From our Introductory Post:
“The righteous have sat back and allowed the wicked to take over our relationships to God, families, churches, governments, schools and colleges, journalism, entertainment, sports, sciences, and a whole litany of other endeavors in our society.”
Families – Threats – Morality not being taught in schools
In our previous post we considered the topic of Threats to Families, specifically Pornography. We will now take a look at another threat to the family, Morality not being taught in schools.
We must understand from the start that this blog considers all Morality to be Biblical in nature because true morality derives from the Bible, the Word of God. Some may disagree with this approach, and that is your privilege, but the only reasonable approach is that morality is objective. Any morality that is subjective can change and, therefore, is not truly morality.
“In Colonial America the schools were mostly run by the churches. The first settlers in America felt that it was important that children learned to read so they could read their Bibles.” This statement from http://www.schoolprayerinamerica.info/ provides the basis for teaching Biblical morality in American schools. Students of that day read the Bible and the New England Primer. “Daily school prayer was a natural part of this educational system. After the American Revolution, Noah Webster introduced the Blue-backed Speller which also used Bible verses to teach reading and spelling. In 1836 the McGuffey Reader was introduced which also featured Bible verses to teach moral values. This school system produced some of the world’s brightest inventors and set the Industrial Revolution in motion. The schools continued to be run mostly by Christian Churches until the 1890's at which point States started to take control of the existing schools. By 1900 many other text books were in use and they all had Bible quotes in them.”
In today’s schools people expect the continued teaching of “morality,” but many of them think of morality in terms of a humanist approach, as in http://www.freeinquiry.com/teaching-morals.html . Cities are concerned about the incidence of crime and feel that the problem can be addressed through the educational system. “While everyone in our city (New Orleans, LA) should seek to comprehend why so many high school- and college-aged people are involved in violence, educators have a particular responsibility to understand the problem and take action.” See http://blog.nola.com/guesteditorials/2009/01/why_schools_must_teach_moralit.html . Some school systems approach the teaching of morals as “character education.” Such terms as “fairness” and “respect” are used without explaining the basis of these character traits. See http://www.hcde.org/site/partners/character_ed/default.aspx .
All approaches are doomed to failure except a return to Biblical morality. How can anyone argue with a system that produced the greatest republic in the history of the world? Even with all of our present problems America is still the shining light attracting people from all over the world.
Summary
This post has examined morality not being taught in schools as a major threat to families. We discovered that the solution is found in returning to the Biblical morality of our founding ancestors. Our next post will take a look at another threat to families, Poverty.
I remain yours in the name of Jesus Christ, the Creator and Name above every name.
“Mr. Phil”
Friday, February 26, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
The Stop Sign, Part 7
The Stop Sign, Part 7
Soon the hall was empty except for Billy and the professor who remained sitting on his desk. Shortly Billy rose from his seat, grabbed the loops of a backpack and walked down the slanted aisle to where the professor sat. Reaching into his pack, Billy took out a brown paper wrapped item, a gift with a colorful red ribbon and placed it on the professor’s brief case. Billy extended his hand to the professor.
“I really appreciate your thoughts,” he said. “I think it was difficult to share those in today’s class. Good luck as you retire.”
The professor grabbed Billy’s hand and shook it but not sure exactly what it meant. In his heart he wanted to confirm what Billy Lynch had said but it seemed unwise at the moment as he simply wanted the day to end, not knowing what might happen next as the word spread among the students that he had actually questioned the validity of evolution.
“Thanks,” he said. “Thanks for being in my class today. What is in the package,” he asked, lifting it from its place on the desk and balancing it in his hand.
“It is something I’ve been holding for you,” said Billy. “I hope you enjoy it.”
With that, Billy Lynch left the professor sitting on the desk, walked up the stairway to the hallway and disappeared.
The professor sat on his desk for a long time, pondering the comments he had just made and heard and wondering about the package he held. He wondered how it could be that he had drifted so far away from the goals he had embraced when a child. His mind took him back to moments when, as a ten-year-old lad at a church camp, he had decided that being a Christian was the right thing to do. His decision followed a week of camp fun; lots of swimming, hiking, singing and bon fires at Camp Lake Louise in Michigan. It was a great trip for a kid like him. He remembered the ride in a old green school bus which took the young people from their small country church near Bowling Green, Ohio to the camp not far from the big Mac bridge at the northern tip of Michigan’s southern peninsula. He could nearly smell the inescapable odors of the Cedar boards used in the construction of the cabins and the wonderful meals; the experiences came back to his mind as though they occurred yesterday. It had been a memorable experience. Each night at the campfire, the camp pastor would tell bible stories and challenge the young people to give their lives to Christ. On the last night little Jimmy Wilson (that’s what they called him) raised his hand and decided then and there that he would live for God the rest of his life.
