“Christian” materials that undermine the Bible

     There are many good science curricula available for homeschool families that want a creationist approach.  We primarily used A Beka, which is good, for elementary school years and Apologia, which is excellent, for junior-senior high school years, with a few other things thrown in.  Beginnings Publishing’s (including The Rainbow) curriculum is also highly recommended.  However, there are some “fakes” out there too.

     Our good friend David Pratte, a gospel preacher and homeschooling father whose children have all graduated from homeschool, sent the following information.

     Below I have quoted excerpts from an article from Acts and Facts, October, 2010, written by Henry Morris III, published by the Institute for Creation Research. It warns about materials published for homeschoolers by a group named BioLogos . They purport to be “Christian” but actually promote Theistic evolution and undermine faith in the accuracy of the Bible. Here is the quote:

     Founded by Francis Collins with funding from the Templeton Foundation, the BioLogos Forum has become a widely followed website. Its president, Darrel Falk, and vice president, Karl Giberson, and their associates are avid evolutionists and strong opponents of biblical inerrancy. Although many of their advocates insist that they believe in the “historic Christian faith,” a quick perusal of their website reveals such statements as “in what sense can we say with a straight face that Scripture is God’s word?”
 
     This forum would be not much more than a place for anti-creationist and anti-inerrant proponents to sound off if it were not for BioLogos’ aggressive efforts to “train” pastors and “help” students and teachers come to harmony between faith and evolutionary science. The BioLogos Forum is a co-sponsor of The Vibrant Dance of Faith and Science, a series of seminars and a growing forum for “conversations” about the compatibility of evolutionary science with biblical faith. Peter Enns, fired from Westminster Theological Seminary in 2008 for his heretical views on Scripture, is now a major contributor on BioLogos and is working on a new Bible curriculum, “Telling God’s Story,” to be marketed among homeschool children. The influence of theistic evolution and anti-inerrant thinking is gaining a broader hearing among evangelicals.

“Are Our Kids Missing Out?”

     Our friends the Lewis Family (Frank & Kari, Matthew & Lisa, and Jonathan) who publish Home School Enrichment magazine recently shared the following which I thought that I would pass on to the readers of this weblog.

Are our kids missing out?

     Have you ever felt like your children are “missing out” by being homeschooled? Or, perhaps that you’re not able to give them the same opportunities they might have in an institutional school setting?

     We have been asked this question many times over the years, most recently by a public school administrator. And, on every occasion, our answer has always remained more or less the same – namely, another question:

     What, exactly, are our children missing out on?

     The truth is, every path we take in life results in missing out on what other paths have to offer. Just as refusing to drink and drive may result in a teenager missing out on a serious car accident, so refusing to place our children in an institutionalized school can help them miss out on negative peer pressure, bullying, humanistic teaching, and an obligation to fit in to a one-size-fits-all approach to education, which fits nobody very well.

     On the other hand, public school students miss out on sound, Biblical teaching, a warm, caring family life, the joy of watching younger siblings grow up, a customized education experience, the opportunity to learn at their own pace, the family relationships that can only be had in a homeschool setting, and the time, love, attention and understanding that only a parent can provide.

     Are our kids missing out? Yes – on a whole lot of bad things. And in return, we all sure get to enjoy some really great blessings!

the recent elections

     My father passed away at the beginning of September, and I have been so tied up with taking care of that and all of its ramifications that I have not been posting very much to this blog.

     I was very interested in the elections earlier this month for U.S. Senators, Congressional Representatives, state governors, and even state legislatures.  There were some disappointments, but there was still a lot for conservatives to be thankful for.

     The following information came in an e-mail from Home School Legal Defense Association, but I failed to keep that.  However, it was resent to me by my friend Lori Drieger.

     “Some of the candidates who won on Tuesday are homeschooling parents. They include Daniel Webster (Florida), Stephen Fincher (Tennessee), Randy Hultgren (Indiana), Michele Bachmann (Minnesota), Tim Huelskamp (Kansas), John Koster (Washington), Scott Rigell (Virginia), and Tim Walberg (Michigan).

     “The homeschooler who was elected to Congress is Jaime Herrera (Washington). She was homeschooled during most of her education, making her the first member of Congress in recent memory who was homeschooled.”

     I pray that God will use these and other good people elected to accomplish His will.

homeschooling freedom in Illinois

     Having moved from St. Louis, MO, to Salem, IL, a couple of years ago, we have found Illinois a great state in which to homeschool–no notification, no testing requirements, no keeping a log of hours–we are free to pursue the best education for our children possible without interference from the state.  Homeschooling families are considered private schools and thus not subject to the local boards of education.  However, many ROE (Regional Office of Education) Superintendents think that they have the right to oversee homeschooling in their districts, so Illinois homeschoolers must ever be on the alert to protect their homeschooling freedoms.  The following item from Home School Legal Defense Association gives one example of why this is so important.

Illinois HOME | LAWS | ORGANIZATIONS | CASES | LEGISLATION | HEADLINES

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October 25, 2010

Franklin-Williamson Regional Office Backs Off

     After sending a letter explaining that her children were withdrawing from public school and would be attending a home-based private school, the Franklin-Williamson Regional Office of Education sent a letter to HSLDA member Angie Robb (name changed to protect her privacy) asking to review her curriculum.

     It also asked her to set up an appointment and bring in for inspection “all records, test scores, and materials that are being used to provide home instruction.”

     It ended with a threat:

     “If we do not hear from you within 10 days [we] will consider your child as being truant, till we have proof of the education that is being provided.”

     HSLDA prepared a letter on Angie’s behalf. The letter explained that none of the demands of the Regional Office were lawful. It also pointed out that initiating prosecution against a family when there is no evidence they are violating the law raises significant ethical issues. Finally, the letter noted that it is not a family’s burden to prove their own innocence.

     Ten days passed. Weeks passed. No legal action was taken against the family. And the Regional Office never replied.

     (P.S. from WSW–Thank you for being there for us, HSLDA!)