The President, Issues, and GIC 2008 - Sermon Intended to Preach - 10/26/2008 cont'd

“Parental Rights”

The second issue I will merely mention and be extremely brief on. It has to do with parental rights and responsibility over their child’s lives. Two instances that have occurred in California are now on the radar screen of many Americans, even the two men running for the office of President.

The first has to do with whether or not a parent should be notified prior to a minor proceeds with having an abortion. This will be “Proposition 4” on the ballot in California and if enough people vote against this proposition, a minor will be able to go to the doctor and have an abortion without telling her parents, but not allowed to have a simple vaccination shot prior to notifying her parents (if I am understanding this correctly).

The second has to do with whether or not the government has the right to control parents on whether or not they choose to home school their child. Earlier this year in March, an appeals court in California ruled that parents without proper credentials could not homeschool their child.


Here is how The San Francisco Chronicle introduced the story (from Al Mohler's web-site):

"A California appeals court ruling clamping down on homeschooling by parents without teaching credentials sent shock waves across the state this week, leaving an estimated 166,000 children as possible truants and their parents at risk of prosecution."

From The Los Angeles Times (from Al Mohler's web-site):

"Parents who lack teaching credentials cannot educate their children at home, according to a state appellate court ruling that is sending waves of fear through California's home schooling families. Advocates for the families vowed to appeal the decision to the state Supreme Court. Enforcement until then appears unlikely, but if the ruling stands, home-schooling supporters say California will have the most regressive law in the nation. "This decision is a direct hit against every home schooler in California," said Brad Dacus, president of the Pacific Justice Institute, which represents the Sunland Christian School, which specializes in religious home schooling. "If the state Supreme Court does not reverse this . . . there will be nothing to prevent home-school witch hunts from being implemented in every corner of the state of California."


So, in California, it is becoming a matter of state law not to allow parents to educate their children the way they choose or desire. Please hear me now. I bring this up not to make a case for or against home schooling. That is not the purpose of my bringing this up. I bring these two cases up because I am concerned of the government having way too much control over parents in how they raise their children. If it starts with issues of abortion and home schooling now, who knows how far down the line in the future the government can have control over parents.

On this issue, of allowing parents the right to choose how and where their child is educated, the two primary candidates running for President are again divided.

John McCain supports government vouchers being granted that allow parents to educate and place their children in the school of their choice.

Barack Obama, on the other hand, opposes government vouchers being granted that allow for parents to decide how their children are educated.

This is according to American Family Association’s Voter’s Guide.

I simply mention…

The 5th commandment (Exodus 20:12)
Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 20-25
Proverbs
Ephesians 6:1-4
Colossians 3:20-21

All are texts that remind us that God has ordained and arranged the family and society as operating in such a way that parents are responsible for the upbringing and direction of their children. It is the God-given duty and right and joy and privilege and responsibility of the parents to bring their children up. The ultimate aim, of course, is that they grow in the grace and knowledge and love of the Lord Jesus.