The Old Man on Education
The old man’s brow was creased, lip bitten in silence.
When I asked what was wrong, he said, “It’s the children.
It troubles me that nowadays, the things that they learn
In school are opposed to the things we teach at church.
Not only does this conflict undermine our faith,
They are being taught falsehoods--since truth is of God.
“We would be served best by schools that honor God.
We could tolerate those which choose neutral silence.
But we cannot stomach schools which attack our faith.
This is child abuse--an assault on our children!
Though they say we may still teach our morals in church,
Is there any doubt what they really want them to learn?
“I’m old now, but I recall that we used to learn
By repetition… How handy then to force God
Onto one day a week, to limit Him to church,
And in all public affairs demand His silence!
That gives them free rein to condition our children
The rest of the time, and engross them in their faith!
“You heard me--secular humanism is a faith,
With its attendant doctrines and values to learn.
A false religion is being thrust on our children!
If the point was to avoid squabble about God,
Then on all moral issues, schools would love silence.
But instead they have become a competing church!
“What good does it do to preach moral truth in church,
If it’s mocked all week as fairy tales and blind faith?
Will kids answer wisely? Or keep stoic silence?
They’re not soldiers, they’re just kids. They just want to learn
Without mixed messages. We want them to know God,
And He wants us to protect and teach our children.
“We can no longer, therefore, offer our children
As sacrifices to a world that hates the Church.
We cannot leave them in schools that war against God,
Or submerge them daily in a heretical faith.
What kids become is determined by what they learn.
In this struggle, we will no longer keep silence.”
Moved, I prayed at once that God would save our children--
Prayed for schools that learn not to tempt them from their faith,
And a Church that no longer watches in silence.