The Idol of Education

This is a good follow up to my Parents not Schools to Blame? post...

In that post I made the case that the government schools and social welfare programs are to blame because they have become the Parents, and I gave several suggestions to change course.

Today I read a great blog post from Paratus Familia blog, "The Savior of our Youth - Education," that better articulates than I could ;).

I have often found it interesting that, as a country, we prize education more highly than almost any pursuit... Look where education has gotten us. We are a nation without a moral compass... The more "modern" our education systems becomes, the less effective it is. Rather than teaching academics and expecting excellence, our schools have become the breeding place for social experiments... Some are beginning to see that education, by itself, is not the answer. I read an article by a physician who commented on the recent N.Y. requirement that all middle school aged children be graphically schooled in sex education. She noted that they already seemed very well schooled to her. They knew what to do and how to do it. She also questioned the wisdom of telling kids to "just say no" to drugs and "no" to smoking, but when it came to sex, we educate them about doing it "safely"... Education by itself leads to corruption. Only when education is paired with moral direction can we hope dig ourselves out of the mess we are in.

The conclusion says it all, "Only when education is paired with moral direction can we hope dig ourselves out of the mess we are in."

Please read the full post Paratus Familia blog, "The Savior of our Youth - Education," We need to stop offering our children at the alter of Baal/Caesar/Government and start to "teach [God's commands] diligently to your children." (Deuteronomy 6:7)

If you still think I'm overreacting, just read the national news. Flash mob violence by our government raised youth is out of control!
- Riots Across America for Memorial Day!
- Flash Mob Violence – Wisconsin State Fair Ends With Violent Race Based Flash Mob Beatings...
- Philly Mayor Michael Nutter condemns flash mob violence
- Video Shows Brutal Attack By Philadelphia Teen Mob
- also, the latest ACT test scores show that 75 percent of graduation seniors are not prepared for college

anyone who actually cares what their children are taught, who cares about the principles of individual liberty, and/or who decries the principles of socialism (taxing some people to pay for services to others), among other things, is under a moral obligation to provide for their children’s education privately. Every Christian, especially, should pull their children out immediately. Every church should support homeschooling parents, help with materials and supplemental instruction, and open its own school as well, especially for poorer members. Morally speaking, there’s really no good reason not to. Only if you let convenience and money trump morality would you continue to support public schooling.
("Recovering Liberty: Here’s How to Begin" August 12, 2011 by Joel McDurmon)


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Relationship and Discipleship

Relationship does not equal discipleship

Community and relationships are necessary vehicles for discipleship, but without fuel and a map they don't get very far.

Great, authentic, transparent relationships can be found among all the worlds religions and non-religions, so what should set the relationships of Christ's disciples apart?

Sound doctrine, teaching, instruction, and "building up" into the unity of the faith?

I am wrestling with this because I have experienced great community and relationships, but without any structured teaching and instruction, or unity in the essentials of the faith it just seems shallow. I'm dissatisfied with and worried about the spiritual health of this arrangement.

And it's not that I'm "there" or further in my faith. I do in fact consider myself a weaker brother that craves the strong anchor of sound teaching of Scripture. I want to pilgrimage "there" and I don't sense anyone with a map leading the way. I want to grow beyond the surface level stuff and live radically different than the world, my very life as a spiritual act of worship, but I find it nearly impossible under this arrangement to break the "American Christianity" of doing the christian thing, including community and relationships, while doing what the non-believing culture is doing as status quo...

Thoughts for reflection:

18 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
Matthew 28:18-20

11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Ephesians 4:11-16

10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith... continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:10-17

28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish everyone with tears.
Acts 20:28-31

9 [An overseer] must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
Titus 1:9

The “modern” idea of church, or ecclesiology, it seems is that the church exists as a venue to “attract” the lost through dynamic programs, performances and events-the more dynamic the better. What one pastor friend of mine referred to as “theo-tainment.” The problem with emphasizing this approach exclusively is that a disproportionate amount of the church’s time and resources go into these efforts at the expense of discipleship and training the already saved. The result is the proverbial church that “is a mile wide and inch deep.” Yes, the local church may grow in numbers but rarely in spiritual maturity and the witness of the Church is often rendered lackluster.
("What Happened to Discipleship?" By S. Michael Craven)

I am craving this kind of fellowship: Relationships and community centered on Jesus Christ as Lord and committed to the study and teaching of Scripture and sound doctrine so as to live our lives radically counter cultural for Him!

Yes it must be done in community and relationship, but shouldn't there be a teaching and instruction plan, guide, or curriculum for discipleship and leadership development as exemplified in Scripture (ie a map), and shouldn't there be a holy conviction preached from the word (ie fuel)?


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Are you a terrorist threat to our government?

Read this story from two different sources today. A "handout produced by the FBI for Surplus stores... has determined that patrons of Army/Navy surplus stores are a potential terrorist threat." And more generally the FBI now considers the "Purchase of Preparedness Items as 'Potential Indicators of Terrorist Activities.'"

Oath Keepers: FBI Wants Surplus Stores To Spy on Customers

Read the FBI handout: Oath Keepers Exclusive: An FBI Denver Joint Terrorism Task Force handout

More about Oath Keepers

Liberty Alert from Paratus Family blog
No people will tamely surrender their Liberties, nor can any be easily subdued, when knowledge is diffused and Virtue is preserved. On the Contrary, when People are universally ignorant, and debauched in their Manners, they will sink under their own weight without the Aid of foreign Invaders.
Samual Adams


Here's a counter point:
Recovering liberty: Here’s how to begin
(Samaritan Ministries is mentioned by name in this article)



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