Dr. Dobson and Public Schools

Dr. Dobson, O, Dr. Dobson… Our captain [you] are on the deck and dying. Yes, for many in the evangelical community, Dr. Dobson carries more weight than Jesus! No, they would never say it that way. I love my brother, James Dobson. I disagree with him on those articles where he has sprouted forth fruit from a humanistic perspective. One of his dramatic disembarking errors is the self-esteem teachings, but thusly I save that for another time. The current topic at hand is a recent article concerning this question: What immediate changes would you make in junior and senior high schools to improve the learning environment there?
Had I not read it from a Focus on the Family magazine, I would have thought some pagan principal had written it. His answer to the question at hand is, “Most important, we must make schools safer for students and teachers.” This is his response as a representative of Jesus Christ. The reasoning goes: Government schools are dangerous schools. Dangerous schools should be made safe. Therefore, government schools should be made safe.
Before we jump on the Jimmy bandwagon, let’s ask a few pertinent questions. Where does the Bible tell Christians that they should prop up pagan institutions? Who are Christians to rush in and fight for the building up of a school of humanism? Does the Bible tell us to establish schools which deny the authority of Christ? When the pagans kill each other because they will not submit to God’s authoritative Word, does God want the Christians to rush to their aid? Humanism will always ultimately eat its own (John 10.10). I will offer a different solution: Proclaim the authority of Jesus Christ in every area of life.
Without the authority of the absolute rule of Jesus Christ in every area of life, protection becomes a matter of degree, and chronology. It is only a matter of time until the bully in 1st grade, who is taught that he evolved from a monkey, will grow up into an angry nihilist with a gun planning his tirade. Government schools, by nature, cannot teach something that undermines their agenda (submission to the government… and you thought it was education?). To teach alternative possibilities would be self-defeating.
Most importantly, we are called to proclaim the Kingdom of God, and extend God’s authority in every area of life through evangelism and discipleship. What should we do to save government schools? Evangelize! We should call them to repent and believe in Jesus Christ, who claims authority over their lives (not just Christians) (Matthew 28.18-20). We are not called to make schools in rebellion to God safer.
Let me address the pink elephant in the paper. Christian parents are saying, “But my child is in that school!” I ask you, where does the bible put the responsibility for teaching and training of children (Deuteronomy 6.6-9)? If a government school is humanistic in its worldview, it can only teach all of its subjects from a humanistic perspective. How can we biblically send our children to the Babylonians for their education? Please reconsider your parental duties, and values. Your children will grow up thinking from a humanistic worldview. Christians respond to life from the humanistic worldview… Dr. Dobson is.
Even if we agreed that the schools should be made safer, where would we draw up our plans to implement? How will we go about making them safer? Dr. Dobson offers, “Armed gaurds? Maybe. Metal detectors? If necessary. More expulsions? Probably. No-nonsense administrators? Definitely.” And what will we consider offensive enough for expulsion? Nakednesss? Armed robbery? Homosexual activity? What will be our standard for what is good and bad behavior. The homosexual moms certainly cannot handle your little Johnny telling their child that homosexuality is “sin.” So will we expel Johnny? The point is, there is no reference point for truth in a school which teaches that there is no reference point for truth! Duh! (word depicting a self evident truth).
In Summary, God commissioned us to evangelize the lost, and call them to surrender to the authority of Jesus Christ in the way they do schools (in this case). God did NOT commission Christians to prop up pagan institutions, rather, He told us to take dominion for His glory. When people refuse to acknowledge and honor God, they are an abomination to God. By default they will destroy each other. Christians should be salt and light, ready to offer hope in Christ, and a biblical worldview, which does not include humanistic government schools.