Public Education: A Form of Child Sacrifice?

by Wes Moore

I had just walked into the church building. Out of one ear I heard a lady ask, “Any kids today?”

“No,” the other lady replied. “None yet.”

This was a conversation between two senior adults just before the morning worship service began. They were trying to figure out if they needed to staff the nursery or children’s ministries on that particular morning.

I was preaching for them that day. I didn’t think about this conversation until later. As I looked around at the congregation from the pulpit, the youngest person I saw was probably fifty.

I don’t think any kids ever showed up.

So, where are they?

There are literally thousands of churches just like this across the United States, maybe even tens of thousands. Even the churches with youth don’t have many in comparison to what they should have.

According to several studies, somewhere between 70 and 90% of children raised in evangelical Christian homes leave the church after their eighteenth birthday and never come back.

If you didn’t know any better, you might conclude some deadly disease that targeted only Christian children had plagued the country for the last thirty years.

Or, maybe, if you were like me, you’d look at what Christians are doing with their children every day in America and conclude something much worse—that their parents had actually offered them as sacrifices to pagan gods.

Child Sacrifice in Biblical History

Throughout Old Testament history, the pagan nations sacrificed their children to pagan deities. In Deuteronomy 12:31 (and other places), God specifically warned his people never to do this. In Jeremiah 32:35, God said regarding this practice, “I never commanded [it], nor did it enter my mind.”

As indicated in the Jeremiah passage, God’s people eventually adopted this same pagan practice. This enraged God. After the kingdom was divided, kings of both Judah and Israel engaged in this heinous practice themselves and led their people to do the same (2 Kings 16:3 and 17:17).

“And you took your sons and daughters who you bore to me,” says God in Ezekiel 16:20-21, “and sacrificed them as food to the idols… You slaughtered my children….” [emphasis mine]. Ironically, these children were not even theirs to offer in the first place. They were God’s!

How did such a thing ever take place? What would drive God’s own people to do this? Psalm 106:34-37 gives an excellent explanation of the process by which something like this comes to pass: "They did not destroy the peoples as the Lord had commanded them, but they mingled with the nations and adopted their customs. They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons." [emphasis mine]

Notice the descent into this terrible sin. First, “they mingled with the nations.” That mingling caused them to “adopt their customs.” It wasn’t long before they “worshiped their idols.” And, under the deception of those idols, they eventually obeyed them to the point where they “sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.”

How is this related to public education?

Where do our children have evolution and so-called “tolerance” shoved down their throats? Where do they learn about sexual perversity on a daily basis? Where do they get the idea that Jesus is just another god and that the Bible is “mythology” pounded into their heads all year round? Where do they interact with the children of this lost world for hours on end?

Is it not in the public school system? Yes, they pick up some of these things in other places, most notably through television. Unfortunately, many Christian children learn these things in their own homes and sometimes even in their own churches. But from where does the bulk of their access to godlessness come? Where does most of it start, and by what means is the world’s morality and ethic ingrained into their minds on an ongoing basis? There’s no question about it: The state school system.

Public schools have changed. You’ve got to come to terms with this. While I’m not sure they were ever “godly,” they certainly were less godless than they are now. When I was in the third grade in 1980, we prayed for the hostages in Iran every day at school. My teacher, Mrs. Ryan, led us in that prayer. Teachers could actually discipline their children back then, and principals carried paddles, not pistols.

Even then, my first access to sexual perversion, dirty language, and evolution (among many other unbiblical, unholy teachings) came on the grounds of a public school.

Today’s public school environment is absolutely unrecognizable in terms of its anti-Christian, anti-God, anti-morality agenda. How many school shootings does it take to see the system for what it is? How many more of our children need to rebel and abandon their faith before our people wake up?

It Starts with Idolatry Again

There are many reasons more Christian parents don’t seek alternatives to public education for their children. In the first place, many of them simply haven’t thought about the impact of the godless system on their children. It’s what everybody does, so they don’t really think much about it.

Some parents don’t know the Bible well enough to see the stark contrast between what God requires of his people (parents and children alike) and what is being taught in the classrooms and hallways of our public schools. This is a plague upon the church right now overall. We don’t know the Bible, so we can’t possibly please the God of the Bible as we should.

