Why Ann Coulter’s New Book "How To Talk To A Liberal" Won’t Really Help Any Sort of Conversation: One Christian’s Response

December 27, 2004

One of the most hurtful things ever said to me was when I was in college. I was taking a course in American Political Theory with a lot of guys who would eventually go on to become lawyers and professors (not that we knew it at the time). One class I remember, the class was debating about Hoover and FDR, and I had done the reading. As the discussion went on, I felt I had something to say, so I interjected a comment that went against the main points of some of the more vocal people in the room.. A couple of people blinked, and one guy at the end of the table, a big fellow by the name of Jason Camler looked at me and said:

"Let the smart people argue, Dave."

Now, Camler was a kidder and an overall funny guy. I think he was kidding, but let me tell you, when everyone started laughing (even my close friends Neal and Angie), that really hurt. One of the most painful things in life is to have your thoughts dismissed as unimportant. Some folks say that as humans, our greatest need is to be known and loved, despite ourselves. Which means that some of our greatest fears revolve around having our thoughts or opinions rejected.

For a Christmas present from his brother, my father-in-law Rex got a book by conservative columnist Ann Coulter entitled "How to Talk to a Liberal (if you must)."

I’m mildly familiar with Ann Coulter. Her name is often mentioned in the same sentence as Rush Limbaugh and Bill O’Reilly and she has a large fan base of conservative folks, I guess, because her books sell very well. I read the book, mainly because I wanted to see what she had to say.

Our nation is in the middle of a real identity crisis, I think. I saw a news report the other day that said that 50 percent of Americans feel personally attacked when groups attempt to take down government Christmas decorations that have overtly religious wording. Which means, of course, that 50 percent don’t.

The debate for the next four years is going to be about values and morals and ethic, and Coulter’s readers are going to have to really communicate to…uh…whoever is the opposite of Coulter. New York Times readers, she’d probably say, or folks who read Bill Clinton’s autobiography (which is number 10 on the Best Seller List, right behind Coulter’s book, by the way).

My biggest problem with Coulter’s book is the same problem I’d have with a liberal commentator’s book. It entirely prohibits frank discussion and demonizes and ridicules those who think differently than her.

Here is the opening line of her book:

Conventional wisdom says that the best way to convert liberals is to have them move out of their parent’s homes, get a job, and start paying taxes.

Now, I’m no brilliant conversationalist, but I’m pretty sure if someone replaced the word "liberals" in that sentence with the word "Christian" or "Californian" or "male," I’d be pretty offended. Because it’s silly and not true.

Later on, she says this about liberals.

Passion you’ve got. But what… you lack is intellection, thinking things through, understanding elementary human nature, and a basic awareness of what people are like.

Okay. Now, onto her rules of engagement, when it comes to talking to liberals.

1. Don’t just give up right out of the gate: stick in there
2. Don’t be defensive, because you’re right after all
3. Outrage the enemy by telling them the truth about themselves
4. Never apologize for things you don’t need to apologize for, like
5. Never compliment a Democrat, because they will stab you in the back.
6. Never show graciousness to a Democrat, because they will stab you in the back
7. Never flatter a Democrat, because they will stab you in the back
8. Don’t succumb to liberal bribery (don’t attempt to be liked by liberals – it’s a Faustian bargain)
9. Prepare for your deepest, darkest personal secrets to becoming liberal talking points because they can’t stick with you on facts or reason

She ends her list with this quote:

To end of an optimistic note, remember there is good in everyone. Hitler didn’t smoke, for example. British traitor and spy Kim Philby had a pet fox. Even among the staunchest members of the Communist Party, there turned out to be a few good ones. Similarly the vast majority of liberals are not intentionally sabotaging the nation…This is why my personal philosophy on arguing with liberals is: tough love, except I don’t love them. In most cases, I don’t even like them. In other words, my "tough love" approach" is much like the Democrats’ "middle class tax cuts": everything but the last word.

