The way in which we can improve education for all children in our world, is to make educations at good currently private schools freely available to all young people who want to learn, who live near those schools.
If a young person shows that he or she does not want to learn, by repeatedly acting in ways that are destructive to the learning process, then, just as is the case today, that child can be kept from attending any of these schools. But just as we do today, we should expect this to be a rare occurrence that we will only see in a few extreme cases. Many educators have already done a lot of work, to determine when this is necessary, and we should defer to their judgement in this matter.
If we ask, who will pay teachers to teach students who are given free educations in this way, then the answer must be, those people who can afford to pay this cost. We all benefit so greatly from all people receiving good educations, that it would be foolish for those of us who can afford to pay these costs, not to do so. Sadly a child’s parents and other blood relatives often cannot afford to do this. If we want to live better lives, though, then we will not let this deter us. It would be better if every child had parents or other blood relatives who could afford this cost, but until this happens, we do not have to continue to live under this yoke.
And the myth that only a talented few can learn at high levels, is just a lie that we tell ourselves so that we will feel better about not doing this. In truth all people who want to learn, can learn at high levels. Especially if those people are taught by good teachers. If a person does not want to learn, though, then the best teacher cannot help that person. There are so many great teachers who currently teach at private schools because they want to teach students who want to learn, that it is a crime that every student who wants to learn, cannot be taught by these teachers. And it is also a crime that students who want to learn compassion, are currently forced to become colder and more heartless, if they want to be able to focus on their academic studies, as is the case with students who currently attend private schools, but to do so, are forced to accept a good thing that is only given to a select few. And that many more people would benefit from greatly. These are the things that we must change.
Changing these things, is one important step toward healing our world.
Jesus sees that this is so, and this why He tells us to “Give to every one who asks of you, and do not ask one who takes from you to give anything back.” (Lk 6:30 (27-36), see also Mt 5:42- 48), and this is why Jesus says, “Sell your possessions and give alms. Provide yourself with wealth that will not grow old, an unfailing treasure in the heavens that no thief will come near to, and that no moth will corrupt.” (Lk 12:33, see also Lk 18:18-25, & Mt 19:16-24), and says “Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in the heavens. … It will be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Lk 18:18-25, see also Mt 19:16-24, Lk 12:33, & Mk 10:17-25). Living as Jesus tells us to live, is the way in which we can heal our world.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
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4 comments:
“Give to every one who asks of you, and do not ask one who takes from you to give anything back.” (Lk 6:30 (27-36)"
Simply stated it would mean: Give wihtout expecting anything back. Knowledge, education and hope can be given so. Wisdom, something the reciever needs to achieve by himself. I call it application of knowledge. Sadly, the current education system is falling short of churning out wiser people because parents want 'winners' and 'toppers' - If a teacher fails a child - all hell breaks loose. Anyway, moving on...
“Sell your possessions and give alms. Provide yourself with wealth that will not grow old, an unfailing treasure in the heavens that no thief will come near to, and that no moth will corrupt.”
I do have my reservations on this command. The reason is not only the selling everything, but also the 'giving alms' part. You see, there are many lessons I've learnt in life; one of those is that the more you 'give' and 'help' someone - financially, emotionally or otherwise - the more they become lazy and dependable on you. The goal of education as I see it is to make a child 'independant' in ALL ways - to give the child a mind to think, to question, to challenge and to make him / her self reliant, confident and respectful in ones own eyes and to the world - That is in direct conflict with selling worldly possessions (which means no means to pay the periodic price of education) and 'giving alms' ... If I had my way, I'd give a job to every beggar and pay him for what he does ... Rude? not compassionate - tough love. Every student in my class knows that he would not get the mrks if he does not turn in his work,and so when he does get the A grade from me, he cherishes it - he worked for it, he earned it, he deserves it :) Builds his self confidence ....
“Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in the heavens. … It will be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
Again the same thing? No. Let me explain, When I was a child I learnt a lot about love. I have a mom who taught me right from wrong at a very early age. When I was behaving badly all she'd do was look at me sternly and say, "God will punish you." I was sorely afraid of God's punishment.
Then as a teenager (actually sometime when I was 12) she had to leave me so that my future would be good; when she left me I realized the man I loved very dearly loved me not! My dad. I remember the day the report card came home from the boarding school with 'Detained in grade 8' stamped across - he humiliated me. Enough said.