And don’t tell me your children go to a “good” public school. While there may be devout Christian administrators and teachers who work in public education (and I am glad there are), the system itself is still what it is—ungodly at its core.

Other parents recognize the problem and mourn the unbiblical influence their children are receiving, but simply can’t do anything about it. Maybe they can’t afford any kind of a Christian school, or, as is the case with many single parents, they literally can’t home school and work at the same time. (This is where the church really needs to step in.)

But in more cases than not, it comes back to idolatry again. Let me give you a few examples of our idols:

• Greed. We have to have a big house, two new cars, a vacation at the beach every year, and the nicest clothes. We must keep up with our materialistic culture, so both parents simply “have” to work.
• Debt. Our greed and materialism traps us even when we awaken to the dangers our children face. Our big mortgage, car payments, credit card bills, and other debts enslave us to idols we didn’t even know we had.
• Career. Many Christian women have been lured into the world’s definition of a “successful” woman. God’s definition starts with how she supports her husband and takes care of her children (Proverbs 31, Titus 2:3-5). Many Christian women have abandoned real success for a cheap imitation, sacrificing their children in the process.

So what can we do?

Don’t lose hope. We don’t have to continue on this path. The God of the Bible is committed to protecting his children (and I know you are too!). Here are some steps to take if you recognize this problem in your family.

1. Repent. Whether you’ve realized the danger you’ve put your children in or not, it is still a sin. Renewal always starts with repentance in the kingdom of God.
2. Ask God for wisdom for your particular situation. Every context is different. You may need to sell your house and one of your cars to get into a financial position to make a change. Or you may need to quit work to home school the children. Whatever the case, it won’t be easy. Ask him to show you whatever it will take to get your children out of public schools.
3. Church leaders, ask yourself what your church can do to help parents get their children out of public schools. Can you start a Christian school, develop financial programs to help single parents, or offer budgeting and finance classes to teach parents how to live on less?
4. Whatever you do, if your kids are in public schools now, make sure you are discipling them yourselves at home each night. Teach them the Bible, the truth about other world religions, and biblical morality. Pray for them fiercely. Make sure they read their Bible every day for themselves, and do your best to minimize the ungodly influence they receive at school.

Conclusion

We have unwittingly allowed ourselves to sacrifice our own children on a worldly altar. But we don’t have to continue. Through repentance, the wisdom that God will give, and the sacrificial actions of both parents and churches, we can save our children from the fires of false gods that is now consuming them.

Repent and take action today.

Wes Moore is a conservative Christian author and speaker, and the founder of Evidence America, an apologetics and evangelism training ministry. Wes is the author of Forcefully Advancing: The Last Hope for America and American Christianity, a book designed to equip the average Christian to engage the lost; The Maker, a futuristic apologetics novel; and The Spiritual Top 50, a non-fiction apologetics book designed to help Christians answer the questions their lost friends are asking. You can learn more about him at www.wesmoorenow.com.

The Maker, Futuristic Apologetics Novel
by Wes Moore

It’s 2332 AD and our greatest fears have been realized. America has been destroyed and all history of her erased. The Global Government, made up of America’s present friends and foes, oppresses the world and hunts down and annihilates any person or group that threatens it. No one can challenge the great Global Government until a suicidal archaeologist named Adrien Bach finds a black box buried in the remote desert that was Middle America. The other-worldly contents of this box lead him to the truth—about America, the Global Government, and the greatest crime in human history.

Their crime.

Join Adrien on a thrilling, twenty-fourth century ride to uncover the truth and reveal that truth to a world starved of hope, love, and light. And along the way, perhaps you’ll learn something that will change the way you view our twenty-first century world.

The Maker is designed as a tool for Christians to give to their lost friends, especially those who doubt the existence of God.

Give a copy to your lost friends and family today!

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LAG

While appreciating the overall sentiment of the article, as well as agreeing that the leftist dumbing down of our public education system has taken its toll, I find the potential solutions lacking. How about educating your children as to the temptations of the world, the truth about your values, and national and world history? How about teaching your children to be independent thinkers, working to build their confidence and demonstrating WHY what you believe is truthful and honorable? If armed with God's truths and the world's truths, we needn't fear when they step out of the house.

