Secular humanism claims to be a religion, and these humanists use the school room to promote their philosophy as faithful preachers use the pulpit to teach the gospel. The atheistic humanists would forbid Christians to teach the story of creation, the deity of Christ, and the wonderful principles of righteousness that are taught in the Bible while they insist on teaching the theories of evolution and a disrespect for authority of any kind. The atheists claim that the Constitution demands the separation of church and state. The Constitution forbids Congress to establish a religion for the people, but the founding fathers did not intend that everything be done that possibly could be done to destroy faith in Christ and respect for His pattern of behavior. The very opposite was true. Our legal system in America has been based on the Judaeo-Christian system of righteousness. In the early days of the public schools often the teacher in a one room school was the preacher, and he was expected to read the Bible and to build respect for it. It was often one of the main textbooks he used in teaching. Long memory passages would be assigned from it, and the passages would be discussed. Too often false doctrines were taught, but the students came to have a respect for the Bible as the word of God.

As recently as my high school days, we had chapel (a worship assembly) every morning. One preacher or another was invited to speak in this assembly every Monday morning. On some other days, some faculty member would speak on topics that were intended to motivate or challenge us to the more useful life. At the close of school some preacher was invited to deliver a baccalaureate sermon as a special challenge to the graduates. This, in fact, continued until very recent years.

During the first two centuries of our nation about all the private schools were started as "Bible schools" or schools for religious training. One of the very sad changes in the last century was the turning to evolution, so called higher criticism of the Bible, and other aspects of atheism in the "Department of Religion" in each older private university. Atheists taught religion in these schools that were started by men of conviction. This was a ridiculous inconsistency, and this sort of training for denominational preachers has come down to the average citizens, destroying respect for the authority of Christ and His word. We need to keep our children away from ,'modernists" or "liberals" in religion. They are certainly wolves trying to appear to be sheep. Ultra liberal religious groups like the Unitarians are hotbeds of humanism. The Unitarian preacher is likely to be a secular humanist (atheist). Such preachers have no God to whom they may pray, no Bible with a divine message, and no heaven for which they may hope. They are indeed "without hope and without God in the world" Eph. 2:12). Their position in life is parallel to that of the pagan in the ancient Roman Empire.

Millions in our generation are going back to paganism rather than back to the Bible. Marriage ties are broken, many seek money by dishonest means, violence is very common, and there is an amazing lack of reverence for the name of God. The beauty of holiness goes unnoticed while many seek for satisfaction in alcohol and other drugs, with selfishness, child abuse, and covetousness taking the place of brotherly kindness, happy homes, and honest labor. What can devout parents do to train their children in the right way of the Lord in such a wicked world?

Alert parents are alarmed as they see what unbelievers are doing to our world. It is because of changes like those mentioned above that a few parents are taking their children out of the public schools to train them in private schools where it is hoped that faith will be strengthen ed rather than destroyed, and that righteousness will be encouraged rather than sexual immorality, hedonism, and situation ethics. The number of private schools has greatly increased in recent years. Parents are taxed to support public schools, but beyond this cost thousands are supporting private schools by tuition and gifts as they search for something better for their children.

Some parents are taking their children out of public schools to train them at home. Do they do the job? Are these children cut off from adequate education for the modern labor market? Which mother or father is capable of giving instruction in all fields of learning that are now important? Children need to mature in their ability to work with others. Will they get this in home training?

When alarmed parents make special moves to see that their children are trained in a safe environment, they should remember that we all are still in the world. Television, pornographic literature, and unbelieving neighbors are all about us. We would have to get out of the world to avoid all human contact (1 Cor. 5: 10).

Children need to be with people their age. They must learn how to deal with others or they will not be able to carry out their responsibilities as Christians or to provide for their families. The Lord is not looking for hermits. We are to be trained to live and work with people. Christ wanted His disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). In the book of Acts we learn of some wonderful men who were busy at work in the wicked world. They fought a good fight against the sin and crime of that day. Look to the last part of the first chapter of Romans for a description of the people of that day. Are not the sins mentioned there the same sins that alarm us today?

Guardian of Truth XXX: 4, p. 110
February 20, 1986