Category Archives: The Future

Education, Motivation, The Future

Ouch.

One thing is sure: conservative American Protestantism is not future-oriented. In this sense, it is lower class.  Lower-class people and movements do not shape history; they are carried along in the back of the bus in order to be milked by those future-oriented people and movements that do shape history.

I wrote this book for Christians who are tired of being milked, bilked, and forced to ride silently in the back of humanism’s bus.

Gary North in “Crossed Fingers, How the Liberals Captured the Presbyterian Church“

Education, The Future

A little too ironic…

I received an email from a public school wanting to join my classes. The email included this note.

This doesn’t appear to be Christian, but their (sic) are biblical resources here….as a public charter we can’t pay for non-secular classes….just checking…let me know.

Here is my reply:

I am a Christian and I do teach from a distinctly Christian worldview.  Of course, secular comes from the Latin word saeculum which means 100 years, or the current age.  Since I am living in the current age, one could argue that my classes are secular.  And, so is this email.  🙂

Anyway, I doubt we will be able to work together.  I need no more students.  And, I definitely need no more paperwork.  Last of all, I refuse to take money from any government organizations (though they are quite happy to take mine).  

If you take the king’s dime, you are the king’s man.  The sooner American’s start saying, “No, thank you” to Uncle Sam, the sooner we will experience freedom.  

This includes saying “No, thank you” to that massive indoctrination welfare boondoggle known as the public school system.

I apologize for the inconvenience this causes.  I truly do enjoy helping people. 

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Ironically, I am responding to this on the fourth of July.  For those who do not know, the fourth of July is the day we won our independence from a taxation rate of 1%.  Could have been as high as 2.5% in the southern colonies.   Think I am kidding?  Check this out: https://www.garynorth.com/public/8215.cfm

It gets better.  According to a study by the Cato Institute, the U.S. ranks 20th in total freedom.  The U.K. (we won our independence from the U.K.) ranks 9th.  Among the top ten for freedom in the world today are five former British colonies.  

Ooops.  Maybe we shouldn’t have broken up with our British girlfriend.

In terms of personal freedom, the U.S. doesn’t even make the list.  That’s right.  We are somewhere behind Poland.

Instead of personal freedom, we get this: 

Ready to join the fight for freedom?  It’s easy.

First, pull your kids out of the government school system.

Second, start refusing government money.  All of it.

I don’t expect Americans will do either.

Oh, well.  At least there will be some pretty good food available today.

Education, Motivation, The Future

 The world is getting better.

I received an interesting question from one of my students.

I was at youth group tonight (mine meets on Monday nights) and I was thinking about something that you had said in the Harry Potter class. At least I think it was in the Harry Potter class. Maybe it was another class. Maybe it wasn’t even something that you said. But I think it was you who was talking about how the average lifespan was on a downward spiral and as soon as Jesus Christ came, it started going back up to where it is today. Was this you? If so, did you find this in an actual scientific study or was it just observation and googling? I’d love to know where you were coming from on that point. And if it wasn’t you, what do you think of this phenomenon?

Here is my reply:

It was me. 

Understand that many, many Christians would disagree with me on this.  I, myself, am still trying to figure some of this stuff out. 

But, yes.  I believe the book of Revelation was a warning to early believers.  I believe it was a warning of the coming destruction of Jerusalem.  I came this by studying Roman history and I especially came to this conclusion after reading The Jewish Wars by Josephus. 

I believe the ancient world was dark and getting darker. 

Then, Christ showed up.  A bright light pierced the darkness. 

Since Christ, the gospel has spread.  With the spread has come much that has been good for the world.  I believe this will continue. 

I am not the only one to recognize this phenomenon.

Here is someone else who talks about this all the time: https://singularityhub.com/2016/06/27/why-the-world-is-better-than-you-think-in-10-powerful-charts/

Here is an article by him on human longevity: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-diamandis/evidence-of-abundance-10_b_5774856.html

Before the flood, people lived very long lives.  After the flood, the numbers began dropping.