My teenage daughter is fully capable of wading through the occasional mess and sorting out the truth from the lies. She doesn't conform, but still respects her teachers' authority. Thankfully a few of her teachers are on our team, which is all the better. Thankfully also, we truly are in one of the top ten schools in our state. I just couldn't imagine my children going off to college, off to a job, off on a trip, etc. and not have a clue how to manage a diverse world.
- Mom2lots
  
  Hmmm… That's what my parents thought, and yes, i turned out fine. BUT i was molested at school, exposed to all kinds of filth, with no support and bcz my parents never asked about school, they seemed to expect me to dichotomize my life. It was a very hard balance, especially when i was faced with hard decisions (such as my best friend confessing incest in her family). My parents had abdicated having a voice in any school related issue, and the schools were intolerant of my faith, and no one could tell me how to react to some of the more horrifying things i came across. Needless to say, i homeschool. My husband is a principal in the system, and i fully support him being there, but my own little chicks will stay home with me.
- msjallen
  
  I totally agree with you, LAG. My children and also my grandchildren are being taught the Word of God at home and from our pastor through DVDs and CDs and literature on a daily basis since our church is in another state. We as parents and grandparents keep track of what the school is teaching through an online system from their middle school called "School Loop" that tells us what they are studying and their daily grades. Every school should have this system. The youngest is in 3rd grade and her school has a monthly letter they send online as well as a printed page of information of studies. We visit their classroom and have had to change a book for one that we did not approve of and she is reading another book in the pod area when the class is discussing the other book. She is very happy about it. They do need to experience what the real world is like and as parents we guide them in the right direction. All my children turned out just fine and the oldest grandson is in college and doing very well. I don't like the public schools but we need to teach what is right at home.
- Crispus Attucks
  
  I agree with you on the point about teaching your own children the correct values and morals. I also think a huge piece is missing in this article and that is the church no longer is true to the Word of God. It has moved to a seeker friendly type of religiousness Christ condemned!!! Most adults have fallen away from the Word and the saving grace of God because they no longer know the Word and they certain do ot ponder on it. So many think they are "good people" and that is what it is all about. The children I see in public school on a daily basis are lost and have no idea about God or his love and saving grace. Many of my students come from broken families and broken communities.
Getoveryourself

I totally agree that the public school system causes harm to our children. I have had the privilege to homeschool my children. However, I give them a choice when they get to high school to continue to homeschool or go to school outside the home. My oldest homeschooled until 11th grade abpnd went to a private school and is now in college where she says on a daily basis she is inundated with liberal doctrine. My son, went to a public high school near our home and has been there for four years. I have seen him go from a loving child to one that is rebellious and hateful. His first week in high school he said he couldn't believe the things kids get away with in their behavior. The teachers do nothing about bad behavior.
- brian
  
  That's because we have parents who file lawsuits saying we are "discriminating" against their child
Thom Hall

I highly suggest that every Christian that has their child in government school view Colin Gunn's documentary : Indoctorination.
http://indoctrinationmovie.com/

Think about this: if you put you your child in a Catholic school you would rightly expect him/her to be influenced by Catholic theology. If you put your child into a Muslim school, then they will be influenced to Muslim theology. If Buddist, then the same. Now realize that the government schools are just as active in promoting a religion as the ones previously listed, it is the religion of atheism and socialism, worship of self and state.
Evermyrtle

We have come to the point of time when we must be very careful about what our children learn. If they go to today's public schools they learn everything that Satan has available to teach them. It has never, before this time in America that we have to be more careful what our children are taught. It has been for many, many years that officials favored children of their friends, children of the most well known and the children of the most wealthy. Still, they did have a certain stand of common sense of what children should be taught. Today schools are the best place a child can go to learn the evils of the world. Fifteen years ago when my grand son was in a local country school, where he was bullied, he was battered, he was abused and the officials either knew nothing about it. or cared nothing about. I do not know why it was but it almost wrecked his life. His mother finally took him out of school and finished homeschooling him, when she opened a private school for abused children. He still suffers the affects. From reports I hear about and read about the schools were fairly tame then compared to schools, today.

