First Art Contest Photograph
Last month we shared that we are looking for students to submit either original artwork or photographs that they have taken.
If your son or daughter would like to submit a photo that might be featured in a newsletter, please email it to christianeducator@christianliberty.com. Subject: Photo for Christian Educator.
We are happy to share this month's artwork with you done by a CLASS student in 5th grade. Grace drew a picture of her Basset Hound. Thank you for sharing your artwork, Grace!
Teaching Tips – #2
Edward Straka
As stated last month, “teaching is one of the most rewarding and difficult tasks that a person can undertake.” That’s why it must be done correctly. And to do “it” correctly requires planning!
We have all probably heard the adage: “if you have no map – any bus will get you there!”
Clearly this is the case in education!
Therefore, this month’s tip is preplanning and the importance of it!
2. Begin with the End: planning that ensures academic achievement requires asking the right questions. Why are you teaching this? What is the outcome you desire? How does it relate to what you will teach tomorrow?
One of the most important aspects of education is continuity. You want there to be an overall flow to what you are doing from one lesson to the next, so it is important to have an overall goal in mind as you begin to plan out your school week. You want lessons and assignments that are manageable, measurable and most important in helping you achieve your goals for your student come assessment time.
That said, always keep in mind the concept of the Shortest Path: what’s the goal and the shortest way to effectively reach it? Understand, this does not mean that your lessons and assignments are minimalistic in terms of the goals you are striving for as a teacher and the work load you place upon your students. Rather, you are really ensuring that you don’t give schoolwork for the sake of just giving busy work that your students get so busy that they cannot see the forest through the trees in terms of your ultimate end goal for a specific assignment.
To assist you in the Shortest Path concept is our last concept for today: Post It: post the reason you are teaching what you are that day, so your students know, and you stay on track as the teacher on your weekly lesson plan. Remember also: a “plan” also includes all reading assignments you give students for individual reading on their own (a.k.a. what schools call “Homework”).
Happy planning!
Why We Do What We Do
Calvin Lindstrom
There are many challenges we face in providing our children a Christian education. It is very important that we keep our focus where it needs to be. The main reason we seek to bring our children a Christian education is to honor the Lord Jesus Christ as the source of all wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:3). If the focus diverts from this, then either we end up quitting when difficulty comes or our motivation shifts to reasons far less important.
Deut. 6:6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
We know very well the battle that our children face now because of the world, the flesh, and the devil. And we know that this battle will only become more intense as they mature. How important to realize that we don't fulfill our calling in our own strength. As important as our duty is, we know we have the grace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We are blessed through the presence and ministry of the Holy Spirit.
In the words of 1 Cor. 15:58, we know that our labor in the Lord is not in vain. So keep pressing on in the duty and blessing that God has graciously given to you! To encourage you in your duty, we share this edition of the Christian Educator with you.
"Double Think" in America
Edward Straka
“To know and not to know, to be conscious of complete truthfulness while telling carefully constructed lies, to hold simultaneously two opinions which cancelled out, knowing them to be contradictory and believing in both of them, to use logic against logic, to repudiate morality while laying claim to it, to believe that democracy was impossible and that the Party was the guardian of democracy, to forget, whatever it was necessary to forget, then to draw it back into memory again at the moment when it was needed, and then promptly to forget it again, and above all, to apply the same process to the process itself – that was the ultimate subtlety: consciously to induce unconsciously, and then, once again, to become unconscious of the act of hypnosis you had just performed. Even to understand the word “doublethink” involved the use of doublethink.”
- George Orwell, 1984
So much of the above quote is manifesting in 21st century America. Indeed, with the advent of post-modern thought along with linguistic deconstructionism, we can see Orwell’s nightmarish vision becoming manifest in the area of ethics and cultural interpretation. With the commitment to multicultural diversity in its relativistic sense, any analysis beyond the surface level is impossible, not to mention forbidden by our current social requirement of woke political correctness which demands that no one say anything critical of anyone else: except those with power, of course, who can say anything.