Noah lived 350 years after the flood.

Abraham was 175 years old when he died.

Moses was 120 years old.

David wrote in the Psalms that most people get 70 years, some 80.

By the time of Christ, lifespans had dropped to about 35 years.

On this side of Christianity, lifespans are slowly increasing. 

When I was a kid, almost no one made it to 100.  These days, it’s not uncommon.  We are hearing more and more about people living to be 105, 110, 115 and some even make it to 120.

I continue to research this topic whenever I have the time.  One of these days, I am going to teach a class on the subject.  One of these days….  Maybe when I’m 90.  🙂

There are still problems ahead.  There will be wars.  There will be disasters.  In other words, life will go on.

But, one thing has been true since the days of Rome.  Christianity will spread.  Lifespans seem to be getting longer.  The world is getting better.

Many people don’t like this idea.  Doesn’t matter.  Get used to it:

Here’s another:

 

The Future

I’m done.

I don’t weigh in much on politics.  For the most part, politics is a tar baby.  Especially in my extended family.  Best to avoid the conversation.

Generally, I have had the same stance with Islam.

But, after the attacks in London, and especially after the attack during the Arianna Grande concert in Manchester, I am done.  Can you identify another religion who targets a bunch of little girls at a concert?

Neither can I.

I have shifted my position.  Islam is the enemy.  This needs to be said by more people and it needs to be said more often.

I am with Bruce Bawer.  I refuse to ignore the truth any longer.  I also refuse to lie about Islam.  I am not going rouge.  I am simply joining the sane chorus of voices who dare to speak the truth.

Deceive yourself if you like.  I’m done.

https://pjmedia.com/trending/2017/06/05/why-i-refuse-to-lie-about-islam/

I majored in History in college.  I never heard any of the following.  Did you hear any of this when you were in college?  I doubt it.

Author Douglas Wilson comments on this same subject in a post from 2011 entitled, Seven Memes for Keeping Christians in their Place.

“The Crusades were actually a long overdue defensive reaction to many years of Muslim belligerence, militarism, agressiveness, and provocation. If a “crusade” is an unprovoked military attack on religious grounds, then we need to start speaking of the Muslim Crusades. One could, however, criticize Christian Europe for being so slow to respond.”

Dr. Bill Warner throws down the gauntlet.  I am paraphrasing. “Don’t like what I am saying?  Disagree?  Do your own research.  This is not hate.  This is history.”

Here are some sobering statistics:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_slave_trade#7th_century_to_20th_century

Personally, I believe Islam is nervous.  Here is why:

Like it or not, Christianity will spread until it conquers the globe.

Christianity is not shrinking.  It is not diminishing.  It is not retreating.

On the contrary, it is a wildfire.

Read The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity, by Philip Jenkins.

American and European Christians need to stop apologizing.   Like it or not, Christianity wins.

Motivation, The Future

Don’t take life for granted.

By now, most of you know that my son was recently involved in a serious car accident.

He has now been in ICU at Aurora Medical Center in Aurora, Colorado for over a week.

My wife, my girls, and I received the news while we were in Athens, Greece.  We quickly shut down all our affairs there and flew home.

Since then, we have been living in a hotel across the street from the hospital.  My son needs 24-hour attention.   My wife is taking days, and I am taking nights.

Jackson and a friend were in the car.  His friend suffered a few minor scratches.  My son, Jackson, suffered severely.  Broken upper left arm, shattered left hand, a severe laceration to the head, broken ribs, a punctured lung, and fractured vertebrae.

My wife, my girls and I drove out to see the van he was driving at the time of the accident.  It is demolished.  By all accounts, he should not have survived.

We spoke to him by Skype the night before the accident.  We had a good conversation.

My tip this week?

Don’t take life for granted.

Life can end in an instant.  Drop the grudges.  Grant forgiveness.  Call an old friend.  Tell your kids that you love them.