PARENTS, TRY TO DISCOVER A BETTER SOURCE OF EDUCATION FOR YOUR CHILDREN, THA N THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. OUR CHILDREN ARE THE PRECIOUS THINGS IN THE WORLD TODAY, RIGHT NEXT TO GOD. YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DRIVE THE LATEST CAR OR LIVE IN THE NICEST HOME, BUT DON'T SACRIFICE YOUR CHILDREN TO HAVE THEM.

Deu. 6:6-7

6. And these words, which I command thee this day, , shall be in thine heart:
7. And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shall 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.
drjim1

So, between having had a well known Christian leader tell my devout public school teacher friend he should quit his job because he couldn't serve God and the public school and Mr. Moore telling us we should pull our kids out of public school i guess we are just ceding the public education system to Satan. So much for the church triumphant.
- LAG
  
  This was partly the point I was trying to make earlier. How can our children take what WE, as parents, have taught them and utilize it if they never learn to live, read and hear out in the real world? How can the world ever know God and His love, the rights He's given us, His commandments, etc. if people who hold this knowledge are in hiding (perhaps too strong a word)? Christ walked fearlessly among the sinners. We must teach our children to be bold, yet gentle.
  - Bruce B
    
    You're right, Jesus said 'Christians are in the the world, not of the world', and so we cannot wall off our children, but teach them properly. However, as a public school teacher for forty some years, I can tell you that what goes on there is scary. I stayed in public education because, as 'drjim' says above, I was not willing to concede the system to Satan, and to do what I could.
    I have wondered recently, as a retired (Christian) teacher with experience in many subject areas, etc, if there is some way I can be of some help, especially to those who choose to homeschool?
  - John
    
    In Jesus' day, Fathers were the teachers of children. Threre was no public school, nor should there be now. I am a homedchool father that works. It can be done.
  - msjallen
    
    Right again, LAG and our children are taught to face the issues. We do need more Christian teachers in our public schools to help disregard what is wrong in their textbooks. There are teachers in our system who downgrade the wrong and some do not. The children come home and tell us things that are wrong and we have great discussions with them and remind them of the truth. We tell them, "Learn the subject only to take the test, know the truth and forget the wrong". So far so good with the grandchildren in middle school. We know we have a greater battle to fight in HS.
- LAG
  
  Here are two important statements we impressed upon both our children and their teachers (we make this known every year on parent night): 1. To our children: we, your parents, are your primary teachers in this life. We allow your school teachers to share extended knowledge in subjects that are not our forte, such as mathematics, science, etc., but with life and faith matters, you come to us. 2. To their teachers: We will never undermine your role here at school and expect the same respect in return. We do not check our authority at the doors to this school building.
  - msjallen
    
    Again, I like what you say.
- Gramps
  
  To drjim1, the public school system was intentionally created to destroy the parent's authority and christian culture building. The Church has a real role in building culture, but don't lean on your own understanding to discover what that role is!
  - drjim1
    
    I don't think I am relying on my own understanding. Can you show me where you think that is true? Have we as a Christian remnant decided we are ceding public education? It seems an honest question to a post that titles itself Public Education: Child Sacrifice?
    - Gramps
      
      God puts the responsibility of raising kids squarely upon parents. The bible gives no other option. The civil government was given the use of the sword for it's means of correction; when it tries to fulfill the parents' role, it either ignores problems or comes down way too severely. I find only two problems with compulsory public education: the compulsory and public parts!
- Wordman
  
  The church is NOT triumphing in government schools and unless you're ready to go to war (possibly a real war) the church WILL not triumph in government schools as they are now constituted. People have REALLY tried. The fellow who was the founder and long time head of the premiere ministry attempting to bring Christian influences into government schools, resigned and shut down his organization saying that the anti-Christian posture of the government school establishment was so militant, they could do nothing of any significance there. In his farewell letter to his supporters he as much as said that the authorities in government education considered him and his to be nothing more than useful idiots to be manipulated and marginalized. Adult Christians can NOT, by force of law, minister in government schools, and the Christian kids don't have a chance against the powerful establishment of adults to whom we hand them over to be their teachers and authorities. This is a case where reform is next to impossible. Christians should FLEE for their children's sake. If they will, and the monster that John Dewey created collapses (and it would) then the unbelievers children can come to OUR schools. Then the church will triumph.
  - drjim1
    