When he returned to the Ohio farmhouse where he lived with his mother and father, he was quick to share the news of his time at camp, especially of deciding to be a Christian.
“This is wonderful,” said his father. “We have been praying for you even since you were born.” His mother hugged him and kissed him on the check. “We are so happy,” she said.
Dan Schobert, W9MFG@charter.net
Soon the hall was empty except for Billy and the professor who remained sitting on his desk. Shortly Billy rose from his seat, grabbed the loops of a backpack and walked down the slanted aisle to where the professor sat. Reaching into his pack, Billy took out a brown paper wrapped item, a gift with a colorful red ribbon and placed it on the professor’s brief case. Billy extended his hand to the professor.
“I really appreciate your thoughts,” he said. “I think it was difficult to share those in today’s class. Good luck as you retire.”
The professor grabbed Billy’s hand and shook it but not sure exactly what it meant. In his heart he wanted to confirm what Billy Lynch had said but it seemed unwise at the moment as he simply wanted the day to end, not knowing what might happen next as the word spread among the students that he had actually questioned the validity of evolution.
“Thanks,” he said. “Thanks for being in my class today. What is in the package,” he asked, lifting it from its place on the desk and balancing it in his hand.
“It is something I’ve been holding for you,” said Billy. “I hope you enjoy it.”
With that, Billy Lynch left the professor sitting on the desk, walked up the stairway to the hallway and disappeared.
The professor sat on his desk for a long time, pondering the comments he had just made and heard and wondering about the package he held. He wondered how it could be that he had drifted so far away from the goals he had embraced when a child. His mind took him back to moments when, as a ten-year-old lad at a church camp, he had decided that being a Christian was the right thing to do. His decision followed a week of camp fun; lots of swimming, hiking, singing and bon fires at Camp Lake Louise in Michigan. It was a great trip for a kid like him. He remembered the ride in a old green school bus which took the young people from their small country church near Bowling Green, Ohio to the camp not far from the big Mac bridge at the northern tip of Michigan’s southern peninsula. He could nearly smell the inescapable odors of the Cedar boards used in the construction of the cabins and the wonderful meals; the experiences came back to his mind as though they occurred yesterday. It had been a memorable experience. Each night at the campfire, the camp pastor would tell bible stories and challenge the young people to give their lives to Christ. On the last night little Jimmy Wilson (that’s what they called him) raised his hand and decided then and there that he would live for God the rest of his life.
When he returned to the Ohio farmhouse where he lived with his mother and father, he was quick to share the news of his time at camp, especially of deciding to be a Christian.
“This is wonderful,” said his father. “We have been praying for you even since you were born.” His mother hugged him and kissed him on the check. “We are so happy,” she said.
Dan Schobert, W9MFG@charter.net
Monday, February 8, 2010
The Stop Sign, Part 6
The Stop Sign, Part 6
Professor Wilson was surprised, as were his students, to hear such words in a University classroom, words that had not resonated there in many years, though it was commonly discussed in the early days of the institution, those days when the leadership and founders had dedicated the campus to the Glory of God. A lot had happened in the following years, decades of gradual decline until the present moment when it seemed that even the mention of God was like expressing an ugly word.
Billy Lynch appeared to be satisfied with the answer. “Thank you professor,” he said. “It seems to me,” he continued, “that if God is the one who provides absolutes, He would also be the one who could give important information about the origins of things. This being the case, it would seem necessary to consider His words. But the lectures we have been getting have pretty much tossed the Bible aside and asked us to believe that everything we see around us are the result of time and chance. I am aware that there have been many attempts to reconcile both views but, in my opinion, these have failed because, in the long run, they have tended to down play the role of God. So, perhaps, it comes down to trusting God.”
“But there is more,” he said. “Let’s say that I have a gun.”
He quickly pushed his right hand into his pocket. The students and Professor gasped, perhaps thinking they were going to be victims. Slowly Billy Lynch pulled his hand from his pocket but it was in the form of a gun, with his index finger pointing ahead and thumb erect, the kind of gesture kids make when playing. He pointed the “gun” around the room, finally taking aim at the professor.
