So, apparently we're talking about mermaids again? That's right, one of most trending subjects on social media this week has been mermaids...and boy has it caused quite the stir.

Well Played, Algorithms
Before we dive too deep into this, forgive the pun but it was too easy, let's take a moment to acknowledge the exceptional work of the social media algorithms. 

On a week that included evidence of the increasing politicization of the FBI, the bromance of Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, the border crisis which has turned into a real life game of chess (including human pawns), or President Biden's ill-timed celebratory speech on the impact Build Back Better has had on the economy (the very same day a economic report hit the press about how inflation continues to rise) Americans were far too busy dealing with imaginary problems to deal with things that actually matter.

So, even though this isn't the main course of today's pugnacious pill, well done algorithms. You've done your part in distracting Americans from the stories that should matter the most and have convinced gown adults (including a great deal of men) to jump into the argument. But I digress.

Floundering Around
So, back to the primary purpose of today's article; namely, the outrage over what is happening under the sea. 

Disney, who has been no stranger to controversy, sent some loyal fans into a frenzy when they released the trailer for the new live action rendition of The Little Mermaid.

And the biggest issue, this time, wasn't the addition of an LGBTQ+ character or a gay kiss, or some kind of satanic undertones hidden within the main story. No, this time, it was something we've actually known for several years now. The color of the main characters skin.

Yep, you heard me right. The major offense, for many Americans, was the fact that Arial—who used to be an animated fair-skinned red-headed teenager—is now a real life fair-skinned black woman named Halee Bailey. This awoke the anti-woke crowd and sent them floundering on social media, where they struggled to put their angst and trepidation into coherent or reasonably articulated arguments.

It's hard to pinpoint exactly what the real issue is for most people. There are many accusations being flung around—like a giant black cod at Fisherman's Warf in Seattle—about racism, and white privilege, and the great replacement. However, what is impossible to overlook is the sheer amount of time that Americans are willing to waste on frivolous controversies which add little to no value when it comes to civil discourse.

Not Everything is Racist but Some Things Are
Now, to clarify my position before I start a controversy of my own, I'm not ignorant to the reality that racism exists. We are sinners in a sinful and fallen world. Racism has existed for nearly as long as sin has existed. It isn't an American trend and it certainly isn't exclusive to white Christians.

That being said, is it racist to be disappointed about Ariel's recasting as a black woman? Well, it could be I suppose, but it doesn't have to be. It is possible for people to have regrets when it appears that there is an agenda that runs deeper than the surface (or in this case the skin).  As we are well aware, Disney has made a point over the past several years at disrupting the norms of culture—which they see as problematic—while also pushing and peddling inclusive (i.e. progressive) ideologies along the way. We get a taste of what that means here:

But enough about drag queens, we were talking about racism, right?

That's right. We certainly were. And I was trying to make the point that just because someone labels something as racist, it doesn't necessarily mean that it is racist. But some things are racists. For example, here is a tweet by the Department of Defense's Equity Chief that is pretty clearly racist:

Caudacity, for those who may not be up on modern-day slang, is a term that is used to describe audacity demonstrated by white people. In other words, it is a word to shame and degrade white people, based on the simple fact that they are indeed, white.

This is a pretty clear example of racism. And even though Ms. Wing would like to have us believe black people can't be racist, because they don't have power (even though she is the Chief Equity officer for the Department of Defense), most reasonable people understand that "antagonism directed against a person or people on the basis of their membership in a particular racial or ethnic group", is indeed racism.

So, is it racist to be upset about a black mermaid? Maybe. Why are you upset? Mermaids aren't real. So whether they are black, white, Asian, or translucent (as one conservative pundit recently proposed) it really shouldn't matter. 

