How Do You Socialize Your Children?

How Do You Socialize Your Children?


A good short video on the foolish attacks on homeschoolers.

Legalism?

I am starting to think "legalism" is becoming as bad as "sexism" or "racism." It seems to be an all purpose and meaningless insult by anyone who doesn't like moral standards. In theory opposing legalism shouldn't be antinomianism-the belief Christians have no moral obligations.

But after some reading I see I misunderstood it's meaning somewhat; "Legalism is alleged against any view that obedience to law, not faith in God's grace, is the pre-eminent principle of redemption." I always thought of legalism as forgetting the spirit and purpose of the law. Also often one thinks of legalism as tolerance of immorality on the grounds of convoluted argument. The fault of the Pharisees was not that they made rule rules to keep themselves holy, but that they made rules to excuse their unholiness, as John Owen (1616–1683) said; "These two principles, their own reputation and that of their sect, constituted the life and soul of Pharisaism of old."

In a perverse way this modern-day anti-"legalism" is becoming a form legalism in which people use to create convoluted arguments to justify their own selfishness. It seems many use such argument to get around the fifth commandment and it often does pave the way for antinomianism. I don't recall any place in the bible where it states eating nothing about eating nothing but candy and staying up till 1:00 a.m. are banned, but parents don't let their young children do such, is that "legalism" too? A rebellious daughter may accuse her parents of "legalism" if they require her to dress in a modest or traditional manner. This poisonous anti-"legalism" destroys tradition and morality.

On the other a child can be rebellious in legalistic way, following the letter of what his parents tell him, while doing things which they should know is wrong. This is a complex topic.

"Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee."-Deuteronomy 5:16

"Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set."-Proverbs 22:28

"Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes -- our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead. Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy of those who merely happen to be walking about. All democrats object to men being disqualified by the accident of birth: tradition objects to their being disqualified by the accident of death."-G. K. Chesterton

Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah

Telescopic Philanthropy

One of the memorable characters seen in Charles Dickens' many novels is Mrs. Jellyby. The "telescopic philanthropist" of "Bleak House" who obsessed with bettering an obscure African tribe but having little regard to her duties as wife and mother; or the notion of charity beginning at home. She spiritually abandons her family to work on philanthropic project to help people far away who she has never seen. The Borrioboola-Gha venture is in deepest darkest Africa, the project ends in a most gruesome manner when a local African chief attacks the project base and sells all the volunteers into slavery and then uses the money to acquire rum. Sadly Mrs. Jellyby leans nothing from this starts another philanthropic project.

Mrs. Jellyby seems to care little for her husband and children. Her oldest daughter is worked constantly on philanthropic projects and sits bitterly her ink-spattered dress sinking deeper into bitterness and cynicism. The younger children are left to fend for themselves. And her husband sinks into a suicidal despair. Her own family or for that matter poor of London are of little interest to her. Sadly forgetting that one's first duty is to your own kith and kin is still a problem today.

Proverbs 31

"The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil... She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life...She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens... She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy... She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness... Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her."

Titus 2

"...teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed."

The Order of Release 1746

"The Order of Release, 1746" by Sir John Everett Millais 1852

Scottish soldier, imprisoned by after the Battle of Culloden in 1746 is freed and reunited with his family.

High-Wheel Cultivator

A useful tool in the garden.

Plans:Anyone Can Build A Planet Whizbang Wheel Hoe

Lehmans High-Wheel Cultivator

Hoss Wheel Hoe

Preacher's Kids With Wild Ideas