“Imagine this is a real gun,” he said. “And I was about to shoot you or maybe some of my classmates, even myself. Though an illegal act, and besides the fact that you probably wouldn’t like me to shoot you or anyone else, on what basis can it be said that I shouldn’t do this? I mean, we have been hearing in this lecture series that evolution has always proceeded on the basis of survival. And maybe I sense that you and the others in this room are a danger to my survival and believe that removing you would increase my longevity. So, under the rules of evolution, I have every right to do just that, and not be punished for it because I would be acting in accordance with the rules of evolution.”
Billy slowly put his “gun” back into his pocket and sat down. The hall was quiet except for the hum of the air conditioner. Professor Wilson said nothing. He was stunned because he knew that what Billy Lynch had said was true. He knew it to be true and he also knew that most of his fellow professors, deep down, would agree.
Soon the students began to file out. Some paused at Billy’s desk, shaking his hand or giving him a thumbs up salute. “Way to go,” someone said in passing.
Not a few, however, shook their heads, believing Lynch to be some sort of fanatic. “You’re crazy,” one said. “What are you, a religious nut?” someone shouted.
Dan Schobert, W9MFG@charter.net
Professor Wilson was surprised, as were his students, to hear such words in a University classroom, words that had not resonated there in many years, though it was commonly discussed in the early days of the institution, those days when the leadership and founders had dedicated the campus to the Glory of God. A lot had happened in the following years, decades of gradual decline until the present moment when it seemed that even the mention of God was like expressing an ugly word.
Billy Lynch appeared to be satisfied with the answer. “Thank you professor,” he said. “It seems to me,” he continued, “that if God is the one who provides absolutes, He would also be the one who could give important information about the origins of things. This being the case, it would seem necessary to consider His words. But the lectures we have been getting have pretty much tossed the Bible aside and asked us to believe that everything we see around us are the result of time and chance. I am aware that there have been many attempts to reconcile both views but, in my opinion, these have failed because, in the long run, they have tended to down play the role of God. So, perhaps, it comes down to trusting God.”
“But there is more,” he said. “Let’s say that I have a gun.”
He quickly pushed his right hand into his pocket. The students and Professor gasped, perhaps thinking they were going to be victims. Slowly Billy Lynch pulled his hand from his pocket but it was in the form of a gun, with his index finger pointing ahead and thumb erect, the kind of gesture kids make when playing. He pointed the “gun” around the room, finally taking aim at the professor.
“Imagine this is a real gun,” he said. “And I was about to shoot you or maybe some of my classmates, even myself. Though an illegal act, and besides the fact that you probably wouldn’t like me to shoot you or anyone else, on what basis can it be said that I shouldn’t do this? I mean, we have been hearing in this lecture series that evolution has always proceeded on the basis of survival. And maybe I sense that you and the others in this room are a danger to my survival and believe that removing you would increase my longevity. So, under the rules of evolution, I have every right to do just that, and not be punished for it because I would be acting in accordance with the rules of evolution.”
Billy slowly put his “gun” back into his pocket and sat down. The hall was quiet except for the hum of the air conditioner. Professor Wilson said nothing. He was stunned because he knew that what Billy Lynch had said was true. He knew it to be true and he also knew that most of his fellow professors, deep down, would agree.
Soon the students began to file out. Some paused at Billy’s desk, shaking his hand or giving him a thumbs up salute. “Way to go,” someone said in passing.
Not a few, however, shook their heads, believing Lynch to be some sort of fanatic. “You’re crazy,” one said. “What are you, a religious nut?” someone shouted.
Dan Schobert, W9MFG@charter.net
Saturday, January 30, 2010
The Stop Sign, Part 5
The Stop Sign, Part 5
He said it with a particular sense of awe and reverence. It was the word he had long before vowed to avoid in his conversations, in his classes, in his life. But he knew, deep down, this was the answer; it was the answer he had been avoiding for his thirty years of teaching because he knew that what he had been teaching about evolution had only eliminated the word, but not God Himself. He knew that the idea of evolution was questionable at best but he had been teaching it anyway, hoping against hope that he would never be called on the carpet to defend it. In the end, he knew, the real answer to the great questions of life did not come from something that emerged from a slimy pit eons ago, but came from God. As though emerging from a moment of silent prayer, Professor Wilson raised his eyes to the fourth row, fifth seat where Billy Lynch remained standing, hands in his pockets.
“Is that the answer you wanted,” asked the professor with a voice, though a whisper, it could be heard by everyone.
“Thank you Professor Wilson. That is the answer but I have to wonder where you received information about God. This does not seem to have an evolutionary source. If the idea of God has also come through evolutionary processes, it would make His existence no different from any other idea we might hold. I mean, it is maybe easy to say the word GOD but saying it doesn’t make something exist, does it?”
