“The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.”
Abraham Lincoln
How powerful is that thought? What are the goals of the state designed curriculum? I'm really thankful that we do live in Africa, and that the South African education system is far better than the American, (and by the way the patriot in me wants to acknowledge that Zimbabwe ranks higher than SA being linked to CIE), but still!
Kelly Crawford, quoting Johan Wesley:
“Let it be remembered, that I do not speak to the wild, giddy, thoughtless world, but to those that fear God. I ask, then, for what end do you send you children to school? “Why, that they may be fit to live in the world.” In which world do you mean, — this or the next? Perhaps you thought of this world only; and had forgot that there is a world to come; yea, and one that will last for ever! Pray take this into your account, and send them to such masters as will keep it always before their eyes. Otherwise, to send them to school (permit me to speak plainly) is little better than sending them to the devil. At all events, then, send your boys, if you have any concern for their souls, not to any of the large public schools, (for they are nurseries of all manner of wickedness,) but private school, kept by some pious man, who endeavours to instruct a small number of children in religion and learning together.”
I can’t help but wonder if people called Wesley divisive or extremist for making the aforementioned comments. Perhaps not. Perhaps they simply said, “That may be right for you, but it’s not what the Lord told us to do.”
Here's another thought provoking one from Van Til:
“Non-Christian education puts the child in a vacuum…. The result is that child dies. Christian education alone really nurtures personality because it alone gives the child air and food…. Modern educational philosophy gruesomely insults our God and our Christ. How, then, do you expect to build anything positively Christian or theistic upon a foundation which is the negation of Christianity and theism?…. No teaching of any sort is possible except in Christian schools.
“Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another.”
G. K. Chesterton
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.”
Ronald Reagan
And let me once again state, that I know of two incredibly powerful families who function as God designed families to function, even though they send their children to a public school. They are shining beacons of light in an otherwise dark environment. It can be done....if you know that God has called and therefore equipped you to it.
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