I think most people would concede that Coulter is a funny, gifted writer who has done a great job at establishing a loyal audience who wants to read what she has to say. But as an educator, as a Christian, and as a human, I can see no benefit to any sort of book, regardless of its ideological position, that encourages those who believe the same to behave in such an indifferent, calloused and mean-spirited manner. It’s wrong because her central assertion that all of her opponents are stupid, incompetent, evil malcontents is a vast generalization that even a casual observer knows isn’t true. It’s like looking at domestic abuse numbers and coming to the conclusion that all husbands are evil, selfish, manipulative fiends.

But even if all of what Ann Coulter says is true, the way she says it isn’t.

And let me tell you, as a married person, I know that there is such a thing as winning an argument, but losing far more than you ever might have won in the process.

What's Really Important: What I Got For Christmas 2004

December 26, 2004

Despite all the attempts to secularize and commercialize Christmas, there still remains something of that original Spirit of Christmas. This is nowhere more aptly illustrated than in the continuing tradition of giving gifts to those we love. This symbolizes, of course, goodwill toward others, selflessness, and most of all, hope. Hope. Hope that if you give someone a pretty good gift (a $50 gift certificate to Home Depot) that the person won’t reciprocate with a dumb, stupid gift (a pair of dress socks).

This is truly the spirit of Christmas: we give, but oh, we hope that we get good stuff back in return. We’re selfless, but underneath that thin veneer of altruism and benevolence, we better be getting that iPod, dammit.

I’m kidding. Sort of.

But in the spirit of Christmas, I thought I would celebrate the Top 5 gifts that I received this year, as a way to celebrate the love and generosity of those loved ones who blessed me with the gift, and as a way to gloat.

6. Boxer shorts
It has been a tradition in my home for the past 15 years that every Christmas, my mother presents me with several pair of boxer shorts. This is how I restock my stash. I think it’s great, and don’t see any problem with the fact that my mother continues to gird my loins.

5. Michigan Sweatshirt
For the past two years since my wife and I have been married, my wife’s family (who are all from Michigan) attempt to proselytize me with their pro-Michigan, Go Blue rhetoric. Being from Ohio, and growing up living near the banks of the mighty Olentangy River which runs by The Horseshoe, I am having none of it. But because I live in California, and all the people I meet seem convinced that the world’s best football is played in the Pac-10, there is a certain reminiscent longing I have for the Big 10 schools. It’s like when you’re in Europe, and you meet someone from Indiana. You’re like, "Hey, I’m from Ohio, but that’s close enough." So I secretly love the fact that every year, I get a high-quality, officially licensed sweatshirt from the University of Michigan. But don’t tell them.

4. Classic Pooh Stuffed Animals
Growing up, as a little girl, my wife loved Classic Pooh. Not the Disney Winnie the Pooh who is the Pooh you’re probably more familiar with. No, my wife calls that Pooh the "fake pooh, with the red shirt and the old man’s voice." She says that with a certain amount of disdain in her voice, talking about New Pooh in the same way you might talk about telemarketers or dishonest mechanics. She contends that bears don’t wear shirts. Of course, they also don’t hang out with pigs and tigers and donkeys in British forests, but I don’t mention that.

Anyway, Classic Pooh does not wear clothes, and is drawn roughly, as in the original illustrations of A.A. Milne. When my wife told me that she wanted to have a Classic Pooh theme for our baby, I grew worried. But then a legal war over the rights to Pooh broke out between Disney and A.A. Milne’s heirs, and strapped for cash, A.A. Milne’s family sold some of the licensing rights for Classic Pooh to Target, who now has (and I am not making this up) an entire line of Classic Pooh. Tell me God is not sovereign. My wife wants Classic Pooh, God gives her Classic Pooh. Of course, this might seem that I am implying that God works through the massive trademark legal battles of a multi-national media conglomerate. To which I reply, hey, God works in mysterious ways. And if someone suing Disney brings glory to God, uh…let’s not go down that theological road.

