LTRP Note: Lighthouse Trails is a strong supporter of homeschooling. This letter to the editor is posted not to condemn homeschooling but rather to show that homeschooled children and their parents are at risk too of becoming victim to spiritual deception. If you are homeschooling children or if your grandchildren are being homeschooled, we hope you will do all you can to protect those children from teachings that are not grounded in the Word of God. Contemplative spirituality (i.e., spiritual formation) is entering the Christian homeschool camp. For example, Biola University (a contemplative-promoting university) offers an annual lecture titled “Spiritual Formation for Home Educators.” Biola has been a leader in bringing contemplative spirituality into the church for a number of years. Now they are helping to bring it to homeschool parents.
Dear Lighthouse Trail Editors:
I am a Bible-believing, born-again homeschooling wife and mother from Australia. I am continually astounded by the sheer depth of deception that has gripped the church and has also taken over so many professing Christian mothers both here and in America.
There are so many homeschooling blogs by professing Christian mothers who promote all manner of things that are unbiblical and smacking of the world, witchcraft, the New Age and psychology. Blog after blog promoting Harry Potter novels and fantasy, Disney movies and T.V shows that promote witchcraft, homosexuality, and the spirit of the world. Having the veneer of Christianity but having no substance thereof. Loving and promoting all things of the world on the one hand while professing to be Christian and having a love of Jesus on the other. Promoting worldly methods of raising children such as “respectful parenting” where requiring obedience and punitive measures of discipline are viewed as harmful and mean.
What happens when you politely point out that these things are unbiblical and how God forbids us from having anything to do with witchcraft and the occult? That if you do not require your children to obey you how can they possibly learn to obey God? That punishment is not a bad thing, that it is a reality of life and that God is love and He punishes and disciplines. That God is just and holy and the unrepentant [those who do not turn from their sin and put their trust in Christ for salvation] will be judged on judgement day.
You are met with derision and the whole “judge not” rhetoric and then are blocked from ever commenting again. “Go away,” is the message; “we don’t want to know about it, and we don’t want to hear from you.” It doesn’t matter how nicely you do it, it’s the so-called Christians (the pseudo Christians) who turn on you the most whenever you point out that what they are promoting is unbiblical.
Every day I am reminded of the frightening lack of discernment among Christians. Now more than ever we need to exercise discernment because Satan and his minions are unleashing havoc everywhere – on television, in the movies, in books, through the school curriculum, and on the Internet. Particularly when raising children because there are snares everywhere. Satan is subtle, and the way to not fall victim to his deception is to not watch worldly TV shows and movies because the brainwashing and the defilement is rife, to pray and to be grounded firmly in the Word of God (preferably using the KJV). If you do these things, you have a far greater ability to spot the apostate teachings that abound.
Many of these high profile “Christian” homeschooling mothers have considerable influence. I often think what a great shame it is that instead of leading their many impressionable followers (many who seem to hang on their every word) to the truth of the Bible, they are leading them very subtly down the slippery slope of the New Age, a false Jesus, and a “feel good”/ “sounds good” methodology of child rearing that is not biblical. A methodology that doesn’t offend anyone and also keeps their non-Christian readers (and their advertisers!) happy.
I often feel like I’m completely on my own when challenging these women because nobody backs me up; it’s a pack mentality, and it is made known in no uncertain terms that you are firmly on the outer. It’s like I’m some kind of weirdo for having the “audacity” to say something. So thank you for your website, your blogs, and your books as you remind me that I am not alone and that God will always have His remnant.
God bless,
Lynda
Related Information:
BOOKLET TRACT: IF it is of God—Answering the questions of IF:Gathering
Letter to the Editor: Many Women Reading Terkeurst and Voskamp Contemplative Books
