Biblical Homeschooling newsletter

     The March, 2008, issue of my free e-mail homeschooling newsletter Biblical Homeschooling is ready to be sent out next week.  In addition to a guest editorial about teenagers, it will contain information about the need to know your state’s homeschooling regulations, a grammar study, articles on Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene, American composer Frederick S. Converse, the next to the last chapter in the Young Person’s Guide to the Hymnbook, children’s Bible story, monthly devotional, an interview with two homeschool graduate sisters, book reviews, news and notes, and other items related to homeschooling in the news.  To receive it, all you have to do is to send a blank e-mail to biblicalhomeschooling-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and follow the instructions that will be sent to you, or subscribe from the web at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/biblicalhomeschooling/ .

          The April issue will contain the last chapter in "The Young Person’s Guide to the Hymnbook." There will be other articles about specific hymnwriters in future issues, but for those who are interested in learning more, I post a daily hymn study (Monday through Saturday) on a Yahoogroups list. It is free. All anyone who is interested has to do to receive it is to send a blank e-mail to hymnoftheday-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and then follow the instructions that will be e-mailed in response, or to subscribe from the web at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hymnoftheday . In addition, various hymn studies are available at my Defender of Truth website, which is http://www.defenderoftruth.com . Also, some of my previous hymn studies are now included in book that I have written entitled Songs of Zion. It can be ordered from the publisher by calling 1-800-423-2484 or going to http://www.faith-facts.com . And I now have a Hymn Studies blog at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/hymnstudies/ .

Three more items you may be interested in

     School shooter studied Hamas, says friend: On Feb. 22, 2008, WorldNetDaily reported that a former Northern Illinois University newspaper reporter says the killer who gunned down five innocent students in an apparently unprovoked attack liked to study Arabic and the terror group Hamas. "’Assalamo alikum,’ he [Steve Kazmierczak] would say to me, which means ‘peace be with you’ in Arabic," wrote Rasmieyh Abdelnabi in an essay published in the Chicago Sun-Times. "He would proceed to ask me how I was doing and what I was up to, all in Arabic with a thick accent and a huge, excited smile," she continued. She said the two met in class at the university, took several classes together over the years, and periodically kept in touch when they didn’t share classes. "Our topics of choice: foreign policy and the Middle East. He would especially enjoy practicing his Arabic on me. In 2004, NIU decided to offer a year’s worth of Arabic classes. Steve took both classes without hesitation, excited as could be," she wrote. "Once we took a course called ‘The Politics of the Middle East.’ At the beginning of the course, our instructor informed us a research paper would be due by the end of the semester. Steve decided on Hamas, which is known mainly to the world as being a Palestinian terrorist group, which was the first thing that interested Steve about the group. But he also heard Hamas funded many social services, which also interested him. How could one group be put into two completely different categories, Steve would ask," she wrote. "Unlike most of us, Steve started his research from day one, reading every book he could find on Hamas. He’d give me a status report when we saw each other in class. Steve said that his perception of Hamas changed with all the research he did," she said. Hundreds of witnesses are being interviewed, but university officials have said it’s unclear of Kazmierczak’s reasons. On a blog called Muslim Watcher, writer Bruce Keegan noted Abdelnabi was the women’s representative in the Muslim Student Association at NIU.

     Hollywood salutes its WMDs: [Pat Boone, a descendant of the legendary pioneer Daniel Boone, has been a top-selling recording artist, the star of his own hit TV series, a movie star, a Broadway headliner, and a best-selling author in a career that has spanned half a century. During the classic rock & roll era of the 1950s, he sold more records than any artist except Elvis Presley. I have not always agreed with everything that Boone has done, but I appreciate his stand for decency. On Feb. 22, 2008, he wrote a commentary for World Net Daily, from which these remarks are taken.] Well, I’ve sent in my Oscar ballot. I’m a singer, an actor, a "member of the Academy," an entertainer. Believe it or not, for a while in the early part of my career, I was one of the top-10 box office stars, along with my pal Elvis. I’ve loved being in this unpredictable, exciting, universally influential phenomenon called entertainment. But this year, as in the last several years, I’ve voted with great misgivings. When Elvis and I came into the business, we and the producers and the studio execs were all aiming at the vast "family audience," the moms and dads who gathered their kids on a Friday or Saturday night and headed to the local movie theater. Of course, we hoped to appeal to the teens, but we were aware that real success depended on our entertaining the whole age range – and certainly not offending parents by "going over the line," sexually or morally in any way. No nudity, no profanity, no brutality and absolutely no explicit, graphic sex scenes. We had hit movies, one after another. Big bucks, huge audiences, worldwide acclaim. And the movie business itself was prospering like never before, with weekend family attendance a predictable ritual. I had "April Love" and "State Fair" and "Journey To The Center of The Earth," while Elvis had "Love Me Tender," "King Creole," "Blue Hawaii" and many more. There was no "X" rating, or even "PG"; movies were for the whole family, and families all over the world ate ’em up and envied the glorious country they reflected. All that has changed, drastically. Today the movie studios belch forth silly, raunchy, titillating teen schlock, "chick flicks" (soapy, sexy women’s stories), and over-violent car chase or bloodletting fantasies. Or they give us all-out soft porn – morbid, taboo-busting and hopelessly dark productions clearly intended to appeal to every base instinct known to man. The current "horror films" manage to combine all these elements into a mindless sensory blitz of blood, sex, violence and fear, a modern American staple. I don’t think it’s a stretch to call many of Hollywood’s latest films – including the nominated ones this year – WMDs. Why? Well, what’s the definition of a WMD? The term still doesn’t appear in most dictionaries, but the name itself tells you: It’s a weapon, by its nature destructive, and it’s aimed at masses of people. Right? So look at what most of this year’s Oscar nominees, for sad example, are accomplishing. All are beautifully produced and powerfully acted; they are fashioned and marketed by giant studio machines; and, because of their negative messages and content, they are like guided missiles. And the combination of major stars, provocative advertising and millions spent on marketing around the world effectively targets the masses. It’s the payload, the content, that makes them so destructive. I’m still a member of the Academy, so I get DVDs of almost all the films that are clamoring for nomination, in order to vote knowledgeably. I’m no prude, for Pete’s sake, but this year I could only find five to vote for in any category, and some I quit watching after 10 minutes! … These are just some of the "cream" films, the ones the industry likes most, but there are scores of others that racked up big grosses and millions of viewers worldwide – films that absolutely undermine the honor and integrity of our leaders, our military, our business leaders, and even Christian ministers and churchgoers. Why do I refer to all these classy-looking but decadent films as WMDs? Because, while they rack up tremendous profits and self-acclaim, they cause as much permanent damage to America’s reputation and standing around the world as would neutron bombs! They contribute to the immorality and degradation of Judeo-Christian principles among young people everywhere, much like poison gas released in cities, subways, high schools and places of worship. Instead of extolling America, our long-established way of life, our freedoms and ingenuity and commitments to valor, our neighborliness and our pursuits of legitimate happiness – as Hollywood used to do in history’s most successful films – the industry seems intent on fulfilling the fondest hopes and expressed aims of the Communists in the 1950s… As an actor, as an American, I’m dismayed. As we watch the Oscars, I’ll be remembering the Psalmist’s observance: "The wicked freely strut about When what is vile is honored among men."

