Should We Want Religion
In Public Schools?

(1)  Many have been disturbed at the trend of the U.S. Supreme Court to further curtail religious activities in public schools. Several have made comments to the effect that this has been a loss of freedom of religion. We look upon the matter in just the opposite light. Instead of being a loss of freedom of religion these rulings actually uphold freedom of religion. Let us think about this a little: If you are Protestant, would you be willing to allow your child to pray to Buddha, or to Mary (Catholicism), if these religions should be in the majority in the community you live in? Would you want your child to bow before the Buddha or bow before statues of the "queen of heaven" or a carved image of some kind? The Bible tells us that there are "many gods and many lords, but to us there is one God the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord, Jesus [Yahshua] Christ, through whom are all things, and we by Him." (1 Corinthians 8:5, King James II Version) Which "god" should be prayed to in the classrooms or in school activities? If traditional Christianity continues to press the matter, it could bring unexpected results. We may see all kinds of new heatheb activities going on in the classrooms.

(2)  Those who believe in the God of the Bible should be seriously interested in what, how and to which god his child prays. Not all pray to the same god. True worshippers render sacred worship to Yahweh, the only true God. (Yahweh is the personal name of God as translated from Hebrew. Most translators wrongly substitute "the Lord" or "God" for the divine name.) (Exodus 20:3-5) It would be best if public schools would throw out all religious activities, including Christmas, Easter, Valentine's Day, Halloween, etc. -- all of which are really idolatrous celebrations adopted by the Roman Catholic religion from pagan Rome and other sources. -- See our Idolatry Resource Page

(3)  The claim is made that the higher crime rate is due to taking away religious training from the schools. This is not true, for the higher proportion of criminal activity can be traced to a maze of religious meddling in politics to "make this [Satan's] world a better place to live in," or "to bring America back to Christ," etc. (2 Corinthians 4:4) Each step taken to use the arm of Satan's governments to impose supposed "morality" upon Satan's evil world has backfired. -- Galatians 1:6.

(4)  It is true that the present social system is becoming more and more corrupt. It is getting worse and worse as general knowledge increases. (Daniel 12:1,4) All of this forcibly demonstrates what God tells us in his Word. Most religious leaders, instead of relying on the power of the Heavenly Father and his Son, have denied their power by trying to gain control of the masses through Satan's secular governments. (2 Timothy 3:1-7; 4:3-4; 2 Peter 3:3-5) The weakness of these religious leaders is that they have heard Christ's teachings to turn away from these things, to be no part of the world, etc., but have not done them. -- 1 John 2:15,16; 4:5; 5:19; John 15:18,19; 17:14-16; 18:36.

(5)  Let us look at only one example of popular Christianity's meddling in politics. At the beginning of the twentieth century the churches clamored for laws against alcoholic beverages. They finally got their way. But what was the result? Did the so-called abolition of alcoholic beverages make for a better society? No! What resulted was a surge of "bootleggers" ("pushers"?) spreading more alcohol than ever before! Not only this, hundreds, perhaps thousands, of good police officers lost their lives trying to enforce those laws!

(6)  Nothing has become more evident to us all, daily, than the fact that none of the fallen race is capable of self-government or self-guidance in any respect. The wisest and oldest see continually how they have frequently mistaken and chosen evils, thinking them good. (Proverbs 4:12: Ecclesiastes 10:5,6) This is even more true of the young and inexperienced; but even their elders often mistake their highly-prized traditions as good when in fact they are bad. There is but one remedy, but one safe course. This is: "Commit your way [course, plans, conduct, ideas] to Yahweh. Also trust in him and he will bring it to pass." (Psalm 37:5) In other words, heart conversion. By conversion we do not mean what is generally called conversion, but in the fullest sense converted (turned) to Yahweh through his Son, Jesus, to submit every thought, act and plan to his superior wisdom and to obey his orders, whether the necessity or expediency of so doing is seen or not seen, at the time. The future will reveal the wisdom of doing things Yahweh's way.

(7)  Unless the heart is converted and brought fully into loving captivity to our Creator, all the knowledge that can be gained will continually increase the capacity for evil -- for gratifying selfish wrongful desires. However, to the fully converted heart every item of experience and education brings length and breadth and nobility of honor and leads on and on into the depth of the deep things of God, the riches of God in Christ -- riches in wisdom, riches in grace, riches of experience and riches of love. -- Romans 11:33.

(8)  Such devotion to Yahweh allows us to readily accept the words of Jesus that he will reprove the world when he returns. (John 16:8) We should not use Satan's tools to try to reprove Satan's world, else we show a love for this present world, which is at enmity with God. (James 4:4) The educational systems of this world are but one of the means that Satan is using to promote his rule and keep the masses in worship of him.

(9)  Has religion been taken out of schools in the United States? Absolutely not! There is still much coercion taking place in public schools in the United States as well as all nations. How so? At Christmas time, at Easter time, at Valentine's time, etc., traditional Christianity exerts great power over young minds to get them to worship Satanic idols such as Santa Claus, Christmas trees, Cupid, Easter Bunny, etc. With the influx of refugees other heathen idolatries are being added to the list.