Yes, I get it. Ariel, for many people, has nostalgic significance. But she is also a fictitious character based on a Danish fairy tale written by Hans Christian Andersen. Did you know that in his version of the story, a young mermaid is willing to give up her life as a mermaid to gain a human soul? Seriously! And much like it is in the Disney movie, the mermaid in his tale makes a deal with a sea queen and exchanges her life for a chance at winning the heart of the prince. However, there are some pretty big differences between the stories. Even though the prince likes the little mermaid (as a friend) his romantic affections are for another woman; whom he marries and breaks the little mermaid's heart. She is given the opportunity to avenge the scorn and kill the prince to save her own life, but because of the love she has for him she can't bring herself to do it and instead jumps to her death—out a window into the sea—where her body dissolves and turns to foam. 

Yeah, not quite the romantic fairly tail you're used to, now is it? And not even a single mention of a lobster named Sabastian? What the heck!

And that's the point. Stories change. They evolve and get remade and shaped into various different tales to connect with various different cultures and people. That's what makes stories so intriguing. The best ones elevate themselves above a specific culture or people or a specific time and draw people into the feelings and realities of the human experience. The Little Mermaid isn't a red-headed white girl from 1989. She's been many things in her lifetime and that's what makes the story so enchanting and timeless. 

So, is it racist to be upset about a black mermaid? Maybe. Why are you upset?

Not Everything is Worth Fighting Over, but Some Things Are.
Looking at this whole ordeal, through a sociological lens, is an interesting task. As a white Christian man, it's pretty easy for me to see that whiteness—for many—is not only viewed as a problem but is also viewed as the cause for many other problems that exist in America and the western world at large. 

Maybe you don't believe me. That's OK. I'm not getting paid to convert anyone here, I'm just trying to take a bit of time to talk about certain things many people don't want to address. And one of those things is the very real ideology, held by some people, that in order for Black Lives to Matter, we must first acknowledge that white lives have not only disproportionately mattered, but have also set up systems in such a way that black lives can't matter, equitably, until those systems are demolished, defunded, or destroyed. For BLM, this includes the police, the military, and other forms of government which—in their minds—are systems of systemic racism that can't be redeemed. And the donations, from those struggling with white-guilt, during the Summer of Freedom in the wake of George Floyd's murder, have helped to fund the spread of this ideology in America and American schools.

So, it's not fair to assume this is all about a black mermaid. The mermaid is simply the medium of the moment. And it's a decent ploy too. How do you make a bunch of white people look like Caudacious Karens? Take a beloved story from their recent memory, and rewrite it; replacing their white heroine with someone else. Someone who isn't white (because white is guilt and white is privilege and white is racist). And make sure you do it, while letting them know your intentions are not charitable, but are instead being done to reshape the norms of society and demolish the racist culture they built and have been preserving since its founding; in 1619.

You see, the reality for most people who are upset about a black mermaid has nothing to do with race at all. It has far more to do with what appears to be an intentional effort to erase something they see good in. Something they see value in. Something they see virtue and character in. And something they've been told, over and over and over again, is not only racist but is also responsible for all kinds of evil that exists in America today. And what exactly is that? Whiteness.

The Insufficiency of Identity Politics
The problem with racism and anti-racism is not that they are in opposition to each other. On the contrary, it's the fact that they are actually clones of one another. Sure, they present themselves differently, but in the end they actually lead to the same end result.

The haves and the have nots. Us vs. Them. The Divided States of America. And herein lies the problem with identity politics. When systems are created or dismantled based on identities which are inherent, it is no longer virtue or character which are measured but rather where you fall on the melanin scale. Nobody born white can be anything other than white. No matter how hard they try, repent for their whiteness, or grovel at the feet of minorities...at the end of the day they will still be white. And when white is bad, they are bad, regardless how virtuous their character may be or how much effort they put into being anti-white.

Let's take a look at another exchange with the Department of Defense Equity Czar, Kelisa Wing. In this Twitter exchange Wing responded to a white-ally who was worn-out by the whiteness of her racist white colleagues. "I am exhausted by 99% of the white men in education and 95% of the white women", said the user. "Where can I get a break from white nonsense for a while?"