     More on Hollywood–Parents Group Calls for ‘Dexter’ Boycott: The Parents Television Council has called for advertisers to boycott Dexter, the Showtime series now also airing on parent network CBS, because of its violent nature. The show stars Michael C. Hall as a forensics expert who doubles as a serial killer. The PTC has asked CBS affiliates to pre-empt the show, which started airing an edited version of the popular pay channel series on Feb. 17. ”Despite countless public calls for restraint and corporate responsibility, CBS broke its own promise to the public that it would employ careful editing and accurate ratings guidelines for Dexter,” said PTC president Tim Winter. ”Depictions of violence were barely altered from the Showtime network original format.” Among the companies who ran ads in the first episode on CBS were Capital One, Macy’s, Pfizer, Burger King, and assorted movie studios. CBS had no response to the PTC’s most recent complaints about the show but has in the past assured that it would edit the show to comply with broadcast standards and give it an appropriate V-chip rating. (from the Hollywood Reporter).

another item you might find of interest

     Evolution and school violence—a sad connection?: People have been shocked in recent times at the outbreak of violence in public schools in America and around the world. Some schools have installed metal detectors to try to curb such violent behavior. What does evolution have to do with this sad—and shocking—situation? What we see happening is the end result of an education system that has effectively eliminated God from the classroom. When you think about it, generations of young people are being brainwashed each day in evolutionary ideas. They are being told that they are nothing special—they are just animals that have evolved from some primitive form of life over millions of years. The more society as a whole thinks this way, the more people will act consistently with what they’ve been taught. If life is not special, then it has no value. If there’s no God, and thus no absolute authority, then anyone can decide right and wrong for themselves. Most of the students probably don’t realize the connection of violence with evolution (though some have)—but underneath it all, this anti-God belief system has subtly caused them to think life is hopeless and without any purpose. (—Taken from answersingenesis.org newsletter; Feb. 23, 2008).

Two items I hope you find of interest

     More evidence that Western Civilization is in decline: While we were in Florida recently, something that happened just about seven miles from where we live made national (and even international) news, where a man entered a Kirkwood, MO, city council meeting with a gun, killed five people, injured several others including the mayor, and then took his own life. Then, just a week later, more headlines said "Seven dead, including gunman at northern Illinois college campus." The gunman who killed five people (later reports corrected the initial headline) in a Northern Illinois University lecture hall before committing suicide was identified Friday as 27-year-old former student Steven Kazmierczak, according to Florida authorities and a university official familiar with the investigation. Investigators and school officials did not immediately know why the man fired on a geology class with a shotgun and two handguns before committing suicide. The shooter had been a graduate student in sociology at Northern Illinois as recently as spring 2007, but was not currently enrolled at the 25,000-student campus, University President John Peters said. DeKalb County Coroner Dennis J. Miller on Friday released the identities of the four victims who died in his county: Daniel Parmenter, 20, of Westchester; Catalina Garcia, 20, of Cicero; Ryanne Mace, 19, of Carpentersville; and Julianna Gehant, 32, of Meridan. Another victim died after being transfered to a hospital in another county, Miller said in a news release. The Northern Illinois shooting was the fourth at a U.S. school within a week, following attacks in Baton Rouge, LA; Memphis, TN; and Oxnard, CA. And don’t forget the Virginia Tech massacre last year. The gunman also wounded 15 people in the Illinois attack, which sent panicked students fleeing for the exits. Even the next day, the motive of the killer was still not known, officials said. I know that people have been killing other people since the time of Cain, but one must wonder why, in the history of our nation, is it now that we are seeing such so much more uncontrolled rage being taken out in mass murders. I do not claim to be an expert, but my observations over the past half-century lead me to the following conclusions. We have convinced an entire generation or two of young people through the teaching of evolution as a fact in public schools that they are merely animals who are simply a little higher on the evolutionary scale. We have cheapened human life with the legalization of abortion and the push for euthanasia. We have espoused a post-modern philosophy, built upon atheistic humanism, which argues that there is no God so that we are not accountable to anyone and everyone is free to do as he pleases with the resultant general attitude of "who cares?" Is it any wonder that these kinds of events are occurring? In fact, what is even more of a wonder is that such events are not occurring more regularly!

