A Time for Civil Disobedience -- Now

On December 1, 2009, Judge Frank Roesch of California's Alameda Superior Court denied a motion sought by the parents of elementary-age school children seeking to opt them out of mandatory pro-homosexual curriculum. In denying the parents the right to have their children excused from these lessons, Judge Roesch repeatedly insinuated that the parents were bigots, and insisted that there could not possibly be any pro-homosexual indoctrination involved in the curriculum because people are born that way. The parents, represented by the Pacific Justice Institute, were seeking exemption for their children from the classes under California's Education Code, Section 51240 which allows a parent to have a student excused, "If any part of a school's instruction in health conflicts with the religious training and beliefs of a parent or guardian of a pupil." The judge insisted that Section 51240 did not apply in this case. The Pacific Justice Institute also reported that, "The judge equated a view contrary to his own with creationism, and called both false." Somehow, we're supposed to believe that all this is ultimately about showing tolerance.

OK, where do I begin with this one? First, a brief note about the Biblical view of homosexuality, because it's not really the point or issue of this writing. Nowhere in Scripture does it state that homosexuality is the unpardonable sin, nor does it state that homosexuality is a sin far above all others. But, it does state unequivocally that homosexual conduct is a sin, and that unrepentant homosexuals will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Christians who simply accept the teaching of Scripture on the subject are vilified as homophobic bigots of the worst kind. In truth, Christians willing to stand on God's side of this debate are, perhaps, the only persons on the planet who have any genuine love for homosexuals. That's because they seem to be the only persons willing to tell homosexuals that "the bridge is out" and that continuing down the road they are on will only lead to eternal destruction.

So, here we have a group of parents in California wishing to keep their elementary aged children from government sponsored indoctrination on the topic of homosexuality. The judge says, no way. What's a parent to do? Well, that brings us to, perhaps, the largest single issue in this matter. Why are these parents asking the courts for permission to do what is right with regard to their children? Yes, Christians are called upon to be obedient to lawfully instituted authority (see Romans 13), but ultimately they cannot abdicate their parental responsibilities to government or anyone else. There are times, when Caesar must be repudiated.

For many years I have been warning Christians of the collision course that we are on with the world. I have warned repeatedly that we need to determine now where we will draw the line. I have warned that it will be too late to begin thinking about these things when that knock on the door comes in the middle of the night. If we have not decided what to do before then, then circumstances alone will determine the course of events. I have repeatedly told believers that this collision with the world is going to primarily be focused upon our children. I have warned that the State believes, and believes fervently, that it has a greater compelling interest in our children than we do as parents. Alameda, California is merely the tip of the iceberg. The socialist engineers of contemporary society really do believe that "It Takes a Village" to raise our children. We, as parents, are considered to be sorely lacking in those essentials needed to raise a child of this new age, especially those of us clinging to any backwoods, hillbilly superstitions such as belief in the Bible.

Romans 13 clearly states that Christians are to obey the authorities, because government is established by God himself. Knowing the wicked heart of mankind, God mercifully put man under the yoke of government to curb the murder and mayhem that would result otherwise. Sorry, but people are not basically good at heart, and that's just the plain, ugly truth. God put us under government, and Paul correctly states that whoever resists government, is actually resisting God. So, is that the end of the matter? We've just got to obey, even when we don't like it? Yes, but possibly no. Yes, you do have to obey laws that you don't like. For example, you may not like having to drive only 55 mph on the freeway, but that's the law. You have to do it, or possibly pay the consequences. Obeying such laws is hardly likely to violate your conscience. On the other hand, if you were a citizen of China and the law said that you must submit to a forced abortion for having more than one child, would you obey that law? God help you, if you thought "yes." Obviously, you would say "no" to the State in such circumstances, but you must also expect to suffer the consequences of "breaking the law."

Scripture has many examples of persons who were honored and recognized by God for refusing to obey the authority of government. Yes, this is the same God who has told us that we must obey authority. Shiphrah and Puah were midwives in Israel during its captivity in Egypt, when Pharaoh, concerned about the growing size and strength of his slave population, ordered that all male children born to the Israelites were to be killed. There it is. The absolute command of the king. It must be obeyed, right? Romans 13 says so, right? Scripture says of these women: "But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive." Not only did their civil disobedience result in the saving of Israel's future deliverer, Moses, but Scripture also says, "Therefore God dealt well with the midwives..."

