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S/O off "Ham Strikes Again..." ~ WHO OWNS HOMESCHOOLING?


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I think it is madness to suggest they even represent all Christians.

It's not madness if they are the ones defining "Christian." It's something else entirely.

Edited by nmoira
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But of course, I'm sure they would blame my heresy on my being Roman Catholic.:001_rolleyes:

 

For me, this entire young earth old earth evolved from apes or not issue is a non issue. NONE of it proves or disproves God in my religion. And since all of it is based on theorical opinions, rather than solid scientific advances - it just does not matter to me.

 

My opinion? How old the earth is is completely irrelevant to me.

 

I don't think people are decended from apes. Tho occasionally I do think there is a valid argument for donkey lineage in some people.:tongue_smilie:

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And hippies.

 

I don't think it's ever been monolithic.

 

It's madness to think young earth creationist Christians represent all homeschoolers.

 

But the hippies tended to fly beneath the radar. The religious ones were on a mission to make homeschooling mainstream, legal, etc. I'm sure there were others, but they didn't produce curriculum nor did they tend to lobby or go to jail for their right to homeschool. I'm sure there were some, but...those who pursued the legalization or mainstreaming homeschooling are the ones who *think* they represent all homeschoolers.

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But the hippies tended to fly beneath the radar. The religious ones were on a mission to make homeschooling mainstream, legal, etc. I'm sure there were others, but they didn't produce curriculum nor did they tend to lobby or go to jail for their right to homeschool.

I am not sure what making something "mainstream" means.

 

Just because someone "flew beneath the radar" doesn't mean they shouldn't get credit for being a so-called early adapter.

 

I also think it's part of the Christian fundamentalists' "story" that homeschooling necessarily involves conflict with the government, legal fights, and jail time, so that groups like the HSLDA therefore become the saviors of our freedom, etc.

 

As for the other point, John Holt seems to have been fairly influential, and could be said to be one of the founders of the modern homeschooling movement. They tended to act on the local level rather than have global, federally aimed court cases. Such as Elaine Mahoney of Cape Cod, who had a cordial relationship with the local authorities. Clonlara reported in the early 1980s that few parents involved with them had been contacted by local authorities. In fact, trouble with authorities coincided with large numbers of angry Christian fundamentalists wanting to remove their children from satanic influences. Homeschool: An American History by Milton Gaither details this rather thoroughly.

 

And those who think one doesn't need a curriculum by definition wouldn't have produced any.

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I actually agree there is room for both and then some.

 

He was not disinvited bc there wasn't "room" for him.

 

He was disinvited because he was being an unprofessional a$$.

 

It is one thing to show up with a very different POV and product. That is great!

 

It is another to show up and slander, disparage, make unchristian and erroneous remarks about other providers.

 

The first, no one had an issue with.

 

The second? Not only does not suit the purpose of the venue (to promote his own product) but is unprofessional and inappropriate.

 

 

:iagree:

 

The issue for MHC appears to be about manners and professionalism in the world of homeschool curricula authors, speakers, and vendors and not about differences in belief or theology or even censorship.

 

As for ownership of homeschooling--I've said it before and I will say it again--IF we allow one group to take control of and claim to represent all homeschooling then all that needs to be done to end legalized homeschooling is to disapprove of that one group. No one group "owns" homeschooling.

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"Who owns homeschooling?" is indeed a very important question. I have only watched a few of these threads as my time is limited because of....well....homeschooling. But I have been thinking of this all day and longer than that in fact.

 

It just dawned on me that you could ask another quesition, "Who has the right to claim homeschooling?"

 

Another question to ask would be "Who does Ken Hamm think owns homeschooling?"

 

I think we need to answer these ones too as we consider how to respond to people like Ken Hamm. I am fairly certain his answer would be God or the group that he thinks created homeschooling. I am equally certain that he has not thought out all the implications of his position.

 

If in fact God owns homeschooling lets look at how God deals with ownership and claiming ownership. Does he force us to acknowledge Him because He created our souls? Did He possess many and valuable things while walking on earth as Christ? Did he spend much time claiming things, groups or organization on earth while here? I could pull out my bible and find many references to how God dealt with ownership and claiming ownership but I will not because each of us must look into it ourselves. I know the answer I come up with.

 

The apparent claiming of the homeschooling movement that I think Ken Hamm alludes to in his position is sad to me because it appears to be incongruent with what I see as God's character.

 

I am very thankful for these boards. In our local group we are wrestling with all of these same issues and you ladies have helped me think it all through. Hopefully, I can face the local group with ideas that I have fleshed out as a result of spending time here and we can all put the issues ownership to rest.

