Props to my kid

Faith & Science Conversation
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WARNING: BLATANT MISUSE OF THE FORUM AHEAD

I just thought you guys could appreciate this, and have no other place to share this. There’s no question for discussion, and I apologize for that. Just a story.

My daughter’s class at a Christian school is working through the Abeka textbook Investigating God’s World. We both looked ahead recently and saw that the section on dinosaurs was coming up: so, if you’re unfamiliar, this means whole pages talking about Bible characters who saw living dinosaurs as they lived together and frolicked in the antediluvian wilderness. She already knows that I think this sort of presentation is lying, and she knows some of the scientific reasons why.

So I asked her in advance how she wanted to handle it when it came up in class. I let her know that I was completely supportive if she wanted to either be quiet or say something, and that in her situation, I’d probably be quiet, but it would be really hard for me.

Today was the day! In the car on the way back from school…

me: Oh yeah! How’d it go today?
her: Well. I didn’t say anything, but it was harder than I thought it’d be! The book talks about Adam and Job and stuff, but she went on and on and talked about how the Indians might have really seen dragons and everything.
me: Wow. How did you do it?
her: Well, I had my fingers in my ears.
me: [cracks up] Oh no! Did she see you?
her: [impish smile] No…
me: Well, I’m proud of you for being able to hold your peace. That’s not easy! I don’t think I’d have made it!
me: Hey, by the way, did she give any hint that any Christians believe differently from her?
her: Nope. She even said that scientists are wrong.

What strikes me is that it’s 2017, and we live in a major metropolitan area in a blue state. This is not the rural deep South of the '60s.

I dunno… is this where I pivot to an altar call for year-end giving to BioLogos?? I mean, man — this can be downright distressing. I sure am grateful for this site and its public witness. Perhaps one day it’ll reach as far as my kids’ teachers. I dare hope…

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You can tell her that (a) we’re all proud of her, and (b) by the time she (perhaps) has kids of her own, it will be rare for them to be told about only one view.

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Out of curiosity, how old is your daughter? Sounds like a great kid, and doing a great job, dad, spending the time with her.
By the way, I grew up in the south in the '60s, and it was not that bad, though it was not Deep South. The culture wars were not flaming, and no one really discussed old vs young earth. Or a least that was my impression as a kid. However, one of my childhood neighbors now .has a YEC museum in my home town, so time marches on.