It is the “those with power” in academia, government, governmental agencies, and the media who set the tone and limits of our social conversation. By disallowing certain opinions to be expressed publicly, criticism of the latest attempts of social engineering enacted by the government, the Gates Foundation, and the World Economic Forum is silenced. Yet, they continue stating what “reality truly is” in the realm of economics, government, and political processes.
Indeed, in as much as someone disagrees with any of the above-mentioned entities, they are accused of misunderstanding complex ideas or disloyalty to the nation. Case in point is the recent example of President Biden who on national TV stated, “MAGA Republicans do not respect the Constitution. They do not believe in the rule of law. They do not recognize the will of the people.”[1] Or, as Fox News correspondent Jesse Waters discussed with former Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, “they say that Trump voters are worse than al Qaeda!”[2]
“Those with power” do this again and again by:
telling the weak frightened people what they want to hear
ignoring any criticism that comes their way
telling more lies and labelling those who offer “criticism” as “terrorists”
Indeed, one can watch one President after another make a promise to do or cease from doing some action only to flip-flop within six months. Yet, when confronted with their flip-flop, those with power deflect by giving long winded speeches that mean nothing. Like the Sophists in ancient Greece “those with power” use truthless words for the sole purpose of accomplishing their goal.
A Confused Citizenry
The American people instinctually know something is amiss yet are unable to “put it in words” because the educational system has so dumbed them down, they are unable to think clearly, as noted in the book Hostages No More, by former Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.[3]
Even people of faith who should know better are pulled in by the promises of candidates as long as they make “statements of faith” and say they are “pro-life” yet remain silent regarding our terrible public education system, both K-12 and at the University level.
Add to that a friendliness to Israel and a large swath of the Christian community will vote Republican regardless of whether the individual voted Constitutionally in their previous Congressional service or not. Once elected, the Christian community similar to those on the Left permit no criticism of the political regime or defends using the same meaningless words as their opponents (Isaiah 56:10-12).
A simple Bible study in areas of kingship reveals what makes a just ruler and clarifies what a good king provides for his people: protection from evil that threatens their freedom, property, and lives (Exodus 18:20-23; Romans 13:1-5). Equally, a quick read through the Constitution shows the limits of government power. Yet, so often the faith community looks the other way or makes excuses for their elected favorite using much the same rhetoric as they have been led to believe is true by the media. Words are poured upon words to the point that, as Orwell wrote in 1984 – “to hold simultaneously two opinions which cancelled out, knowing them to be contradictory and believing in both of them.”[4]
Heads in the Sand
What is peculiar about the above scenario is that people who insist they know what should be the case governmentally, will equally defend those in government who clearly do not allow for “what should be the case” in terms of government policy. All political wannabe contenders make all sorts of promises about their concern for the future of America, faith, family, and freedom all the while ignoring the reality of law, logic, and numbers.
By that I am referring to the fact that all Presidents have slowly taken away our freedoms by allowing the increase of laws that regulate down to minutia our daily lives not to mention the various executive orders they sign in place that remain poised to be applied at the whim of any president, or the mountains of legislation passed by Congress.
Equally, Presidents allow for the increase in public debt by allowing the Federal Reserve complete freedom to print more and more money at a profit to the private banks that run the operation thus weakening the American economy even more which in turn increases the American citizens cost of living to a ruinous level.[5]
Taxes are increased to pay the ever-increasing interest of the ever-increasing debt while one tax break after another for the common citizen is negated. To add insult to injury, President Biden prepares to hire an army of armed IRS agents that itself will call for money to fund an operation that will most likely target any that question the current regime.[6]
When the above is pointed out to “loyal Americans” who are supposedly conservative – the extent of the brainwashing becomes clear as they stumble forward to defend or excuse the status quo. They “use logic against logic” to quote Orwell, while insisting that things “are too complex” for the average citizen to understand or “things take time to change” all the while doing nothing to prompt any change. Sadly, if they are people of faith, they will often insist that “God is sovereign” and “He must want things this way” thus effectively laying blame on God Himself for the affairs of government.
