I thought someone might get some needed encouragment with this article. A reminder to many of us of "why we homeschool." I know this is not true for everyone. But for those of us whose primary reason for homeschooling, is in service to our Savior, this article serves to remind us of the duty and obligation before us. God Bless!

We Are Losing Our Children By T.C. Pinckney Remarks to the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee in Nashville, TN, September 18, 2001

The events of a week ago today were a terrible tragedy. The nation is rightly aroused, and we need to take effective action. We mourn for the slain and we pray for their families. Yet having said that, evaluated as a long-term threat and in numbers of lives destroyed, the tragedy I want to discuss with you dwarfs, literally dwarfs, the attacks on the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon.

We are losing our children. Research indicates that 70% of teens who are involved in a church youth group will stop attending church within two years of their high school graduation. Think about that statement. It addresses only teenagers who attend church and participate in the youth group. What does that suggest about those teens who may attend church but do not take part in the youth group, or who do not go to church at all?

In a talk at Southwestern Seminary Josh McDowell noted that less than 1/3 of today's youth attend church. If he is right and 67% do not go to church and then we lose 70% of those who do, that means that within two years of finishing high school only 10% of young Americans will attend church.

We are losing our youth.

Why is this happening? Many strands go into weaving a tapestry, and surely there are many reasons this tragic departure of our youth from Christ is taking place. However, I believe the evidence clearly indicates that the primary reasons are, first, our failure as Christian parents and churches and, second, the intentional, persistent, and highly effective effort by anti-theists to use public schools to lead children away from their parents and from the church.

A Bit of History About 1830 a group of wealthy Unitarians in Boston became unhappy with the locally controlled, parent-run, church-influenced schools then prevalent. They decided to try to establish a system of state-run, secular schools. They sent two young scholars abroad to study the main European school systems in order to decide which system to use as a model. After a two-year study the team recommended and their sponsors adopted the Prussian system as their model. Why? Because in that system the state had complete control, parents had no influence, and children were entered at the earliest age.

With that decision made, the group designed a three part plan: (1) compulsory attendance, (2) a state teacher's college degree prerequisite to certification as a teacher, and (3) state owned and operated schools. This was the plan they proposed to the Massachusetts' legislature.

Among themselves they agreed that if they could not at first get all three elements approved, the most important part was the required teacher's college. This was their priority because they agreed that "If we teach them what to teach, they will teach what they have been taught."

The first year's cost to establish the teacher's college was $50,000. The Massachusetts legislature balked, saying the cost was too high. So the wealthy Unitarians made them an offer they could not refuse; they put up $25,000 if the state would match it. They did, and in 1837 the first state public school system in the United States was established. Soon other states followed suit.

The Philosophical Foundation of Governmental Schools Just 14 years after the Massachusetts state school system was established, Auguste Comte wrote the following in his System of Positive Polity, vol. I, 1851, pp. 35-6.

"The object of our philosophy is to direct the spiritual reorganization of the civilized world. ... [W]e may begin at once to construct that system of morality under which the final regeneration of Humanity will proceed."

His "spiritual reorganization" was a long-term plan, and it has been steadily progressing right up till today.

And you will recall that Darwin's great mythology, Origin of Species, was published in 1859.

Of course Comte was not alone in this vision of a future without God, of humanity without individuality, of rule by the self-defined most capable over the less capable. In 1918 Benjamin Kidd published in London a book, The Science of Power. On p. 309 he wrote:

"Oh you blind leaders who seek to convert the world by labored disputations. Step out of the way or the world must fling you aside. GIVE US THE YOUNG. GIVE US THE YOUNG and we will create a new mind and a new earth in a single generation."

Ten years later in 1928 Ross L. Finney, Ph. D., published in the United States A Sociological Philosophy of Education. On p. 118 Finney wrote, "Everything depends on passing out the expert opinions of the social scientists to the masses of the people; and the schools, particularly the high schools, are the only adequate agency available for this function."

And on p. 117 he had just said, "It is the business of teachers to run not merely the school, but the world; and the world will never be truly civilized until they assume that responsibility."

