What do you tell your child;

As a Christian teacher I never taught this as fact. How I phrased it was, "Scientists believe the earth is millions of years old." For my own children I always made sure that while they understood the truth they also understood the necessity of answering according to the textbook if they wanted to pass the course in school, that sometimes we simply have to play by the rules of the game.

From my personal childhood experience with public schools, evolutionary teachings and trying to reconcile these differences in my own mind I will share that it wasn't until I was an adult that I quit trying to "reconcile" the two and to completely reject all the evolutionary theories. I always tried to fit in the "millions and millions of years" part into Genesis. I don't think I accepted a 24 hour day literal week until then. I've always understood God is not bound by man's clock and figured it somehow fit into that. (I will note I never believed man came from ape or some primordial ooze). I'd also heard theories that those millions and millions of years fit between verses, that the Book of Job happened between verses. (As you grow in Christianity you have to take things you hear and weigh them out and either accept or reject).

I guess what I'm saying is...it depends. Great answer, right? It depends upon your child. It depends upon your decision of whether or not they're old enough to grasp the concepts you're trying to teach them. If they're in a Bible believing and teaching church, Sunday School class, AWANA...any or all...they'll hear the truths and they do sink in. Unless they start asking specific questions I'd probably let it ride until they're old enough TO start asking questions about it. When they have a strong Christian background they WILL start mulling it over and asking questions at a fairly young age. Our little granddaughter is only 7 and she already knows that what they're teaching in school doesn't measure up to what she's learning at home and in church. She asks questions all the time about it. I love it when she says things like, "My teacher said we came from apes. That just isnt right!" Those are teachable moments and as parents we have to take full advantage of them.

 

I would explain to my child that we, as Christians, believe the Bible. It is the basis for everything, even science. Genesis says the "evening and the morning were the first day." That shows a 24-hour day. Then I would show them in Genesis where God created the world and how everything was "perfect." Death did not enter the world until man sinned.

 

It will be my Grandchildren and I will take them to a book called the beginnings under attack. Another from creation scientist Dr. Morris Scientific creationism and he had an earlier book on it. Also let them know that Dr. Morris at one time taught at Rice University and challenged the christian students beliefs. He began to see the truth of creationism and founded the institute for creation research.

Also let them know that there are many creation scientist in this world who do not hold to the evolutionary beliefs. That they have to learn wht they are tauight because it is man's philosophy but that don't have to retain what they are taught. So you give them the counter view from scientist who don't hold the evolutionary beliefs of the earths age.

 

Here's what we did:

We showed them different Christians, respected scholars all and conservative to boot, with different takes on it.

We told them our personal belief is that the earth is millions, perhaps billions of years old and explained that we hold to the so called gap theory.

And we told them to study the Bible, study young earth creationism, study old earth creationism, and study the day age theory. And to let God guide their study.

One is still, to my knowledge, young earth creationist and one is gap theory/old earth creationist.

It doesn't matter.

All sides credit God--even the theistic evolutionists--as Creator and believe the Genesis account. And yes, many who take it very literally are not young earthers.

As to the flood--the word commonly translated world or earth, as in covered the whole world or earth, is also commonly translated land as in "this land is your land, this land is my land" where none of us English speakers would take the song as meaning the whole entire planet.

Now, I hold to a universal flood but understand that one can take the Hebrew literally and hold to a localized flood.

Why do we fight these shadows instead of taking the gospel to the world?

 

Don't blame the teachers. The typical news, movie, science, history channels all put out the same froth.

Depending on the age, the response could go from, "Some people do not believe like our family and church," to more aggressive where ideas and theories and talked about in a friendly manner. These are teachable moments in which character and attitude of the leader disseminate as much as what is said.

If the child does not have the freedom to voice their opinion of school, friends, and personal struggles at home, they most certainly will voice their opposition of the home to peers in the outside world. Here is a short list that I would generally follow when my children brought up issues.

At no time is the conversation to be confrontational. One does not lead by facing the troops. Let the child talk, ask questions, and build upon the Scriptural principle that one who believes must first believe there is a God and part of the reward of belief is the Holy Spirit to guide into all truth.

At no time is the conversation to be sarcastic. What that does is generally shut down conversation and is used wisely in the workplace to motivate workers. But the family isn't the workplace and needs open conversations.

At no time respond out of emotion. As the child moves into teen years, everything becomes emotional, and conversations can quickly degenerate into arguments and battle lines. You are the leader of the home, you don't lead enemy troops, you lead your family.​

The key is open and honest communication. The home is to be a safe place in which the child can at times vent, cry, laugh, share,... as well as learn to converse in an adult manner about the most intimate details of life and living with those they trust - parents. Godly parents will allow conversations about things that are silly, dangerous, humorous, sexual, and all other aspects the child works through as they grow and mature.

Along the way there is a point in which you have to teach the child to respond to test questions the way the teacher would approve; while also considering, as they feel lead by the Holy Spirit, to include what they also believe as the truth.

