Thanks, School.

Education, Motivation, The Future

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/