The professor moved away from the chalkboard and stood again in front of his gray metal desk, the kind with two drawers on either side of the place where a person sits, the kind the University administration seemed to think is befitting a lecture hall. Pushing aside his briefcase and several books, the professor sat on the desk edge with his feet, encased in a pair of Brown penny loafers, dangling several inches from the floor. With his left and right hands grasping the desk edges to his sides, he seemed lost in his thoughts. ‘Where do I go next with this discussion,’ he wondered. Raising his head, he scanned across the audience and looked into the eyes of his students, these young people who had been listening to him talk about evolution. He also had a flash back to those thousands of students which had been in those same seats for the many years of his teaching, students whom he had failed because he hadn’t spoke to them about really important things but instead had told them a fairy tale about life and they had bought it, as they should have, in order that he would give them a passing grade and allow them to move on to additional studies. He, at the moment, felt he had let them down and he was beginning to sense the harm he had done to so many.
After looking into the eyes of those who were staring at him, his focus returned to Billy Lynch, this young man who remained standing, a lone figure among a sitting crowd.
“Yes,” he finally said. “Yes, God is more than a three letter word on a University chalkboard. Even if I had not written that word, God would still exist. He exists, not because I say so, but because the Bible says so. It is there we learn about such an important matter.”
Dan Schobert, W9MFG@charter.net
He said it with a particular sense of awe and reverence. It was the word he had long before vowed to avoid in his conversations, in his classes, in his life. But he knew, deep down, this was the answer; it was the answer he had been avoiding for his thirty years of teaching because he knew that what he had been teaching about evolution had only eliminated the word, but not God Himself. He knew that the idea of evolution was questionable at best but he had been teaching it anyway, hoping against hope that he would never be called on the carpet to defend it. In the end, he knew, the real answer to the great questions of life did not come from something that emerged from a slimy pit eons ago, but came from God. As though emerging from a moment of silent prayer, Professor Wilson raised his eyes to the fourth row, fifth seat where Billy Lynch remained standing, hands in his pockets.
“Is that the answer you wanted,” asked the professor with a voice, though a whisper, it could be heard by everyone.
“Thank you Professor Wilson. That is the answer but I have to wonder where you received information about God. This does not seem to have an evolutionary source. If the idea of God has also come through evolutionary processes, it would make His existence no different from any other idea we might hold. I mean, it is maybe easy to say the word GOD but saying it doesn’t make something exist, does it?”
The professor moved away from the chalkboard and stood again in front of his gray metal desk, the kind with two drawers on either side of the place where a person sits, the kind the University administration seemed to think is befitting a lecture hall. Pushing aside his briefcase and several books, the professor sat on the desk edge with his feet, encased in a pair of Brown penny loafers, dangling several inches from the floor. With his left and right hands grasping the desk edges to his sides, he seemed lost in his thoughts. ‘Where do I go next with this discussion,’ he wondered. Raising his head, he scanned across the audience and looked into the eyes of his students, these young people who had been listening to him talk about evolution. He also had a flash back to those thousands of students which had been in those same seats for the many years of his teaching, students whom he had failed because he hadn’t spoke to them about really important things but instead had told them a fairy tale about life and they had bought it, as they should have, in order that he would give them a passing grade and allow them to move on to additional studies. He, at the moment, felt he had let them down and he was beginning to sense the harm he had done to so many.
After looking into the eyes of those who were staring at him, his focus returned to Billy Lynch, this young man who remained standing, a lone figure among a sitting crowd.
“Yes,” he finally said. “Yes, God is more than a three letter word on a University chalkboard. Even if I had not written that word, God would still exist. He exists, not because I say so, but because the Bible says so. It is there we learn about such an important matter.”
Dan Schobert, W9MFG@charter.net
Friday, January 29, 2010
Families – Threats – Pornography
From our Introductory Post:
“The righteous have sat back and allowed the wicked to take over our relationships to God, families, churches, governments, schools and colleges, journalism, entertainment, sports, sciences, and a whole litany of other endeavors in our society.”
Families – Threats – Pornography
In our previous post we considered the topic of Threats to Families, specifically Cohabitation Before Marriage. We will now take a look at another threat to the family, Pornography.
We continue looking at areas that may create some ire among certain readers. Generally, when pet sins are exposed, even professing “christians” take exception. I am really not concerned about sparing feelings at this point so will be as objective as I can about this topic and other topics as they present threats to the family. Those who take offense need to deal with it between themselves and God.
