We have two milestones in our family this year. My oldest is starting his Freshman year of High School! Meanwhile, my second child is starting Pre-School!! Talk about both ends of the spectrum!! For the last few weeks, our house has been buzzing with excitement as we have attended Open House for the preschool, filled out paperwork, reviewed high school schedules, did all the back to school shopping, etc. My daughter is probably going to burst if school doesn't start soon. My son, on the other hand wouldn't mind a reprieve from a slightly scary year ahead of him!
Over the last few days, that feeling of excitement for me has turned to a call to prayer. It all started when I spotted this article in last week's New York Time's: A Teacher On the Front Line as Faith and Science Clash. I can't decide if I'm more disturbed by the article or the comments after the article. The article details a science teacher's efforts to further the teaching of evolution in our public schools, and specifically his efforts to change the thinking of the Chirstian students in his class. The comments after the article are filled with the idea that evolution is the only "scientific" and "reasonable" theory, and that those of us still clinging to Creationism are "backwards" and "unthinking". Regardless of which is most disturbing, it is very clear that there is a battle being fought for the minds of our children!
The battle is in progress, but are we as Christian parents even fighting, or will we lose by default? As pointed out by an Answers in Genesis response to the NY Times article,
The close look Harmon’s article takes at evolutionary indoctrination in the classroom is a strong reminder of the battle over the minds of the next generation. With increasing state-granted authority, evolutionists are pursuing the minds of children up to five days a week. How can an untrained Christian youth—even if he or she attends church each week, which is increasingly a rarity—compete with that level of indoctrination? While we encourage our readers to learn about and understand evolution (yes, you heard that right—why would we be afraid of it if God’s Word is Truth?), parents and Christian leaders must commit to teaching and equipping the next generation...
If we aren't teaching our children the Truth with as much passion and intelligence as those who teach their pet theories, how are we preparing our children for the critical thinking required in order to stand for what they know is true in the face of what may seem like logical arguments?
Even more importantly, though, our biggest weapon has got to be prayer. Prayer that our children will remember what we have taught them at home. Prayer that God will help them discern truth and facts from opinions and propoganda. Beyond the classroom, our children need prayer that they will remain strong to their values in the face of peer pressure. With pressures from media, educators, and peers, our children are truly in the heat of the battle. They need our prayers more now than ever!!
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