TRUTH in the American EDUCATION System
An education for the masses leads to the masses being uneducated. Since the beginning of time, man has had to adapt, think, and invent to survive. The American education system—at all levels—is not teaching students to independently adapt, think, and invent, thus producing low-level-thinkers and ‘followers’ instead of the leaders and ‘giants’ of a time before.
I recently read an article[1] that made me wonder, "Why does American education fail; What has happened to the American public school system," and an image (see Figure 1 from Amazing Grace) that I saw floating around Facebook (from Pinterest) days earlier came to my mind.
Figure 1. American flag drawn onto a book of verse.
- Is this from the Bible?
- Do you just assume it is based on the layout, word choice, and writing style?
- Where is the Book, chapter, and verse citation for you to know the author of this writing?
- Are you motivated enough to look it up to see where this is from, if it is from the Bible, and who the author is of this writing?
Some people would see this visual, think it very cool and patriotic, and would consider it more, trying to LEARN more so that they could KNOW more; however, that is a unique group in today's American culture. Most of our nation—whether Christian or not—would assume this to be from the Bible. Christians—who value the contents of the Bible—would go farther than that. If the ‘feeling’ was that this was from the Bible, a Christian would put faith in it as inspired by God and accept it as biblical fact.
And they may be right. Are they right?
THAT is what has happened to our educational system in America. The pursuit of LEARNING for learning’s-sake and the value of KNOWLEDGE is being replaced by ENTERTAINMENT and mind-numbing ACTIVITIES that let others think for you. When we let others think for us, we have given up our freedom and entered into the “bondage” and “captivity” mentioned in this quote.
Are we becoming so lazy in our pursuit for TRUTH that we are growing up generations of blind-sheep who make assumptions and no longer look into the reliability and credibility of things we read, learn, and believe? People must be taught to think. People must learn to analyze. This starts at a young age. When parents spend quality time teaching their children to be in the world but not of the world, the next generation of Christians will be stronger in their faith, more able to proclaim the Gospel and use apologetics to lead more to Christ.
“… I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days …” (Deuteronomy 30:19)
There is a cultural worldview, and there is a biblical worldview. Children (and adults) must be taught to clearly see the differences between the TRUTH of Christians and the truth of the world so that they are not fooled. Traditionally, education promoted deep thought, interpretation, and evaluation of life through the magnifying glass of Christianity as prescribed in the Bible. American government and the implementation of public schools—originally everyone was homeschooled in America—was founded on Christian beliefs and the teachings of the Bible. Americans studied all forms of writing, learned about other’s views, experiences, and lives, yet returned to the Bible to assess and evaluate those things.
So I’ll ask again…where is the image above from? Does it sound familiar?
Is it similar to: Psalm 33:12 New International Version (NIV)
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people he chose for his inheritance.
the people he chose for his inheritance.
Things that sound familiar to us as Christians need to be researched. Often, things are packaged in a way to mislead, persuade, and control. If something seems familiar—in form, layout, word choice, or topic—we more readily accept it as TRUTH.
So what is the TRUTH?
Is this from the Bible?
Did you look it up?
The visual in Figure 1 portrays an excerpt from the Book of Ether in The Book of Mormon. I'm sure many people would initially look at the visual, get drawn in by the American flag drawing, read the verse through the colors and say, "WOW! That is in the Bible? How prophetic and profound! That does sound just like America,” but they would have been misled. They let assumptions control their view of TRUTH.
Even though this is not from the Bible—as one would assume—it is still a wonderful quote to consider and evaluate. Furthermore, even though this is not from the Bible, we should still evaluate it as a piece of literature—and determine its Christian value.
The quote above is correct that we (as a nation or as individuals) can only be free from bondage, captivity, and other nations IF we are SERVING God.
Is our nation a servant of God? Are we, as individuals, servants of God?
If not, then bondage of the mind, body, and soul shall be prevalent—thus poisoning our every interaction—from child rearing, to educational practices, to worship time in the Church.
Even though this quote/image contains a very true statement, one that I can get behind and support, it is simply an intriguing quote from a book. It is not from the Bible. However, it does have VALUE as a piece of literature, and as a stepping stone to researching such ideas in the Bible and God’s expectation for us as Christians in this fallen world.
As the writing in Figure 1 states, the American nation shall be free from bondage, captivity, and other nations IF "they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ..." Is our nation—and educational system—free? Does our nation serve God to the utmost, OR have we become lazy and let others decide our TRUTH for us—thus resulting in the stripping away of God from our nation and government?
These are just things to ponder as you walk through this world. Analyze and evaluate everything through your Christian lens. Be fully aware of what happens in the world; be “in” the world as you walk the fence-line God has put before you, but do not cross over to being “of” the world.
Visit http://www.bible-knowledge.com/in-world-not-of-it/ for a thought-provoking writing on being IN the world but not OF the world.
Take your KNOWLEDGE as a Christian and evaluate the writing. Do not simply accept every word as if the writer knows more than you, but think through whether he is professing TRUTH.
Learning to evaluate secular literature through form, analogy, persuasion, metaphor, imagery, symbols, pacing, father-figures, biblical/satanic, good/bad, right/wrong, and so much more, makes it easy to then see the TRUTH in what others say, write, and argue.
Blessings to you all on this journey!
Works Cited
“Deuteronomy 30:19 This Day I Call the Heavens and the Earth as Witnesses against
You That I Have Set before You Life and Death, Blessings and Curses. Now Choose Life, so That You and Your Children May Live.” Deuteronomy 30:19 This Day I Call the Heavens and the Earth as Witnesses against You That I Have Set before You Life and Death, Blessings and Curses. Now Choose Life, so That You and Your Children May Live, Bible Hub, http://biblehub.com/deuteronomy/30-19.htm.
Farquhar, Beatriz. “AMAZING GRACE.” Pinterest,
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/239535273910697728/.
“Is There TRUTH in the American EDUCATION System?” Homeschool Mom
Ramblings: A Living Journal: Blogger, 1 Aug. 2016,
<http://homeschoolmomramblings.blogspot.com/2016/07/
is-there-truth-in-american-education.html>.
“Psalm 33:12.” The Holy Bible: New International Version, Biblica, Colorado Springs,
CO, 2011.
Zacharias , Ravi. “The Soul of America.” The Soul of America | RZIM, Wellspring
International/Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, 2 July 2016, rzim.org/global-
blog/the-soul-of-america/.
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