How often have we heard, "Men, women and sometimes even children are saturated by sexual content, and more significantly, are told that it has no real effect. It's just a little amusement."? This quote from Pat Fagan, senior fellow of the Family Research Council, reveals the tension caused by the proliferation of pornography throughout our culture. Dr. Fagan in the same article, http://www.christianpost.com/article/20091202 , details some of the negative effects of pornography summarized by the statement, "pornography corrodes the conscience, promotes distrust between husbands and wives and debases untold thousands of young women."
Jill C. Manning, M.S., in testimony before a U.S. Senate committee in November, 2005, detailed the negative effects of pornography as related to the family.
“1. Increased marital distress, and risk of separation and divorce,
2. Decreased marital intimacy and sexual satisfaction,
3. Infidelity
4. Increased appetite for more graphic types of pornography and sexual activity associated with abusive, illegal or unsafe practices,
5. Devaluation of monogamy, marriage and child rearing,
6. An increasing number of people struggling with compulsive and addictive sexual behaviour.” ( http://www.heritage.org/research/family/tst111405a.cfm?renderforprint=1 )
With all of these negative effects documented and intuitively known it is fair to ask why pornography continues to be tolerated by our nation. First Amendment considerations aside, a report from PBS’s Frontline is insightful here:
“It's one of the hottest industries in America. Easier to order at home than a pizza, bigger than rock music, it's arguably the most profitable enterprise in cyberspace. AT&T has been in the business. Yahoo! has profited from it. Westin and Marriott have made more money selling it than selling snacks and drinks in their mini-bars. And with estimates as high as $10 billion a year, it boasts the kind of earnings that most American businesses would envy.” (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/porn/view/ )
It would seem the real bottom line regarding pornography, as with most things, is the bottom line. There is simply too much money being made from this industry to get anyone in authority to do anything substantive about.
The solution here is found in the Biblical admonitions, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,” (2 Corinthians 6:17) and “For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.” (1 Thessalonians 4:7) among others. By simply saying no to many of the offerings of the media and the Internet and replacing them with God’s Word, wholesome books, DVDs, downloads, films, etc. we can overcome the negative effects of the plague of pornography in our families.
Summary
This post has examined Pornography as a major threat to families. We discovered that the solution is found not only in observing Biblical injunctions but providing positive practical alternatives to the programming offered by the typical media outlets and the Internet. Our next post will take a look at another threat to families, Morality not Being Taught in Schools.
I remain yours in the name of Jesus Christ, the Creator and Name above every name.
“Mr. Phil”
“The righteous have sat back and allowed the wicked to take over our relationships to God, families, churches, governments, schools and colleges, journalism, entertainment, sports, sciences, and a whole litany of other endeavors in our society.”
Families – Threats – Pornography
In our previous post we considered the topic of Threats to Families, specifically Cohabitation Before Marriage. We will now take a look at another threat to the family, Pornography.
We continue looking at areas that may create some ire among certain readers. Generally, when pet sins are exposed, even professing “christians” take exception. I am really not concerned about sparing feelings at this point so will be as objective as I can about this topic and other topics as they present threats to the family. Those who take offense need to deal with it between themselves and God.
How often have we heard, "Men, women and sometimes even children are saturated by sexual content, and more significantly, are told that it has no real effect. It's just a little amusement."? This quote from Pat Fagan, senior fellow of the Family Research Council, reveals the tension caused by the proliferation of pornography throughout our culture. Dr. Fagan in the same article, http://www.christianpost.com/article/20091202 , details some of the negative effects of pornography summarized by the statement, "pornography corrodes the conscience, promotes distrust between husbands and wives and debases untold thousands of young women."
Jill C. Manning, M.S., in testimony before a U.S. Senate committee in November, 2005, detailed the negative effects of pornography as related to the family.
“1. Increased marital distress, and risk of separation and divorce,
2. Decreased marital intimacy and sexual satisfaction,
3. Infidelity
4. Increased appetite for more graphic types of pornography and sexual activity associated with abusive, illegal or unsafe practices,
5. Devaluation of monogamy, marriage and child rearing,
6. An increasing number of people struggling with compulsive and addictive sexual behaviour.” ( http://www.heritage.org/research/family/tst111405a.cfm?renderforprint=1 )
With all of these negative effects documented and intuitively known it is fair to ask why pornography continues to be tolerated by our nation. First Amendment considerations aside, a report from PBS’s Frontline is insightful here:
“It's one of the hottest industries in America. Easier to order at home than a pizza, bigger than rock music, it's arguably the most profitable enterprise in cyberspace. AT&T has been in the business. Yahoo! has profited from it. Westin and Marriott have made more money selling it than selling snacks and drinks in their mini-bars. And with estimates as high as $10 billion a year, it boasts the kind of earnings that most American businesses would envy.” (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/porn/view/ )
It would seem the real bottom line regarding pornography, as with most things, is the bottom line. There is simply too much money being made from this industry to get anyone in authority to do anything substantive about.
