Christian group banned from schools – Focus on the Family has been accused of vilifying homosexuality, and preaching religion to students without parental consent.
Well I’ll be, the ‘Focus on the Family’ Christian ministry has hit the headlines twice in one week. Firstly this report from Australia:
ABC News:-
A Christian group has been banned from ACT schools while allegations about its practices are investigated by the Education Department.Focus on the Family has been accused of vilifying homosexuality, and preaching religion to students without parental consent.
‘Vilifying homosexuality?’ It’s OK to vilify Christianity, but the Lord help you (literally) if you say something negative about the homosexual lifestyle.
‘Preaching religion to students without parental consent?’. I guess this presupposes that secularism, humanism and atheism are not in themselves ‘belief systems’, not to mention the rest of the political, ideological, ethical and ‘moralistic’ world views, that are neatly wrapped up into educational parcels for our children to unwrap and accept as the ‘gospel’ truth.
A spokesman for Education Minister Andrew Barr says the government launched the investigation after a complaint made by a parent at a Canberra high school.
The spokesman says the group had also run programs in five other schools, although no other complaints have been made.
The Australian Christian Lobby has attacked the investigation saying there is a place for a values-based program in schools, which covers issues like marriage and abstinence, as well as the dangers of pornography.
It is not known how long the investigation will take.
And secondly the news that James Dobson, the voice of Focus on the Family, will no longer host its flagship radio broadcast and is cutting formal ties with the organization that he founded more than 30 years ago:-
Dobson, 73, and the board of directors both agreed about the moves, which will go into effect at the end of February, ministry officials said. The decision to part ways was amicable and long anticipated, said Gary Schneeberger, spokesman for the Colorado Springs-based group.
Dobson has distanced himself in recent years from the organization he founded in 1977 and built into an influential force — both as a political powerhouse and provider of conservative family and moral advice. Dobson resigned as Focus on the Family president in 2003 and as chairman of the board in February.
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If you have stumbled onto this blog and are not a Christian, get yourself a hot drink, pull up a comfy chair and then tuck into the following article written by one of the best in the business:- All Of Grace by Charles Spurgeon
Tags: Christianity, Education