Another interesting quote comes from The Reconstruction of Religio by Charles A. Ellwood, Ph. D., Professor of Sociology, U. Of Missouri, 1923, p. 177: "Human institutions, sociology shows, are in every case learned adjustments. As such, they can be modified provided we can obtain control of the learning process."

And the American Humanist Association understands the importance of capturing the children for they have written: "In order to capture this nation, one has to totally remove moral and spiritual values and absolutes from the thinking of the child. The child has to think that there is no standard of right and wrong, that truth is relative, and that diversity is the only absolute to be gained."

Everyone has a worldview, a perspective of the world around him. Bob Reccord referred to this as a "reference point." He may not think of it in these terms. Indeed, he may not think of it consciously at all, but you cannot exist without a framework within which you place events and individuals, which determines your values, which values in turn guide your actions and reactions to events and people.

Although there are many worldviews designated by many exotic or not so exotic terms, they all boil down to just two types: Your worldview will be man-centered or God-centered.

We are all familiar with Deuteronomy 6:7-9: "And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates."

Yet we seem to have forgotten or ignored God's commands about education:

(1) Luke 6:40 (NASB) "A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher." Do we want our children to adopt the anti-Christian, socialistic, pro-homosexual, no absolute right and wrong beliefs promulgated in government schools? (2) Colossians 2:8 "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." This is exactly what is happening to our children. They are being spoiled by philosophies and deceits "after the tradition of men." (3) II Corinthians 6:14 "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?" But this is exactly what we do when we send our children to government schools.

Most Southern Baptists and most Southern Baptist churches are failing to obey God's commands regarding our children. Yes, we take them to Sunday worship and Sunday School. Yes, they may also attend AWANAs or another church-centered youth program. They may even have Bible study at home.

But two or three hours on Sunday and 20 minutes or so of Bible study at home are overpowered by 30 or more hours a week in anti-Christian government schools and the constant pagan media bombardment which may add up to another 10, 20, 30, or more hours per week.

Now of course many schoolteachers are Christians. And may God bless them as they do what they can. But they are strictly limited by school policy, humanist textbooks, programs teaching the validity of homosexuality, "make up your own minds" approaches to morality, "safe sex" instruction, and on and on.

Why have we failed our God in this critically important responsibility?

We have failed because we have been willfully, blissfully ignorant ... and satisfied in our ignorance.

We have failed because the great majority of us have not made the effort to inform ourselves of the facts ... even though there are books and articles galore readily available.

We have failed because -- even when we have known the facts -- we have not had the courage to point them out to our people.

We have failed because we have been afraid to offend people. So we have chosen to offend God rather than men.

What Should We Do? The ideal, most biblical solution is for parents to teach their children, to be homeschoolers. All our churches should welcome and openly encourage home- schoolers. But clearly many parents cannot or will not home-school. For their children we need to start large numbers of Christian schools.

And these schools need to be truly Christian: (1) Christian in the sincere faith of the teachers and all other staff, (2) Christian in textbooks carefully chosen, (3) Christian in their entire worldview.

Note that they should also teach about evolution, about humanism, about post-modernism ... but in a balanced way, giving the evolutionists' arguments fully and fairly, but also demonstrating their weaknesses, the mythological presuppositions upon which these lies are based, and the disastrous consequences for those who choose to live without God. Our children must be prepared to live among, confront when necessary, and triumph in debate with secularists. This is one area where ignorance is NOT bliss.

It has been a privilege to be with you today. As Executive Committee members you fill a critically important role in Southern Baptist life, and indeed in Christian life throughout the United States and the entire world. I pray the Lord will lay a burden on your hearts for our children and their Christian education. And I pray that He will lead you to encourage home-schooling and the establishment of more and more truly Christian schools.

-- Wendy@GraceAcres (wjl7@hotmail.com), April 13, 2002

Answers

Wendy, darlin' I want to thank you very, very much for sharing this with us. I find the following-

We are losing our children. Research indicates that 70% of teens who are involved in a church youth group will stop attending church within two years of their high school graduation. Think about that statement. It addresses only teenagers who attend church and participate in the youth group. What does that suggest about those teens who may attend church but do not take part in the youth group, or who do not go to church at all?

so extremely heartening. Thank goodness the youth of our nation are finally overcoming the ignorance and dogma being preached by the Baptists, and so many other "true believers". At last, the youth are using their heads for something other than to hang their dogma on!