Have a happy Saturday!
Dwane Thomas

P.S.  The hotel wifi is terrible.  Classes will likely be canceled this week as well.  I hate that.  I am searching for a solution.  Either way, I will make it up to you.  Either I will pre-record classes for this week, or we will just meet a few times this summer.  Somehow, I will make it up to you.

And, finally, if you are waiting for a response from me, hang in there.  Doing my best to catch up.

Education, Motivation, The Future

Thanks, School.

According to Voddie Baucham, school does a great job teaching at least one skill.  School teaches children to stand in line.

My wife and I homeschool our children.  We do it for many reasons.  Reason #1?  Freedom.

I pay my taxes.  I understand that, as an American, I owe taxes to the American government.  I understand that I must render to Caesar that which belongs to Caesar.

The images of U.S. presidents reside on my dollars.  They smirk at me with the constant reminder that, ultimately, they belong to the U.S. government.  The image of Caesar is stamped on my money.

Read this.  Pay attention to the bold words (pun intended) of Jesus from Luke 20.

 So they watched him and sent spies who pretended to be honest, in order to trap him by what he said, so as to hand him over to the jurisdiction and authority of the governor. 21 So they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you are right in what you say and teach, and you show deference to no one, but teach the way of God in accordance with truth. 22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” 23 But he perceived their craftiness and said to them, 24 “Show me a denarius. Whose head and whose title does it bear?” They said, “The emperor’s.” 25 He said to them, “Then give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 26 And they were not able in the presence of the people to trap him by what he said; and being amazed by his answer, they became silent.

Whose image is on my money?  Caesar’s.  Whose image is on my children?  God’s.  My children are made in the image of God.  The state cannot have my children.  The state cannot educate my children.  The state cannot train my children.  The state cannot use bread and circuses (football) to seduce my children into submission.

On Tuesday nights, my family and I are attending Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University.  My children are learning to manage money.  They are learning to budget.  They are learning to avoid debt.

By the way, debt is slavery.  According to Proverbs 22:7 (NIV), “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.” When Dave Ramsey was confronted with this Scripture, he had to really consider who was right—his broke finance professor, who taught that debt is a tool, or God, who never has anything good to say about debt.  You can read more about that here: http://www.daveramsey.com/blog/the-truth-about-debt

During this class, I’ve been thinking about school.   What is school forgetting to teach us?  Worse, what is school teaching us?

Here is what school is forgetting to teach us:

  1. We are created in the image of our creator.
  2. How to get along with people of all ages.  Classrooms are segregated by age.
  3. How to learn for yourself.
  4. How to get and keep a job.
  5. How to stay out of debt.
  6. How to save money.
  7. How to file taxes.
  8. How to sell something.
  9. How to advertise.
  10. How to manage time.
  11. How to set and live by goals.

I could go on, but, you get the point.

Here is what school does teach us.

  1. Obey the teacher.
  2. Obey the authorities.
  3. Stand in line.
  4. Do as you are told without question.
  5. Memorize.
  6. Repeat what you memorized.
  7. Pledge allegiance to the state.
  8. Conform.
  9. Conform intellectually.
  10. Conform socially.
  11. Go to college so that you can extend this training by four more years.
  12. Go into debt so that you can go to college.

(Nervous yet?  You should be.)

According to Dave Ramsey, college debt is now the number one reason students drop out of college.

Let me explain.  No.  There is too much.  Let me sum up.

School teaches us to obey.  Debt is slavery.

Go to school.  Go into debt.  Obey your master.  Welcome to slavery.

I have a better idea.  Fight for your freedom.  Graduate from high school.  Learn some skills.  Start your own business.  Serve your customers.  Make their lives easier.  They will reward you with money.  Save your money.  Spend it on college if you want to.

I am not anti-college.  In fact, I am thinking of going back to college to get a master’s degree in Greek and Latin.

I am not anti-college.  I am anti-debt.  I am anti-slavery.

Find out if a local church is offering a Financial Peace University class.  Get in.  Break your chains.  Fight for your freedom.

Find our more here: https://www.daveramsey.com/fpu/