CHRISTIAN AND SECULAR RESOURCES

I am a member of yahoo groups for christian and secular homeschoolers. (By the way, I am Christian) What I find to be interesting is that there are members in both communities that try to avoid the other community and its influences on their children at all costs. And I understand it. I really do. I know that I want more than anything in this world for my children to follow my and my husband’s example of following Christ. It is the only thing I consider to be truly important in this world.

But to encourage that, I am planning on introducing my middle school student to more secular materials. I know this is controversial to many. But I really think it’s important for her to be able to see clearly the differences and similarities between different beliefs. At this point, I’m not introducing other religions or atheism in so much that I am introducing different views of history. My goal is to have spines for history with a contradictory world view along with a more in depth study of Christianity and why it is truth.

If I were an atheist, I think I’d do the same think but bulk up the reading on the atheist side.

My reasoning is, how can a child make connections when everything agrees and says the same thing? At least, connections that are deeper and broader than while this was happening here, this was happening there. I really want her to understand the human condition. And I want her to understand it enough to understand the opposing point of view.

I won’t be doing this with my son. He’s not ready, but he’s close.

For medieval history next year, it may simply involve including The Story of Science. But I’m not sure. I just want some opposing point of views for us to analyze and dissect from a Christian world view. So even so, it’ll still be done under a Christian umbrella.