As always, I try to collect pieces of things I see and hear and put it together. To me, life is like assembling a giant puzzle, and that is what makes it fun!
Snapshot 1: A report on NPR (National Petroleum Radio) was talking about the movement of liberal Muslims in Indonesia. Now this densely population nation is a fledgling democracy, but they are doing okay. True democracy in an Islamic nation is wonderful. My hope is that the liberal Christians of our country and the liberal Muslims will begin an ongoing dialogue and foster better understanding and love. They need to do so quickly before the fundamentalist elements in both religion get us all killed.
What is liberal Christianity and liberal Islam? I see it as viewing your faith through the context of what is just, peaceful, and constructive in today's world, as opposed to the mentality of "that's the way we've always believed." Viewing religion in a context that persecutes, marginalizes, and harms fellow humans cannot be right, and certainly cannot bring honor to any Supreme Being. After all, God created ALL of us.
Snapshot 2: A documentary on the National Geographic Channel that same night focused on the efforts of terrorists to obtain nuclear weapons. Some believe that terrorists, if they haven't already, could easily smuggle enriched Uranium out of the former Soviet states and into Afghanistan or Pakistan. The thought of terrorists detonating a nuke in the U.S. is horrifying. I believe time is short and we must engage the moderate elements in the Arab world, and build friendships and alliances before evil has its way. We need more libraries, university student exchanges, traveling cultural exhibits, symposiums, investment, and development in Arab nations. And we need to do it fast. Had all the money wasted in the Iraq war been diverted to sustainable development programs, and peace and friendship initiatives, the world would be MUCH safer today.
Snapshot 3: Where are the Christians? Many are in full retreat. At a family reunion I saw my cousin's son, who is home schooled. I grieved. Then I heard a report on NPR where they were interviewing a staff member in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), and it sounded like he was supporting the idea of home schooling. And then I had been hearing about the proposed resolution encouraging parents to pull their kids out of school. So, I went to the SBC website and did searches, and sure enough I found all these Baptist Press articles that seemed to condone the pullout of Christian kids from America's schools.
Tuck tale between legs, run, hide, the retreat is on! At a time when we desperately need kids of strong moral character to set an example at schools, at a time when we urgently need Christian parents to get involved in schools, where are they? The Southern Baptist Christians are taking their kids into their homes and hiding from the world. To all of you who home school your children, and use a variety of reasons to justify it, I wish to thank you for sealing our fate. Actually, it is probably a great service to cleanse our schools of children who are raised by parents who practice a double standard. Yes, go out and fulfill the Great Commission, but just not at school. There are druggies, freaks, and people of color there. We have to keep you away from them and protect you in your sheltered world.
Putting it all together: The more you engage and interact with different people, the more your eyes are opened. Sure, it's not all good, but at least you learn from it. What do you fear by letting your child into the world? Haven't you instilled in them strong values? Are you afraid the faith that you have imparted to them is not strong enough to withstand scrutiny?
At this critical stage of our world history, we need to let our children engage MORE with people who are different than them. If they can't even interact with the long-haired kid who sits in the back of the classroom, how will they EVER be able to interact with a Hindu, Muslim, or Buddhist from a faraway land? What, you don't won't them too? Maybe that's why we are in the situation that we are currently in. Besides, maybe the long-haired kid at school needs a friend. Maybe your child could be that friend. And maybe your child could be the world's friend.
Tricia Goyer, a home-schooling mom and member of Easthaven Baptist Church, Kalispell, Mont., said her children are actually getting a more realistic view of what society is like by learning at home.
Snapshot 1: A report on NPR (National Petroleum Radio) was talking about the movement of liberal Muslims in Indonesia. Now this densely population nation is a fledgling democracy, but they are doing okay. True democracy in an Islamic nation is wonderful. My hope is that the liberal Christians of our country and the liberal Muslims will begin an ongoing dialogue and foster better understanding and love. They need to do so quickly before the fundamentalist elements in both religion get us all killed.
What is liberal Christianity and liberal Islam? I see it as viewing your faith through the context of what is just, peaceful, and constructive in today's world, as opposed to the mentality of "that's the way we've always believed." Viewing religion in a context that persecutes, marginalizes, and harms fellow humans cannot be right, and certainly cannot bring honor to any Supreme Being. After all, God created ALL of us.
Snapshot 2: A documentary on the National Geographic Channel that same night focused on the efforts of terrorists to obtain nuclear weapons. Some believe that terrorists, if they haven't already, could easily smuggle enriched Uranium out of the former Soviet states and into Afghanistan or Pakistan. The thought of terrorists detonating a nuke in the U.S. is horrifying. I believe time is short and we must engage the moderate elements in the Arab world, and build friendships and alliances before evil has its way. We need more libraries, university student exchanges, traveling cultural exhibits, symposiums, investment, and development in Arab nations. And we need to do it fast. Had all the money wasted in the Iraq war been diverted to sustainable development programs, and peace and friendship initiatives, the world would be MUCH safer today.
Snapshot 3: Where are the Christians? Many are in full retreat. At a family reunion I saw my cousin's son, who is home schooled. I grieved. Then I heard a report on NPR where they were interviewing a staff member in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), and it sounded like he was supporting the idea of home schooling. And then I had been hearing about the proposed resolution encouraging parents to pull their kids out of school. So, I went to the SBC website and did searches, and sure enough I found all these Baptist Press articles that seemed to condone the pullout of Christian kids from America's schools.
Tuck tale between legs, run, hide, the retreat is on! At a time when we desperately need kids of strong moral character to set an example at schools, at a time when we urgently need Christian parents to get involved in schools, where are they? The Southern Baptist Christians are taking their kids into their homes and hiding from the world. To all of you who home school your children, and use a variety of reasons to justify it, I wish to thank you for sealing our fate. Actually, it is probably a great service to cleanse our schools of children who are raised by parents who practice a double standard. Yes, go out and fulfill the Great Commission, but just not at school. There are druggies, freaks, and people of color there. We have to keep you away from them and protect you in your sheltered world.
Putting it all together: The more you engage and interact with different people, the more your eyes are opened. Sure, it's not all good, but at least you learn from it. What do you fear by letting your child into the world? Haven't you instilled in them strong values? Are you afraid the faith that you have imparted to them is not strong enough to withstand scrutiny?
At this critical stage of our world history, we need to let our children engage MORE with people who are different than them. If they can't even interact with the long-haired kid who sits in the back of the classroom, how will they EVER be able to interact with a Hindu, Muslim, or Buddhist from a faraway land? What, you don't won't them too? Maybe that's why we are in the situation that we are currently in. Besides, maybe the long-haired kid at school needs a friend. Maybe your child could be that friend. And maybe your child could be the world's friend.
Tricia Goyer, a home-schooling mom and member of Easthaven Baptist Church, Kalispell, Mont., said her children are actually getting a more realistic view of what society is like by learning at home.
— Baptist Press, October 25, 2001
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