    At last an honest, thought provoking, on-point answer. I wonder if this was as big a burning platform for Christians as abortion or gay-marriage if this would still be true. After we abandon the schools, and that already seems to be happening, how long before the school systems topple do you think? Honest question, not snarky, I promise.
    - Gramps
      
      Less than 1 year! The tax base would collapse if the 70% (who call themselves by God's name) would leave.
      - drjim1
        
        But don't we pay those taxes whether or not our kids actually go there? True, individual schools get more or less money based on attendance but the school system as a whole would have a lot of money and not many kids. I;m not a tax expert but I don't see how the tax base would collapse.
Thom Hall

I highly suggest that every Christian that has their child in government school view Colin Gunn's documentary : Indoctorination.
http://indoctrinationmovie.com/

Think about this:

If you send your child to a Catholic school, you would expect them to be influenced by Catholic theology. If you sent them to a Muslim school, then likewise Muslim theology. Buddist, the seam. Now realize that government schools promote a religion just as actively as the ones previously mentioned. The religions of Athesim and Stateism, the worship of self and state.
drjim1

But American public schools are just that American. I agree with you that the forces of atheism are at work in those same schools, are you arguing that we should just surrender? The Christian voices that are arguing that, that I hear, seem to be saying that homeschooling is the only Christian choice and that Christians should not be public school teachers. I would argue that if we cede the public schools it is only a matter of time before we cede the whole nation. I don't know where you go if you do that.
- daves
  
  Would you like to go back to the old days where the schools told our children what prayers to say?
  
  I believe that belongs at home.
  - drjim1
    
    I agree. There I answered your question, you answer mine. Cede public schools or not?
    - daves
      
      What would you like to change about public schools if it is not to reintroduce prayer?
      - drjim1
        
        Umm, that's really not an answer to my question.
      - daves
        
        How can I answer if I don't understand what you are advocating?
      - drjim1
        
        My question was whether you were for Christians just giving up on public schools all together? I have not advocated anything in this discussion.
  - Evermyrtle
    
    This is the first time I have ever heard of anything more false. I went through the first of 12th graders. We put 2 children through 12 grades plus 6 years of college and 2 grandchildren who had the same experience and this never happened to any of this. Oh, we had prayer but, our own prayers! So Daves, where on earth, did you go to school with such a negative attitude, of telling you what to pray???
    - daves
      
      We always had a little prayer we said before football games – the team prayed together out loud according to what the coach told us to say.
      
      There were also group prayers in the classes on certain holidays.
      
      This was mostly in Minnesota but also in Illinois.
Chris

"leftist dumbing down" – Sorry but that is COMPLETE BS. Much as you clowns like to think that schools are run by the teachers unions – they are not. Most School Boards are right wing crazies that want the kids to be dumb. They try to stop their teachers from teaching reality and evolution. They want kids that are gullible so they can get them indoctrinated with religion . Fortunately they are mostly failing except in the Southern states where they believe that school kids are experts on science and therefore able to rebut evolution. This all despite the fact that there is no science to support creationism or it's created alter ego ID.
- Eric
  
  No need to be "sorry" Chris, just show your evidence. As it stands, you provided no documentation for your view, only opinions.
- LAG
  
  Sadly Chris, you are poorly informed. I won't stoop to the childish word "clown." You can't argue facts so you resort to name calling. You could at least be an original leftist, come on! It is common knowledge that teachers are required to hold college degrees, correct? And where do they get those degrees? Hmm… colleges! There are public universities and there are private universities. Therefore, not ALL universities are leftist propaganda machines, but the institution as a whole is overwhelmingly liberal. I can point to a few Christian friends in high places at at few local schools (Wittenberg being one, OSU another) that go NUTS on a daily bases having to put up with liberal, can't-think-outside-the-box academia, and Wittenberg is private AND pseudo religious!! My husband just finished his coursework after returning for a career change to become a high school teacher. He decided we need more conservative teachers, but for a year and a half he's had to sit through mindless lectures, pick out what was truthful and try to help the young students think for themselves. Please don't tell me, after all the important historical texts that schools won't even teach our children anymore, as well as the pervasive liberalism among college students, that our schools aren't dumber and far too many teachers aren't indoctrinated. My point is that we need to arm our children with truth and confidence so that they can be a voice or reason and change. By the way, there isn't one shred of evidence to support something coming from nothing either.
- LAG
  
  Tell me Chris, do you love your parents? If so, prove it.
- keyboardshark
  
  Chris says: "Most School Boards are right wing crazies that want the kids to be dumb." And your source for this information is…?
  
