Not in school...

Monday's post was with regards to the debate about Intelligent Design, and the Flying Spaghetti Monster theory. Although the theory was meant in jest, it does an apt job at pointing out the ludicrous ends to which the tolerance argument can lead. If we allow the tolerance argument to go to its logical end, society finds itself with an obligation to teach kids about the Flying Spaghetti Monster in the same breath they teach kids about the Almighty Creator of the Universe. It may not surprise you, but I'm not comfortable with that.

It may surprise you however that I am also not comfortable with the concept of Intelligent Design being taught in public schools. Of course, I don't think they should teach Darwin's theory of evolution in public schools either, as it is a theory that has been abandoned by honest science long ago. Unfortunately, since science doesn't have an alternate answer to either Darwinism or Intelligent design, it has allowed the public school system to continue teaching a system that hasn't been honestly accepted for years. Why was it abandoned? Because Darwinism doesn't answer the question it sought to answer; it only pushes the question back a billion or so years. What did the first organism to evolve look like and what did it evolve from? Even a simple-cell organism had to come from something. And Darwin doesn't explain it.

But that's another post.

The public school's job is not to explain to my kids how the universe was created. That's my job as a parent. (I don't have kids right now, so I guess I should say that will be my job). From the very beginning of humanity, it has been the responsibility of the family unity to teach children truth about God - not the school system. Deuteronomy 6:4-9, the "Purpose" that "drove" Israel, commands fathers to teach their sons about God, not teachers.

I was blessed to have many wonderful teachers during my elementary, junior high, and high school years. Many of those wonderful women were also believers. But their responsibility was to teach me how to read, write, do math, and how to survive in a capitalistic society. My parents' job was to teach me truth about God.

I don't want my kids learning truth about God from their public school teacher who may or may not be a believer. That isn't why I will send them to school. It's my responsibility, my job, my privilege.

I hope the Kansas School Board decides not to force teachers to teach intelligent design. Maybe that will force some of the parents who want pawn their responsibility to someone else to get to work.