the either/or hermeneutic; i.e., this happens because public schools don’t buy into the Christian whiffle dust. If schools would only let the children pray and display the Ten Commandments while teaching that this nation was founded on Deism Christianity, God would smile from heaven and surround said schools with a Star Trek deflector shield. Look, what’s all of this nonsense about public schools keeping God out? They can’t do that. If our children are Christians, He is IN them, not a Ten Commandments statue. Neither does showy prayers impress a lost world—they want to see a life of answers from people who supposedly hangout with God.
I have been a youth pastor. When you suggest to the teens that they befriend the bullied outcasts of their school they look at you as if you’re from another planet. When children are bullied at school, love or justice of any kind rarely shows up. They become hopeless and feel powerless to do anything about their dilemma. Middle schools and high schools are the epitome of a social caste system which is usually written off as “kids being kids” until the bullied outcaste shows up with a willingness to trade his whole life for one hour of being empowered to inflict justice on a cruel world. In one of the most notorious school massacres ever, one of the perpetrators walked into the school cafeteria and yelled, “All jocks stand up.” What’s our first clue?
Yet, in all of the desperate clamor for answers, where are the Christian ministries that target the outcastes in our public school systems? “In home schools.” Well, touché. At one church Susan and I attended, we heard continued prayer requests for a troubled child who was being bullied at school. Finally, Susan and I, somewhat perplexed, asked why the police had not been called into the situation as bullying is a criminal offence in the state of Ohio. The answer? “These are just children we are talking about!” In regard to this same student, I had previously encouraged the youth of our church to reach out to this young man in the name of Christ. The suggestion was met with blank stares. When there are no answers—when there is no hope—things will happen.
Christians showing the world that we will gladly take the rejects that the world doesn’t want is a start—it’s at least something. It is better than mimicking the ignorance of the world or selling magic whiffle dust in the form of a Christian flag, Ten Commandment statues, or a hokey meet at the pole prayer show. Something is better than stupid.
And a third one as well: the suggestion that this event is a plug for more homeschooling where our mindless lazy-thinking children will be safe.
If we want God back in the schools, He will be there within our children. And if His glory is shown in them, it will be through the mind of Christ and His wisdom.
paul
Paul's Passing Thoughts 
On this post Paul I will have to respectfully disagree: I feel we must go with the leading of the Holy Spirit in where we should educate our children. I homeschooled and still homeschool all three of my children and also know that this was the leading of the Holy Spirit in our family. I have had the privilege of being able to share with my children godly principles and Scripture that otherwise they would not be receiving in school. I have shared with them the pitfalls and temptations of the world and how to actively stand against this mindset of the “follow the crowd” and marxist philosophy of the public school system. We are also very realistic about how the world operates and try not to be overprotective Christians, but try to get them involved with secular orgs. so they have a chance to be with unbelievers. Are they witnessing to those who are unbelievers? You betcha… My boys have online friends that are unbelievers that they are witnessing to continually. I have heard this debate before about homeschooling vs. public school, but this is where we have felt lead to be. But I do respect your views about it. 🙂
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T4H,
Thanks for the comment. I understand your perspective. LOL, I am getting some pretty negative feedback–email etc. But ya know, it’s another perspective coming from a ministry where we find that the VAST majority of Christians in our day do not even understand the difference between sanctification and justification. Home school? Evil public schools? We don’t even know the difference between sanctification and justification!
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Well you won’t get too much negative from me because on most part I agree with you quite a bit. I count you and Susan to be my brother and sister in Christ online and am extremely grateful for your dedicated research on this topic of Calvinism. Yes, it seems like they have taken over the homeschool area too, which I can understand the theory of the drawback of homeschooling. I made it my mission to make sure that my kids knew what the world is like and how to deal with it and they have had the chance to see my sins and weaknesses and my having to ask for forgiveness too many times to count. I have also had countless discussions about WHY we have had to leave churches based on false teaching- granted they sometimes think their mom is a wacky one and don’t understand sometimes, but I do discuss the issue of justification and sanctification with them quite a bit.
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Well, T4H, judging from conversations with my nieces and nephews, and friends of theirs, all homeschooled, I highly doubt that Calvinism is taking over in that area.
Paul, I pretty much agree with just about everything you wrote in this post, especially concerning the appalling ignorance and the easy solutions. A few months ago, I gave a talk to about 30 Christian adults, and began by asking for a definition of the Trinity. One woman raised her hand, and her answer wasn’t even close. I’m seeing this kind of thing again and again, and the kids take their cues from the parents and don’t learn.
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Jeff,
When it gets right down to it, what has defined this ministry since 2009? A constant struggle to find a way to define the gospel in a way that dumbed-down Christians can understand it. They are NOT stupid by any means–they have just trusted the wrong leaders for too long.