Wing responded by letting the Twitter user know that her whining and feelings would not be tolerated, under any circumstance. Not because she was wrong in her assessment, but rather because she was white. Wing responded, "If another Karen tells me about her feelings…I might lose it". 

Do you see how this works? Like racism, it is the color of your skin that dictates your place in society and how you will be viewed by those who don't look the same as you. In this example, regardless how virtuous a white Karen attempts to be, she will never gain her freedom from white guilt. She will always be culpable, because of her own whiteness, regardless how hard she works to demand equity for non-whites or how ruthless she attacks other white people. In an anti-racist world, a White Karen is never able to shed her whiteness or earn a place at the table of the oppressed. She must not only continue to fight racism, with racism, but she must also be willing to accept her place—as an oppressor who has no right to share her feelings or complain to a black person about how evil white people are.

Anti-racism asserts itself as the avenue to conquer racism, but beneath it's altruism is a reality that is far more evil. Anti-racism is racism, prejudice, and wicked and it causes deep divisions between people as it segregates them based on the color of their skin, in spite of their character or lack thereof.
​ 
The Sufficiency of Identity in Christ
However, there is another way. One which makes prodigious promises of equality, justice, freedom, and reconciliation as well as guarantees that are sure and faithful.

Of course it comes with a catch. One that doesn't pass Disney's woke mandate, but in matters like these we must be willing to ask ourselves tough questions. Questions like, what means more to me, freedom or ideologies? Social reform or orthodox principles? Resistance or revival. Retribution or repentance? Jesus or justice?

You see Christ came to fulfill the law. The law demanded justice. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. That's justice and God's holiness demands justice. The problem is, no human institution or ideology can ever lead to a just world because every single human being is a sinner. No matter how idealistic the aim, it will always be imperfect because people are involved and the human heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick (Jer. 17:9). And that's really the issue. Whether a man is a racist or an anti-racist, he is still a man and he is still wicked. That is his identity apart from Christ.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved (Eph. 2:4-5).

And that's the point of all this. In Christ men are made alive. In Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female (Rom. 3:28). This is our identity in Christ. We are all one, in Christ.

We don't need anti-racism in Christ. We don't need arguments about white privilege in Christ. We don't need to reset power structures or tear down systems in Christ, because our identity is not found in any of these things. Our identity is firmly established and eternally secured in Christ. 

This is something a mermaid, whether she be black white or transgender, can never provide. That's why people are so upset. They saw themselves in a fictitious, fair-skinned, red-headed teenage mermaid. And when her identity was stripped away and replaced with something else, they felt a sense of loss; as if a part of who they were was lost as well.

To wrap our identities in anything other than Jesus is to set ourselves up for disappointment or division. No ideology or institution or revolution can ever provide to us what we were created to find in Christ. He is the only eternal identity that leads to true oneness and peace and rest.

In the words of Augustine of Hippo — 'Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.'

This is an eternally significant truth. One that leads to true joy and will never leave you disappointed, fearful, anxious or alone. There are so many identities which make grandiose promises, but in the end they all turn out to be nothing more than fish tales.

Putting aside what should unquestionably be considered weird; namely—the state (or anyone else for that matter)—lusting after the opportunity to teach other people's children about sex, can we have an honest discussion here?

National Public Radio, in their typical impartial and publicly-funded approach, ran a story about the importance of comprehensive sex-education for children as young as 5 years old.

Unapologetically stated within the story, the following claim was made:

But, who gets to be the judge of of what is in the best interest for our kids and by what standard is the claim being made that it even is in their best interest?

NPR's story goes on to talk about some of the specific ways children should be taught. One example given in the story is the "normalization" of children's various experiences; specifically around gender, gender stereotypes, and gender confusion.

And therein lies the problem. When it comes to public education, parents (i.e. the primary authority over their children's education) must not only have a basic understanding of what is being taught to their children but should also have the primary role of shaping that education. However, when it comes to sex education and definitely comprehensive sex education—which is defined as complete; including all or nearly all elements or aspects of something--parents also need to be aware of the fact that the godless culture wants their children. No, not so they can sacrifice them on the alter of Molech. I'm talking about something far more nefarious. 