     Free PDF opposing "latest and greatest" evolutionary arguments: John Maddocks, a homeschooling father and gospel preacher living in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, shared the following information on Feb. 19. "I received the message below from, Creation Ministries International, this morning." Here it is. "By sharing this email (with its link to Sarfati’s web booklet, below) with as many folk as you can, and asking them to do the same, this powerful information can arm and equip many believers. And we pray that many eyes will be opened to seeing the logical and scientific fallacies of the `goo to you’ philosophy. See our web response called Science, Creation and Evolutionism ( http://creationontheweb.com/content/view/5620/ ) that refutes the NAS (National Academy of Sciences) publication. A PDF booklet for you to forward is available here ( http://creationontheweb.com/images/pdfs/other/5620nas.pdf )." John added, "Again, the free PDF book by Dr. Jonathan Sarfati, refuting the NAS is available at this link:

http://creationontheweb.com/images/pdfs/other/5620nas.pdf

This is for your own personal study brethren, and should be studied carefully and prayerfully. I am in no way affiliated with Creation Ministries International, but I have benefited from their periodical and writings. Let us all pray for one another, and share the Good News with all!"

Interesting items from World Net Daily

     Facts that contradict evolution face ban muzzled! On Feb. 12, 2008, WorldNetDaily reported that the state of Florida is considering a new science teaching standard that presumes the accuracy of the theory of evolution, much to the consternation of parents and other leaders who say society too often already has been embarrassed by such "Flat Earth Society" thinking. At issue is a set of standards that will be considered by the state Board of Education that will mandate the teaching of evolution as fact and, essentially, forbid the discussion of facts that may contradict that theory. Fred Cutting, a retired aerospace engineer who served on the state’s Science Standards Framers Committee because of his expertise in biology, specifically species origins and the human genome project, said, "The proposed standards [for evolution] … presume ideas to be facts and leave no opportunity to study them beyond their narrow presentation." He found the treatment of evolution "very one-sided, bias[ed] and narrow in its final views." Neal Ganzel Jr., a minister in Ormond Beach, FL, wasn’t so restrained in his criticism of the emphasis the new standards place on evolutionary theory. He called Darwinian science the "reigning" theory of the day but said the committee members "arrogantly assume that this one theory is the final and only model for the explanation of the existence and variety of species…" John Stemberger, chief of the Florida Family Policy Council, told WND the "Neaderthals" are fighting hard to prevent the introduction of information into public schools that would contradict their belief in evolution. "It’s apparent that evolution has become almost like one of the prongs of the Apostles’ Creed for the secular humanists. They guard it as if they were guarding a doctrinal truth," he said. "They’re not open to discussion and debate and examination of evidence." Parent Kim Kendall, formerly an air traffic controller and now a homemaker, said her frustration from having such standards considered was surpassed only by the fact state officials apparently do not want even to hear concerns. "It is simply remarkable that the very people who are making this decision are refusing to hear directly from the people whose children’s lives and educations are being affected by these standards." The Jacksonville Times-Union reported that school boards in the northeastern part of the state are objecting collectively, endorsing resolutions that urge the state to back down from the new standards promoting "evolution," not the "theory" of evolution. Nassau Supt. John Ruis said the theory of evolution has many holes, and having the state present it as an undisputed fact "is certainly contrary to the beliefs of many people, including myself." How to present such information should be left to local districts, said Clay Supt. David Owens. "I believe in the separation of church and state, but I also believe there is important information available on both sides of [evolution]. To present it in just one way is wrong." The Orlando Sentinel reported that more than 10,000 people have logged onto the state website to denounce, or praise, the science blueprint. The newspaper’s own forum on the issue had collected nearly 1,000 comments, ranging from Woody Smith’s endorsement of evolution: "Evolution by natural selection is an established PRINCIPLE of science – the fact that it is still called a ‘theory’ seems to imply to some ignorant people that it is somehow in doubt. … It is supported by the fossil record. It has been observed in the laboratory. It has been observed in nature. It has been supported by advances in genetic science. NO evidence whatsoever has ever been discovered to contradict it." But Bob W. followed with a different perspective. "Evolution has never qualified as anything more than a theory. The theory caters to secular thought and the presupposition that man is the highest order of all beings. But the problem is that none of what the theory promotes has ever been observed, much less proved. No transitional forms, no new species and no new anything. … Evolution is such a mass of mumbo (sixty billon years ago) jumbo (the mountain turned upside down), that most folks taught this stuff still have no idea of what it is. They have to replay their Jurassic Park DVD to refresh their memory. Think of the markets that feed off this nonsense and folk’s pocketbooks. Well, gotta go. Two Yugos just wrecked outside my window and I want to see the new Caddies that resulted – that’s evolution."

