America is in the process of destroying itself. In 1940 the top leading problems in schools were talking out of turn, chewing gum, making noise, running in the halls, cutting in line, dress-code violations and littering. Today it is alcohol and drug abuse, pregnancy, suicide, rape, robbery and violent assault.
We have gone from public schools which taught moral principles and good citizenship with high scholastic achievement, to schools that have disrespect for authority, murderous rage, low SAT scores and an avoidance of anything Christian.
John Adams, second president of the United States, gave a speech to the military in 1798. In it he warned, “We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by religion and morality.” He was right. “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people” (Prov. 14:34).
I’ve pastored in Tennessee, and now in Oklahoma. In both states, as well as in many others, high school students drove to school during hunting season with a shotgun or rifle in the gun rack, very visible for everyone to see. Today, such a scene would bring out the SWAT team. What has happened to us?
After her daughter was born, pop star Madonna said, “I want her to read the Bible, but I will explain to her that these are stories that people made up to teach people … It’s not the rule.” That’s what happened to America.
Yet, Christians are impacting the culture. The number of sanctuary cities for the unborn has grown exponentially, and many parents are now taking an active part in speaking out at school board meetings. Parents are now realizing the dangers of woke ideology and the cancel culture. Though our president calls it “domestic terrorism,” it hasn’t deterred parents who disagree that “the school owns your child.”
There is one thing, in particular, that is especially encouraging to me: More students who are coming to America to study from countries hostile to Christianity are experiencing new life in Christ. I know some of them personally.
The hour is late and the time is short, but don’t forget the opening words of our program: “God is still on the throne, and prayer changes things.”
Anti-God schools, society mobilizing our youth
Tyrants know that tyranny is not generally popular. Nobody wants an elitist snob ruling over them. Hence tyrants have to resort to indoctrination. People who are indoctrinated will tolerate what they would not tolerate before their minds were indoctrinated.
Are our children being indoctrinated? Is that why we are losing more and more of our constitutional freedoms and large segments of our population don’t seem to mind? Is that why China and Russia are raising soldiers who will win wars and we are raising gay pride flags that will make us look like fools?
Why are more and more American men and women no longer joining the military? Why don’t we have pride in our history and a wholesome love for our country? Statistics reveal trends and certain trends are alarming. Eighty percent of our kids who were raised in church no longer attend church or live a consistently Christian life. The No. 1 reason they have repeatedly given, “The church’s values are not our values.”
That’s no surprise. A good Bible-believing church has not changed its biblically based values but the public schools in America, and some so-called “Christian” schools, have.
As our society and public schools become increasingly more corrupt and anti-God those who attend anti-God schools will find they are increasingly uncomfortable with their church’s values. Parents have raised their kids on the best of diets, brought them to the best of doctors, and then turned them over to the TV and the public school.
I am not condemning all public-school teachers. There are some godly teachers who have a unique calling to work in the public school. However, they are fighting a battle they can’t possibly win. And they are deceiving parents who say, “Mrs. Jones is a good Christian woman and she teaches at the public school. It must be OK.” It’s not. Mrs. Jones does not write the curriculum and she is surrounded by a multitude of teachers who have been indoctrinated in state teachers’ colleges.
Joe Biden is a firm believer in “transgender rights” and recently condemned “conversion therapy,” yet he and his supporters think “Drag Queen Story Hours” in the local public library are harmless. Fortunately, an increasing number of parents are protesting. They don’t want their boys and girls groomed for the gay lifestyle.
Yeonmi Park, a young woman who defected from North Korea, told a Fox News reporter that she is worried freedoms are being lost in America amid what she describes as “the left-wing indoctrination in K-12 schools.” “This is exactly the dictator’s handbook,” Park said. “It’s Hitler’s youth. Mao’s youth and Kim Il-Sung’s youth. They always go for young children because they have not lived their life long enough to have critical thinking skills. Their brains are very plastic, very malleable, and easy to absorb information and believe it and they are innocent. And big killers who want to seize power from the people, they always mobilize the youth.”
Yes, kids are young and innocent. But what excuse can adult parents give for surrendering their kids to the devil?