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Hey Paul, The reason I am opposed to most public school education is not because of it being non Christian but because it teaches foundational socialism which is another route to tyranny.. Until the child can think abstractly, that is a real problem. Part of the problem is not just teaching rewritten history but that public school has this idea that everyone should get a trophy for showing up. Basic living Skills we are to practice as children in order to be a productive citizen now have to be rewarded. That is not how the world works so when this does not work in the real world, this causes problems.
I do think the bubble world of Christianity is a huge problem. It was diferent for me growing up. We had lots of Muslim visitors to our home because of my mom’s work in that ministry at a University. We also had foreign exchange students living with us which included Buddhists, Hindu, Muslim, Athiest, etc. We prayed the seeds planted during those precious days took root at some point. We prayed for God to send them those who would water the seeds.
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Lydia,
I agree, but what’s worse, that, or teaching our children that the Puritans were spiritual heroes?! Either way, Dad/Mom will have to be hands on.
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BTW Paul, Today at church the pastor mentioned Herod’s ordered massacre, too, and asked if we thought Herod was mentally ill or just selfishly evil.
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Give that man a kudo for me!
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Jeffb
I was talking more about the homeschool conventions- a lot of “Paul Tripp stuff” going around; just check out their convention meetings. I used quite a few of the Calvinist curriculum resources too.. some I still use but not their history resources as much now since I know what Calvinism is. Believe me the Calvinist mindset has taken over the Homeschool Convention- I do not even go to them anymore. I use to think highly of the Puritans and Reformers when I was in grade school (being taught in Christian private schools) and I was not even taught in Reformed schools- these were just your run of the mill Baptist church schools at the time.
But you are right that not all homeschoolers are of that mindset. My sister actually goes to a homeschool group that is very eclectic- some that are there are Christian and some are not. Many parents, whether Christian or non, are pulling their kids out just for the reasons Lydia was talking about. It is getting that bad in the PSS.
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Just read an article about certain schools incorporating yoga as a part of daily school curriculum.
This is only one reason why I do not put my children in the PSS- the indoctrination of secularism is high and many children do not have those capabilities to fight these things. I always felt that we as parents are the ones to be responsible for teaching our children not government. Never believed in getting things for free whether schooling or healthcare.
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I know I didn’t make this clear, but I am NOT AGAINST homeschooling *across the board*. I am against the mentality that HS is a test for spirituality and “you’re a deadbeat parent if you send your kids to public schools.” But, I also list the other realities in-between those two decisions. However, I do think that it is stupid that many top-notch public schools have no witness for Christ. I went to one such high school.
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“I know I didn’t make this clear, but I am NOT AGAINST homeschooling *across the board*. I am against the mentality that HS is a test for spirituality and “you’re a deadbeat parent if you send your kids to public schools.””
I understood what you meant and I appreciate your clarification. I have never voiced (nor even thought) that parents who send their children to Christian schools or homeschool were the only ones doing it right – but I have had it said to me that I am wrong for doing public schools. I figure people have their reasons and many Christians do not have a choice (both working) but to make use of the public schools. It seems to be such a sore subject with some Christians. I guess I just feel each parent do what he/she feels is right for their children and pray for each other in this loveless world.
Our small public middle/high school had a beautiful witness for Christ in their Christmas concert (called a Christmas concert not a holiday concert) last week. There was a moment of slient prayer in remembrance of Newtown and they sang Silent Night twice (once with the auditorium completely dark with the entire choir holding candles), Angels We Have Heard On High, Alleluia- I Will Sing, Drummer Boy, Baby Born In Bethlehem, Joy To The World and other carols.
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Diane,
That’s the rub, there are some sane public schools out there, and we need not forget that for Daniel and his pals there was no choice. However, something to take note of is “http://indoctrinationmovie.com/ the movie and book–I just kindled the book. It hit me between the eyes because this ministry is big on the understanding that people will eventually act on their logic. Just the promo clip alone was pretty eye-opening. I think it’s a judgement call according to many factors as you have well noted.
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I took note of it in 2011. From the trailer:
“Every Christian parent with a child in a government school should see this [movie] and be forced to confront their unwillingness to do what Scripture requires for the children on loan to them by God. A mass exodus from government schools is the only way to preserve the souls and minds of our children.”
Cal Thomas (America’s most widely syndicated op-ed columnist)”
I think there is some truth in what the film portrays, but I definitely get the feel there are scare tactics employed in the trailer and the quote above is a double eyebrow raiser…lol-to be polite. I cringe a bit when I see the Phillips’, RC jr, Baucham and KevinSwanson highly endorsing something.
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True, but if some of that stuff really happened–that gives one pause. But ya. “mass exodus” is just saying every public school out there is a total loss as if Christian people are not employed in any of them.
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