Re: [asa] Rubber Meeting Road -- My Kid in Public School

My brother's kids never had much problem that I know of.
He did study biology in the university, and probably
discussed the matter from time to time. We both became
Christians as adults and after considerable education.
I expect his reaction was much like me, "so what's the
problem?" If you're not bothered by them teaching evolution,
neither will she feel much trouble about it.

And maybe this is even a good thing. We should learn not
to fear the truth, but desire to know it. We must learn
to listen to arguments critically, and think them over
for their content. Isn't that one of the greatest things
about education? Christians should strive the utmost to
be this way, as we are supposed to love the truth.

I was a little troubled on one point where you said

" One the one hand I don't want to nip her respect for the church and her
Sunday School teachers or to bring her into conflict with any of her Christian
friends; on the other, I don't want her to be afraid of science; and on yet
another, I don't want her to think scientists necessarily have the last word. "

A balanced view of course is of tantamount importance,
and we certainly should be very careful not to lose respect
for other people just because they fail in one category.
We should always strive to see the good in others as best we can
and realize the we do not know everything, and be honest to admit it.
Teens are especially prone to see one failing as
"universal all inclusive failure" --- that's coming. :-)

Nevertheless,
you know as well as I do that there can be times we should not
pay a hoot to what our "friends" or our "peers" etc. think. I certainly
don't enjoy conflict, but anybody who insists that I must tolerate _doing_
wrong things to be their friend, is not my friend at all. That is
one of the hardest lessons we have to learn, but it teaches some
important things for life.

In Lamentations 3:25-27, Jeremiah writes;
The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord,
It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young.

Sometimes hard lessons are best learned early and they
can prepare you for life.

by Grace we proceed,
Wayne

> This afternoon was one of those "rubber meeting the road" times. My
> 11-year-old daughter, who goes to public school, adores her science teacher.
> Today, however, she came home very upset. It seems they've begun to study
> evolution, and my daughter is feeling an enormous conflict with what she's been
> taught in Sunday School. This is so difficult and delicate a thing to have to
> start navigating. One the one hand I don't want to nip her respect for the
> church and her Sunday School teachers or to bring her into conflict with any of
> her Christian friends; on the other, I don't want her to be afraid of
> science; and on yet another, I don't want her to think scientists necessarily have
> the last word. I did my best to start explaining how there are different
> ways of looking at how God created the heavens and the earth, and that some
> things -- like that there is a God and that God is the creator -- are primary
> while others -- like how old the earth is or what natural processes God used to
> create -- can be discussed. Anyone have any tips, resources, etc. for
> helping a kid this age start to navigate this minefield?
>

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Received on Fri Jan 5 18:43:23 2007