Of course, this will be denied yet when the deniers are asked what is actually true, they talk yet say nothing, similar to those in power whom they insist they oppose.[7] This is not surprising as the average American citizen have been conditioned to question little while grasping for as much of what government can offer. How often do they ask the question: how long can this go?[8] Perhaps it is no surprise that they also resent those who do ask the question: what should be done?
Like the proverbial ostrich that buries its head in the sand when fearful (a scientific fallacy by the way), people often prefer to busy themselves with daily affairs while hoping beyond hope that tomorrow will be at least as good as today. Fearful of looking “at the man behind the curtain,”[9] they hope to sleep better at night.
What Must Be Done
Whether we look to the Bible and its warning about those who cry “peace yet there is no peace” (Jer.6:14) or to ancient China where the famous philosopher Confucius wrote: “when words lose their meaning people lose their freedom” the reality is the same. Either ultimate, transcendent truth exists (Col.1:14-20; John 14) and rulers are accountable (Psalm 2:10-12) or reality is nothing more than what we concoct in our own imagination. The former brings meaning and freedom while the latter inevitably leads to a purposeless life and the world of 1984 (I Cor.15:19).
Our current cultural moment is the result of progressive political, educational, and social activism that has taken a century to destroy America’s biblical and Constitutional foundation. It will not be repaired by one election. As parents committed to a brighter future for their children and grandchildren, the most important thing that you can do is pray without ceasing for revival, repentance and reformation within the churches and families in America.
That, and continue to serve your children and educate yourself by reading literature that will give guidance and courage.
BOOKS ON MY OWN SHELF
God & Government by Gary DeMar:
Institutes of Biblical Law by R.J. Rushdoony:
https://www.shopchristianliberty.com/institutes-of-biblical-law/
Constitutional Law for Enlightened Citizens by Michael P. Farris:
https://www.shopchristianliberty.com/constitutional-law-for-enlightened-citizens-2nd-edition/
1984 by George Orwell:
[1] https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/09/01/remarks-by-president-bidenon-the-continued-battle-for-the-soul-of-the-nation/ See also article by Patrick Buchanan: https://www.lewrockwell.com/2022/09/patrick-j-buchanan/how-liberal-elites-detest-middle-america/
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-82afKPf8Ls
[3] https://www.amazon.com/Hostages-No-More-Education-American/dp/1546002014/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Hostages+No+More&qid=1663036347&sr=8-1
[4] One can equally examine the former Bush administration and see examples of President George W. Bush utilizing the same “double think” principle by passing laws “to uphold the Constitution while protecting the American people” that in point of fact were breaking the Constitution. CIA officials stating clearly that “we don’t use torture” while Donald Rumsfeld issued a document that discussed over thirty (30) methods of interrogation as well as other CIA officials stated clearly “we have used it but it doesn’t work.” See: “The End of America,” a 2008 documentary based on Naomi Wolf’s sobering bestseller that examines post-9/11 American freedom loss.
[5] https://mises.org/library/fed-and-culture-war See also: https://mises.org/wire/inflation-state-sponsored-terrorism
[6] https://www.naturalnews.com/2022-08-11-irs-annual-report-shows-heavily-armed-agents-training-to-shoot-people.html
[7] https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/may/13/why-americans-must-stop-acting-like-sheep-and-tell/
[8] Patrick J. Buchanan, Suicide of a Super Power: Will America Survive Until 2025, (New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press, 2011). See also a 2022 podcast by Daniel McAdams on the collapse of the American Empire abroad and freedom at home: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmgMc0KuLgc&t=653s
[9] Wizard of Oz scene when Dorothy discovers who the “Great Oz” turns out to be.