Boys will be boys... or will they?

“Boys will be boys,” the old saying goes. But did you know that boys in Massachusetts’ schools who consider themselves to be girls have the protected right to use the girl’s bathroom, and girls who self-identify as boys enjoy the same right?

Apparently, the truth about reality is not important anymore. How a child identifies his or her gender has become the only reliable way to actually determine gender. God's design for male and female anatomical and physiological distinctives are beside the point.

In July of last year, New York State approved guidelines that protect transgender individuals from harassment, which is defined, in part, as “repeated, deliberate use of pronouns and names that are inconsistent with a student’s gender identity.” Read that last sentence again. Harassment-- which is punishable by law-- includes using pronouns that fit a person’s physical reality.

What’s happened, and how did we get here so fast? As you’ve heard many Christian leaders say, ideas have consequences. There is such a thing as cause and effect: when you remove the capital “T” from the word Truth, nothing makes sense anymore. Up becomes down, wrong becomes right, and gender is a choice. And there you have postmodernism in a nutshell.

Postmodernism is a way of thinking that is a catastrophic transition away from the Biblical standard of Truth. In its place, a new standard is enthroned—the individual’s right to choose their own truth, regardless of how that truth matches up with reality. This same standard of truth drives the gay marriage and abortion-rights crusades. But it hits even closer to home for all of us who are raising children in this upside-down world… Not only are students confronted with books like “Heather Has Two Mommies” in their local libraries and public schools, now, Holly is forced to share the girls’ bathroom with “Hope,” who recently decided that he is a she. (Ooops... I better get my pronouns right.)

When Smithtown Christian School talks about developing students with a mind for Truth, this kind of calamity is exactly why we’re so passionate about this. Our children are inheriting a bog-like mess, and only strong leaders with a heart for God, a mind for Truth, and a passion to change the world will be equipped to lead the way out. This kind of leader will navigate the bog with grace, truth, and a Christlike compassion for individuals.

Who are Your Children's Teachers?

Remember "Bill Nye the Science Guy"? 
 
Bill Nye starred in a series of science videos that have been used to make science fun in homes and classrooms for years. I always had my suspicions about his worldview, but now I know for sure where he's coming from. Take a look at this video...

(Of course, I just helped Mr. Nye get even more hits on his already-viral video. Oh well.)

My main purpose in sharing this with you is to help you see what's being said about Creationism by a very prominent and influential person. (Bill Nye was honored as "Humanist of the Year in 2010." Surprised?) 

There are a couple of statements Mr. Nye made in this video which we need to hear very clearly:

1. "When you have a portion of the population that doesn't believe in [evolution], it holds everybody back."
2. "I say to grownups, if you want to deny evolution... that's fine, but don't make your kids do it, because we need them. We need scientifically literate voters and taxpayers for the future... we need engineers that can build stuff [and] solve problems."
3. "In another couple of centuries that world view [creationism], I'm sure... won't exist. There's no evidence for it."

I could spend hours critically evaluating the logic of these statements, and there are several more audacious claims in the video that I'm sure you picked out. But instead, let me give you the bottom line of what he's saying:

"Believing in creationism is completely groundless, damages our children, and holds back the progress of society. Ultimately, such belief is on the way to extinction."

It seems to me that Mr. Nye is doing the very thing he claims that creationists do, which is to make audacious claims that have no basis in fact and are really just a muddled mess of ill-conceived opinions and myths. 

I bring this up just to keep us all sharp and aware of the battle that rages over the minds and hearts of our children. It's a shame such a direct attack has come from such a respected teacher. It's never been more important to know what your children are learning, and who they're learning it from!

A Culture of Honor at SCS

One of the central values that drive us as we seek to improve our school is the establishment of an Honor-based school culture. This concept is built on the New Testament mandate to “honor one another above yourselves,” which is found in Romans 12:10. Paul’s words here, which built on Christ’s command to love one another, are a radical departure from the Old Testament understanding of honor.

In numerous passages in the Old Testament, the word honor is used in the context of paying proper respect to both God and earthly authorities. The idea of treating one another (our equals, or those “below” us) with the same deference and respect we would for, say, a king or president was nothing short of revolutionary.

We are so strongly drawn to this value not only because of it’s biblical basis, but because of how strikingly absent it is in our culture today and because of how powerfully it meets a need that all of us as humans have—the need to be valued by others. True honor is not based on another’s performance, but on the reality that they have been made in the image of God. This has profound implications for every human relationship and interaction.

So what does honor look like? You’ve likely heard me talk about the three facets of honor… treating others as special, doing more than what’s expected, and doing these with a good attitude. These short phrases are helping all of us at SCS stay focused on the pursuit of an honor-based culture, and I would ask that you would consider how they could impact your own culture there in your home. And remember, these are not simply mandates for our kids to follow; they are for us as parents as well, as we interact with each other and our children.

Would you join us this year as we recommit to pursuing the creation of a culture of honor at Smithtown Christian School? Just imagine the impact on our students’ lives if at every turn, they see true biblical honor being demonstrated before them! And just as we’re asking you to commit to such a lifestyle, we too at SCS commit to treating both you and your children with honor. From every interaction with us, you can expect that we will treat you and your children as special and valuable, we will seek to go above and beyond what is expected, and we will have a loving and godly attitude.