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Goodbye Jesus

Trying To Homeschool In A Fundie World


pyrocrasticfro

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Hi guys,

It’s been several months since I’ve posted—but I’m still here in the shadows enjoying the fun.

 

But I’ve got something that is really getting to me. My two teenage sons are homeschooled—but we do so in a largely fundi-based homeschool region. So the local homeschool groups which do provide some very good things (socialization, workshops, book sales, testing etc) are something that we do not really participate in. Here are some snippets of recent postings to our local homeschool listserv that shows what kind of mindset we’re dealing with here. These are pretty typical postings.…and while my boys are fine, it is discouraging and frightening to realize that there are thousands (over 3000 in our county alone) of quite bright and capable homeschool students who are being fed this crap.

 

Here’s a snippet--

 

“Part of my homeschool plan for this fall is to thoroughly research

Creation vs. Evolution with my 14 yr old son. I don't want him to

believe just because I say so. And saying you believe in

something "because the Bible said so" means nothing in today's world

(which is very sad...but I digress)

 

To be able to defend his Christian belifs, I want my son armed with

valid scientific evidence. (And I know there is plenty out there. I

used to have some fantastic videos but they are so old they won't

play in our VCR anymore) I want him to SEE the scientific evidence

for creation for himself AND be able to have an intelligent

conversation on the matter.

 

…I have to try to find lower priced, used books and

***EVERY**** CREATION BOOK on amazon.com has been REVIEWED BY

EVOLUTIONISTS and dismissed as pseudoscience, garbage, lies, you name

it. It's impossible to get an accurate book review there.”

 

And here’s a response….

 

“I know how frustrating it is to go to Amazon.com and read all the

reviews from scoffers (who apparently believe that somehow atoms not

only got here by themselves, but over time, also transformed

themselves into wings, circulatory systems, eyeballs, fur, tongues

they can use to scoff, etc.). And I wouldn't expect anything from the

library; anything touting the Biblical view is more likely to be

rejected by government systems….

 

….For materials, I would definitely include (1) Scientific Creationism

(Henry Morris), (2) Evolution: The Fossils Say No! (Duane Gish), and

(3) The Biblical Basis for Modern Science (Morris again)….

 

One thing you might consider is starting your study by reading Romans

1, which pretty much clears the table of excuses anybody might have

for not believing in God as Creator, regardless of his "scientific"

credentials. My son (almost 13) and I came back a week ago from a

creationist-viewpoint trip to Meteor Crater and the Grand Canyon, and

it was awesome to see the results of God's creation and judgment

during the Flood.”

 

Thought you’d like to see what it would be like if Creationism came to a public school near you!

p-fro

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I know a woman who homeschools her child and she is a strict Bible literalist. And when I say strict Bible literalist I mean just that. She believes that the world was created in six literal days. She believes that when the Bible talks about the four corners of he globe that the earth is flat. She believes the earth remains stationary and sits on pedestals and the sun revolves around the earth. She claims science is a big lie created by satan to trick Christians into thinking the Bible is not literal in its description of the earth. It's scary to think about that kid growing up and seeing a globe or a NOVA program talking about the earth and honestly having to question or second-guess what she had been taught all of her life.

 

I am a homeschooling mother. I know how difficult it is to find support groups and curriculums that are not Christian-based. Homeschooling has mostly been a means for Christian parents to shelter their children from sex and peer pressure and *gasp* evolution. The secular homeschooling movement is gaining strength now and more parents are beginning to homeschool for reasons other than religious beliefs.

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Homeschoolers trying to marinate their children's brains in disgusting nonsense...

 

:repuke::repuke:

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Another secular home educator here. :D We live in a very fundamentalist area as well and do not participate in their groups...we're not talking gentle Christianity here but IN YOUR FACE.

 

Anyway, at the beginning of the year I tried to start a group but it really hasn't taken off yet. A few people signed up with my yahoo group but most people live 30 minutes - 2 hours away. Thankfully, we are doing fine regardless and our children are very happy and still socialize well with children and adults alike. We do visit another secular home schooler regularly and one Christian friend and our dd is friends with Christian home schooled child that she met via gymnastics...we're fine without groups. We get out a lot and go to parks, museums, the beach (we live in Florida), hangin' out in the pool, bowling, skating, biking, walking and more.

 

Have you tried meet-ups.com? I've just begun to look there in order to find atheists (I don't care if they home educate or not, I just want to be around more like minds :) )

 

Anyway, best of luck to you! And KreativeKat is right...we secularist home educators are indeed GROWING...and by leaps and bounds I may add.

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i was homeschooled for the first 3 years of grade school, until i was stuck in a private christian school. and homeschooled by fundies, no less.

 

"It's impossible to get an accurate book review there.”

 

lol, translation: no one is saying what i want them to say, even if it's wrong."

 

 

"it was awesome to see the results of God's creation and judgment

during the Flood.”

 

not only idiotic from a scientific view point, but idiotic to think that god murdering millions of innocent humans and animals would be "awesome."

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Do you have any Unitarian Universalists around your area? I know there is a good sized homeschooled group out of my UU church, and they definitely do not have any literal concepts of the Bible or even of creation to get in the way of their education. Very bright kids, most of who would side with pretty much everything said on these boards (since they were raised to think in church, and not accept anything at face value).

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