  "Fortunately they are mostly failing except in the Southern states where they believe that school kids are experts on science and therefore able to rebut evolution." But you just said that "most school boards are right wing". Why would they be failing to stop evolutionary dogma if they were mostly right wing? You are contradicting yourself.
  
  "This all despite the fact that there is no science to support creationism or it's created alter ego ID." Please spell out for us all the scientific evidence to support evolution.
  
  All that conservatives want is for there to be an honest discussion of the arguments for or against evolution or creation. But the pro-evolution crowd is so afraid that their theory will be exposed as a sham, that they do not want to even aallow any discussion where students can weigh the evidence for themselves. They are being taught WHAT to think instead of HOW to think.
  - http://rationalresponses.blogspot.com/ Jeff Dixon
    
    Gramps · 2 hours ago
    To drjim1, the public school system was intentionally created to destroy the parent's authority and christian culture building.
    
    Chris says: "Most School Boards are right wing crazies that want the kids to be dumb."
    
    So, those on the left say it it the fault of those on the right. Those on the right say it is the fault of those on the left. And while people yell at each other, the kids get shorted on a good education.
    - keyboardshark
      
      The whole problem is that government should not be involved in the education of our children. There is simply too much temptation for government bureaucrats to steer the lesson plans toward 'government-approved, politically correct' ideas.
      
      All education should be privatized. If taxes are collected, parents should be given vouchers to send their children to whichever school they so choose, or homeschool them and use the voucher to offset expenses. That way, Christians could send their children to a Christian school, Catholics could send their children to a Catholic school, atheists could send their children to an atheist school, etc.
      
      Then there would be little opportunity for involuntary indoctrination against the wishes of the parents, and everyone would be satisfied. Theoretically, at least. Those who are in favor of government control of people's lives, (and you know who you are out there), would not be satisfied to let everyone make their own free-market choice, and would fight tooth and nail to maintain the government-run status quo schools.
      - http://rationalresponses.blogspot.com/ Jeff Dixon
        
        The problem is the federal involvement. It should be left to the states to decide upon the proper education for their citizens. The feds had limited involvement before the 50's and when they stuck their nose into it, the educational levels went downhill.
      - keyboardshark
        
        Better yet, leave it to the parents to decide. Even states can begin imposing politically correct nonsense on its citizens. Look no further than California for the most extreme example.
      - http://rationalresponses.blogspot.com/ Jeff Dixon
        
        That is true, however, the Constitution does not give the fed any authority over education. However, it does allow the states to handle the functions not permitted to the feds. Therefore, every state has the right to handle the education of its citizens.. My issue with the feds is twofold. First, they are not entitled to this power grab and second, they have proven to be ineffective.
dragon65

My daughter was schooled in a private christain based school up until the 11th. grade . her senior year she decided she missed out on a few things the public schools offered like the prom and so on .she entered her senior year at 15 years old . she missed out on a few things like history , social studies and the like but she was so far advanced over the public schools that it was weird . needless to say she graduated at 16 with a 4.0 and it was not the the public schools that got her there but careing / teaching teachers that were more than babysitters. THANK GOD FOR THESE TWPE OF TEACHERS !!!
Ancient Mariner