 

Many Thanks to SWB for keeping the civil discussion open and flowing so we can all work out our own thoughts on this sadly dividing and damaging issue.

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Cynthia, I see what you are saying as I have friends like that too.

 

However, I don't see the history of homeschooling as belonging to religious fundamentalists. Raymond and Dorothy Moore were Seventh-Day Adventists and Gregg Harris and others took them to task over that and plugged them into the *secular and liberal* category even though upon reading his own words, Dr. Moore seemed to have considered himself Christian and driven by his faith, didn't seem to matter to The Powers That Be that were raising themselves up at the time. (Harris and Mike Farris of HSLDA by the way, according to what I've read *original source* online)

 

Then, what about the Colfaxes?? John Holt??

 

This is where I think we have been drinking some kool-aid. kwim?

 

(By the way, I am not saying any of these people are or are *not* Christian. *I* don't know. The point is that THEIR point was not their religion, but homeschooling)

 

Yes, and there were lots of Catholics, too, who were unhappy with their local parish schools or weren't willing to send their children to the public schools, but didn't have a Catholic school available. Fundamentalist protestant homeschoolers were not the "trailblazers" that some groups make them out to be. There were others there from the beginning who were just as vocal and just as committed. No one group "owns" homeschooling. It's about freedom.

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If you pay close attention to the direction that Christian conservatism has been going in the last decade or so (patriarchy, quiverfull, etc.) there is a definite political component to the rhetoric. There is a component that seems to be about gaining political power in the future. This segment of the homeschooling community seems to see the education of children of distant secondary importance to instillation of a particular worldview. Education and critical thinking are the enemies of this sort of indoctrination.

 

Look up Christian Reconstructionism/Dominionism/Theonomy. Some of these self-proclaimed "leaders" are Reconstructionists. I'm pretty sure Doug Phillips is one. Reconstructionists want to turn the country into a Christian theocracy and go back to much of the Mosaic law. While I doubt they'd ban mixed fabrics, some advocate returning to stoning of adulterers and rebellious children. (Keep in mind, that many of these people are into patriarchy, so a "rebellious" child might be an adult daughter who wants to move out or not marry the man the dad chooses.)

 

Reconstructionists are post-millennial, so they think they need to usher in the millennium and after 1000 years then Christ will return. Homeschooling is a major part of the plan.

 

Strangely enough, the few Reconstructionists I know in real life voted for Ron Paul and other libertarianish candidates. They don't seem to notice the cognitive dissonance between wanting freedom for their family, while wanting to place non-Christians under their own version of Christianity.

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Look up Christian Reconstructionism/Dominionism/Theonomy. Some of these self-proclaimed "leaders" are Reconstructionists. I'm pretty sure Doug Phillips is one. Reconstructionists want to turn the country into a Christian theocracy and go back to much of the Mosaic law. While I doubt they'd ban mixed fabrics, some advocate returning to stoning of adulterers and rebellious children. (Keep in mind, that many of these people are into patriarchy, so a "rebellious" child might be an adult daughter who wants to move out or not marry the man the dad chooses.)

 

Reconstructionists are post-millennial, so they think they need to usher in the millennium and after 1000 years then Christ will return. Homeschooling is a major part of the plan.

 

Strangely enough, the few Reconstructionists I know in real life voted for Ron Paul and other libertarianish candidates. They don't seem to notice the cognitive dissonance between wanting freedom for their family, while wanting to place non-Christians under their own version of Christianity.

So, like, they want a Republic of Gillead? :001_huh:

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http://www.thatmom.com/podcasts/patriarchypatriocentricity-series-two-2010/

 

Parts 8 and 9 of this podcast series are about the 2009 Homeschool Leadership Summit held in Indianapolis. I listened in August and here are some of the points I remembered:

 

-women were not allowed to attend

-how to teach wasn't the topic

-a major item on the agenda was how to get homeschooling families to all switch to family-integrated churches

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The very essence of homeschooling lies in its freedom. There are no leaders, but mentors. When it becomes an organization in which one set of ideals tells another what is best, we've lost what we set out for in the first place.

 

:iagree::iagree:Exactly. Homeschool is all about freedom of choice and individuality of families and children.

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I don't think people are descended from apes. Tho occasionally I do think there is a valid argument for donkey lineage in some people.:tongue_smilie:

:iagree::lol:

All homeschool parents are doing what they believe to be in the best interest of their family. I don't 'own' my kids any more than my parents own me. *shudder* But I have the responsibility to see them become responsible, fully functional, healthy adults. Or, at least, do the best I can to get them there.