The solution here is found in the Biblical admonitions, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,” (2 Corinthians 6:17) and “For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.” (1 Thessalonians 4:7) among others. By simply saying no to many of the offerings of the media and the Internet and replacing them with God’s Word, wholesome books, DVDs, downloads, films, etc. we can overcome the negative effects of the plague of pornography in our families.
Summary
This post has examined Pornography as a major threat to families. We discovered that the solution is found not only in observing Biblical injunctions but providing positive practical alternatives to the programming offered by the typical media outlets and the Internet. Our next post will take a look at another threat to families, Morality not Being Taught in Schools.
I remain yours in the name of Jesus Christ, the Creator and Name above every name.
“Mr. Phil”
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
The Stop Sign, Part 4
The Stop Sign, Part 4
There, he thought…he had actually used that word, the one he dreaded to say because saying something is ‘absolute’ meant it came from somewhere outside of himself though his college education in science had forced him to believe that nothing existed that could not be tested. He knew that the only source of absolutes was God but God had been far from his mind since entered the education field.
Lifting his eyes, raising his eyebrows toward Lynch, he said: “Is that the answer you wanted?”
The class, though anxious to leave the hall and get to another room, sat in their seats as though they were glued in them. There was little movement except the turning of heads from the professor to their classmate who had suddenly become the focus of attention, something they thought a little strange since few had given Lynch much notice. Now they looked at Billy and began to wonder about him. What gave him the strength to stand up to a professor? Wasn’t he concerned about getting a lower grade?
Lynch, still standing as the other students sat and gazed at him, kept his eyes on the professor.
“Thank you professor, that is part of the answer I was seeking,” said Billy. “Can you tell me, tell us (motioning with his hands), what might be the source of this absolute value? That is…during your course lectures you have repeatedly said that all of what we see…reality. . is the result of time + chance. In such a situation of happenstance, there doesn’t seem to be any way for something to be absolutely true. It seems to me that anything we say and anything we do would be like a toss of dice. Who can truly say that something like an absolute exists when the word itself may simply be an expression of some interesting, chance connection in the brain?”
The class was stunned to hear such a thing. Many of Billy’s classmates had not given such thoughts any consideration before this moment. They had failed to see that the idea of evolution was more than biology; it was more than physics or chemistry. There was more here than they had realized and they remained in their seats, not so much concerned with their next classes but wondering where this face-to-face discussion was going to lead.
Professor Wilson, himself somewhat stunned by the student’s courage and intrigued by the ongoing expression of Lynch’s mind, looked down from the audience. His head bowed, as though in deep thought, he moved toward the chalkboard and picked up a new, three inch piece of chalk. Slowly, and with as much care as possible, Wilson slowly wrote three big letters on the board. G-O-D is what he wrote, with a broad white underline for emphasis.
“That is the source of my, of our, absolute statement(1),” said Wilson.
Dan Schobert, W9MFG@charter.net
Note
(1)In a recent national survey conducted by the Barna Research Group, people were asked if they believe that there are moral absolutes that are unchanging or if moral truth is relative to the circumstances. By a 3-to-1 margin (645 vs. 22 %), adults said truth is always relative to the person and the situation. Among teens who were polled, 83% said moral truth depends on the circumstances, and only six % said moral truth is absolute. Born-again Christians were more likely than others to accept moral absolutes. George Barna, head of the research group, noted that substantial numbers of people who call themselves Christians believe that activities such as abortion, gay sex, cohabitation, drunkenness, and pornography are morally acceptable. “Without some firm and compelling basis for suggesting that acts are inappropriate, people are left with philosophies such as “if it feels good, do it,’ ‘everyone else is doing it,’ or ‘as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone else, it’s permissible.’” Barna went on to say that based on these findings the church is in trouble and that failure to address this issue at its root, and to do so quickly and persuasively, will undermine the strength of the church for at least another generation and probably longer. (cited in Church Around the world, May 2002, from Tyndale Publishers)
There, he thought…he had actually used that word, the one he dreaded to say because saying something is ‘absolute’ meant it came from somewhere outside of himself though his college education in science had forced him to believe that nothing existed that could not be tested. He knew that the only source of absolutes was God but God had been far from his mind since entered the education field.
