Yesterday I wrote about my slow realization that Naturalism, a belief system that flows naturally from Darwinism, is more than merely poor science, but has become a postmodern mindset. It is a full-blown worldview, and in reality, is a religious system that stands in direct opposition to Christianity. If you have not read this article, I would encourage you to do so before continuing with this one. You can find it here. Today, in a shorter article, I would like to discuss some of the implications of my discoveries.
My wife and I recently resigned ourselves to sending our children to public schools. Tuition for Christian schools in this area begin at $7000 per year and we hold out little hope that we will be able to afford those fees. My son will be ready to begin the first grade in two years and my daughter will be ready two years after that. I have had to resign myself to the knowledge that in the sciences my children will be taught evolution, not as an alternative to Creationism but as fact. I believe that I can help them work through this, explaining that this is what many people believe, but that many others, including mom and dad, believe that God created the world. I trust that in the area of the world’s origins I will be able to help them see the limited arguments to which they will be exposed and will be able to guide them to the biblical Truth which tells us about the true Divine origins of the world. But as I have come to understand that the Naturalism to which they will be continually exposed is a whole belief system that is directly opposed to Christianity, I have found I need to rethink their education.
Naturalism effects all areas of the educational system. Many schools today, especially in “progressive” (ie liberal-minded) nations like Canada, have adapted principles of Naturalism to fit not just the sciences, but the arts as well. It is not unusual these days to hear about math teachers who teach that consensus in solving mathematical equations is more important than arriving at a “true” answer. Similarly, many children are encouraged to learn to spell however they want using whatever method they want since a teacher ought not to oppose her beliefs on the children about what makes right and wrong spelling. A few weeks ago I spoke with a client who told about her children’s education in Newfoundland (a province of Canada) and how all her children read at several grade levels below their peers because their teacher believed in this type of education. What is worse is that all her children now hate to read, having had their confidence in their abilities and their love of learning shattered. I know there are many teachers who have not fallen prey to such radical methods of teaching (or facilitating, to use a postmodern word) yet the vast majority of teachers will approach education from a Naturalist’s point-of-view. This worldview will be taught both explicitly and implicitly in every area of education.
The question I keep having to face is this: If Naturalism really is an alternative religion and a worldview that is diametrically opposed to Christianity, how can I, in good conscience, send my children to be educated in this way? Is it not my responsibility as a parent to ensure that they are being raised with a biblical worldview? If I do send them to the public education system, do I want to have to face a lifetime of damage control, where from the first grade forward I have to examine everything they learn and seek out areas where their education is being impacted by this ungodly worldview? Do I want to have to explain to a six-year old child why he is being taught that some people have two daddies and why some people’s daddies live with another daddy instead of with a mommy and why this is not the natural and beautiful choice his teacher makes it out to be?
At this point I have many more questions than answers. I do not want to be a parental Chicken Little who runs from the first sign of danger. Nor do I want to entirely isolate my children from the world so that they grow up inside this safe, Christian cocoon where their faith is never challenged and they are never faced with adversity. But at the same time, there is a growing feeling inside of me that to hand them to the public education system would be akin to handing them to a pack of wolves and just hoping that I can teach them the survival skills they need to make it by. It seems to me there is little difference in sending them to a public school than there would be in sending them to a Muslim school or a school based on the principles of any other religious system. Ultimately the question is this: can I, in good conscience and with a view to what God requires from me as a father, send my children to a school where they will be taught a system of beliefs directly opposed to the Truth?
I would enjoy hearing the perspectives of other Christians who have already faced this dilemma.