The Problem and the Hope
Parents, even if you are viewed as a lost cause for this Brave New World, the next generation of Christians will either be shaped by God's Word—as well as those parents and churches who aim to reinforce the authority of scripture—or by a culture that long ago determined that the leading cause of bigotry, injustice, and hatred in America is Christian parents raising Christian kids under the authority and influence of Christian doctrine and Christian community.

That's right. You, parents, are the biggest hurdle in the minds of many progressives. Why? Because you stand in the way of their unrestrained efforts to reshape humanity into a more tolerant, inclusive, equitable, and just people. And are these things bad in and of themselves? Well, I guess it depends on who is defining the terms and how they are being defined. 

But there is good news. You, parents, are also a beacon of hope for a godly future. While progressives seem hellbent on rejecting and suppressing God's truth (Rom. 1:18), Christian parents have the opportunity to stand firm on their convictions and say, like Joab on the cusp of battle, "Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the LORD do what seems good to him" (2 Sam. 10:12).  

Why Does It Always Come Down to Violence?
I know, I know. You want to know why it always comes down to violence, right? Can't we all just get along?!?! Well, in short, no we can't. Because we are at war. There is literally a culture war going on and the battle is for the minds of the future generation of Americans. Still not convinced? That's OK, but humor me for a few more minutes by walking out this thought experiment with me.

What would you do if you came home from work to find your child with someone you casually know, looking at X-rated content on the Internet together? Would it bother you? Would you be angry? Why? 

There are few situations in life that award a person the kind of carte blanche freedom to react on instinct, like a parent who sees another person harming their child. Good luck trying to find a jury willing to convict a mother who did whatever it took to protect her babies.

Well, listen up mama bear. I'm talking to you. When schools make intentional efforts to normalize things which God calls evil, and vilify biblical convictions or those who hold to them...the damage is being done. It might not be as overt as a teacher watching porn with your student but that doesn't make it any less perverse or fatal.

So, why do we hold back our anger and outrage? Why are we so afraid to call it out for what it is? The enemy often comes, disguised as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14), making all kinds of promises that if we simply compromise on this one little truth than everything else will be fine, fine, fine. But it's never fine. And we must keep a wartime mentality, because no matter how far you attempt to bury your own head in the sand, so you aren't forced to look at the truth, we are in a spiritual war.
  
But What About the Good Teachers
I get it. We all know teachers and deep down we know that they're good people. They care about our kids. They aren't reprobates seeking to destroy our children's minds and lead them down a path of destruction. Come on. They're just trying to do their job. Give them a break, would ya? They're heroes.  

Look, I'm honestly not trying to be uncharitable here. As I've said before, I come from a long line of teachers in my family and have some very good friends who are currently teaching in public school systems across the United States. But it's time to be honest. 

Any teacher, in a public school system which has embraced and intentionally put into practice the kind of unbiblical normalization of sin that we see from these comprehensive sex-education advocates, bears responsibility for allowing it to happen on their watch. And any parents, who have knowingly allowed their children to be subjected to this kind of nonsense—because they were too afraid to speak up or cause trouble—bears responsibility as well.

These agendas are no longer covert operations. They are bold, brazen, and shameless. And they will continue, unchecked, as long as good teachers refuse to push back or parents continue to assume that just because their kids are in the hands of a good teacher that they don't have anything to be concerned about.

It's All an Overreaction
One of the best mechanisms available, to distract people from the truth, is to villainize the people who have started to ask questions and demand answers. I'm not suggesting that some people haven't taken things too far, but how many examples of schools or teachers promoting sin and pushing its normalization do we need before we start to realize that someone might be lying to us.

And now, NPR is running a story promoting comprehensive sex-education for children as young as kindergarten. They're saying the quiet part out loud and they're placing their bets on the hope that parents are going to stay quiet.

