Secularization
Today's lesson is from the pen of Steve Higginbotham. I have expanded upon his good work in a minimal way and hope that you will seriously consider his words below.

Secularization is the process of removing religious and moral influence from our society. And I must conclude that secularization is alive and well in the United States today.

As you know, and many of you may remember first hand, there was a time when each school day began with a prayer. Of course, if such happened today, the ACLU would bring a multi-million dollar law suit against the school. This is an example of secularization. Just this past week, I encountered another example of secularization from my son's sixth grade classroom. Do you remember the "aptitude tests" that were given to students? These tests were given to help children identify several possible professions that could be suitable for them. Depending on the way a child answered certain questions, he might learn that he seemed suitable to pursue such professions as being a doctor, nurse, school teacher, plumber, mechanic, or a host of other professions.

Well, imagine my surprise when my son returned home from school and told me about some of the suggested professions that were offered to several of his friends. One little girl was told she would make a good bartender. Another child was suited to work in a winery. And yet another student was suitable to work as a beer manufacturer. I was speechless. I can't remember a more blatant attempt to legitimize the alcohol industry. I can't imagine what kind of questions could have been asked that would suggest a little sixth grade girl should become a bartender! I can't imagine why one would be well suited to work as a beer manufacturer as opposed to a soft drink manufacturer (or simply be suitable for the manufacturing industry in general). I couldn't help but wonder if in Nevada, where prostitution is legal, if this profession would have been offered as a suitable line of work for some students?

It is obvious that the secularization of America is alive and well in our state school systems. More and more we are witnessing attempts to remove Christian faith, morals, and values from the public arena. This is yet another example of our move away from morality and toward acceptance, tolerance, and non-judgmentalism. Friends, our work is cut out for us. If we want to raise godly children, we had better get busy and put in the time and training necessary to make the spiritual training of our children a priority. It takes a concentrated and continual effort to counter the daily barrage of the world. "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it" (Prov. 22:6). "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (I John 2:15). "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people" (Prov. 14:34).