     More from WorldNetDaily–Get out of public schools, campaign warns: Also on Feb. 12, 2008, WorldNetDaily daily reported, "If you care about your children, homeschool, find a Christian school, participate in a homeschool coop, pay the tuition, drive an older car, whatever is necessary to keep them out of California’s public school system. That’s the message from a new campaign, assembled under the Rescue Your Child slogan. And it’s all because the California Legislature and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger worked together to establish Senate Bill 777 and Assembly Bill 394 as law, plans that institutionalize the promotion of homosexuality, bisexuality, transgenderism and other alternative lifestyle choices." Randy Thomasson, chief of the Campaign for Children and Families and a leader in the movement to withdraw what supporters pray will be up to 600,000 children from public districts in the state, said "First, [California] law allowed public schools to voluntarily promote homosexuality, bisexuality, and transsexuality. Then, the law required public schools to accept homosexual, bisexual, and transsexual teachers as role models for impressionable children. Now, the law has been changed to effectively require the positive portrayal of homosexuality, bisexuality, and transsexuality to six million children in California government-controlled schools." Officials said SB 777 "functionally requires public school instructional materials and school-sponsored activities to positively portray cross-dressing, sex-change operations, homosexual ‘marriages,’ and all aspects of homosexuality and bisexuality, including so-called ‘gay history.’" The second bill, AB 394, "requires public schools to distribute controversial material to teachers, students, and parents which promotes transsexuality, bisexuality, and homosexuality, all under the guise of ‘anti-harassment’ training." Even insiders joined in the call for an abandonment of California’s public districts. Veteran public school teacher Nadine Williams of Torrance said the sexual indoctrination laws have motivated her to keep her grandchildren out of the very public schools she used to support. Caron Strong, a single mother from Los Angeles, said her daughter now will be homeschooled. Parents Anthony and Yvette Whitcher of Los Alamitos and Marty Gobel of Laguna Hills said they are looking into turn-key curriculum programs such as Alpha Omega Publications, CLASS and Bob Jones University Press. "For those parents who are not able to homeschool, most private Christian schools have financial aid available to help parents out," said David Baker, a former public school district principal and administrator and now chief of Capistrano Valley Christian schools. "Parents often have to prioritize what are the most important things in their lives. Parents would give up purchasing new cars or going on expensive vacations. So their children come first in their lives. It is possible to homeschool or enter into a relationship witih a Christian school." Joseph Rispoli, a former teacher who runs National University-Model School in Tustin said, "Our school, NAUMS, a blend of traditional school and also homeschool, is at least half the cost of a traditional private school. So there are other alternatives." And Heidi St. John, of First Class Homeschool Ministries said, "We help churches plant homeschool cooperatives. We have a proven program that any church can put into their ministry. Parents come one day a week and offer classes to the children, therefore building a community of homeschoolers." California parents, Thomasson said, already are becoming aware of the dangers their children face. "They’re calling and asking how they can homeschool. They’re calling private schools, they’re calling church schools. They’re getting ready to exist the dysfunctional, sexually indoctrinating public school system."

     And one more from WorldNetDaily–Thus ends Western Civilization: On Feb. 8, 2008 Joseph Farah, founder, editor and CEO of WND and a nationally syndicated columnist with Creators Syndicate, wrote, "The London Daily Mail reports this week that one in four Britons don’t believe Prime Minister Winston Churchill actually existed. They suspect he is a mythical character, rather than a historical one. Likewise, they think historical figures such as Florence Nightingale, Sir Walter Raleigh, Mahatma Gandhi and Cleopatra were also fictional personalities created for literature or films. On the other hand, they believe Sherlock Holmes was a real person. You can laugh about a survey like this, but I suspect we should all be very, very angry about it – at least the three-quarters of us who understand Churchill was not only a real guy but an important one in the history of Western Civilization. In fact, he wrote the book on Western Civilization – the classic ‘A History of the English-Speaking Peoples.’ These results are even more stunning when you consider that about one-quarter of Britain’s population was alive when Winston Churchill was around! But how would the rest of today’s Brits know about this? Who was supposed to tell them? Where were they supposed to learn the basics of modern history? For that matter, if Americans were polled, I suspect their performance would be even more humiliating. That’s because education is in shambles. I doubt very much if government-paid school teachers in either the U.S. or United Kingdom would know more than the general population. That would be an interesting poll. But I won’t hold my breath waiting for CNN or ABC or the New York Times to commission it any time soon. They’re too busy lobbying for more government spending and control over education. It seems you just can’t get too much of a failed thing. And FAILED, with a capital F, is the only way to grade our modern, top-down, command-and-control, politically correct, centralized government mis-education system. Having failed children and parents for 20, 30, 40 years now, our very way of life is threatened as a result. From Western Civilization sprang the unique and relatively new idea of self-government – that individual people are best suited to run their own lives, to govern themselves freely and with minimal interference from government….We’re headed into the gutter – into the sewer. Western Civilization is in real trouble. It is under attack. It is under siege. It’s about to go out not with a bang, but with a whimper. No one is even fighting for it any more. No one is championing it. No one is explaining what will replace it. Please heed this warning: There is only one thing likely to fill the vacuum when it goes. It’s called tyranny. You can call it other names – fascism, communism, socialism. They’re all the same. They all mean people will be disempowered in favor of elites. After all, only the elites will be equipped intellectually to make the tough decisions. That’s the way it happens. So, it’s no laughing matter that one-quarter of Britons don’t even realize Winston Churchill was a real person. It’s one of those signposts on the road to tyranny."