 

I find the concept of 'owning' homeschooling baffling. I mean, simply by homeschooling, doesn't that indicate a certain reluctance/refusal to be a lemming? To not do what 'everyone else does...' if its not in the best interest of our particular child/children?

 

I agree with the herding cats comment. And its one of the things I *like* about homeschooling, is knowing that there are others who are independent enough, strong enough, stubborn enough to do what they believe/know to be right, rather than follow the path of least resistance.

 

I'm not interested in a leader. A fellow parent, slogging it out in the trenches that's there to support, encourage, butt kick, etc, absolutely. Someone standing at the front of the crowd, making sweeping pronouncements, dictating what others should do? *snort*

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All I can think of today is Ted Haggard, Jimmy Swaggart, etc. It just seems whenever someone gets too big for their britches and starts presenting themselves as "the face" of the Christian world they end up getting caught with a male prostitute or snorting coke in their hotel room. I think I'll just stick with looking up to the pastors I know as leaders.

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All I can think of today is Ted Haggard, Jimmy Swaggart, etc. It just seems whenever someone gets too big for their britches and starts presenting themselves as "the face" of the Christian world they end up getting caught with a male prostitute or snorting coke in their hotel room. I think I'll just stick with looking up to the pastors I know as leaders.

 

:lol::lol::lol: Sad but true -preachers and politicians!

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http://www.thatmom.com/podcasts/patriarchypatriocentricity-series-two-2010/

 

Parts 8 and 9 of this podcast series are about the 2009 Homeschool Leadership Summit held in Indianapolis. I listened in August and here are some of the points I remembered:

 

-women were not allowed to attend

-how to teach wasn't the topic

-a major item on the agenda was how to get homeschooling families to all switch to family-integrated churches

 

:ack2:

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http://www.thatmom.com/podcasts/patriarchypatriocentricity-series-two-2010/

 

Parts 8 and 9 of this podcast series are about the 2009 Homeschool Leadership Summit held in Indianapolis. I listened in August and here are some of the points I remembered:

 

-women were not allowed to attend

-how to teach wasn't the topic

-a major item on the agenda was how to get homeschooling families to all switch to family-integrated churches

 

 

Wow, this is so much bigger than I thought. I really wasn't paying attention to any of this all those years ago.

Edited by justamouse
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http://www.thatmom.com/podcasts/patriarchypatriocentricity-series-two-2010/

 

Parts 8 and 9 of this podcast series are about the 2009 Homeschool Leadership Summit held in Indianapolis. I listened in August and here are some of the points I remembered:

 

-women were not allowed to attend

-how to teach wasn't the topic

-a major item on the agenda was how to get homeschooling families to all switch to family-integrated churches

 

Wow... no women? So who is teaching their kids? Are the dad's not working? :confused::confused::confused:

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I have repeatedly posted in favor of inclusive conventions.

 

I have no problem with a speaker saying he doesn't like another curriculum. I've heard it from other speakers (never heard KH speak).

 

I have listened to the recording in question, and don't see why that would have resulting in dis-inviting a speaker. Frankly, if GHC hadn't dis-invited KH, this whole thing would have died down by now. Those who cared for his opinion would have had it, and that would have been it.

 

GHC is the one who has made its own convention less inclusive.

 

 

Do you have a link? My understanding is that AIG hasn't released the recording? But I doubt it is because of a coverup or anything, it just isn't their policy according to their website? Or did they release it to show what was actually said?

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The very essence of homeschooling lies in its freedom. There are no leaders, but mentors. When it becomes an organization in which one set of ideals tells another what is best, we've lost what we set out for in the first place.

:iagree:

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Do you have a link? My understanding is that AIG hasn't released the recording? But I doubt it is because of a coverup or anything, it just isn't their policy according to their website? Or did they release it to show what was actually said?

 

I saw and heard a link of a very tiny snippet of his talk but I have learned that snippets can be misleading. In the media there have been a multitude of episodes of selective snippets which are misleading.

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I saw and heard a link of a very tiny snippet of his talk but I have learned that snippets can be misleading. In the media there have been a multitude of episodes of selective snippets which are misleading.

 

The recording was done by another company which specifically stated AT Greenville that the cds would not be available after the convention. They may not be able to release it publicly.

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The recording was done by another company which specifically stated AT Greenville that the cds would not be available after the convention. They may not be able to release it publicly.

 

This snippet was on Ham's blog. At least I think he was saying it was his talk but it was very, very short so it seemed to me to be a snippet.

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I am afraid that "we the little people" may not have access to a recording any time soon. This has become such a convoluted mess that it's possible no one will want to release it due to possible libel/slander issues.