When my son was in college, he responded that way, and the teacher gave them a failing grade on the major paper. My son, in gentleness and with great respect conferred with the teacher in their office. He diplomatically pointed out that he answered the teacher's question with what the teacher determined as correct, and then included the Scriptural answer. The teacher was so impressed not only by the character my son displayed but by the skill he had shown in responding to confrontation, that the next class period he openly apologized and spent time demonstrating to the class how disagreement and conflicting principles can be shared even if disagreement on an item remains a disagreement.

Unfortunately the BB doesn't work that way. :tonofbricks:

 

You refuse to be the child-abuser who consigns their child to a government school, but if it is already to late to begin that way...then some of the advice already posed is pretty good. And you then get them out of it as quickly as possible.

 

I have been going thry this with both my boys, age 12/14!

I do explain to them the Christian aspect of Evolution/earth age, man ancestory eDinosaurs etc...

I sit down and go thru their homework in geology, Universe etc, and keep pointing out where the science and the Bible conflict...

My oldest last year did a 3 page report T-Rex, and added another page with answers in genesis facts on it...

teacher threw that part away, but he still got an A!

 

So you taught your children to not trust God's word. Good job! :BangHead:

 

This is my daughters first year of public school before that she went to a private Christian school. She is in the 3rd grade. Before she went the first day I warned her about evolution, age of the Earth, etc. I told her that I expected her to learn what they taught and do good on tests, etc. But that I didn't believe it and she shouldn't either. She is saved and she believes that God's Word is true.

 

Great response :thumbs:The main thing being to have already taught them before they attend public school so you do not have to play catch up.

 

I tell them the Bible is true and fact. I also tell them this doesn't mean you throw out science if it doesn't appear to agree...there are a lot of things not understood in science and if it disagrees with the Bible, either you need to study it more, scientists haven't caught up yet and maybe never will. You're also allowed to study science yourself, you don't have to depend on everyone else for all the answers.

There are people in school, out of school, next door, in church, out of church - pretty much anywhere - that can and do disagree with the Bible. Books, television, all things contain a level of untruth.That makes them something called "wrong." We don't have to be snotty about it, but there's nothing wrong with expressing your beliefs too.

What they end up doing with what they know is their choice, not mine. They have, are, and will continue to be presented with different versions. Even though I am their mother, I do not control their minds and I don't have an obligation to do so or to figure out the world for them, only to present them with the truth and pray for them.

I taught them from the beginning about creation according to the Bible so they had a foundation to go on. They're all in public school now. The ones I have raised from birth have been taught the truth from a young age. Now it's up to them.

The two youngest...I wasn't there during the formative years. They don't seem very curious either way, but are the type of kids that have a god-like view of teachers and that concerns me. We can tell them the same thing a teacher does, but they accept it from the teacher and not from us. That is concerning.When they get into higher grades, Biblical views will become a much bigger issue. I look forward to that because it will, hopefully, peak their interest in Biblical things and make them more interested in studying them.

I think it's good to introduce kids to all aspects of the arguments out there. They're going to have to deal with them one day, so why not start teaching them now? There's no reason to wait until they are older and slammed with something unexpected. Even while teaching at home, I remember teaching them other points of view. Why wait until a stranger brings it up in rather than bring it up in a teaching environment instead?

A word of warning is in order though. From my experience with kids and with working in the classrooms, the strongest influence tends to be their peers. That's why it is important to build that strong foundation as early as possible. Hard science starts hitting the curriculum in middle school, but the kids they're hanging out with bring their thoughts to your kid long before that. Your kid will probably be exposed to other beliefs and ideas long before a teacher may (or may not) bring them up. BTW, not all teachers present evolution the same. There are plenty, even in public schools, that present it as an idea and present Biblical creationism alongside it. Whether or not administration comes down on it will often depend on the presentation. IE a teacher can ask students "are their any opposing views to this subject?" When a kid says yes, let them explain it. A teacher may also simply ask what other views they students have heard of and bring up creation. Most public schools I'm familiar with have not (yet) become a "you MUST teach godless evolution and never ever let them learn about the concept that God created the world or anything to do with intelligent design."

Oh, and one more thing. Teach your child to be respectful to the teachers even when they teach something they don't believe in. A kid doesn't have to laugh and say "that's so dumb and wrong" just as you wouldn't think it's okay for someone to laugh and say "that's so dumb and wrong" when your kid tells them what they believe. That's kinda the heart and soul of teaching and learning. You listen, you examine, you grow in your understanding and you show respect for other humans when you interact with them, whether you're the teacher or the student. If more people would get that concept, we might see a rise in the general level of knowledge and intelligence all around us. :thumbs:

 

Matt Wade, your reply is beneath the dignity of a Christian.

No, I taught them that the Bible does not necessarily teach young earth creationism.

But I did teach them to believe the Bible--just apparently not your interpretation of it.

 

I believe the way you teach your children is beneath the dignity of a Christian, so I guess we're even on that?