Items from Answers in Genesis and American Family Association

     And one more from AiG–Is science impossible without evolution?: Some evolutionists have argued that science isn’t possible without evolution. They teach that science and technology actually require the principles of molecules-to-man evolution in order to work. They claim that those who hold to a biblical creation worldview are in danger of not being able to understand science! Critical thinkers will realize that these kinds of arguments are quite ironic because evolution is actually contrary to the principles of science. That is, if evolution were true, the concept of science would not make sense. Science actually requires a biblical creation framework in order to be possible. Science presupposes that the universe is logical and orderly and that it obeys mathematical laws that are consistent over time and space. Even though conditions in different regions of space and eras of time are quite diverse, there is nonetheless an underlying uniformity. Scientists are able to make predictions only because there is uniformity as a result of God’s sovereign and consistent power. Scientific experimentation would be pointless without uniformity; we would get a different result every time we performed an identical experiment, destroying the very possibility of scientific knowledge. Evolutionists are able to do science only because they are inconsistent. They accept biblical principles such as uniformity, while simultaneously denying the Bible from which those principles are derived. (taken from http://www.answersingenesis.org newsletter, Feb. 16, 2008).

     AFA will not bow down to a threat from a liberal left-wing group: Donald Wildmon of the American Family Association recently reported that The Rev. Barry Lynn, the executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, has asked that the Internal Revenue Service investigate the American Family Association. Lynn says that AFA has violated IRS rules by distributing a voters guide. For years, Rev. Lynn and his Americans United, along with groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union and People for the American Way, have used threats to silence Christians in an attempt to take away their First Amendment rights. The tragedy is that he has been successful in silencing thousands of ministers. Wildmon said, "Let me make one thing clear to Rev. Lynn and his cohorts. We have no intention of bowing down to his threatening demands. Rev. Lynn is mistaken if he thinks his threat will scare this minister from exercising his First Amendment rights." Lynn has also included a threat to churches. As a minister, I have received such letters from AUSCS. Trying to scare ministers from exercising their rights, Lynn said: "Any church that distributes these biased guides is risking its tax exemption and casting aside its integrity." The AFA Voters Guide was developed by three constitutional lawyers and reviewed by three more constitutional lawyers following Rev. Lynn’s threat. All agreed that the voters guide is perfectly legal. The Alliance Defense Fund has offered to represent (free of charge) churches or organizations which distribute the voter’s guide and encounter opposition from either Lynn or the IRS. I wonder when the AUSCS will start going after non-profit homeschooling organizations who may provide information about how candidates stand on homeschooling?

     More from AFA about AUSCS–Americans United trying to stop resolution proclaiming "American Religious History Week": Wildmon also recently reported that this liberal group opposes recognition of our religious heritage! He said, "Americans United for Separation of Church and State has begun a campaign to defeat a resolution proclaiming the first week in May as ‘American Religious History Week.’ Remember, this is a non-binding resolution, not a bill before Congress." Representative Randy Forbes of Virginia has introduced a resolution proclaiming the first week in May as "American Religious History Week." The resolution, H. Res. 888, declares its two-fold purpose: "Affirming the rich spiritual and religious history of our Nation’s founding and subsequent history and expressing support for designation of the first week in May as ‘American Religious History Week’ for the appreciation of and education on American’s history of religious faith." Homeschooling provides parents with the opportunities and tools to combat this attack on our nation’s religious heritage as they teach their children.

     TV keeps becoming a vaster and vaster wasteland: The TV Land network has a new feature which started on Sat. Feb. 16 called "OHMIGOD, That’s so 80’s weekend." The series features movies from the 1980’s. "OHMIGOD" is an irreverent exclamation for "Oh, my God!" The promotional ad is playing on the television broadcast and on their website at http://www.tvland.com. (WARNING: If you visit their website, the ad plays automatically.) Donald Wildmon said, "I can’t tell you in words how offensive it is to listen to the advertisement for this new show as they must say ‘OHMIGOD’ five times in 30 seconds. Disrespect for Christians and God have gone on for some time with this phrase, but now we have a network that feels it appropriate to name an entire program series with this phrase." (American Family Association, 2/14/08.)

     And two more items from AFA: ABC has one standard for homosexuals and a different standard for Christians. ABC fired an actor because of an anti-gay comment, but gave anchorwoman who told an audience ‘F—Jesus’ what amounted to a one-week vacation. Last June, when actor Isaiah Washington, star of ABC’s show Grey’s Anatomy, made an anti-gay slur in reference to openly homosexual T.R. Knight, the network immediately fired Washington. But when ESPN (owned by ABC) anchorwoman Dana Jacobson publicly said "F— Notre Dame," "F— Touchdown Jesus" and finally "F— Jesus," the network gave her a one week suspension. In essence, ABC gave Jacobson a one week vacation. ABC has two standards, one for anti-gay comments and one for anti-Christian comments. Those who use anti-gay comments are punished. Those who use anti-Christian comments are supported. However, there is good news! The Federal Communications Commission has fined ABC television stations $1.43 million for broadcasting indecent programming on "NYPD Blue." It was the second-largest indecency fine against a television broadcaster ever. The agency proposed a $27,500 fine against 52 ABC-owned and affiliate stations in the Central and Mountain time zones, which broadcast the episode before 10 p.m.-the cutoff for the FCC’s authority to police the airwaves. The episode, shown Feb. 25, 2003, included a scene featuring a woman and a young boy. In the scene, the woman disrobes in a bathroom.