There are few teachers that bring any of God's word into the public school system. Much of this is due to rulings by our Administration and the teachers' unions. The public school system is no place for unions. The unions are run by teachers that put their own gains in salary, hours and subjects ahead of the students. Our taxes are used to fund schools which includes the things I just mentioned. I have witnessed entire school systems shut down and held hostage over minor things in their contracts.
Let me say that teachers know the salaries, the curriculum and other conditions when they apply for jobs, the same as our military. I knew exactly what was expected of me when I joined the navy in 1959 and swore to obey those conditions with a lot more at risk involved. I knew that if I raised my hand, I was risking my life and the lives of every citizen in this country. I knew that when this country became involved in Vietnam and other areas, there was no going to a union to say we didn't mean to go fight and die for other countries. These troops that are serving today in the Middle East didn't call a meeting and demand different rules of engagement or working conditions or object to the color of the uniforms. There has been talk of unionizing the military but so far, only talk. Imagine, if you will, the troops going out on strike over some of the actions of a few soldiers who are bringing shame on America in the eyes of the entire world. We were always the shining example to the free world and our word was often enough to deter our enemies from performing atrocities as bad as we are now accused of.
The teachers when I was in school, especially at the grade school and junior high levels taught us to respect our freedoms and be respectful of our flag, our Constitution and our military. We were also given the right to pray to our God or either leave the room or put their head down if they were non-Christians. My father was in the Navy and was fighting our enemies and many of the other students in the Navy town in California were also in the same condition but were allowed to pledge our allegiance to the stars and stripes and to say prayers for our parents and our friends' parents that they would come home safe. There was no toleration, even in the liberal state of California for protesters like the ones the media has made into heroes today. The media was expected to tell us the truth about the news and not distort facts. We need to get back to teaching and practicing the values of God, not the praise of Satin.
http://7thdaysabbath.com salim

sounds like a lot of these things are covered in the documentary titled
'agenda'.
God bless, everyone!
Wade

And no one has mentionedthe might "sports god." I am a pastor of a church in a small community and a few times during the year several kids will disappear with their parents for sports tournaments. I even had a family miss this Easter service because their son had a tournament 3 hours away on the Saturday evening before Easter! And they missed the following Sunday for a game as well. During baseball and basketball season our Wednesday youth is about half because they have practice. Don't get me wrong, I even have church members who are tired of hearing sports this and sports that. I am not against sports, but why have we become SO competitive? Why have we allowed comptetive sports to control the values of a family, even over their religion and supposedly deeply held beliefs?
- myth buster
  
  Don't say such things, unless you know for a fact that they didn't go to church near the tournament. Do you imagine that there are no churches they can attend there?
David

Sigh…..Education does not begin AND end in the classroom. Yes, public schools (of which I am a product of) need an overhaul but the problems lies at home just as much – what are you teaching your kids at home? I don't view public schools as the enemy and will never advocate for home-schooling (some can't – they have to work) nor private schools (they are expensive) but they need some serious reform. Become "hands on" in teaching your children, show them how to think for themselves and find as much fact-based info that you can – never settle, there's always more to learn. This article is another fine example of "slanted" journalism that seeks to "brainwash" it's readers. Think for yourself.
Grant

Okay, guilty. But what I want to know is; 'what kind of a vehicle are you driving, how many cell phone(s) do you have, and do you have a 'plasma screen TV'….?
Guilty, guilty, guilty I am. Praise God I'm under the blood of Jesus. It is really hard to live in this world. I will keep striving, thanks you for the reminder…
Grant

I would have loved to put my child or grandchildren in 'Christian School(s)'. But after reading the their by-laws'…it was all I could do to go in there to reprimand therm. They were 'sports' ' conscious and sorry to see so many 'fund-raiser(s)'. Sorry but true, I know they need the money, but whatever it takes I guess…go figure. I look at it this way; God will put you wherever he wants that child to go and just maybe be a 'witness'…
And some or most Christians' teacher, staff, administrator; that call themselves Christian do some really un-Christians' stuffs; okay now I'm judging. But we have a right to judge within the walls' of the 'body of Christ'….God bless you :)
- myth buster
  
  Please be more specific. What was it that they were doing that was wrong? There is nothing intrinsically wrong with sports, else St. Paul would not have compared us to athletes. Fund raising, too, is not inherently wrong; only illicit means are.
- Getoveryourself
  
  Most Christian schools must have fundraisers because they are not publicly funded. And there is nothing wrong with a Christian school having a sports program, as long as when the kids are playing they show a Christ like attitude unlike. Some I have seen. Christian schools lose kids to public schools because of sports so I say if they want to have a program, go for it. Nobody makes every child play, it's a choice and I'm sure it's not the sole focus of the school.
myth buster

