The Illinois Family Institute and a national coalition of pro-family organizations is urging parents to keep their children out of school on April 17. This is the day designated for this year's Day of Silence (DOS) when students and/or teachers will purposely remain silent during instructional time to protest so-called discrimination and gain sympathy for students who identify as homosexual or trans-gender.
This annual event is sponsored by the partisan political action group, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). The only real purpose of this yearly event is to help the gay community justify their lifestyle as morally acceptable. The NEA (National Teachers Association) which is really a Teachers Union has been given an award by GLSEN. And, as long ago as 2002 the NEA has been accused of being in cahoots with GLSEN.
This lifestyle is contrary to what God's word says is acceptable. Yes, as Christians, we are supposed to love all. However, loving someone even in their willful sin is one thing. Accepting their sin and telling them "it's OK" is another story. Sometimes those who are Christians in name only will belittle a person for not 'accepting' this immoral lifestyle. When we accept sin or tell someone that "it's OK" we are committing sin ourselves; when that happens, we become 'enablers of immorality'.
I don’t know about you, but when I went to school, if you refused to speak when spoken to you were sent to the office! So why should today be any different. In this case, teachers are ‘required’ to create diversionary activities that exempt ‘silent’ students from any activity that involves speaking. It’s simply a way for some organizations to politicize the Classroom. This reeks of special treatment.
Laurie Higgins of the Illinois Family Institute explains that
"While in the public school setting, it is legitimate to teach students that there exist diverse opinions on this issue, it is not legitimate to imply that one of those opinions is preferable to another. While it is appropriate to teach students that tolerance requires that society should treat all with civility, it is not appropriate to teach that tolerance requires students to accept the view that homosexual conduct is moral."
Higgins further emphasizes that
"The worthy end of eliminating harassment does not justify the means of exploiting instructional time."
The First Amendment already allows DOS participants to wear t-shirts or put up posters, but according to a document co-written by the ACLU and Lambda Legal, a "school can regulate what students say. . . and it can also insist that students respond to questions, make presentations, etc." Students and teachers should not be allowed to exploit instructional time to advance their socio-political goals.
In order to have the most impact, a Parent should first, find out if your kids school is observing the 2009 Day of Silence. If so, parents are being encouraged to keep their kids home from school that day and follow up with a polite but blunt phone call or letter to the School Administrator, teachers and the School Board Members.
Comments
I believe in the old testament god says homosexuals should be stoned to death.
But then Jesus preached Love, acceptance, and tolerance. Hm... This is a tough decision...
Which is it for christians?
Jake,
Did you choose to like women? No you didn't.
Sexuality is not a choice. If you would bother to be educated on the issue, you would know. But ignorance is the primary weapon of conservative christianity.
RE: Jack S;
Yes, I firmly believe that a person's sexuality is a CHOICE and is not genetic by any means. There are hundreds of scientists that share the same attitude. Yes, I know that there are hundreds of others who disagree.
However, as a Christian, I must agree with the Bible and the hundreds of scientists who agree.
RE: cdesign proponentsists;
Lets not stone any one to death today!
That was Old Testament thinking which I do not condone, even though the Old Testament is filled with examples of how we should act as God's children.
You are correct that in the New Testament Jesus teaches love all. That's great and proper according to Scripture.
However, the New Testament is also filled with passages exhorting us to hold the feet of sinners (including ours) to the fire of righteousness.
DAY OF SILENCE is nothing but the School Districts promoting sin. That; is sin in itself. That is how we enable sinners to be sinners, by this kind of sad encouragement.
.
Examiner,
If stoning homosexuals is "old testament thinking" that you choose not to condone, Where does your belief that god disapproves of homosexuals come from if not the same old testament?
If you're basing your values on the new testament of Jesus, then I'll ask again, did Jesus say anything about homosexuality???
It also says in the old testament that women should sacrifice pigeons each time it is their time of the month.
"it is not appropriate to teach that tolerance requires students to accept the view that homosexual conduct is moral.""
It is also not appropriate to teach that tolerance requires students to accept the view that Christian beliefs are moral, yet people like you keep wanting to misuse the government to do just that.
What a coincidence that they picked a date when in some states students are taking assessment tests and either can't miss school or are to be quiet during the testing. Good luck with that. Results will be skewed.
The website for the NEA and GLSEN says the date is April 10th. Did they purposely change it? Hope my kids are observing Easter during that time anyways :)
You know, if we're going to take this to the right path, you might as well ask the parents to not send their children to the school ever, not just this one day.
If the schools support the Day of Silence, by attending the school (your logic, not mine), you support consequentially the Day of Silence. It doesn't matter if you skip the one day they do this.
After all: would you really see a doctor who only performs abortions on one day, but remains squeaky clean the rest of year?
You're enabling them until the moment you cut it all off, and I believe that's when you'd see how ridiculous this movement is.
You're entitled to your own opinions on sexual orientation, but get your facts straight. You say that the "only real purpose of this yearly event is to help the gay community justify their lifestyle as morally acceptable." Actually, the real purpose of National Day of Silence is to raise awareness of violence and hate crimes against LGBT people. Protesting NDOS is not too far off from condoning violence. Regardless of one's position on homosexuality, promoting violence is not a Christian value.
I really detest this day. I believe that if people can do this to make a stand for their beliefs, then why can't us Christians do the same? We should have a "Day of Christ". i read this in a flier at my church, and i believe it to be a wonderful idea. These people can't speak for a day anyways.. so let's instead give them our speech; the Word of God. :) God Bless you all.
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