Not that I think all church youth groups are bad; I happened to have attended one religiously, you might say, from age 15 to 18. I have fond memories of that experience.

I especially remember getting a kick out of the Reverend's chastising us for having sex with each other. He told us that "sex with any purpose than procreation is no better than mutual masturbation". We all looked at each other questioningly, like "and you point is..?"

After youth group meetings, we generally had all sorts of learning experiences in the dark parking lot behind the church. Lots of mutual masterbation, I suppose you could call it. ;>)

-- joj (jump@off.c), April 13, 2002.

LOL!!!

-- no (no@no.no), April 13, 2002.

I enjoyed the information and unlike the previous poster (who must be a total bonehead if he can't respond in a more educated and responsible manner). yes we are losing our children mainly because we left all that our parents and ancestors held dear. Faith in God and love for others more than ourselves. I am part of generation x but unlike most people my age I have a family, children, strong faith in god as my creator and jesus the messiah as my atonement for sin. instead of a guitar. low rider, and some extreme sport hobby. It's time to go back to God and family or we will die with neither

-- Daryl (dmoormans@yahoo.com), April 13, 2002.

Wendy, darlin' I want to thank you very, very much for sharing this with us.

Aw shucks joj, and I so love the endearment "darlin." You know the song, "you don't have to call me darlin', darlin', you never even called me by my name....." Oh well, it is certainly better than the many "endearments" available...

"I find the following-

We are losing our children. Research indicates that 70% of teens who are involved in a church youth group will stop attending church within two years of their high school graduation. Think about that statement. It addresses only teenagers who attend church and participate in the youth group. What does that suggest about those teens who may attend church but do not take part in the youth group, or who do not go to church at all?

"so extremely heartening. Thank goodness the youth of our nation are finally overcoming the ignorance and dogma being preached by the Baptists, and so many other "true believers". At last, the youth are using their heads for something other than to hang their dogma on!"

Yes, I can certainly see your point. The youth of America are a shinning example of what one is able to obtain when one uses their heads for something other than understanding, faith or knowledge. Those with the worldview you hold must be very pleased with the results so clearly evident in society. I am sure there will come a day, when these same youth, will be eternally in your debt. I can only imagine the desire they will have to express their amazement at the lengths gone to, in an effort to provide such enlightenment! And, surely, to thank, all those wonderful adults who sought their freedom from the dogma of the Church. My, I can just imagine!

"Not that I think all church youth groups are bad; I happened to have attended one religiously, you might say, from age 15 to 18. I have fond memories of that experience.

I especially remember getting a kick out of the Reverend's chastising us for having sex with each other. He told us that "sex with any purpose than procreation is no better than mutual masturbation". We all looked at each other questioningly, like "and you point is..?"

After youth group meetings, we generally had all sorts of learning experiences in the dark parking lot behind the church. Lots of mutual masterbation, I"

You yourself are indeed such a fine example of that which we can hold up and offer to our children, as an example of what one might and can aspire to without such dogma and ignorance getting in the way. Why, the freedom that comes with such a worldview, is very enticing indeed!

Let us look at the one example you offer up -- the freedom for mutual masturbation!! Wow, so very inspiring! I am just certain, if we hold your example as our standard, our youth will indeed develope such character traits as honor, sacrifice, self-discipline, the ability to distinguish right from wrong and the myriad of other character traits so easily seen in our youth in these days.

Really, I cannot imagine what I was thinking. What with such a fine argument as you have offered, pointing out the fallacy of the concerns of this author. Disputing the evidence offered, and of course, offering your own behavior as evidence as to why those who adhere to your worldview are better off. And why our children are better off as a result. I am just certain that every parent who reads your reponse, will surely be swayed in their thinking and understanding! You are welcome for the article, but really, it is I, who must Thank YOU -- Thank You joj!