(10)  Of course, a student can pray anytime, anywhere he wants to -- at school or any other place. What the courts have ruled on prohibits the state from sponsoring a prayer ceremony. Any such sponsorship would inevitable result in coercive prayer that is pushed on all students, whether they believe in them or not. Traditional Christianity desires to regain the same coercion they used to have in the schools.

(11)  More could be said, but suffice it to say that using Satan's secular governments for coercion has not been authorized by the Messiah. Yahshua (Jesus) never told us to try to use worldly governments, whether through public schools or otherwise, to try to coerce the masses into subjection to him! We are told to be no part of this world! -- John 17:9,15-18; James 4:4.

(12)  The religious training of children should be left in the hands of the parents, where God placed the responsibility. (Deuteronomy 6:7; Ephesians 6:4) Neither church nor state has the right, under the divine arrangement, to supplant the parent in this matter, nor to force into children, along with common education, principles and theories of this or that particular religion. True Christianity puts emphasis on teaching parents to take responsibility in this matter, for this is the only way approved by Yahweh. Putting religion into schools, or even organizing "Sunday Schools" or "Sabbath Schools" to teach the young is not authorized by our Master. These activities have actually encouraged the laxity we see prevalent today amongst professing Christian parents. Once parents accept the concept that it is the responsibility of the school or church to teach their children, they have absolved themselves of the responsibility.

(13)  We do not believe that the great majority of the leaders in the popular churches will listen to God's Word in this matter. If they would, they would be dealing with the minds of parents in their congregations and training them to deal with the minds of their own children, instilling into them gentleness, meekness, self-control, patience, brotherly kindness, love, respect for God supreme, for parents, and for man's governments. Parents would be taught to strive by precept and example to cultivate in the youth love for God through the Redeemer. This is the remedy outlined by Yahweh. It is the only remedy for the godlessness that keeps pace with the increase of knowledge. But this remedy cannot be applied either, because the parents and religious teachers of the popular apostate churches have their affections set on the things of this world and are unprepared to do their parts. False doctrines have distorted their conception of right, truth and love. Power and authority have displaced meekness and patience. The majority do not know how to appreciate the need of spirit and worshipping in spirit and truth. (John 4:23,24) Instead of worshipping in spirit and truth, their distorted view of worship is to put up Christmas trees, dress children as goblins, sing praises to the cross, or raise up before the sun (Easter sunrise worship -- worship of the sun), etc. They seem to only think of the spirit in terms of things seen, touched, or felt. All of this is material worship, not true worship in spirit and truth. (1 Timothy 4:1-4) Likewise, their tongues have become so used to distorting truth into falsehood that they have little or no ability to ascertain the difference. For centuries true worship has been ignored. Their consciences have become seared so that they actually believe their own lies. (1 Timothy 4:2) Consequently they cannot teach truth to others. Material worship (Christmas, cross, New Year's, Halloween, Easter, Valentines, etc.) and the teaching of the terrible, false, God-dishonoring traditions of eternal torment, etc., have ruled for centuries. While these false teachings served to blind and bind the ignorant and to build up the great system falsely called "Christendom," this system will be destroyed because of its participation in these things in the great day of God the Almighty.

(14)  Therefore we cannot expect anything to check the general increase of knowledge or to hinder the increase of crime and lawlessness. (2 Timothy 3:1-7; Daniel 12:1,4) Only by getting rid of, not only this system, but all material-worship systems of this world, will the true remedy be effected. Satan will be bound, and Jesus will rule for a thousand years to bring the world back into harmony with Yahweh. (Revelation 20:2,3; 22:3) During this thousand years all nations will come forth out of the graves and will be taught without the blinding influence of the great Liar and Deceiver -- Satan the Devil. -- Revelation 20:12; Isaiah 29:18,24; 25:7.

(15)  True worshippers are not told to go about trying to make this present evil world a better place in which to live. (Galatians 1:4) All such efforts have proven futile and usually causes more harm than good. (1 Corinthians 3:18,19; Proverbs 14:12; 16:25) Rather we are told not to be part of Satan's world, else we join ourselves to Satan's deceptions. (John 15:18-19; Revelation 12:9) Let us instead obey Jesus. (John 15:14) Let us worship in spirit and truth -- not with crosses, "Christmas" trees, rising before the sun (Easter sunrise worship), or making prayer-wishes to birthday cakes, etc. A true worshipper should be greatly attuned to recognize and reject anything akin to material worship -- idolatry. (John 4:23,24; 1 Corinthians 10:19-22) Let us teach our own youth at home, with the knowledge that the children of this world are being taught (or not being taught) worldly traditional religious values and are still learning the lessons due at this time under this system -- the futility of man's efforts separated from Yahweh. (Ecclesiastes 1:13,14; 8:9; 6:11) In the coming Kingdom age, they will learn about Yahweh's ways and will be given full opportunity to know him at that time and to obey the Good News. (Isaiah 2:3,4; 29:18,24) What a great relief this should bring to true worshippers during this time!

Scientology in Public Schools?

(16) One religious group, the Church of Scientology, is reportedly gaining entry into the public school system using the name "The Way to Happiness Foundation." The foundation, we understand, is but a front for infiltrating the public school system with the philosophy of L. Ron Hubbard's "Dianetics." The disciples of Jesus should be aware of this in order to take appropriate action to protect their children from being indoctrinated with this Satanic philosophy.