Anyway, to make a long story short, Nicole and I got a lot of Classic Pooh loot, which I am honestly very thrilled about. For example, her mother got us all four of the Classic Pooh Plush Doll Collection, which includes Pooh, Tigger, Piglet and Eeyore. They are adorable and soft. I will put these on a shelf in the baby’s room, and it will make it so cute that people will physically hurt when they see it, because of the overwhelming cuteness of it all. Even the strongest of men will be brought to their knees by the power of the cuteness.

3. Griddle
I say this as an illustration of what marriage is like. I gave my wife, this year, the heartily romantic gift of cabinets. Our garage has been a mild disaster zone since we moved in, mainly because we have a ton of room, but no shelves to put anything. So, I spent some hours patching up the drywall along the back wall of the garage. I retexturing it with plaster, sanded it down, primed it and painted it. Then, I went to a couple stores and looked for shelving units that were on sale. I then bought these for my wife, somehow managed to transport them home in my Camry (note to self: Camry does not equal Pick-up truck) and when I get home, I will spend some more hours assembling them. In return for this, my wife bought me a griddle and some socks.

2. Framed lithographs of Classic Pooh Illustrations
Probably the coolest thing that we got this year, in terms of Classic Pooh loot were these gorgeous framed lithographs featuring the classic illustrations of A.A. Milne’s beloved characters. These feature Piglet and Pooh picnicking on a blanket, Tigger and Pooh and Piglet "adventuring" with Christopher Robin, and Piglet and Pooh walking hand in hand. Although this might sound silly, I think this might help reinforce the importance of authentic, deep friendship, which really is the best thing on this earth.

1. Picture of my mom and dad
My mom and dad went to a professional photography studio called Olin Mills and had their portrait taken. It’s a stunningly handsome shot of my mom and dad, and they gave us a 5x7 of it, framed in a lovely silver faux pewter frame. We plan on putting that picture, along with pictures of the other two sets of grandparents, on corner shelves in the baby’s room. Most babies don’t have six grandparents. I was spoiled out of my mind with three, so I can’t imagine what six will be like. It’s good to have pictures around. It’s even better to have the actual people there, though.

You want some Blizzard on your Pizza?

When we last left off, our valiant heroes Dave and Nicole were looking at temperatures that were lower than the number of teenage Barry Manilow fans. Since then, a number of things have happened. First of all, wind gusts of 25-35 miles per hour came through, which dropped the temperature down to 15 below zero. That’s right. I said 15 below zero. I checked Yahoo today, and it said it San Jose was expected to get up to 62 degrees. That’s a difference of 77 degrees. That’s almost a right angle, people.

But that’s not the “best” part. The “best” part is that in the past 48 hours, 18 inches of snow has accumulated on the ground. 18 inches. That’s a foot and a half of snow. My parents have this cute metal cutout of a dog chasing a butterfly staked in their backyard. The only thing visible on the dog is its nose. Even the butterfly is perilously close to the snow.

On Monday, long before this great storm had descended upon us, we had planned on going to see my friends Jack and Jenny, who got married right around the time Nicole and I did, only they have an 8-month old. If you do the math, you’ll see that they had kids RIGHT away. We had planned on gathering at their house, but then this storm came. But if you know me, I’m like a postman when it comes to fun: neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor threat of anthrax can keep him from his appointed destination.

So yesterday evening, despite a winter snow warning, my friend Joe, who owns a 4-wheel drive Jeep Cherokee, plowed into our driveway to pick Nicole and I up. He had also brought along our friends Jason and Emily. Nicole was a bit unsure, I think, about driving around on streets covered in ice.

“Let’s just pray that the impact isn’t on my side,” Nicole said as we strapped ourselves into the car.

“Umm, why don’t we just pray that there’s no impact at all, regardless of who’s side it’s on,” my friend Jason said.

Good point, Jason.

The drive was an adventure. At one point, a young man in a small pickup truck had been attempting to turn right at a stop sign, and had slid into a deep snow bank. He was stuck, spinning his tires. His driver’s side door was propped open as he attempted to push the truck with one foot, while hitting the gas with the other. As you might have expected, this technique wasn't quite effective, mainly because he wasn't on a scooter. Joe and Jason and I each instantly got Hero syndrome: teh deep desire to be manly and resuce. We quickly tumbled out of the car, running to the rescue like Superheroes. Jason fell down on the ice. I slipped and nearly pulled my groin, and Joe used his car to stabilize himself, like a toddler learning to walk. So, maybe more like drunk Superheroes.