The only question left to ask is this: will you call their bluff? ​

Sometimes the last people who are willing to acknowledge the present are those who are so deeply entrenched in the past that they simply refuse see it.

Sadly, and in most of the cases I've witnessed in my life, the people who are most prone to ignore the blessings of the progress and growth which have occurred in America—over the past several decades—are those who have the most to gain from the pain of the past.

AOC, who has reached such celebrity status in American culture today that she is literally best known by her her initials, is a leading voice in the fight for those who live in a perpetual state of oppression; under the mighty hand of White Republican Men.

Now, from the platform granted to her by GQ (Gentlemen's Quarterly), AOC takes her personal holy war directly to her adversaries. As a woman, on the cover of a magazine marketed to men—albeit likely not the kind of men who would see their masculinity as an honorable virtue—she proceeds to peddle the propaganda which helped elevate her to a position of prominence in the progressive party.

When speaking with GQ about an interaction she once had with a young and sanguine girl—who had hopes seeing AOC become President—AOC struggled to hold back her tears.

"I hold two contradictory things [in mind] at the same time. One is just the relentless belief that anything is possible," AOC said. "But at the same time, my experience here has given me a front-row seat to how deeply and unconsciously, as well as consciously, so many people in this country hate women. And they hate women of color."

So much in this statement makes me legitimately angry. Not because I'm ignorant to the realities of hate and racism which certainly exist in the world (including America), but rather because I'm more keenly aware of the truth. An overwhelmingly large percentage of Americans have grown up in a feminist, egalitarian, and integrated America. The median age in America today, is 38 years old. This means that most Americans don't know a world before astronaut Kathryn D. Sullivan became the first American woman to perform a space walk.

And you might be tempted to ask, what does this have to do with what AOC said? If racism and misogyny exist (even on a small scale) shouldn't we address this reality? Of course we should. But problems should be addressed within a reasonable balance to the level at which they exist. 

If a father comes home from work—or better yet a mother, since we wouldn't want to offend anyone with this analogy—and finds that one of her young children has left their shoes in the middle of the kitchen floor, it would be wrong for her to go on a tirade, attacking all the children in her house or all the children in the neighborhood because of one child's lack of concern for a clean house. Did that child leave their shoes in the middle of the kitchen? The certainly did. But what this doesn't indicate is that there is a systemic problem of moral decay within the home. It's possible that one of her children has an issue with cleanliness and obedience, but it's more likely that she simply caught them on a bad day and vice versa.

All of this to suggest that the real issue I take with AOC's constant selling of a racist, tyrannical, and patriarchal America is that it simply doesn't exist; at least not as she claims it does. Let me help to make my point a little more clear. Circling back to the GQ article, here's how AOC finished her previous story:

"People ask me questions about the future. And realistically, I can’t even tell you if I’m going to be alive in September", said AOC. "And that weighs very heavily on me...This grip of patriarchy affects all of us...ideologically, there’s an extraordinary lack of self-awareness in so many places."

The Problem
The issue I have is not that AOC would dare to embellish a story. Hyperbole can be a very effective way to make a point, and people do it all the time (see what I just did there). No, the issue I have with AOC is that she a charlatan and she knows it.

She said she "realistically couldn't say whether or not she was gong to be alive in September". Now, as much as I'd like to believe this was an act of humility—acknowledging that our days are numbered by God and only he knows when our lives will be required of us (Luke 12:20)—a much more logical explanation of AOC's claim is that she wants people to believe she lives under a constant threat of assassination because she is a non-white woman of color. She basically implied as much in the statement she was making. Her fear wasn't tied to the reality that she doesn't control her own breaths, but rather that she lives in a world with racist misogynists who hate her.

A Lack of Self-Awareness
One statement which AOC made, that I can actually get behind, is that there is a lack of self-awareness that is directly tied to the ideologies which we hold. AOC believes that America is controlled by racist men who hate women of color. Well, it might be an exaggeration to suggest that she actually believes this, but it's fair to suggest that she wants other people to believe this.

