Scripture and the News

Islamic Indoctrination in the Public Schools

By Dr. Paul M. Elliott
Secular humanism isn't the only false religion now being taught in the public schools.

From the TeachingtheWord Bible Knowledgebase

Secular humanism isn't the only false religion now being taught in the public schools.

Islamic Indoctrination by Government Grant

An expert on Islamic terrorism reminds us this week that secular humanism is not the only evil religious system being taught in American public schools. Schools across the United States (and in parts of Europe as well) have implemented a curriculum that indoctrinates public school students in the tenets of radical Islam. Much of this indoctrination is funded by grants from the U. S. Department of Education.1

While this is not the first time this development has been publicly exposed, this fresh warning reminds Bible-believing Christians of the imperative of protecting our children, and fulfilling our Christ-ordained mission.

As far as I know, Brigitte Gabriel is not a born-again Christian. Born in Lebanon, she is a naturlized American citizen and former news anchor for Middle East Television. She was brought up in the Maronite Catholic church, a mainly Middle Eastern branch of Catholicism that is in full ecclesiastical communion with the Pope of Rome. Gabriel is founder of ACT! for America, which, according to its website, "was created to provide American citizens a means to be a collective voice for the democratic values of Western Civilization, such as the celebration of life and liberty, as opposed to the authoritarian values of radical Islam, such as the celebration of death, terror and tyranny."2

Praise to Allah, But Not to Christ

Gabriel's warnings about Islamic indoctrination in America's public schools were highlighted this week in an article on the website OneNewsNow.com, which is sponsored by the American Family Association. [Our use of this article does not indicate TTW's endorsement of ACT! for America, OneNewsNow, or the AFA.] The article stated:

An expert on Islam explains that schools across the United States have implemented radical Islamic curriculum in public schools.

Brigitte Gabriel, founder of ACT! for America, explains that students are required to become a Muslim for three weeks, adopt Muslim names, memorize verses from the Quran, and visit a mosque for a field trip. If students try their best on assignments, she says, they will be guaranteed a good grade.

Students in these programs, laments the conservative activist, must also recite the Islamic prayer for salvation, which describes Islam as a straight path to God - and Christianity in error.

"Here's what they're teaching in the public schools; [here's] what they're telling the students they have to memorize and recite," she says - " 'Praise be to Allah, Lord of Creation, the compassionate, the merciful, king of judgment day. You alone we worship, and to you alone we pray for help.' "

Although she didn't say it in these terms, Gabriel in fact explains that the removal of the influence of the Bible, and the long-standing effects of postmodernism and secular humanism in the schools, have paved the way for the present wave of Islamic indoctrination:

Gabriel sees more than a little inconsistency in how the material is being presented. "Remember, this is public school where we can't even say we have a Christmas break - we have a 'winter break,' " she exclaims. "Where we can't even say we have Easter break - it's now called 'spring break.' "

The ACT! for America president explains that Islamic ideologies are prevalent in textbooks, such as the way the term "jihad" is explained. She says instead of portraying the idea as one of violence and bloodshed, the texts describe it as a struggle against oppression - the same description that al-Qaeda presents.

She argues that "what they're doing is literally brainwashing our students to prepare them to turn against our own soldiers and our own military and government by basically feeding them the talking points of al-Qaeda."

Gabriel contends that if students were to recite Bible verses, adopt Christian names, and learn a Christian prayer for salvation, many Americans would be infuriated, arguing it violates the alleged separation of church and state. But because of political correctness, she says, Islamic indoctrination is allowed in public schools.3

How Must Christians Respond?

If Christian parents needed yet another reason to keep their children out of the clutches of the public school system, this is certainly it. Homeschooling or Christian-schooling involves considerable sacrifice, but such sacrifices must be weighed against the value of our children's souls:

Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea... Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.... Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. (Matthew 18:6-14)

This development also underlines the crying need for Christians and churches to recognize that we are engaged in a continual warfare, "not...against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand" (Ephesians 6:12-13). "Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might" (verse 10). We must especially arm our children to stand against the destroyer of souls.

Finally, this development should spur Christians and churches to a renewed commitment to the preaching of the only Gospel that will save souls for eternity. The only true answer to the evil of radical Islam is the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."

Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God-and righteousness and sanctification and redemption - that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:18-31).

 

References:

 

1. The U. S. Department of Education provides Title VI grant money to schools to assist them in developing Islamic indoctrination programs. See, for example, "U. S. Department of Education Grant Strengthens Islamic Studies Major", Boston Globe, 12/17/2009, as viewed at http://www.bc.edu/publications/chronicle/TopstoriesNewFeatures/
topstories/islamicstudies121709.html
on 11/22/2010.

2. "About ACT! for America", http://www.actforamerica.org/index.php/learn/about-act-for-america as viewed on 11/22/2010.

3. Becky Yeh, "Schools: Islam...Yes! Christianity...No!", OneNewsNow, 11/23/2010, http://www.onenewsnow.com/Education/Default.aspx?id=1238300 as viewed on 11/23/2010.


Copyright 1998-2024

TeachingtheWord Ministriesmmmmmwww.teachingtheword.org

All rights reserved. This article may be reproduced in its entirety only,
for non-commercial purposes, provided that this copyright notice is included.

We also suggest that you include a direct hyperlink to this article
for the convenience of your readers.

san_0002

Copyright 1998-2024 TeachingTheWord Ministries