Two items from Answers In Genesis

     Do Creationists Reject Science?: Anyone familiar with the creation/evolution debate should know that anti-creationists love to lob the accusation that creationists are "anti-science" or that they "reject science." Evolutionists frequently label creationists "flat-earthers" and even go as far as suggesting that consistent creationists should deny the law of gravity! What’s more, these assertions are sometimes made with the implication (or outright allegation) that creationists are openly anti-science. So, for those who haven’t already made up their minds before hearing us out, are we truly against science? Not at all! Answers in Genesis (like other creationist groups) affirms and supports the teaching and use of scientific methodology, and we believe this supports the biblical account of origins. So why all the disagreement? Much of the problem stems from the different starting points of creationists and Darwinists. Everyone, scientist or not, must start their quests for knowledge with some unprovable axiom—some a priori belief on which they sort through experience and deduce other truths. This starting point, whatever it is, can only be accepted by faith; eventually, in each belief system, there must be some unprovable, presupposed foundation for reasoning (since an infinite regression is impossible). For Bible-believing Christians, God’s Word is our starting point: our presupposed foundation through which we interpret and balance fallen man’s ideas, including those derived scientifically. Although some may consider this a foolish faith, everyone has such faith in something. But which is foolish: faith in the unmovable Word of the omniscient creator God or faith in man’s fallible, changing ideas? (taken from www.answersingenesis.org e- newsletter, Feb. 9, 2008).

     More from AiG–Is antibiotic resistance proof of evolution?: It is true that certain bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics. On the surface, this may seem like evidence for evolution. After all, these bacteria seemed to have "gained" something—a resistance which they didn’t have before. It’s easy to see how a student could be intimidated by teachers who push evolution by declaring that bacteria have gained a resistance. Thus, they supposedly evolved. But, when you study the matter at a molecular level and understand how this resistance came about, it becomes obvious that it has nothing to do with molecules-to-man evolution. Dr. Georgia Purdom explains, "Mutation and natural selection, thought to be the driving forces of evolution, only lead to a loss of functional systems. Therefore, antibiotic resistance of bacteria is not an example of evolution in action but rather variation within a bacterial kind." For evolution in the Darwinian sense to occur, an organism has to gain information—information that previously did not exist. Bacterial resistance has nothing to do with a gain of information: it can be inherited from information that already existed, there could be a loss of information, or there could be an exchange of previously existing information from another bacterium. However, none of this has anything whatsoever to do with molecules-to-man evolution. (taken from www.answersingenesis.org e-newsletter archives, Feb. 2, 2008).

comments on pop culture and schools

     Well, it’s happened again: I pay very little attention to pop culture, but the first thing that comes up on my Juno start page is "entertainment news" from People Magazine. One day the headline said something about a television star who announced that she is pregnant, so I checked just to see if it was more of the "same old, same old," and it was. "Mary Lynn Rajskub, who plays computer whiz Chloe O’Brian on Fox’s 24, is pregnant, she tells PEOPLE. Rajskub, 36, and her live-in boyfriend Matthew Rolph, 27, a personal trainer, are expecting their first child at the end of the summer." I really have no idea who this person is, other than what is said in the item, but it seems rather typical of these "entertainment news items" today. Back when I was growing up in the 1950s and early 60s people often warned about how Hollywood was a cesspool of evil, but then it was quite tame compared with the current time. Are there any "celebrities," especially younger ones, left today who actually respect the institution of marriage rather than living together and having babies out of wedlock–even proudly so? And what is worse is that much of society seems to glorify and glamorize this kind of behavior rather than soundly rejecting and condemning it! Whatever happened to "First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes — with a baby carriage"? Now, it is, "First comes love (i. e., sex), then comes a baby, then comes a proposal of marriage–maybe." I surely hope that homeschooling parents (and all Bible believers) are teaching their children better than this.

     Suspect Arrested for Photographing Students’ Buttocks: Barb Frank of The Imperfect Homeschooler (Cardamom Publishers) filed this one under the "What Our Kids Are Missing Out On Dept." and observed, "This brings new meaning to School Picture Day."  On Nov., 2007 Sandra Haros of KTAR and KPHO.com reported, "Getting snacks to kids wasn’t the only thing a high school food service worker had in mind when he got busted for bad behavior. Ricardo Espinoza-Valdez, 28, a contract food-service worker for Scottsdale schools is accused of taking pictures of girls’ buttocks and legs at Saguaro High School by positioning a digital camera in a box near their skirts, Scottsdale police said. " Jeff Thomas with the Scottsdale Unified School District said, "Monday afternoon a student told a staff member that she thought she observed a temporary food service worker attempting to inappropriately photograph students in the courtyard with a camera phone." The next day, the principal and the assistant principal watched Espinoza-Valdez and saw him engage in the same activity with another female student. They confronted Espinoza-Valdez and seized the camera, then notified the School Resource Officer who began investigating the incident. The suspect was detained at the school for sex crimes detectives. When detectives arrived and interviewed Espinoza-Valdez, he admitted to taking and/or attempting to take photographs/video of female’s buttocks and legs approximately 10 times within the last 30 days. Espinoza-Valdez also admitted that he had also done this before at Chaparral High School and at Fashion Square. Right now police are examining Espinoza-Valdez’ phone to figure out who the victims are. Espinoza-Valdez is being held in custody for 2 counts of Disorderly Conduct. Espinoza-Valdez also has an ICE hold. Other felony charges are pending further investigation. He has been given a $1 million bond. The suspect is reportedly a contract food service worker for the School District and was working at a food cart in the courtyard. Police say Espinoza-Valdez is not here legally. His green card had expired. Admittedly, this kind of thing could happen anywhere, and it is true that the school district in this case acted promptly and appropriately. But public schools, where there are all those girls (or boys as the case may be) together, make a very tempting target for perverts.