Daniel refused to obey the king's law to cease praying to God. He was thrown into the lions' den as a result. Shadrach, Mesach, and Abednego refused to worship a pagan idol and were also given the death penalty. God affirmed his pleasure with these men's civil disobedience by rescuing them all from death. In the New Testament, the Apostles refused to obey the edict of the religious authorities to cease preaching, saying simply, "We ought to obey God rather than men." Even though God blessed these acts of civil disobedience, it is important to note that those doing them suffered the consequences of that disobedience. The Apostles were physically beaten and threatened by these authorities, but immediately returned to preaching anyway. Church tradition holds that some of them eventually paid the ultimate price when government had them executed. What all these examples demonstrate is that obedience to God must take precedence over man's edicts and laws, whenever they are in conflict. Even so, obeying God is not without obvious consequences. You may be exactly in the center of God's will... behind bars.

In Germany parents are often fined and even jailed for trying to homeschool their children. Perhaps these parents have a different perspective on their country's history between 1933-1945. This collision with the world is not taking place solely in America. Schools around the world are key battlegrounds for the hearts and minds of our young people, and young, captive audiences are ideal blank slates. Thus, it is no wonder that the battle rages in this forum so intensely. Virtually anything and everything goes in public schools, with the exception of Christianity or anything to do with its values. For example, how about the state mandated curriculum in California (yep, California again) that requires seventh grade students to learn about Islam? According to the Thomas More Law Center, a public interest law firm that sued the school district over this mandatory curriculum, the course had children:
* Recite aloud Muslim prayers that begin with "In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful..."
* Memorize the Muslim profession of faith: "Allah is the only true God and Muhammed is his messenger."
* Chant "Praise be to Allah" in response to teacher prompts.
* Profess as "true" the Muslim belief that "The Holy Quran is God's word."
* Take an Arabic name from a list of 30. etc., and so on.

Yes, this is happening in your public schools. And, ready for this? The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in this case that the Islamic classes did not violate the Establishment Clause of the US Constitution. Can you even begin to imagine the outcry and media circus that would erupt if this had been a course on learning about Christianity or Judaism? Students then being asked to take names such as Mary, Joseph, or Isaiah, instead of Muhammed? Here's an even biggger question. Did parents in that school district simply throw up there hands and say, "Oh well, we must do as the court orders?" I pray they did not. Christians, it is time to wake from your deep, deep slumber. It is much later than you think. You are on a collision course with the world that is unavoidable. If you have children, that collision is only going to be more immediate and more focused upon them. Now is the time to determine where you will draw the line, and upon what principles you will say, "We ought to obey God rather than men." I can only tell you, with all the fervency I can generate, these things will be coming directly to your doorstep in the days ahead. If not regarding the indoctrination of your children in school, then they will come regarding a myriad of other issues that are surfacing in this politically correct environment. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you wanted something politically correct to believe in, Christianity is not it. We have already seen pastors in other countries thrown into jail for merely reading certain passages of Scripture. Their reading of the Word was considered "hate speech."

Jesus said, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." I'm compelled to say it. Jesus is the most divisive person who ever lived on planet earth. He is the most dogmatic, narrow minded, exclusive figure in human history. He stated categorically that he was the only way to God -- period, end of story. All other religious figures, leading people into all other kinds of religions, he called thieves and robbers. Do you want to follow this man? Then you must obey him, rather than men. But, you must also be prepared to suffer the wrath of human governments and social bureaucrats outraged because you refuse to conform to their image of the new and glorious citizen of the world. Worse still, is their outrage because you refuse to turn your children over to them for "re-education." Christians must understand the necessity of government, but must also have no illusions about its inherent goodness. If you have read to the end of the Book, you will see government at the end of this age running around killing anyone who does not take the government-mandated "mark."

I'll close with another quote from Jesus, which is, perhaps, more applicable in this day and age than ever before. "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" The collision is coming, folks. Your jail cell awaits. Have you prepared your heart, your soul, your mind?


Info on Alameda curriculum taken from worldnetdaily.com article by Chelsea Schilling.
Info on Islamic curriculum taken from postchronicle.com article, unknown author