-- Wendy@GraceAcres (wjl7@hotmail.com), April 14, 2002.

Wendy,

Very eloquent and to the point. I wouldn't want to meet you in an intellectual dark alley at night with some weak argument I might have. I don't think JOJ will get it or seriously entertain it though. He does forthrightly give pretty thoughtful and practical advice on wells, heating/cooling, and a host of things that help independent living, however.

-- charles (cr@dixienet.com), April 14, 2002.

Hi, I'm planning to homeschool my youngest next fall. My problem is that I can't find much help for non-christian parents. If anyone has seen any neutral or wiccan cirriculum please let me know. :)

-- buffy (buffyannjones@hotmail.com), April 14, 2002.

Wendy, dear girl, I wasn't offering up mutual masterbation as any kind of standard! (We preferred to call it intercourse between two or more consenting adults. My point was actually to tell you that church youth groupls were not totally without benefit. I met some fine people there. Fun people, intellectual people, beautiful people. As far as the dogma, though, most of us were able to recover from it when we matured a bit.

-- joj (joj@home.org), April 14, 2002.

Buffy,

If your child is in kindergarten this may help. I found this online. You may wish to revise parts of it as needed.

http://216.239.51.100/search? q=cache:Su4uFqVMoIMC:www.mazyweb.com/homeschool/kindergarten.pdf+homes chool+cirriculum&hl=en

Its a long address, but the price is right.

Talk to you later.

-- Bob in WI (bjwick@hotmail.com), April 14, 2002.

Sorry, Wendy, darlin': "you're welcome".

-- joj (jump@off.c), April 15, 2002.

charles, lol!! And you are right about the information on homesteading type stuff joj provides ~ ~ ~ very helpful!

Buffy, I don't have any specific information to provide you in regards to the type of curriculum you are looking for. But, I can offer that I am sure it is available! Perhaps you can do a search - There are sooo many types of homeschoolers and resources! I think there may even be some information in the archives at Countryside regarding non=christian curriculum! My hat is off to you in your commitment to educate your child, I wish you the best!

joj - oh, ---- okie-dokie.....if you say so :)

-- Wendy@GraceAcres (wjl7@hotmail.com), April 17, 2002.

Well, folks.

After reading Wendy's original post, I have a few things to say. My daughter will be graduating from a public high school in June, having spent her entire educational experience in public schools. And what did she learn there?

That there are non-Christians in this world whose view point is just as valid as yours.

That homosexuals are just as deserving of respect and dignity as heterosxuals. It's especially nice to hang with a gay guy for a while and not worry about being "hit on" by every heterosexual dweeb, jerk, ignoramus, and stud muffin who humps on Saturday and goes to church on Sunday.

That a small community Christian church that snubs your parents because they enrolled their daughter in a rival public school (Heaven Forbid) needs no further consideration or attention.

That it's okay for your best friend in high school to be Catholic and go to her church because they're all followers of Christ.

That having the respect and encouragement from a whole host of teachers with different levels of skills, talents and viewpoints has a profound effect on self-image, maturity and worldview.

That auditioning in the theater department at a major public university and getting a personal letter of congradulations from the director of admissions means that having a mentor in a field outside your parent's expertise reaps great rewards.

That walking down the aisle at graduation with the people she has laughed and cried and anguished and celebrated her youth with is the greatest moment in her life.

Yes, I am losing my child to the real world. She's is ready to take it on. God bless her on her journey. Public schools are not for everyone, but then neither is home schooling. My wife and I made our choices. No regrets. I hope that when your son or daughter is ready to meet the world head on, you can say the same.

Blessings to you all,

(:raig Miller

-- Craig Miller (CMiller@ssd.com), April 17, 2002.

Buffy, go to the Yahoo Groups homepage
-- Sherri C in Central Indiana (CeltiaSkye@xaol.com), April 17, 2002.

Oops, I messed up the html code for the link. Let's try this again.

Buffy, go to the Yahoo Groups homepage
-- Sherri C in Central Indiana (CeltiaSkye@xaol.com), April 17, 2002.

OK, I give up! (yes, I did go to public school but it was so long ago that we didn't have computers!)