So what shall teachers do?
Dionesius3

It is truly amazing how many people just don't get it. Public Schools are a cesspool> Your children are learning next to nothing and most of what they are learning is not based on real verifiable truth. They will however learn that their parents are backwards, incompetent, and foolish. They will learn our nation was not founded on Godly principals but was based on colonial patriachy and women hating, slave holding white men who stole all the "good" ideas and inventions from poor minorities. They will learn that ALL of our founder's we either slave owners, pediphiles, egomaniacs, homosexuals, or just plain EVIL. They will be taught that the Government knows better than Mommy and Daddy, God, and the Bible. They will be PERFECTLY socialized to believe that their friends are smarter, and wiser and that the advice of adults is simply STUPID._They will be exposed to PORNOGRAPHY, RAPE, INCEST, BULLYING, HATE SPEECH, VULGARITY, LEWDNESS, CUPIDITY, FORNICATION, HOMOSEXUALITY, BEASTIALITY, NECROMANCY, and a whole host of various mental disorders from grade one to the end of their school careers.
Dionesius3

__So yes, there are some things which ought to be abandoned. Like sinking ships, burning buildings, crashing airplanes, etc. To remain in them and lie to yourself saying 'It is not really that bad at my school" is just like the proverbial ostrich who upon sensing danger burries it's head while the rest of it's body is there to be seen and in danger.__By the way I am a public school teacher with over ten years experience, and have seen first hand all the things mentioned above. And I work in one of the BEST public school's in my state. I also will NEVER allow my own children to attend ANY PUBLIC School.
Dionesius3

If you want your children to learn; Beastiality, Homosexuality, Carnality, Vulgarity, Concupiscience, Rape, Violence, Hatred, Selfishness, Self-centeredness, Be sexually harassed daily, and be told daily that the Government is smarter than any Mommy and Daddy, any Bible, and any silly Christian belief, then yes public school is a very good place to put your child from the age of 6-18. But don't be suprised when that child becomes someone who is both insanely self-centered, and insanely resistant to true Biblical instruction. And if you want this child to believe that America is a vile, hateful, racially intolerant, woman-hating society that is founded upon the principles of a bunch of moral incompetent fools who stole all their good ideas from Poor minorities and gave them nothing in return and lived in vast luxury at the expense of all other people groups on the earth then yes public school is great.
Dionesius3

If you want your kids to learn how to steal, lie, cheat, abuse friends and loved ones, be lazy, and rely upon the Government to give them something then yes public schools are great. If you want them to be constantly surrounded by the lowest, most vile, filthy, vulgar, ill trained, and ill mannered, people then yes public school will do the job nicely. If you want them to be taught how to think, write, and express their opinions well, then public school is NOT the place to send them. If you want them to learn the truth, learn how to be productive, how to succeed in life, and how to honor God, their Parents, and their Nation, then public schools are Not the place to send them.
Vladimir

What a shame. When I went through the public school system, we stood in line in the classroom just before we went to the cafeteria and said grace. Didn't hurt me one bit and we said it at home, too. How things have changed.
http://twitter.com/lambsev11 @lambsev11

I have had the uncomfortable feeling for years that consciously or not, public schools are preserving good education for the rich and allowing if not advancing inferior education for the poor. In this way the elites protect their power structures.
- http://rationalresponses.blogspot.com/ Jeff Dixon
  
  The are several issues that have eroded the educational standards in the states. First, the schools no longer have control over the students. If they try to discipline them, the parents object and file lawsuits. Second, the number of children of illegal aliens have overwhelmed many school systems. Third, in an attempt to raise self esteem, the grading system keeps getting revised to give better grades for substandard work.
  - Joe Anzilotti
    
    Hey Jeff, there are indeed many issues which have "eroded" the educational "standards" of course. The main problem, certainly, is that there basically are no standards! Your point #1 although a concern to a minor degree, is wrong and not on target. Your point #2 although a problem in certain locales to a certain degree is generally also wrong. Your point #3 is probably on the money, as they say, largely due to the fact that there are no standards. BTW you will note that you have no reason to base any of your goals with regards to education on any sort of standards–because you yourself have no standards. Therefore, you are left with a real nice quandary, with no easy solution–which, to be exact, has been foisted on all folks in our nation that do have standards and a basis for the standards.