Values Clarification, part one

I have a whole list of Christianisms that I can't stand, but the term "worldview" isn't one of them. I rarely use the phrases "die on that hill," “put a hedge of protection," or "put out a fleece" for two reasons: number one, I just don't talk like that and number two, I think they are somewhat cliquey when spoken in the presence of someone whose Biblical knowledge is still in the formative stages.

But "worldview" ... "worldview" is a rich word. Literally, it means the eyes with which you see what's around you. Where you're coming from. What makes you tick. Yes, worldview is a word that I embrace.

Because my worldview is based on a set of Christian values, I see the society around me and am often dismayed. I know I'm not alone; check out John Holzmann's recent blog post to read about some of the disturbing goings on around the world, and see if you don't walk away with your eyes turned heavenward and your heart breaking.

A few nights ago, I spoke with a friend whose daughter is in our local public school. This friend has shrugged her shoulders over the state of education in our area, and has even dabbled in afterschooling as a way of making up the difference in what she thinks her daughter ought to be learning and what the school board actually requires. I usually walk away from our conversations wondering how anyone so disillusioned with a system can continue to participate when said involvement is not mandatory. This particular evening was no different.

After outlining the fact that she had just spent an entire dinnertime countering a lesson in ethics that her 3rd grader received that day, my friend went on to tell me what, exactly that lesson entailed. Are you ready? It was the classic lifeboat scenario, resurrected. If you aren't familiar with "lifeboat," watch this short video for a primer:




Back? Horrified? Good.

Yes, her daughter was asked to rank the value of life, a job that most Christians agree is best left to the Author of Life. Appropriate for a 3rd grader? Apparently, someone thought so. Despite having been effectively debunked in 1976 (www.apologeticspress.org/rr/reprints/Critical-Analysis-of-Values-Cla.pdf), values clarification is back.

All the more reason to homeschool, in my opinion. If that's not an option, at the bare minimum, sound a very vocal alarm. To my friend, it was another annoyance she had to unravel at the end of an already busy day.

"Are you going to talk to the teacher and let her know you thought it was inappropriate?" I asked.

"No. I already talked to my daughter."

"So you don't do anything? You just let it happen?"

"Pretty much. I don't want to rock the boat. They know I'm Christian down there, you know," she answered.

I'm still processing all that that answer implies. Christians shouldn't rock the boat? Christians should be doormats? Christians shouldn't let others know when they are offended? Christians just go along with society's ideas?

Imagine where the civil rights movement that culminated in an end to Jim Crow laws would be today if they held to those points. At the back of the bus, that's where.

People who know me know that a large part of why I homeschool stems from my worldview. Spending a few hours with me will reveal even more about how I see things. Ask me why I don't work outside my home, eat pork, watch certain movies or frequent particular stores. Worldview.

In truth, every one of us makes choices on a minute-by-minute basis that reflect what we care for, what we value and how we see the world. And folks, if people know that you're a Christian, they are watching. You represent Christ and His words in action here in earth. It's not a small order to be the Public Information Officer for an entire faith, is it? But we are!

So please, join me as I take a moment to ask myself--what is my worldview? How do I display it to others? Is it inconsistent with my actions? And, last but not least, am I willing, when necessary, to rock the boat?