     A public school double standard: Susan of Corn and Oil writes about a school pushing out a 6 year old boy. (Pushing out is when schools decide that they no longer want the child at the public school.) Susan found a ChicagoTribune.com article about a child barred from class in a residency dispute. The article starts with: "Sebastian Fortson doesn’t quite understand why he can’t go to school. He misses his friends, computer time and recess. For the last six weeks, the 1st grader has been barred from attending Willow School in Homewood because officials say he does not live within the district’s boundaries. His parents, who are amicably divorced, insist that he resides with his mother in a light blue tri-level, across from a park on 187th Street. But the boy often spends three to four nights a week with his father in nearby Beecher because his mom is a nurse who works nights." The parents have been forced to homeschool. In general I do think homeschooling is the best option, but public schools have no business forcing parents to homeschool. There are a couple things wrong here: 1) The school has a budget to fight this. The parents don’t The parents have already spent $20,000. 2) There is a double standard. If a teacher gets acused of a crime, the school district has to keep paying the teacher until the issue is resolved. But if the school district decides to kick a student out, the student is out. (Monday, Feb. 4, 2008; Henry Cate, http://whyhomeschool.blogspot.com/2008/020public-school-double-standard.html ). Note from Wayne: Another double standard here is that public schools are constantly complaining that homeschoolers cost them money, yet here one school is refusing to let a student come. You would think that they would welcome him with open arms for all the federal and state dollars they would get for him!

homeschool resources you may want to check out

     Weekly puzzlers for homeschoolers–science, language, math: I received the following e-mail on Jan. 30, 2008. "The makers of 27-time award winning Cogno educational games and books ( http://www.cogno.com ) now offer free fun weekly puzzlers for homeschoolers. The puzzlers inspire critical thinking, lateral thinking, and learning in science, language and math for ages 7-13. For information, examples, or to sign up, see www.cogno.com/puzzlers . Why free? Cogno’s mission is to ‘inspire children to think critically and imaginatively.’ This genuine mission is at the root of every effort we make, and these puzzlers are part of our effort to further our mission and help raise brand awareness for Cogno. Cogno games won Homeschool.com’s #1 Educational Product award, and receive excellent testimonials from homeschoolers for their games, books and puzzlers. You are welcome to forward this email to other homeschoolers who are looking for additional resources. Our Best, Sam Howard and Jermaine Duffis, Cogno Interns; Cogno Products (DoubleStar, LLC); www.cogno.com ."

     The Old Schoolhouse Magazine: The Winter, 2007-2008 issue of this quarterly homeschooling magazine ( http://www.TheHomeschoolMagazine.com ) contains two articles by senior editor Deborah Wueller, a chapel devotional by homeschooling father and writer Timothy Palla, Kim Wolf’s reviews of The Weaver curriculum and Tapestry of Grace, articles on local support groups, homeschool co-ops, and home educators conferences (including a feature on the Greater St. Louis Area Home Educators Expo), Ruth Beechick’s "Dos and Don’ts for Teaching History," and an interview with Susan Wise Bauer, among other useful items, plus lots of resource reviews. We’re talking about 184 pages jam-packed with information intended to be helpful to homeschooling families. There are several good homeschooling magazines available, but you can’t go wrong with The Old Schoolhouse!

     Other good reading: The Jan./Feb., 2008 No Greater Joy Magazine ( http://www.NoGreaterJoy.com ) contains answers by Michael and Debi Pearl to various questions. There are some theological discussions (especially dealing with Augustinian Calvinism–I tend to agree with much of what the Pearls say about this), and, of course, much emphasis on publications of No Greater Joy Ministries, but there is always something interesting and informative in each issue. The Jan./Feb., 2008, issue of The Home School Court Report ( http://www.hslda.org ) contains the usual information about legal and legislative updates across the states and litigation summaries of active cases, along with HSLDA Chairman Michael Farris’s "Chairman’s View" on "Toleration vs. Liberty," a cover article about how international homeschooling is growing, a special feature by Chris Klicka about how homeschool freedom advanced in 2007 legislatures, and HSLDA President Michael Smith’s "The Last Word" column, along with other good information. The Jan./Feb., 2008 (#80) issue of Practical Homeschooling ( http://www.home-school.com ) has an article about homeschool graduate Tim Tebow who won the Heisman Trophy (as announced in the Jan., 2008, issue of this newsletter), articles by publisher Mary Pride and other regular columnists, and lots of reviews of homeschool related products. The Jan., 2008, issue of Home School Helper, the free newsletter from Bob Jones University Press ( http://www.bjuppress.com ), has an article on how to build an envelope holder, a review of the 2007 Newbery Award winner The Higher Power of Lucky, and news about BJUP homeschool materials. Also, the The 2008 BJU (Bob Jones University) Press "Total Homeschool Solutions" catalogue ( http://www.bjupress.com ) has information about BJU Press’s textbooks, testing services, academy of home education, and distance learning programs.

two more articles on “The Golden Compass”

"The Golden Compass"

     [Editor’s note: Here is an article from the Dec. 9, 2007, issue of The Persuader, weekly bulletin of the church of Christ in Wheelersburg, OH, by the editor, our good friend Lynn Wessel, who is a faithful gospel preacher with the Wheelersburg congregation. I think it contains some sensible thoughts. Notice, he did NOT says, "It WILL plant seeds of atheism and anti-church in the minds of everyone who watches it" but that "it has the potential." There is a big difference, but that difference is where the danger lies. WSW.]

