AN EDITORIAL ON HOMESCHOOLING

When people hear that we are homeschooling the response is invariably defensiveness. ” I would love to keep my children home, but…” One of two phrases follows that “but.” I would like to take a deeper look at these excuses and at the same time verbalize my convictions about homeschooling.

The first excuse I hear is ” I believe my child should attend school so they can be acclimated to society.” On those with a limited vocabulary say “They need to ‘get out ‘ there and learn how to act.” What is it that we want them to be acclimated to? How are we wanting them to learn to act? There are so many sinful philosophies floating around that I do not care one bit to have my child acclimated to it. They all begin at one point – Satan- but take on different forms. I will begin with feminism. It is alive and strong and has our nation by the throat. The earlier they can begin brainwashing our children the faster it grows. John MacArthur has done a study on feminism exposing it as a religion beginning not long after creation. It believes that the creator was a woman and the serpent was a prophet sent to release woman from the iron fist of man. You do not think it is around us or part of our lives? Have you ever heard this phrase? “I would love to stay home with my children, but I have needs and need to feel fulfilled.” That is it folks! It is ground floor, bargain basement feminism. It has taken our nation by storm. Sadly enough that includes our churches.

There are so many different religions that fall under the New Age movement, that we can not expound them all. There are a few that are more commonly taught in our schools and through our television. One is the belief that we are all gods. Our children look in a mirror during self-esteem time and tell themselves that “I am good, I make the right decisions because I am good.” Some believe that we keep recycling ourselves until someday we will all become perfect (also a form of humanism) and live in a utopian society. Others believe that we, as humans, are equal to or below the common animal. We terrible humans only plunder and destroy our fellow earth occupants. Just turn on the television for a few minutes and you will see examples of any or all of these.

Socialists will try to convince us that we, as parents have no right or authority to train our own children and the sooner they can get hold of our children, through preschool, the better off the children are. They are convincing us that it takes more than a family to raise children , it requires help from our “village”. (hmmm, haven’t we heard something like this recently from a prominent American figure?) Need a hint? O.K. their initials are Hillary Clinton (whose husband we just elected president for the second time). It lowers parent’s rights and elevates children’s rights. God gave us all we need to raise our families: His Word and a good dose of common sense.

What exactly is the outcome of these unhealthy philosophies? What have our children become after being raised on Satan’s knee? They have become and are becoming thieves, homosexuals, parents at an ungodly age, diseased with STD’s and Aids. Our prisons and psychologists offices are packed full of them, where they are being spoon fed even more of the stuff that landed them there in the first place.

Where is our common sense and Biblical training? Where in the Bible does it say, we are to “become acclimated to our society”? It does say in II Cor. 6:17 “…come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.” It also says numerous times in Deuteronomy to teach your children God’s laws and ways. God isn’t saying that it is a good idea, He says in Deut. 6:7 to “teach them” when you “sit at home”, when you “walk along the road”, when you “lie down and get up”. By the way, where did this learning take place? Bingo! At home. Teaching our children is as natural as feeding them. God made it that way. It is only when we ourselves are influenced by the worlds philosophies that we lose our way.

So, are these the things we want our children to become acclimated to? Is this how we want our children to learn to act? We have been so blinded that we can’t see what is happening. It doesn’t change the facts though. Our children’s minds and spirits are being turned from God and sent straight into Satan’s arms. We cannot avoid it in public schools. I have spoken to many teachers and substitutes who are either blind themselves or see these being taught daily. As a side note, I was raised and graduated from private school. I learned more about broken families, foul language and sex there than in my neighborhood. The only marijuana I ever saw was in a private school. It was being sold.

Now, onto the second, and excuse I hear is “I don’t have enough patience to keep my kids home”. Who does? Very few people actually are born with enough patience that allows them to sit with the same child(ren) and teach hour after hour, day and night, year in and year out. If it is important enough to you, you will learn patience – What does the Bible say about patience? Rom. 5:3+4 “…suffering produces perseverance (patience); perseverance, character; and character, hope”. Col. 1:11 Being “strengthened with all might according to His glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness”. 1 Tim. 6:11 “…Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance (patience) and gentleness.” James 1:4 “Perseverance must finish it’s work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” II Pet. 1:5+6 “…add to your faith goodness; and to goodness knowledge; and to knowledge self-control; and to self-control perseverance”. Gal. 5:22 “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness…” WOW! God must have meant we are to learn patience. If God chooses to use our children to teach us patience, then we should answer “Lord, let it be so.” And learn it in abundance. God has given us every qualification to teach – love for our children and His Spirit to guide.

If you are trying to decide about homeschooling, the only way you can make a right decision is through prayer and listening to the Holy Spirit. If you are homeschooling, be encouraged and encourage others. We have the power to raise up a Godly nation that will turn back to Him

(c) copyright 1997 Carman Smallwood