I have carefully selected the term "warning" in the above title. A danger confronts you and your school age children, and you need to be warned about it so that you can detect it if and when it appears. I see grave consequences if you are indifferent to this warning. Here it is.

The Humanist Magazine (Jan./Feb., 1983, p. 26) published an article by humanist author John Dunphy. I saw a quotation from his article in Torch Magazine, June 1985, and I feel it is important to share with you what he said:

. . . a viable alternative to Christianity must be sought. That alternative is humanism. I am convinced that the battle for humankind's future must be waged and won in the public school classroom by teachers who correctly perceive their role as the proselytizers of a New Faith: a religion of humanity that recognizes and respects the sparks of what theologians call divinity in every human being. These teachers must embody the same selfless dedication as the most rabid fundamentalist preachers, for they will be ministers of another sort, utilizing a classroom instead of a pulpit in conveying humanist values in whatever subject they teach, regardless of the educational level. . . . The classrooms must and will become an arena of conflict between the old and the new. . . (All italics mind, L.W.)

This is a frightening statement of intent on the part of the humanist. It is clearly the objective of these people to overthrow Christianity if possible. They intend to elevate each man to the role of God, allowing him to set his own standards and values as he desires. So set on this objective are they that, they themselves call their mission a "battle" for man's future. Fortunately, they identify for us the battleground on which they will fight. The public school classroom will be used by humanist teachers to instill the "religion" of humanism. They themselves perceive it to be "a new faith." (Christians are not permitted to teach or practice their "religion" in the public schools. This admission that humanism is a "religion" which is being taught in the schools presents artillery to Christians in opposing humanism. In the view of the courts, "religion is religion," whether it is Christianity or Humanism, and the same laws that apply to one should apply to the other. A test case in the courts might well be a future weapon to use in the battle against humanism, though I somehow doubt that the American Civil Liberties Union is going to be terribly interested in representing Christians in such a fight.)

I do not know how it will "play" in the courts, but I suspect you could rattle some cages in some school administration conference rooms if you presented Mr. Dunphy's admission that humanism is "a new faith" or a "religion." Administrators are fully aware that the Supreme Court has prohibited the teaching of religion in the classrooms of this nation. It seems to me that it is at least worth a try.

Humanists are dedicated to their cause and they are taught to pursue their purpose "as the most rabid fundamentalist preachers" do. They admit their pulpit will be the nation's classrooms, and they intend to vigorously wage their battles in that arena on every educational level. This means that no student in the nation's schools will escape the efforts of these people during the years of his education. We are all well aware of the fact that the most lasting influence upon a person will be his earliest influences. We are also aware that you cannot realize much success in teaching New Testament Christianity to a child once he is 16 years old. The greatest success is realized when parents begin this teaching process as early in the child's life as possible. Humanism acknowledges this and they are announcing that they intend, if possible, to begin instilling the precepts of humanism in the minds of our children, beginning at the kindergarten level.

Therefore, I was just thinkin'. that those who are fore-warned are fore-armed. I suppose by now that all of our children have returned to classes for the school year. The parent can close his eyes to reality and ignore this danger. Or, he can inquire of his child concerning what he is being taught. If he discovers that this junk is being taught to his child, he can loudly object to it. Paul told Timothy to "fight the good fight of faith" (1 Tim. 6:12). If the classrooms prove to be that battleground, then let us stand and fight! Keep in mind, it is your child's life and soul for which you are fighting. Take the time to talk to your kids and learn what is happening.

Guardian of Truth XXIX: 20, p. 627
October 17, 1985