Lifting his eyes, raising his eyebrows toward Lynch, he said: “Is that the answer you wanted?”
The class, though anxious to leave the hall and get to another room, sat in their seats as though they were glued in them. There was little movement except the turning of heads from the professor to their classmate who had suddenly become the focus of attention, something they thought a little strange since few had given Lynch much notice. Now they looked at Billy and began to wonder about him. What gave him the strength to stand up to a professor? Wasn’t he concerned about getting a lower grade?
Lynch, still standing as the other students sat and gazed at him, kept his eyes on the professor.
“Thank you professor, that is part of the answer I was seeking,” said Billy. “Can you tell me, tell us (motioning with his hands), what might be the source of this absolute value? That is…during your course lectures you have repeatedly said that all of what we see…reality. . is the result of time + chance. In such a situation of happenstance, there doesn’t seem to be any way for something to be absolutely true. It seems to me that anything we say and anything we do would be like a toss of dice. Who can truly say that something like an absolute exists when the word itself may simply be an expression of some interesting, chance connection in the brain?”
The class was stunned to hear such a thing. Many of Billy’s classmates had not given such thoughts any consideration before this moment. They had failed to see that the idea of evolution was more than biology; it was more than physics or chemistry. There was more here than they had realized and they remained in their seats, not so much concerned with their next classes but wondering where this face-to-face discussion was going to lead.
Professor Wilson, himself somewhat stunned by the student’s courage and intrigued by the ongoing expression of Lynch’s mind, looked down from the audience. His head bowed, as though in deep thought, he moved toward the chalkboard and picked up a new, three inch piece of chalk. Slowly, and with as much care as possible, Wilson slowly wrote three big letters on the board. G-O-D is what he wrote, with a broad white underline for emphasis.
“That is the source of my, of our, absolute statement(1),” said Wilson.
Dan Schobert, W9MFG@charter.net
Note
(1)In a recent national survey conducted by the Barna Research Group, people were asked if they believe that there are moral absolutes that are unchanging or if moral truth is relative to the circumstances. By a 3-to-1 margin (645 vs. 22 %), adults said truth is always relative to the person and the situation. Among teens who were polled, 83% said moral truth depends on the circumstances, and only six % said moral truth is absolute. Born-again Christians were more likely than others to accept moral absolutes. George Barna, head of the research group, noted that substantial numbers of people who call themselves Christians believe that activities such as abortion, gay sex, cohabitation, drunkenness, and pornography are morally acceptable. “Without some firm and compelling basis for suggesting that acts are inappropriate, people are left with philosophies such as “if it feels good, do it,’ ‘everyone else is doing it,’ or ‘as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone else, it’s permissible.’” Barna went on to say that based on these findings the church is in trouble and that failure to address this issue at its root, and to do so quickly and persuasively, will undermine the strength of the church for at least another generation and probably longer. (cited in Church Around the world, May 2002, from Tyndale Publishers)
Monday, January 25, 2010
The Stop Sign, Part 3
The Stop Sign, Part 3
“Thank you professor but it still isn’t clear to me why you wouldn’t like someone to get hurt or killed. Is this an opinion you have? Maybe there is someone in the world, even someone in this room who would be delighted if someone was hurt or killed for failing to stop at a stop sign. What would make your thought any more valid than that thought? Is your position on this seemingly strange question one of absolute truth, or is it an opinion?
Professor Wilson, stalling to ponder the issue on the floor, continued to put away his lecture notes, stuffing them into the black leather brief case, the one he had been given 30 years ago when he began his teaching career. The case was showing its age; the handle needing some repair. He snapped the case shut with a click, left it on his desk and slowly moved to the front of the desk, his hands behind his back. He had long ago been aware that a question like this might arise; he had expected it but had hoped that he could get through his teaching career without having to address the thought behind the question. He remembered that long ago, before college, he would have had a quick answer to this kind of question but his college education had changed his mind. He had known & been aware that the things he was teaching about evolution had a moral concern but he had put the problem aside, so that he could accept this position at the University and live a good life. He simply wished to maintain his career with the least amount of confrontation, accepting his comfortable paychecks without having to deal with questions that bothered him. Wilson was keenly aware that much of what he taught about evolution was nonsense but he did it anyway. What would his colleagues think of him if he didn’t spew the usual story? He would be laughed at; he might even lose his position. No, he thought, during his 30 years of teaching…he would teach what he had been taught to teach and not worry about other things. But here he was, facing a crowd of some 600 eyes…all wishing to have some word of wisdom from the old professor.
