I Really Need Your Help – A Contest
Well, I guess everyone is done commenting on my last post, Public School is Hamburger. It got a little hairy there at the end, eh? Feel free to keep commenting on that post. Really, I don’t mind.
What I need you help with is this…
Can somebody, anybody, please find scripture that supports sending our children off to school?
Maybe I have been missing something. I do not claim to be a bible scholar… I have never found anything in the bible to support us sending our kids off to school. But, if there is scripture that speaks about the subject I would like to know where it is and what it says.
Here is the contest part. For all of you that find scripture to support sending our kids to school – Please leave the following in the comments of this post:
- Scripture reference along with the passage you are referencing.
- Your paraphrased version of what the scripture is saying.
The contest will end when the the comments stop coming in. I will post the entries along with a poll so we can all vote for the winner. The person with the best scripture reference will win something really cool. It will be tailored to the winner.
Good luck!
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You’re not going to find Scriptures that support sending your kids to school, just like you won’t find any that condemns it. It same for homeschooling, as well.
I’m also not a fan of plucking out random Scriptures (out of context, mind you) to try and make them back up your belief.
I wanted to delete my comment, but I couldn’t figure out how to do it. :-)
At the risk of being thought divisive, could we apply Jeremiah 32:35 (KJV or NKJV) to this question?
The entire theme of parenting Scriptures admonish parents to bring their children up in the ways of the Lord. Sending them to Caeser/Pharaoh/Baal/etc. to be taught the things of the world would never have entered their minds.
To those who must send their children to ps, but hate it, pray! James 4:2-4 is a word for you!
To clarify: you mean any school, right? Not just public school?
Yes, I am referring to public school, private school. “Christian” school, etc. Anywhere other than home. And we are speaking of children, not adults.
The very word ’school’ is very obscurely found once in the Hebrew and once in the Greek texts of the Bible. The institution of academics is not in the Bible especially not in a form where it says we are to adhere to it. On the contrary, we are not to be part of the world or its systems. What has darkness got to do with light? The institution of Academics is based on a Greek system which in turn was based on their mythological belief system – in this case the worship of Athene the goddess of wisdom. We personally believe that our children should have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness. For THE LORD gives wisdom and from HIS mouth comes knowledge and understanding (Proverbs 2:6) How are our children supposed to be getting that if they are out there filling their minds with other stuff?
How’s this?
Not that I actually believe this, because I’m a homeschool dad as well.
But for the benefit of your contest.
Daniel 1:3,4 NIV
Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility, young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians.
And further consideration, a boy was considered a man at age 13. Which is still a child in our eyes.
Even better in the KJV
And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes; Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
The KJV makes it an obligation…not a requirement.
We do not homeschool our children. They attend a “christian school” at which my husband is a teacher. We don’t homeschool because I haven’t found a scripture that commands me to do so. Just as you haven’t found one that commands me NOT to send them to school.
I have to say that I think it’s interesting that Jayson above, who is a homeschooling dad, quotes a scripture and actually states that DOES NOT believe it??!!!!!
I have no problem with homeschooling. My problem is when people who believe that hsing is commanded in scripture tell me I’m sinning because we do not homeschool. I have never told you that homeschooling is a sin!! We will answer to God for how we have chosen to educate our children, just as you will. Some of us, however, might be answering for judging others……
Jen read Daniel 1 in context.
The Babylonians besieged Judah. And the king that makes the order is Nebuchadnezzar. Not Jehoiakim. It’s an example of prooftexting. That’s why I don’t believe it.
Prooftexting is pulling something out of context in order to make it say what you want it to say. That’s all there is.
Besides it is obvious that Daniel, Hannaniah, Mishael, Azariah were exemplary examples of training up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6).
Hannaniah, Mishael, Azariah are better known as Shadrach, Meshach and Adednego (I don’t understand why they were always refered by their Babylonian names). Which you might remember from the Bible EVENT (not story/myth) Known as the Firey Furnace in Chapter 3. Where do you think they got such moral convictions from? Their Babylonian captors? NO! Probably from their parents. One of the few familes of their day that feared God. These 4 men/boys (because the Bible does not say their ages) prove just the opposite point of my prooftexting. And, the Bible does so without explicitly saying it as such.
If I confused you by my example, it was not my intention. The direction given for the contest were clear: “find scripture to support sending our kids to school.” I believe I did that. I use Babylon as the public school entity. Which IMHO isn’t far from the truth. Just look at California.
But I was not seriously saying the Bible endorses it. In this case, the Bible is reporting the History of the Kingdom of Judah. These event happen exactly the way its recorded. Which is why this is prooftexting. These verses do not ascribe this as a precept but as event that happened.
And you are also right, the Bible does not explictly endorse homeschooling either. But Proverbs 22:6 does NOT charge the “church” or “village” to train up the child. It imperatively states [YOU] train up the child. Not the village or public/private school.
If you are doing this through a Christian private school, I mean really doing this, then you are fulfilling this precept. But how can you know you are 24/7? That’s the real question. You need to be more vigilant then homeschoolers. The only time my children are out of my wife’s and I’s protection is when they are at Church. And, we are not sure if that is a good or bad thing. The bad bahaviors my children have picked up could have only come from the children at church who have been schooled by the “village”.
Jayson (comments above) is my husband. I feel that his “entry” into the contest was misinterpreted by Jen. My husband believes in the sufficiency of Scripture and it’s inerrancy. He was only contributing to the contest in the same spirit that the contest was given. You could look at it as a form of apologetics. Just like a creation scientist must know the position of an evolutionary-believing scientist so that he can dispute his platform point by point. The same is true for any important issue about which you desire to speak intelligently and accurately. If we know what Scripture is likely to be twisted and used out of context to represent falsehood than we stand a much better chance of combatting it, and helping others to discern the truth.
As for judging, I have not seen anywhere in my husband’s post or on Jeff’s blog that would be defined as judging. One is always free and entitled to have an opinion. One is certainly allowed to express their opinion at their own blog. If you feel some kind of conviction or turmoil as a result, it is up to you to determine what to do with that.
Oh, and Jeff, I do have a blog actually. I am just getting started however because I have just made a switch from being at homeschoolblogger for a couple of years. You can find it at thefullquiverhomeschoolhouse.wordpress.com . Keep up the good work. Your and Katie’s blog is offering a powerful witness to our world.
Jenni
Jen, he’s not saying he doesn’t believe the scripture. He’s saying he doesn’t believe it backs up non-homeschool education.
We don’t homeschool because scripture says specifically that we must. We homeschool because we love it.