And when this becomes a person's ideology and worldview, they naturally begin to see the work through that lens. When a man makes the charitable effort to hold a door for a woman, she can assume two things. Option-A: he's being a gentleman and was likely raised by a gentleman. Option-B: he's a sexist and he refuses to acknowledge that the woman doesn't need a patronizing man; she can hold her own damn door. 

This may be a pithy or extreme example, but I hope the point isn't lost. Without further attempts at man-splaining, I hope we can understand that the way in which we choose to view the world will begin to shape our worldview. And our worldview will begin to shape how we interact with the world.

When AOC continues to call out the worst of America, in order to sell snake oil (i.e. political solutions which rarely work) she actually is shaping the minds of future generations who would probably be better off looking at history, comparing it to the present, in order that they might have hope for the future. 

When people constantly allow the most negative or heinous—albeit most infrequent—examples of America to become the norm, it will begin to change their perception. And since people's perceptions become their reality, it will actually begin to shape their reality; even if their reality isn't in line with reality.

There is Hope
Not wanting to become guilty of the very thing I'm calling out in this blog post, I think it would be important for me to close with a positive—and hopefully beneficial—encouragement. 

There is hope. When we rightly look back at history, in order to learn from it and use it to help us interpret and discern the present, we should acknowledge that America has not only come a long way but also has a great deal of hope for the future.

Yes, there will be some disagreements with just how far we've come or whether the path we've taken has really even been a path of true progress. But the point I'm attempting to make here is that if we rightly look at history, at least when it comes to equality, we should be able to see the world in a different lens that the one AOC chooses. While she continues to see a world of oppression and imbalance of power, the rest of us don't have to.

Leaning into a quote by Queen Elizabeth, a day after her passing:

"I believe that, young or old, we have as much to look forward to with confidence and hope as we have to look back on with pride." — the Queen's Golden Jubilee message, June 2012 

So, you're about to send your precious little angels off to school again are you? And you're about to enjoy the peace of mind that has evaded you for the past three months? Ahhh, breathe that long overdue sigh of relief.

But wait! That's right!!! I forgot that I'm sending my innocent children into the wolf den, where they'll be inundated with Critical Race Theory and Diversity and Inclusion propaganda. 

I've seen this scene play out on social media more times than I care to admit. And then comes the "Teachers are America's heroes" crowd ready to pounce on anyone who would even slightly suggest that teachers have some kind of hidden agenda and are looking to proselytize children with their hidden agenda of woke, progressive, and socialist doctrine. 

The Obligatory Disclaimer
In an attempt to avoid significant or unmerited backlash, I feel it is prudent—albeit likely futile—to make the following disclaimer: I come from a family of teachers. I have many close friends who are teachers. I love them and I know they are passionate about teaching. Otherwise, they would have chosen a profession which would pay them a whole lot more for being forced to deal with a whole lot less.

They genuinely cherish the children who are entrusted to their care. They value the responsibility they have been given and certainly don't desire to undermine the parents, who bear the primary responsibility of teaching and raising their children, or to cause them harm or unrepairable damage.

The Truth Lies Somewhere In-Between
However, we all teach towards our biases. It's natural, and it's not just what is in the curriculum that is taught in public schools, that matters. Many of life's most important lessons are not taught or learned from a textbook. They are taught and learned by our worldviews and how we interact, interpret, and engage with the world.

When the choice was made to take God out of schools, it was all but guaranteed that something else would replace him. Education is the process of giving systematic instruction. Knowledge is defined as the facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience and education. 

Children don't go to school to learn how to pass tests, they go to school to gain an understanding about the way the world works—both historically and currently—and to gain the skills and tools they will need to be critically-thinking and productive members of the world in the future. 