 

As for snippets, well I think that there should be a new term for this..."snippetizing" - the fulfillment of an appetizing temptation to take tiny portions of direct quote material out of context for the purpose of propaganda - "snippetizing". See also "the media" and "kerfuffle"!

 

Faith

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Doug Phillips of Vision Forum posted the following on Ken Ham's FB wall:

 

"The most controversial home school convention of the decade ended this afternoon in Cincinnati without incident, but also without resolution or response to grief and concern of thousands of home educators concerning the expulsion and character attacks on AIG president, Ken Ham. Hundreds of home schoolers attending the conference expressed their heartache over the treatment of Ken Ham and the sanctioning of speakers teaching a liberal view of Scripture. Now that the convention has concluded, the time has come for a serous evaluation of what took place. This may be the one of the most important moments in the history of the modern home school movement, as parents and Christian home school leaders determine "the rules of engagement" concerning the future of this movement."

 

We were discussing the bolded part in the "Ham Strikes Again..." thread last night. This morning, SWB suggested a spin-off thread to discuss the topic of WHO *owns* homeschooling? I think it is a good question so, I'm biting. :)

Why am I not surprised that it was Doug Phillips who wrote this? :glare:

 

Parents own homeschooling. Their own, not anyone else's. Why does he think there must be "rules of engagement"? Why (and I say this as a Christian) must Christian homeschool leaders determine this??? What does he even mean by "rules of engagement"??

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Wow... no women? So who is teaching their kids? Are the dads not working? :confused::confused::confused:

You must remember that Doug Phillips is a pastor in a church where women are not allowed to speak in the service at any time. At all. Where women cannot recieve communion of they don't have husbands or sons--even young sons--who can serve them. Where daughters are expected to live at home, serving their fathers, until they are married. Yes, really.

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You must remember that Doug Phillips is a pastor in a church where women are not allowed to speak in the service at any time. At all. Where women cannot recieve communion of they don't have husbands or sons--even young sons--who can serve them. Where daughters are expected to live at home, serving their fathers, until they are married. Yes, really.

:svengo:

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You must remember that Doug Phillips is a pastor in a church where women are not allowed to speak in the service at any time. At all. Where women cannot recieve communion of they don't have husbands or sons--even young sons--who can serve them. Where daughters are expected to live at home, serving their fathers, until they are married. Yes, really.

 

:001_huh: Oh my.

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Ellie, can you provide a link to Phillip's home church site, or a blog post, or something documented about women not being able to receive communion without a husband, father, or son to serve them?

 

My pastor, who only recently learned of Doug Phillips and appalled, would like to amass a little proof from the horse's mouth, so that he is prepared to take questions in case this comes up amongst the homeschoolers in our community.

 

Faith

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Ellie, can you provide a link to Phillip's home church site, or a blog post, or something documented about women not being able to receive communion without a husband, father, or son to serve them?

 

My pastor, who only recently learned of Doug Phillips and appalled, would like to amass a little proof from the horse's mouth, so that he is prepared to take questions in case this comes up amongst the homeschoolers in our community.

 

Faith

 

Here's one woman's story. I don't know if that's what you were looking for, but I hope it helps.

 

And DP's stance on young women & "graduation".

Edited by KristinaBreece
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The recording was done by another company which specifically stated AT Greenville that the cds would not be available after the convention. They may not be able to release it publicly.

 

They did say that, however, the CDs must be around. Many people purchased them, and Ken Ham was among those who were considered "headliners" of the conference (along with SWB, Phillips, Stonestreet) whose CDs could be purchased in a package.

 

Anyway, it is also possible that comments were made during the Q and A, or privately to individuals at the booth. We really don't know.

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All of this is a consequence (and an expected one at that) of fundamentalist theology combined with patriarchy. Add counter-cultural choices into the mix and we have a heady concoction that has been brewing for trouble for years.

 

Extreme movements (which homeschooling can be considered), with extreme dynamics (with represents a percentage of homeschoolers) have a predictable dynamic. As the movement gets more mainstream, a subgroup within the subgroup begins to feel threatened, fears disenfranchisment and tries to rally the troops back into a cohesive model of their making.

 

If profit is involved, it is typically more toxic.

 

It happened to Sonlight. It happened to Cheryl Seelhoff. It's happening to PHP/SWB. This is "ours" at the moment, but it won't be the last.

 

For people (men) who feel they have an exclusive understanding of the universe (theological fundamentalists), they can't allow people to "be where they are". They have a primal need to conrol and exert power.

 

Who owns homeschooling is the wrong question (no disrespect meant to the OP ;)). The questions are larger, and they harken back to old issues of power, control, profit and status.

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