Thursday, March 24, 2011

Humanism in the Home school


(this article is from the Pearables newsletter.)


Read John Gatto's book: The Underground History of American Education.  Did you know that Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States, at first only prepared men for the ministry? Today, we would call such a school a college of theology, or seminary. Later, they broadened their courses to teach the Liberal Arts.

 Why did we start home educating our children? One of the main purposes for most home educators to train their children at home, was they had the goal of training their children in Biblical knowledge first, with academics following. The number one priority was that they wanted their children to not follow the ways of the world, but rather follow the ways of God and His Word.

Many of these parents were not fortunate enough to have had a Christian education. The majority of us were trained in a mass environment within the public school system. The belief of that public school system was and is based upon the religion of HUMANISM.

As believers some of us have never even questioned worldly philosophies or "knowledge" that the world has taught us as "TRUTH". To instill godly character in our children, we must each first examine ourselves and find out what secular thoughts are still ingrained in our minds. Then we must ask the Lord to cleanse us of all humanistic philosophies.

Our goal is to take a look at philosophies that the world deems "normal" and see it they line up with the Word of God.

Our battle is against the religion of our system and culture. Each of us as believers and parents must uncover these wicked philosophies and teach our children the Truth of God's Word.

The public education system claims that it will not teach religion. This is not true. For many years now the governmental stand has been to educate the adults of tomorrow in feminism and humanism, both religious beliefs.

WHAT IS HUMANISM?

Humanism is the belief which looks at the world and emphasizes the importance of man - his nature and his place in the universe. Humanism teaches the exact opposite of Christianity, for they believe that all persons are born with innate dignity and merit; and that they should command the respect of their fellow man. They teach that mankind is inherently good, and will evolve to even become better!

Job 15:14 "What is man that he should be clean ? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints, yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight. How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?"

Psalms 51:5 "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me."

Eccle. 7:20 "There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not."

Eccle. 9:3 "The heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead."

Isaiah 64:56 "We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are a filthy rags, and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the iwnd, have taken us away."

Romans 3:10-23 "As it is written, 'there is none righteous, no, not one. there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable, there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulcher; with their tongues they have used deceit, the poison of asps is under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their ways. And the way of peace have they not known, there is no fear of god before their eyes. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.'"

There are many, MANY more scriptures that tell us of the innate depravity of man. Mankind is not good, he is wicked. The religion of humanism voids out the need for a savior. This is the philosophy under which we were trained in public school.

How Long has Humanism been Around?

Humanism started in the Garden of Eden when the serpent tempted Eve and planted in her mind that she would become like God and KNOW good and evil.

Genesis 3:5 "For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."

Satan is at the root of the religion of humanism, for humanism, under the name of intellectualism, claims that there is no God and that man has ALL wisdom and knowledge. This is what the educational system of today is found upon.

According to history, the heart of humanism started in Greece and then spread to Rome. Scripture also backs this up:

1 Corinthians 1:22-24 "For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness."

One of the greatest movements of this religion was during the early Renaissance, for this was when the rediscovered the writings of the classical Greeks and Romans. They used the writings of the past to guide them in an understanding of the meaning of life. This new way of understanding was in direct opposition to the emphasis of the Christian faith, which teaches that life on earth is really nothing... that we are to live as aliens and ambassadors for our one TRUE GOD, and to be in the world but to not be of it. Where Christianity believes that we should devote our lives in the service of our Lord and King, humanists reject the thought of living for anything other than self and life their lives to pursue the pleasures of this world.

This type of Greco/Roman philosophy is what our educational system is based upon now. A Macchievelian type of education which concentrates on being a PRINCE of everything. A little knowledge here, a little knowledge there. But not versed enough in anything to be specialized.



EDUCATION TO A HUMANIST MEANS TO TRAIN A PERSON TO BE SKILLED IN MANY FIELDS OF KNOWLEDGE, INCLUDING ART, SCIENCE, SPORTS, AND POLITICS...

The goal is to train a "universal man". They will be a jack of all trades, but the master of none. Educating the world in the motto "The best that has been thought and said in the world", is instituted. The belief is that a person whose powers are all in balance, who has knowledge, who knows how to live with his fellow man, who appreciates beauty, and who has his own standards of moral judgment, but DEVOID of God, is the ideal man.

THE WORD UNIVERSITAS DEVELOPED DURING THE RENAISSANCE AND MEANT A PLACE TO EDUCATE THE UNIVERSAL MAN

When this mode of education evolved, the world at this time developed schools where they could start training young men in this mindset. Unlike the American tradition of apprenticeship, many people were lured into the seductive influences of having a well-rounded education in Universities. Today, once one completes University they are   considered to be fully educated.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH?

We are given a variety of examples all throughout the scriptures. Were any of the Godly men spoken of in the Bible educated in humanism? Did any have college degrees?  Were they submerged in worldly philosophies? Did they have titles and degrees behind their names to show their worth?

You already know the answer. God says that the wisdom of this world is FOOLISHNESS to Him.

How is it then that so many home educators get caught up in trying to compete with the public school system and wanting their children to also be submerged in humanism?

The Lord wants our children to read and write (otherwise there wouldn't be a Bible to read), he wants them to be able to communicate the gospel to others, he wants young men to be able to learn to have a skill or profession in order to take care of their future families. He wants young women to be able to educate and teach their children at home as they are "keepers at home" as the Bible teaches. Why then, do we see home educators simply copying the public humanistic way of teaching their children in their homes? Is it because this is all we know?

We truly believe that if you seek the Lord with all your heart, that he will direct your paths.

Many parents are becoming burned out with teaching their children at home. It is no wonder! When we take on public education in the home school we are taking on more than the Lord ever intended.

We need to seek first the Lord's Kingdom and then everything else will fall into place. This is a given promise.

Take a step back and take a look at your children's education. If you are barely making it through a day, drop back a bit on academics. Do you start your day with Bible?  If not, are you seeking His Kingdom first? Sometimes we get so entwined in our habits of life that we can't see what we are really doing. God is there for us. We really need to seek Him. Sometimes what we think are his ways are really our own, or simply someone else's. Ask yourself if you are copying secular schooling or if you are being obedient to what God wants you to do. When we walk in His will and start hearing His voice and doing what He tells us to do, there is freedom...












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