The Yahoo Groups homepage is at http://groups.yahoo.com

Type the phrase "pagan homeschool" in the search text box. There are several groups listed that should be able to help you out.

-- Sherri C in Central Indiana (CeltiaSkye@xaol.com), April 17, 2002.

Craig, thanks for sharing that! It appears that not only you, but also your daughter, have your heads screwed on straight. Good for you!

-- joj (joj@home.org), April 17, 2002.

Bob...Thanks for sharing my homeschooling site with everyone. Shelby turned 4 in August 2002 and is already reading and writing... The local schools told me that she was to young to attend schools, to young to be taught. She is reading and writing now! Could she have been able to do this without her parents, being taught in a class of 30 other students and only one teacher? I am so thankful that I am able to homeschool Shelby! ~Kris

-- Kris Mazy Fullmer (kris@mazyweb.com), December 08, 2002.

I agree that youth as a whole are becoming less Church oriented, however I don't believe the answer lies in homeschooling, at least not on it's own. I feel I must defend public schools.

I had the priviledge to go to a wonderful public school in my hometown in Florida. Granted, we had our occasional fights, but as a whole the people were fairly tolerent.

We were a mixed school, lotes of different kinds of people. And that's what I enjoyed the most.

I had the opportunity to be in my high schools JROTC program. For those who don't know, JROTC is the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps; a military based leadership program. Tne one at my high school was Army. I spent 4 amazing years in that program. I excelled at academics and learned a lot about leadership. I learned how to take charge and still follow orders. I learned what being a leader really meant. My first year, I was a private, no rank little peon. I learned marching and other neat drills. My second year I was a squad leader, i was in charge of 5 people. I was responsible for them. My third year I was a Platoon Leader. I was in charge of an entire class of JROTC students. It was stressful, but I learned how to deal with it, and my leaders. My fourth year, as I was one of only 7 (out of the original 18 eligible students) who were lucky enough to make it to 4th year, I was a staff member. I learned to work in an office type setting. My main job was to take care of student records among other computer and paper files, as well as coordinate with the other staff members and XO as to all the happenings. I loved my job, and I was good at it. My Instructors were great men. Both retired Army men. I respect and love them both very much. And I earned their respect as well.

My point being, without public schooling, I would have never had the opportunity to be a part of that program. I would have never developed the leadership skills I have now. And If I were physically able, I would join the military and proudly serve my country.

I am not saying that public schools are the answer, but I'm not saying that homeschooling is either. I had such wonderful experiences. I was an honors student and I graduated 2nd in my class. The high school experience is something I would not take away from anyone who could have as much good, clean, fun as I.

I made wonderful friends, and am engaged to the guy I was dating my senior year, who by the way is in the Navy.

Maybe some home schooling in younger years is cool. However the problem comes in that in most families both parents work. When my fiance and I get married and then plan to have children, we will both be working very hard to make a living for our children.

I was lucky enough to have two of the most wonderful, loving, supportive parents. They took me and my sister to church, where I admit I did not always want to be. But I still love the felling I get when I sing for the Lord.

The biggest problem these days is that people are having children when they don't really want to deal with them. They don't impress behavioral or ethical values on them. THAT is way the school system is breaking down. Because parents aren't encouraging their children to learn. The social setting of public schools is needed to get children to interact with one another, just the same as church is (only adding the interacting with God part ;-)

To deny children and teenagers the things which teach us to interact with others from different ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds could only be more of a disservice. Home schooling isn't necessarly the answer to having more godly children. No, being a loving supportive part of their lives and teaching them through example is.

As my parents did, I plan to have my children attend public schools. But I also plan to have them attend church with my husband and I and teach them that way. Just being a full active part of their lives makes all the difference in the world.

I know, I have friends from all sorts of family backgrounds. And I would not be ther person I am today without the experiences, good and bad that I have.

I hope I haen't gone off subject, but thankyou for taking the time to read my rather long-winded reply. But as a product of public schooling AND a good Christian home, I felt it only right to defend that which I got to enjoy.

-- Becca Abrams (JadeSama@gundamwing.net), December 09, 2002.