Posted on 05/12/2005 9:48:03 PM PDT by CHARLITE
Far too few among the Christian community are willing to remain steadfast in their beliefs, in the face of the enormous pressures of liberal social change. Fortunately, Bruce N. Shortt exemplifies the meaning of such worthy resolve.
Last year Shortt, along with T.C. Pinckney, made waves at the 2004 Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) by stating the obvious. America’s educational system has, over the past several decades, completely degenerated from any pretense of promoting academics. Instead, it is primarily focused on a program of indoctrinating students towards countercultural social transformation.
Relentlessly working to eradicate any references to God or traditional morality, the nation’s government schools now continually supplant such things with the twisted precepts of “political correctness.” This ideology seeks to obliterate the concept of moral absolutes.
Ironically, the only perverse exception being that even the slightest disagreement with any view of the liberal elite violates their absolute standards, and thus constitutes “hatred,” “intolerance,” “bigotry,” or some other dastardly crime against humanity.
So Shortt and Pinckney proposed a resolution encouraging Christian parents to remove their children from the public school system. Unfortunately, though it should have been overwhelmingly accepted, the Southern Baptist Convention’s response was quite the opposite.
An insipid caveat was offered by Resolution Committee Chairman Calvin Wittman of Wheat Ridge, Colorado, who claimed that the Church would be wrong to “usurp the authority that God had placed firmly in the home.” One has to wonder how willing Wittman would be to accept Internet pornography and underage drinking within Baptist homes on similar grounds.
Disturbing news stories regularly erupt from throughout the country detailing public school policies that affront innocent children along with the entire foundation of traditional morality. At best, the Church can only offer a weekly Sunday School lesson as an antidote.
With each ensuing outrage, it must be remembered that the Southern Baptists disgracefully collaborated by essentially granting their institutional endorsement to the status quo.
This year however, things may be different. Mr. Shortt, with the help of Dr. Voddie Bauchan, has submitted another resolution for consideration by the SBC, admonishing Baptist Churches and parents merely to investigate the particular curriculums and philosophies being impressed upon the children in their own communities.
Of course Shortt and Bauchan know full well that morally reprehensible teachings are widespread among America’s schools. Thus an acceptance of their resolution could be every bit as encompassing as their previous effort.
Last year’s resolution proposal was intended to focus on the institution of public schooling itself. In contrast, this year’s effort seeks to admonish Church leaders and parents to be watchful for evidence of morally reprehensible ideologies that are possibly present in local classrooms. Once informed, Baptists can then either stand fast against such things, or passively acquiesce to them.
Admittedly, even if the resolution passes, no one is obligated to abide by it. And some will likely assuage their feelings of obligation by seeking reassurances from the very school officials who promote such material, which is tantamount to asking the fox to assess the chicken coop (Blessed are the peacemakers, don’t you know…).
Still, any who do objectively follow up will be unable to contain their shock and outrage at the abysmal situation they will find. Though some may choose to reject this harsh reality, it is difficult to ignore the abounding evidence of moral decay in the public schools.
Had Christians refused to play along and instead removed their children en masse, back when the Supreme Court first prohibited prayer in government schools, the financial fallout alone would have been sufficient to cause the high court to quickly reconsider and ultimately reverse its decision.
But like Esau in the book of Genesis, they looked instead to their immediate comfort and convenience, and chose to play along, and have given up ground ever since. Instead of correcting the problem as they clearly had the power to do, they actually enabled it to continue and proliferate.
Shortt and Bauchan have wisely sought to include in their resolution a statement supporting Christian teachers who have not been given over to the post-modern mindset. Such people, assuming they remain steadfast, are to be commended for their courage no less than missionaries in a hostile foreign land.
In the end, the fate of the Shortt/Bauchan resolution will denote the condition of the SBC as either a spiritual guidepost to the nation and the world, or as just another follower of the latest social trends.
About the Writer: Christopher Adamo is a freelance writer from southeastern Wyoming, where he has been involved in grassroots political activites for several years. He maintains a website at http://www.chrisadamo.com. Christopher receives e-mail at adamo.chronwatch@lycos.com.
These guys make me tired.
The moral decay starts at the top... the administration of the district and county offices.
I object to most sweeping generalizations, this one included.
Here is a more objective opinion, from someone who has worked in the public school system in a liberal state for many years: Some teachers have a political agenda in their everyday lessons, but not a majority. Most teacher unions (like most unions of any sort) have a liberal political agenda.
That said, most teachers in public schools care very much for the academic welfare of their students, and spend their time educating kids from a vast array of backgrounds--good homes, bad homes, brilliant minds, learning disabilities...they don't have the option of refusing to educate troublemakers; don't have the ability to pick and choose students like private schools; and don't have the advantage of one-on-one teaching like homeschool homes.
From my vantage (not a teacher) I see a positive daily effort to instill knowledge and very little of the indoctrination that is so often touted by anti-public school groups.
Political indoctrination (like religious indoctrination--gasp!--) belongs at home, and parents and taxpayers are well within their rights to object to teachers who abuse their pulpits.
I just get a little tired of public school bashing at FR and elsewhere. The vast percentage of the time, public school teachers get the job done, despite the many obstacles.
The vast percentage of the time, public school teachers get the job done, despite the many obstacles.
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