Education vs. Indoctrination

I've just spent the last two weeks teaching Ben about Islam. I told Mike this week that Ben now knows more about Islam than 95% of Americans. It was a head-trip at times and I found myself saying a lot, "Those are good things, but...". Probably the best thing about the whole exercise is that it brought a very legalistic little boy back to a key of Christian faith: "None of us can ever be good enough."

Ben is much like his mother who doesn't much like doubt. And I haven't had many doubts. But occasionally I have struggled through a dark period and asked a lot of questions. And sometimes the answers I've come away with have been quite different than where I started and just brought me into the realization that God is so much bigger than what I can wrap my head around. Ben also has done a little wrestling and he doesn't rest until he has created a safe place for himself. Which is ok. That is a very good thing to do at this age.

Over and over again I have come to the realization that I have to lay bare the reality of doubt and not wrap things up in nice little packages for my children that erase their doubts. I can do that now, but it never works in the long run. Which is why when I read this post (and the one it links to), it gave me the vocabulary to formulate my thoughts. I've witnessed so many young people (and older people in their 30s and 40s and even 50s) whose faith I believed to be solid lay it all down. It used to shock me; it has become so frequent, I'm no longer shocked. And I think it might have something to do with why I was so uncomfortable in my recent meeting with homeschooling moms. What I heard articulated was a desire to send their offspring to "safe" places that would only expose their children to lifestyles and thought with which they were comfortable. And I think that is dangerous.

Not everyone has to question the existence of God (though, I did). But the startling statistics say that those who are raised Christian are less likely to lose their faith if they go to college (for more, go here) has me wondering if those who go to college are more likely to question. And for me, questioning has always led to a deepening of faith.

Our culture has so many idols from consumerism to sexuality to create-your-own-god (in your image). The temptation as a parent is to put up walls that keep all those temptations out. But those walls can never be tall enough or thick enough. The only hope is to keep before us the blinding light of the grace of God and pray that the light keeps dancing off everyone around us. Because it shows up the darkness for what it really is.