We finally got behind the guys’ car and pushed and pushed and finally, after a few seconds, we were able to rock his car out of the mini ditch his spinning tires had created and he got traction, and was able to get back onto the street.

“Thanks a ton, man,” the guy said. “Just trying to get this pizza delivered.”

I am not making that up. That is what he actually said.

This makes no sense to me. First of all, what person calls up a pizza company when it’s a winter snow warning, and says, “Yeah, can you bring me a pizza.” It’s a winter storm warning! That’s like calling up and saying, “Yeah, hi, could you deliver a pizza to my house. Just follow the tornado, the path of destruction should be right near my house.”

And secondly, what pizza company agrees? Can’t you just say, ‘We deliver anywhere, anytime. Unless it’s a blizzard.’ Can’t that be a company slogan? I think most people would understand.

We finally got to Jack and Jenny’s house. They have a darling house, 4-bedroom, 2 bath. They bought it for 78K. Just to give you an idea of the housing market difference, the amount that Jenny and Jack paid to buy their house is 25 thousand less than what Nicole and I paid for our down payment. Isn’t that astounding?

The evening was a blast, seeing Jack and Jenny in this new life stage, listening to Emily tell the story of her engagement and hanging out with my best friend from high school Eric, and his wife Amanda. I will go more into detail about this in a later blog. But after an evening of swapping stories and laughing until it hurt, we decided to call it a night and make the 4-mile trek back to my parent’s house. It only took about 30 minutes, so that was nice.

I woke up this morning and decided that I was going to help out my parents by shoveling a path in the snow out to the mailbox at the end of the driveway. This was a good plan that had all the makings of a good deed. The only problem was that my parent’s driveway is roughly 6 miles long. I’m exaggerating, but it’s probably 75 yards long. And each shovel full of snow weighed approximately 20 pounds. So, I probably heaved, oh, several tons of snow. The most difficult part was breaking through into the road, where the snow plows had left a mound of frozen slush that was nearly taller than me. Finally, I broke through into the road, raised my shovel triumphantly, and yelled at the forces of nature that attempted to break my spirit. “You are vanquished, evil forces of winter!” I yelled, hoisting my mitten-laden fist into the air. “I am the victor!” I quickly checked to make sure the snow plow or a car wasn’t coming, because that would be embarrassing. To go through all that work, only to get hit by a slow moving vehicle.

I went to the mailbox to get my dad’s paper, thinking how glad he would be that his son, his only son, braved such fierce elements for the sake of him, so that he could have his news. I walked over to the white mailbox, and opened it. It was empty.



In retrospect, it makes sense that there wasn’t a paper. I mean, who in their right mind would attempt to deliver anything during a blizzard?

Besides pizzas, I mean.

Nicole and I are supposed to leave Ohio tomorrow afternoon. My parents are more cautious now that they are older. My dad said that unless someone shovels the entire driveway, there’s no way we get the cars out to leave for Michigan tomorrow. My parents said that it’s fine with them. They suggested that we just cozy up and watch Mom’s Christmas present, which was a DVD Collection of The View: Seasons 1-4. My mother also got Celine Dion’s new Christmas album, which she is blaring right now in the living room.

I don’t care if I have to shovel the entire driveway with a spatula, we’re leaving tomorrow.

The Power of Cold to Produce Christmas Cheer: Greetings from the Midwest

I am writing this blog to you from Dayton, OH where among other things, I am constantly aware of the outside temperature. I can see both the internal and external temperature by reading any one of the three temperature gauges that my father has installed around the house.

"Why are there three?" you might be prone to ask. "Is your parent's house so large that it actually affects local weather patterns? Are your parents meteorologists?" The answer to all these questions is "No." My father, probably a little something like your fathers, loves gadgets. My best friend Jon's dad calls any complex gadgetry "units." Refrigerator "units" and air conditioning "units" and no doubt, if he were here, he and my dad would talk about these temperature "units."

