On Christian Isolationism
Comment: The following is a portion of a of philosophy statement of a local (Minneapolis area) Independent Baptist Fundamentalist Christian Day School. I am linking to it here only so readers will know I did not make this up.
During the first year after leaving home our children are probably more vulnerable to the attacks of Satan than at any other time in their lives. Those who enter directly into the job market, enroll in vocational school, or enlist in the military will be under tremendous peer pressure to give in to sin. There will be few strong Christians from which to draw strength to do right. Those who enroll in a secular university or college will face the additional danger of the humanistic professors’ influence. Young students become enamored with and intimidated by the professors’ knowledge with the result that they eventually reject the Bible standards they have grown up with. Non-fundamental religiously affiliated colleges are even more dangerous than secular schools. The teaching at such institutions is not only steeped in humanistic thought, but also in false doctrine.Comments: Image source
In the view of this church & school, after graduation, it is ...:
- Wrong to directly enter the job market
- Wrong to go to a vocational school
- Wrong to serve in the military
Wrong to go to a secular school - And "Non-fundamental religiously affiliated colleges are even more dangerous than secular school"
Observations:
- It seems the devil, to them, is stronger than the Almighty of Whom it is promised: "My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand" (John 10:29)
- While obviously we need to have certain barriers established and standards of associations, but we are to be salt and light in and to the world. I Corinthians 5:9-11, "I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat."
I left out a section (may not be on that page) that expressed that every Christian should go to a fundamentalist Bible college.
ReplyDeleteThose who witnessed to me when I was in elementary school and college.
ReplyDeleteIn elementary school a friend told me that I was blaspheming God by saying "gee" and "g-whiz". Not to debate that (I really didn't think I was blaspheming God" but at least his comments got me thinking.
I don't recollect anyone witnessing to me in HS. Maybe I wasn't listening.
In my freshman year of college I flirted with a cute gal from Texas and she seemed interested in me. Finally I gathered the courage to ask her out and she declined and completely distanced herself from me. Much later (2 or 3 years later) after I became a Christian she told me she declined because I wasn't a Christian.
Both cases were what I would view as fairly weak witnessing but regardless along the way I did find (really He found me) Christ
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ReplyDelete(typo in previous comment!)
ReplyDeleteFurther on in 1 Corinthians:
[27] If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience.
(1 Corinthians 10:27 ESV)
I note this not so much because of the instruction on handling meat offered to idols, as to note the scenario in view: an unbeliever invites you to a meal; if you want to go, go.
I attended a secular university - living in the dorms - after graduating from FBCS, and know that I was entirely too naive to be effective salt and light in that situation. I had no problem "maintaining my testimony" and still attended church on Sundays, but I was in no way prepared to build the relationships necessary to actually point others to Christ - I don't blame Fourth for that alone, it's also a failing of my family and churches I grew up in. I followed the rules because it's what I had always done, but found I didn't know why.
ReplyDeleteIt's one of the many reasons my wife and I no longer identify ourselves as "IFB," and one of the things we're doing our best not to repeat with our daughter.
Amen, and amen, and amen. I have to wonder if a lot of "IFB" schools do more harm than good in persuading kids that the Gospel is good to take the very Gates of Hell--not a mere wall behind which we can hide.
ReplyDeletenice mention by Bert (Thanks)
ReplyDelete