Thursday, December 30, 2010
Why Homeschool: Reminder - send in a post for the next Carnival of Homeschooling
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
HOMESCHOOLING IS NOT A RELIGIOUS UNDERTAKING IT IS AN EDUCATIONAL CHOICE.
I am sick and tired of people thinking Christians are the only families who homeschool. People of many different beliefs also homeschool.
PLEASE HOMESCHOOLING IS NOT A RELIGIOUS UNDERTAKING IT IS AN EDUCATIONAL CHOICE.
Tim Challies seems to believe all homeschoolers are Christians who are easily offended, won't allow their children to participate in Halloween and won't let them participate in sports leagues.
I don't think homeschoolers are easily offended. I do think we get tired of being lumped together as if we are all identical. Homeschool families are just as diverse as public school families. There are Wiccan, Pagan, Atheist and Christian Homeschoolers. There are rich, middle class and poor homeschoolers. There are White, Black, Hispanic, Indian, and Native American homeschoolers. Also our reasons for homeschooling are as varied as we are.
My family did not pray about homeschooling and religion played no part in our decision. We choose to homeschool because we did not agree with mandatory school uniforms in public school. I see no reason children should have to dress like clones in order to get an education.
Unlike Challies I do not believe children should be sent to public school in order to witness to other children. I find it revolting that Challies seems to think his religious beliefs should be forced on others.
I did not choose to homeschool to avoid worldliness. My children continued to play with the same kids they played with when they attended public school, they continued to participate in recreational sports leagues and boy scouts. Homeschooling is an educational choice not a religious undertaking and I am sick and tired of people like Challies assuming that all homeschoolers are Christians and share the same ideology he does.
I have read any number of articles by those who choose to homeschool who believe that homeschooling is the only biblical option for educating children. While these people may make some valid arguments, I am not convicted by Scripture or by plain reason that we must avoid public schools.
PLEASE HOMESCHOOLING IS NOT A RELIGIOUS UNDERTAKING IT IS AN EDUCATIONAL CHOICE.
Tim Challies seems to believe all homeschoolers are Christians who are easily offended, won't allow their children to participate in Halloween and won't let them participate in sports leagues.
I don't think homeschoolers are easily offended. I do think we get tired of being lumped together as if we are all identical. Homeschool families are just as diverse as public school families. There are Wiccan, Pagan, Atheist and Christian Homeschoolers. There are rich, middle class and poor homeschoolers. There are White, Black, Hispanic, Indian, and Native American homeschoolers. Also our reasons for homeschooling are as varied as we are.
My family did not pray about homeschooling and religion played no part in our decision. We choose to homeschool because we did not agree with mandatory school uniforms in public school. I see no reason children should have to dress like clones in order to get an education.
Unlike Challies I do not believe children should be sent to public school in order to witness to other children. I find it revolting that Challies seems to think his religious beliefs should be forced on others.
I did not choose to homeschool to avoid worldliness. My children continued to play with the same kids they played with when they attended public school, they continued to participate in recreational sports leagues and boy scouts. Homeschooling is an educational choice not a religious undertaking and I am sick and tired of people like Challies assuming that all homeschoolers are Christians and share the same ideology he does.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Saturday, December 11, 2010
The Devil in The White City by Erik Larson
(Non-Fiction) I highly recommend this book, it would make a wonderful gift for any History Buff in your family. Larson explores Chicago in the Gilded Age, beginning with Daniel Hudson Burnham's miraculous design for the Chicago World's Fair (properly known as the World's Columbian Exposition ) held in 1893. The book starts in 1890 with Chicago seeking to have the World's Columbian Exposition held in Chicago. It covers the life of architect Daniel Hudson Burnham as well as engineer George Ferris who came up with a way to out Eiffel, Eiffel. Olmsted the famous landscape architect figures prominently in the book as well as Buffalo Bill. On a darker note Patrick Eugene Joseph Prendergast's murder of the mayor of Chicago is covered as well as the life of serial killer H. H. Holmes (born Herman Webster Mudgett). The book ends with Millet's death on the Titanic in 1912 and Burnhams's death shortly thereafter.
Thursday, December 09, 2010
Thursday, December 02, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Christmas Shopping @ CSN Stores
With over 200 online stores CSN Stores is the perfect place to do you Christmas shopping. They have everything; pet supplies, backpacks, china. I wonder if Hubby would like a leather briefcase for Christmas. Youngest Son needs a new backpack to take to college so I am headed over to look at their large selection of backpacks.
I wonder if Youngest Son would like this one?
Now to look for a leather briefcase for Hubby.
I wonder if Youngest Son would like this one?
Now to look for a leather briefcase for Hubby.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Carnival of Homeschooling
Enjoy a visit with the Nerd Family while enjoying Carnival of Homeschooling Open House.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Book Review ~ Jesus, Interrupted by Bart D. Ehrman
Scholars have made significant progress in understanding the Bible over the past two hundred years and the results of their study are regularly and routinely taught both to graduate students in universities and to prospective pastors attending seminaries in preparation for the ministry. Yest such views of the Bible are virtually unknown among the population at large. As a result, not only are most Americans ignorant of the contents of the Bible, but they are also almost completely in the dark about what scholars have been saying about the Bible for the past two centuries.
A Historical Assault on Faith
Because of the influence the Bible has had on Western Civilization we should all use the historical-critical approach in order to understand it better. There are serious discrepancies in the Bible that can not be explained away, unless we acknowledge that each author of the Bible lived in his own time and place, had a set of cultural and religious assumptions that we do not necessarily share and has their own story to tell that doesn't always match the stories the other authors of the Bible choose to tell. The big question is why do pastors who have learned the historical-critical method seem to forget about it once they reach the pulpit. I know in my pastors case he was afraid the information might cause the congregation to question their faith.
A World of Contradictions
Ehrman shows the contradiction between when Mark said Jesus died (Friday morning) and when John said Jesus died (Thursday afternoon). And reasons that John changed a historical datum in order to make a theological point: Jesus is the sacrificial lamb.
Discrepancies in the Accounts of Jesus' Birth and Life
Ehrman goes on to show the discrepancies in the stories of Jesus' birth as well as in the family tree of Jesus. He also mentions the fact the Bible makes TWO contradictory claims the Mary was a VIRGIN and that Jesus was descended from David through JOSEPH. Other contradictions are discussed but the key points are; the discrepancies prove the Bible is not 100% correct, it is important to let each author speak for himself, and the discrepancies that involve historical narratives make it difficult to establish what really happened.
Ehrman discusses the various views that were popular at the time. Points out that the earliest followers of Jesus did NOT consider him divine and produces scholarly evidence to back up his claims. All in all I found this to be a very interesting book although some of the material covered was also discussed in his earlier books. I encourage anyone interested in theology to read this book.
Tuesday, November 09, 2010
Thursday, November 04, 2010
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