Worldview 7

You hear many of the offended traditionalists, who have children in the public schools, advocating for simply teaching the three R's. Reading, writing, and arithmetic are seen as the main purpose of education. But that idea stands in stark contrast to early thinking of education in America.

Early America knew that the process of education was to be mainly concerned with instilling virtue into the children. They saw that wisdom follows from the foundation of virtue. The goal of education was to give a person the foundation for them to deal justly with their neighbors. The mechanical processes of reading, writing, and arithmetic are seen as secondary to virtue but none the less important for the conduct of commerce.

One of the first influences upon our Declaration of Independence and the source of some educational ideas as seeds in America was the philosopher John Locke. He was writing about this subject when Harvard was 56 years old. His 1692 book was called Some Thoughts Concerning Education. In this book he said this,

"I place virtue as the first and most necessary of those endowments that belong to a man. As for the foundation of this, there ought to be very early imprinted on his mind a true notion of God, as of the independent Supreme Being, Author and Maker of all things, from Whom we receive all our good, Who loves us, and gives us all things. And consequent to this, instill in him a love and reverence of this Supreme Being."

To say this sort of thing today in the schools of America would be anathema. Yet it does remain that this is the vital ingredient for any countries success. But who defines and what determines "virtue?"

Well, let me simply say this, somebody or someone will always define virtue. There is no such thing as a moral vacuum. Someone's morality will always be displayed and demonstrated. A "secular" morality is simply a morality without God. Or should I say, with man and his fickle opinions as God?

There is no law without morality. All laws are moral laws. It is always a question of who's morality will be empowered? "Atheist" does not mean "neutral." In fact, by definition, "atheist" (say "secular") is in direct opposition to Godly virtue. How long can we pretend to not know these things? If virtue is to be taught as the foundation of a successful life then what better place to do such a thing than in the home? The family is the foundation of a nations virtue. If the family does not teach these things to the household, someone else will. This is why God has given this responsibility to man and not the government. (Read Deut. 6)