When I meet someone who believes in any variety of Darwinistic Evolution, I just think of this in my mind.
And then I go. "Yeah. Right."
Striving to be a Samwise Gamgee in a world of Smeagols.
When I meet someone who believes in any variety of Darwinistic Evolution, I just think of this in my mind.
And then I go. "Yeah. Right."
The following is an excerpt from The Case for Classical Christian Education by Douglas Wilson, pages 21 and 22.
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The NEA knows what it wants and is willing to dedicate its resources to get it. Sad to say, on the other hand, most Christian parents do not know what they want and are not willing to sacrifice anything. Many within the system still have a biblical view of morality, and so they want to work against this sinful agenda and try to restore "traditional" morality to American schools.
On what moral basis shall the teacher who wholly suppresses all appeal to religion rest that authority which he must exercise in the classroom? He will find it necessary to say to the pupil, "Be diligent. Be obedient. Do not lie." This must be done so the student may acquire his secular knowledge. But on who's authority? By what standard?*
Education is fundamentally religious. Consequently, there is no question about whether a morality will be imposed in that education, but rather which morality will be imposed. Christians and assorted traditionalists who want a secular school system to instill anything other than secular ethics are wanting something that has never happened and can never happen.
Because all truths converge towards God, the teacher who cannot name God must have fragmented teaching. He can only construct a truncated figure. In history, ethics, philosophy, and jurisprudence, religious facts and propositions are absolutely inseparable from the subject at hand. The necessary discipline of a schoolroom and secular fidelity of teaching require religion.*
If they converge toward the Christian God, then He will be acknowledged, and His Word will be honored. If all "truths" converge on the Sinai of another God, then we will see his law/word imposed. And that "law" will in our day amount to some variation of catering to the powers that be.
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* These two quotes are from R.L. Dabney, On Secular Education (Moscow, ID: Canon Press, 1989) pg 19,24
He worked on this for almost a year.
I'll admit two things regarding this video. The first is that it speaks to an audience that I am (mostly) unfamiliar with. He uses terminology that I've not heard. Mewing... Looks-maxing... etc. He acknowledged this audience, for sure, but as I learned what the words meant and who this audience is, I realized that the terms might be different, but the audience is age-old and permeates most other audiences.
The second is that... and I've told him this... I don't think he goes far enough with his answer. Now, for the record, he goes as far as he wants to go with the video. He doesn't want to answer the question with an entirely new solution, he is primarily (as he has told me) sought to destroy the concept that looks are of primary importance.
It is a long video, documentary movie length... but I think it is interesting... and so I share.
Furthermore, the field of Christianity is the world. The Christian cannot be satisfied so long as any human activity is either opposed to Christianity or out of all connection with Christianity. Christianity must pervade not merely all nations, but also all of human thought. The Christian, therefore, cannot be indifferent to any branch of earnest human endeavor. It must all be brought into some relation to the gospel. It must be studied either in order to be demonstrated as false, or else in order to be made useful in advancing the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom must be advanced not merely extensively, but also intensively. The Church must seek to conquer not merely every man for Christ, but also the whole of man.
Ok. I have an educational challenge for you. Here are the stipulations of that challenge... and I would like to see if anyone can come up with an ongoing, workable solution to this challenge.
(This challenge is purely theoretical. Any resemblance to actual challenges -- persons, places, or schools -- is purely coincidental.)
Teacher Stipulations:
I believed, even when I spoke:
“I am greatly afflicted”;
I said in my alarm,
“All mankind are liars.”
Psalm 116:10–11 (ESV)
Below is a clip from the Light and Truth Podcast from Desiring God. It is a clip from a sermon that was originally preached at Bethlehem Baptist Church by John Piper on December 1st, 1996.
The clip should start at 5:31. If it doesn't, I encourage you to forward to that time. (Obviously, you can go back and listen to the first 5 minutes of it later.) I share this clip, because I believe it needs to be heard. ... Really heard.
Transcript from 5:31 to about 7:18...
Now let's just get this real clear and real straight because I have the feeling we live in such a kind of touchy-feely day that Christianity is being so psychologized and so therapeutized that we really do believe this book was written for our mental health. It wasn't. It was written to help us get right with a wrathful God.
God is one great massive fire of Holiness. He hates sin and cannot abide it. We are little ant-like sinners of sin. And if we got within 10 trillion miles of this God we'd be consumed.
The problem in the universe is not our frail marriages. The problem in the universe is not my failing health. The problem in the universe is not my wayward children. The problem in the universe is not the conflicts at work. The problem that the Bible was written to deal with is I have no hope of drawing near to God without being consumed: because I'm a sinner. And unless there is some kind of asbestos-like priest who can wrap me around with all he is and take me into the center of this fire there's no hope for me at all that's what the Bible is about.
There is much more here, and the whole thing, the whole series is worth listening to, but this portion might be an important clip for YOU to hear today. It might be the reason why you have been confused about the Bible and what it is telling you. It might be the reason why you have felt disappointed with God or resentful about how your life has played out. It might be the reason why you are depressed or discouraged about the world, whether big-scale or your own little world that you interact with.
If you have been going through life, not realizing that your biggest need and your biggest problem have a solution, created by God the Father, fulfilled by God the Son, and made available by the Power of God the Spirit, then you could easily meander through this life down and discouraged. The Bible offers incredibly good news... good news that doesn't make sense until you know the bad news... and your future could be incredibly bright, and anyone can get in on this.
[1] Deliver me, O LORD, from that evil person;preserve me from their violent thoughts,[2] preserve me from the one who planned evil things in their heartand stirred up war with me continually.[3] They made their tongue sharp as a serpent’s,and under their lips was the venom of asps.Selah.[4] Guard me, O LORD, from the hands of that wicked one;preserve me from violent thoughts,that would love nothing better than to see me trip.[5] That arrogant one would have hidden a trap for me,and with cords they would have spread a net;beside the way they wished to set snares for me.Selah.[6] I say to the LORD, You are my God;give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O LORD![7] O LORD, my Lord, the strength of my salvation,you have covered my head in the day of battle.[8] Grant not, O LORD, the desires of that wicked one;do not further their evil plot, or they will be exalted!Selah.[9] As for the head of that one that wished to surround me,or schemed secrets behind my back,let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them![10] Let burning coals fall upon them!Let them be cast into fire,into miry pits, no more to rise![11] Let not that slanderer, that schemer, that liar be established in the land;let evil hunt down that wicked woman speedily![12] I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted,and will execute justice for the needy.[13] Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name;the upright shall dwell in your presence.
Amos 3:6 b (ESV)
"... Does disaster come to a city, unless the LORD has done it?"
Grant, Almighty God, that as you constantly remind us in your word, and have taught us by so many examples, that there is nothing permanent in this world, but that the things which seem the firmest tend to ruin, and instantly fall and of themselves vanish away, when by your breath you shake your strength in which men trust -- O grant that we, being really subdued and humbled, may not rely on earthly things, but raise up our hearts and our thoughts to heaven, and there fix the anchor of our hope; and may all our thoughts abide there until at length, when you have led us through our course on earth, we shall be gathered into that celestial kingdom which has been obtained for us by the blood of your only begotten Son. Amen.
John Calvin (Quoted in Be Thou My Vision)