     On Friday, December 7, a movie opened in theaters around the country. This movie is entitled The Golden Compass and has been publicized as a movie for children. For weeks before its holiday season release, this movie has been the subject of much controversy and for good reason.

     It was written by Phillip Pullman, a well known atheist. Pullman is an activist against God and anything "church." The Golden Compass is purported to be the ultimate expression of the author’s atheism. Time Magazine (December 3, 2007, p. 103) reported it to be "based on another quasi-religious fantasy novel by a Brit and set in a parallel world in which kids must smite down malevolent forces….The film’s appeal will rest as much on how well the fantasy elements are handled as on how the story’s more controversial anti-church elements have been transliterated for family audiences."

     In this movie the "bad guys" are the religious ones and the "malevolent forcers" are those that are religious in nature. As I understand it, in the series of books (written by the same author and called "His Dark Materials") upon which this movie is based, people are led to believe that God/Religion can be successfully opposed and even defeated. This is all based upon the atheist author’s perception and reaction to religion as he sees it with its history that sometimes did/does involve evil done in the name of God. As we know, this is not an accurate representation of God and the religion that is of His Son, Jesus Christ, as taught in the New Testament scriptures.

     This brief article is being written to express a word of caution about this movie and to raise our level of awareness concerning its content. It should be approached with great caution, if at all. Children should not be permitted to watch this movie period! (in my opinion); but, if watched it should not be done without supervision and guidance from parents. It is deceptive and misleading. It has the potential of planting the seeds of atheism and "anti-church" in the minds of everyone who watches it. Since it is billed as a children’s movie for "family entertainment" it is especially important for children to be guarded against its evil. When seen from God’s perspective, the compass should be called black, not golden.

‘Golden Compass’ movie opening to controversy

     [Editor’s note: And, finally, here is an article to sum it all up. It was written by our good friend David Pratte, who is one of the editors of Family Times: A Home-school Newsletter for New Testament Christians, and also a faithful gospel preacher. It is taken from the Dec., 2007 – Feb., 2008 issue. WSW.]

     The above is the title of an article posted on Nov 16, 2007, by Michael Foust at Baptist Press. The quotations I cite below are from Foust and from an article by Adam R. Holz on Focus on the Family – PluggedIn entitled "Sympathy for the Devil," 11/20/07. To see the whole articles go to http://www.pluggedinonline.com/thisweekonly/a0003516.cfm and www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?id=26849 .

     Dec. 7 is the opening of a children’s movie entitled The Golden Compass, based on the first book of a trilogy named "His Dark Materials," by Philip Pullman. The books begin relatively innocently, presumably to gain children’s interest, then they become increasingly overt in expressing anti-God and anti-biblical concepts.

     Pullman is an agnostic/atheist strongly opposed to "Christianity." He specifically wrote his trilogy as an alternative to the Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis. There are many parallels between the two series, except that Lewis wrote to instill Christian concepts and Pullman wrote to contradict them. Pullman’s trilogy is being sold nationwide in schools.

     Pullman said in a 2001 interview, "I’m trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief," and two years later told another newspaper, "My books are about killing God." God is often called the "Authority," and the church is called the "Magisterium," but the significance is clear and becomes more overt as the books proceed.

     In the last book in the series The Amber Spyglass, two fallen, homosexual angels inform a hero that "The Authority" has many names, "God, the Creator, the Lord, Yahweh, El, Adonai, the King, the Father, the Almighty." They proceed to state that God "was never the creator." The hero is also assured that they "tell their believers that they’ll live in Heaven, but that’s a lie."

     Another character states: "The Christian religion is a very powerful and convincing mistake, that’s all."

     A witch says: "…every church is the same: control, destroy, obliterate every good feeling."

     "There’s no one to fret, no one to condemn, no one to bless me for being a good girl, no one to punish me for being wicked. Heaven was empty. I didn’t know whether God had died, or whether there never had been a God at all." (The Amber Spyglass, pg. 445; http://www.sntjohnny.com ).

     "[I]f there is a God and he is as the Christians describe him, then he deserves to be put down and rebelled against," Pullman told the Telegraph newspaper in 2002. "As you look back over the history of the Christian church, it’s a record of terrible infamy and cruelty and persecution and tyranny."

     In that same interview he said: "I wanted to reach everyone, and the best way I could do that was to write for children and hope that they’d tell their parents … which is what happened."

     "Other messages woven into this story exalt witchcraft, evolution, divination, homosexuality and premarital sex. Accompanying them are smoking, drinking, occasional mild profanity and moments of visceral violence."

     In the end, the characters in the books kill God.

     Pullman has been quoted as saying: "All stories teach," he’s said, "whether the storyteller intends them to or not. They teach the world we create. They teach the morality we live by. They teach it much more effectively than moral precepts and instructions. … We don’t need lists of rights and wrongs, tables of do’s and don’ts: We need books, time and silence. ‘Thou shalt not’ is soon forgotten."

     Pullman has said: "I am of the Devil’s party and know it."

     Movie director Chris Weitz has said some of the more controversial ideas have been removed from the first movie to make it more palatable for the public. "The whole point, to me, of ensuring that ‘The Golden Compass’ is a financial success is so that we have a solid foundation on which to deliver a faithful, more literal adaptation of the second and third books," he said Nov. 14 on an MTV movie blog.

     The movie has been highly advertised and well produced, supposedly in the same pattern as the "Lord of the Rings" series. The first movie may not be very objectionable, but parents should remember that it’s goal is to captivate your children, so they will want to read the books and see the later movies, which will be far more objectionable.