He stood in front of his desk for a long time, his eyes focused on young ‘Billy’Lynch. Not that he was at a loss of words but he wondered about the connection between this strange question and the many lectures that preceded it, though he feared where the question might be leading. What was the connection between stopping for a stop sign and the hours of telling the students about evolution? In all his years of attending school himself, he had never found himself in this kind of situation.
Wilson was not a big man, as men go. His 200 pounds were spread over a frame that would hardly qualify for a football team. Most of his hair was gone, not that he was bald but he had, several years earlier, decided to keep his hair short, not skin-head short but clipped very close. He wore steel rimmed glasses; bifocals. They sat on his broad nose just above a thin line mustache. His chin was now beardless though he often sported a beard, a goatee of sorts. He had recently shaved it off, giving him a new look, even a freshman look, perhaps fitting for the retirement he had envisioned with Sally, his wife, as they made plans to visit Europe as soon as things on campus were wrapped up. He was wearing a light blue denim short-sleeved shirt, one with a banded collar, unbuttoned at the top. The shirt was tucked into his dark blue Levi trousers, and he had a wide western style belt with a large buckle, the kind many cowboys wear.
He lowered his hands to his sides, realizing that he had to say something.
“Yes,” he said. “It is absolutely true that it would not be a good thing for someone to be hurt or killed at a stop sign.”
Dan Schobert, W9MFG@charter.net
“Thank you professor but it still isn’t clear to me why you wouldn’t like someone to get hurt or killed. Is this an opinion you have? Maybe there is someone in the world, even someone in this room who would be delighted if someone was hurt or killed for failing to stop at a stop sign. What would make your thought any more valid than that thought? Is your position on this seemingly strange question one of absolute truth, or is it an opinion?
Professor Wilson, stalling to ponder the issue on the floor, continued to put away his lecture notes, stuffing them into the black leather brief case, the one he had been given 30 years ago when he began his teaching career. The case was showing its age; the handle needing some repair. He snapped the case shut with a click, left it on his desk and slowly moved to the front of the desk, his hands behind his back. He had long ago been aware that a question like this might arise; he had expected it but had hoped that he could get through his teaching career without having to address the thought behind the question. He remembered that long ago, before college, he would have had a quick answer to this kind of question but his college education had changed his mind. He had known & been aware that the things he was teaching about evolution had a moral concern but he had put the problem aside, so that he could accept this position at the University and live a good life. He simply wished to maintain his career with the least amount of confrontation, accepting his comfortable paychecks without having to deal with questions that bothered him. Wilson was keenly aware that much of what he taught about evolution was nonsense but he did it anyway. What would his colleagues think of him if he didn’t spew the usual story? He would be laughed at; he might even lose his position. No, he thought, during his 30 years of teaching…he would teach what he had been taught to teach and not worry about other things. But here he was, facing a crowd of some 600 eyes…all wishing to have some word of wisdom from the old professor.
He stood in front of his desk for a long time, his eyes focused on young ‘Billy’Lynch. Not that he was at a loss of words but he wondered about the connection between this strange question and the many lectures that preceded it, though he feared where the question might be leading. What was the connection between stopping for a stop sign and the hours of telling the students about evolution? In all his years of attending school himself, he had never found himself in this kind of situation.
Wilson was not a big man, as men go. His 200 pounds were spread over a frame that would hardly qualify for a football team. Most of his hair was gone, not that he was bald but he had, several years earlier, decided to keep his hair short, not skin-head short but clipped very close. He wore steel rimmed glasses; bifocals. They sat on his broad nose just above a thin line mustache. His chin was now beardless though he often sported a beard, a goatee of sorts. He had recently shaved it off, giving him a new look, even a freshman look, perhaps fitting for the retirement he had envisioned with Sally, his wife, as they made plans to visit Europe as soon as things on campus were wrapped up. He was wearing a light blue denim short-sleeved shirt, one with a banded collar, unbuttoned at the top. The shirt was tucked into his dark blue Levi trousers, and he had a wide western style belt with a large buckle, the kind many cowboys wear.
He lowered his hands to his sides, realizing that he had to say something.
“Yes,” he said. “It is absolutely true that it would not be a good thing for someone to be hurt or killed at a stop sign.”
Dan Schobert, W9MFG@charter.net
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