When morality and truth become subjective, the objective of education becomes less clear. Children are no longer taught right from wrong, but are instead taught that it is wrong to judge something rightly; based on the objective truth of God's Word. This becomes increasingly problematic in a society which is hellbent on the cultural mandate to call evil good and good evil, to put darkness for light and light for darkness, and to put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" (Isa. 5:20.)

The Slow Drip
Though it is right for parents to have a concern about what their children will be taught in the six hours a day they will be in the hands of the state, the issue is far bigger than the curriculum. In fact, I don't believe the the curriculum is even an issue.

While parents are distracted by words like Critical Race Theory, the education of their children is already well underway. Parents willingly place their children under the watch and care of TikTok, Disney+, Netflix, PBS, and other sources of entertainment so they can jump on social media and rant about the progressive agenda. They send their children out to play with their neighbors—who proudly display their In This House We Believe yard signs—while they head to the monthly school board meetings to squawk at their elected school board members, accuse them of being groomers, and make exasperated demands that books their children will likely never read be removed from the school library.

And all the while, the infusion of worldliness continues to flow through the veins of their children, who have been hooked up to a steady drip of secular entertainment and amusement for the majority of their lives.

It's Not About the Curriculum Dummy
What am I trying to say here? Well, in no uncertain terms, it's not about the curriculum dummy. "It's not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person" (Matthew 15:11).

Though Christ was specifically talking about food, in this instance, the principle applies to well more than what we eat. To be clear, I'm not suggesting that it doesn't matter what we consume. It most certainly does. Bad fruit is never good for the body. However, when a person is able to rightly judge the difference between good and bad fruit, and when they are aware of the blessings which come from good fruit and the consequences which come from the bad, the the chances of them choosing good fruit instead of bad fruit grow exponentially. 

Parent's have been so concerned with what their children might be exposed to in public schools, that they have failed to see what their children are actually being exposed to in their own homes. They spend so much of their free time worried and concerned with what some teacher might be teaching their children, that they are failing to use their free time to actually teach their own children.

In an effort to make sure their children aren't left behind by the culture's unquenchable lust for acceptance and affluence, parents have ignorantly invited all kinds of influences into their homes while simultaneously failing to guard their children's heart or equip them to be able to discern good from evil within the walls of their own home.

It's Time to Get Offended By Our Own Offenses
Parents, it's time to hold ourselves accountable, with the same zeal we aim to hold others accountable. We are guilty. We deserve criticism, not teachers. They're going to do what they do; namely, teach in accordance with their worldview and experiences. But what about us? Are jealous for our children's time and attention and affections? Do we care about their education or just what someone else is choosing to teach them? And what are we teaching them when we are more offended by what they might learn in school than what they are actually being taught in our own homes?

If you want your children to have a solid Biblical foundation, then build it for them. Get serious about it. Get active in their lives with as much passion as your activism about CRT or cat boxes to accommodate the Furries in your local school district. We certainly need parents who are active in their community and public schools, but it's far more valuable for parents to be active and intentional in teaching their children God's word, right from wrong, and good from evil.

​They Are Still Your Children
​Parents, be encouraged. No matter what happens in the public schools, these are still your children. They are yours. Not the school's, not the village's, not the enemy's. They are your kids! Teach them. Take your role and responsibility as a parent seriously. Own it and get involved in their lives. Know what they're doing, who they're doing it with, and what their reason for doing it is. Shape their worldview by saturating their world with God's word and godly examples of how it works day in and day out. Fill their hearts and their minds with so much truth that they can't help but see the lies. Teach them the scriptures, diligently, and talk about Jesus when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way. Remind them of God's promises and why they need to resist the devil. Show them the blessing that come from submission to God's Word, even when it's hard, and remind them that temptation always promises what it can never give and always gives what it never promises.

They are your children and they are counting you to teach them how the world works—both historically and currently—and how to gain the skills and tools they will need to be critically-thinking and productive members of the world of the future. Don't miss the opportunities God has give you to shepherd and shape their hearts, because you are too concerned with how someone else might be attempting to fill the role that only you can.

Your kids are counting on you. And so are we.