I was number one. Excellent in studies up until grade 7. I did not understand why dad would scold and hit me. I realized it was because I failed in studies. Try hard as I may, I never could study. I failed - again. Dad made sure I knew the amount of fees being paid for my studies. He made sure I learn that he controlled the money. He emotionally blackmailed me - reminded me of mom and that she is the one who sends the money. I further saw him drink, smoke, and do other stuff I knew not. I could not understand.
Mom came back after the Gulf war. I was so afraid for her. When I saw her, I saw her disappointment. She took me and my sis out of boarding school. Dad was to take care of us. After 3 years in which I lost 2 academic years I was back home. Grade 9 - new school, new teachers, new life. I was soon in the top. I was also more mature. I was also closer to God, because through it all I asked Him , are You punishing me? If so why? Then I knew in my heart I am not being punished. I dont know how but I knew it. I served out the punishments for my petty crimes in Boarding School. Then I asked Him, Do you love me? I knew the answer. And then I met a group of evangelists who were quoting the verse above which greatly disturbed me.
I by now knew just how important money was, I knew dad loved me not. I knew mom was disappointed in me. I knew my lil sis was not just a lil sis but also a woman and an insecure one at that. I was blamed for just about every little hing which went wrong with her. I did not and do not hold a grudge - but I keep to myself. I do not wish her bad but wish her well. Anyway, that was not my point. My point is that when the blame game began I realised that I would not in any way do anything to prove my love. And when I read the above I told God, I dont want any riches or treasures in heaven, I want to know if You really do love me. And do you love me because I am doing what I am doing? Is there any reason? You've given me a lot in life and through it all I love you, I'm not asking for anything better, I only ask for love. And even if you dont give that - its ok. I'm not bartereing my love for you. I love you anyways ... The riches and treasures in heaven ... well, I dont love God to get that.
Somehow, I dont think Christ said that or meant what we think He meant when He said that. The only way it would make sense is if rich man were equated with something else ... like an immoral man. Whatever, I really dont like the idea of 'proving' ones love.
Living as Jesus tells us to live, is the way in which we can heal our world. Yea, very true. But at the same time we really ought to get the medecines right :)
Children - they are wonderful. Every child has the right to be happy. Every child has the right to have a 'childhood'. Every child has the righ to be loved by his / her parents. Education bgins in the home. Its strange that people edited out things Christ would have told about the love of a man and woman - which is also pure and good. I don not see the love of a man towards a woman to be cloaked in sin and shame the way the church prtrays it. How do you expect a child to grow up in a family where dad and mom love the kid because they have to ... ? Honestly, there's a lot to Christ's teachings which have been made 'politically correct' !!! Too tired to continue ...
Dear Loveena
With regard to Jesus’ commands, I never doubt the value of following these commands. I believe that following Jesus’ commands will always help me and any one who I influence, (even when Jesus’ commands are contrary to all of my previous thinking in an area). In fact this has happened so often that this is the primary reason that Jesus’ commands are so valuable to me. Without Jesus’ commands I would never have tried to be meek, or tried not to resist evil, or tried to give to all who ask of me, and ask for nothing in return. Because all of my prior teaching in these areas had been contrary to those commands. I had been taught to try to be fierce and hard and in every way to try to be the opposite of meek, and I had been taught to try to be aggressive, and not even wait for evil to be done to me, much less not to resist evil, and I had been taught the creed of capitalism that states that greed and self-interest, are good and should not be marred by attempts to give. Like you, I had been taught that giving to a person would make that person dependent and would lead to a whole host of traits in that person that would hurt that person. Now I see though, that I was taught this because in our hearts, none of us wants to give, (least of all the people who formulated this teaching), and because this teaching provides us with an easy excuse not to give. But all I had to do to see the fallacy of this way of thinking, was to think of how I have been affected when people have given to me. I know that this is a hard world, and knowing this is why I try hard never to become dependant on anyone. And being given things, has never lessened this belief in me one Iota. When I am in need, I do not want other people to be thinking that if they give to me, they will make me become dependant. And this is why I do not think this way in order to make myself feel better about not wanting to give to other people.
Whatever wisdom I possess, has come from trying as hard as I can to follow Jesus’ commands. And the more any command of Jesus’, has gone against my prior teaching, the more I have learned from that command.
Grades are not a matter of giving. They are simply a matter of being honest. If a student gets an A grade, that is a teacher saying that, that student has done excellent work. If this is not true, then that teacher has lied. But that teacher has not given that student anything, and that lie should be expected to hurt that student.
If we start to question Jesus’ commands, then we will be most likely to question the commands that most go against other teachings in our world, and that are the commands that we could learn the most from.
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