The point of this is to tell you that as I look at the one perched above the window in my father's study, it reads 4.0 degrees.

4 degrees. 4.

Although this might seem like a negative thing, it's actually quite positive. Ohio is famous for its gorgeous fall days, when the leaves change, and it's a conflagration of pumpkin orange and fire red and vivid yellow. And the sky is clear and blue, and the air around you is crisp and sharp. And it's a good thing that there are only a few of those days, because Ohioans really couldn't stand too many of those perfect days. It's a truth about midwesterners, I think, that they think their darkest thoughts on the most beautiful days. No, it's better that things quickly change to Winter. Something predictable. Miserable, yes, but predictable.

When it's 4 degrees, the thoughts of your mind don't tend to wander much. There's an immediacy, a concentration that comes when you honestly fear that in a few more seconds, your fingers could fall off. When it's 4 degrees, it's difficult to think about how much nicer your neighbor's new hardwood floors are than yours, or how you really don't like the look of yourself in front of the mirror these days. There's a simplicity when it's 4 degrees. It produces a sort of hearty gratitude that folks in temperate climates don't tend to have. It's a sense of "Whatever is going on in my life, I'm just glad to be IN HERE and not OUT THERE." There's a warmth and a goodness to that, as folks blow on their nails, and hurrily take off their shoes to get their toes closer to the fire.

"How are you doing," you'll ask a Midwesterner in Winter.

"Just glad to be in here," they'll say. Everything is better now that I'm IN HERE.

Of course, this attitude is something you have to gradually learn, and being from California and getting thrown into it produces a shock both to the body and the attitude. So I'm not quite grateful, just yet. No, I look at the 4 on the thermometer and I think, "That's just silly."

Tonight, the weather forecast says it's supposed to get up to a balmy 29 degrees. Break out the bikini, I say. We're supposed to get 12 inches of snow in the next few days. Which means we won't be going out much. Which is fine with me, because 1: it's super freaking cold and 2: it's Dayton, which means there's not that much to do.

Let me illustrate this point. On the plane home, I ran into a guy who I sort of used to know from my old church. He was returning from a mission trip to Thailand. Nice guy, showed me some home video of some breaktaking Buddhist temples before the flight attendant made him stow the device underneath his seat for take-off. I asked him what's the big news in Dayton. Just to make conversation. I said, "So, what's been going on here this past year?"

This was his actual response.

"Well, you know the Wal-mart on Wilmington Pike? Well, they made that into a Super Wal-Mart."

"You don't say," I said.

"You ever been in a Super Wal-Mart" he asked.

"No," I said.

"Grocery store and everything," he said. "They're real impressive."

This from a man who just voyaged 1000-year-old monstrous Buddhist temples gilded in gold and surrounded by stunningly manicured gardens. And he calls a Super Wal-mart impressive.

Reason No. 2203 never to move back to Ohio.

Anyway, I hope you all have a stellar Christmas. I'll return home to California in January, where no matter what, and among other things, it won't be 4 degrees.

Gratitude will flow freely from me then, you can bet.

The Scott Peterson Death Penalty: One Christian's perspective

At 2:35 yesterday, one of my students yelped. "Peterson got the death penalty," she said, nearly jumping from her seat. Her father (who is a criminal justice lawyer) was at the courthouse where the verdict was read, and text messaged her, which showed up on her Instant Message personal computer in my classroom. I checked CNN and Yahoo and the Mercury News sites, and they didn't have the story up yet. Which means I got the news before most anyone else.

Interesting.

Today in my journalism class, we talked about the death penalty. It was interesting. I had the students get in groups of four and figure out, on a scale of 1-10 where they stood on the issue. Then, after that, I had the class physically get up and move around the room. The rating of 1 (never kill anyone) was on the far left, 10 on the far right. The kids positioned themselves where they philosophically lined up. And then they talked.

Couple of observations: First of all, I don't imagine that reasoned adults have better, more articulate discussions than my kids do. During the debate, one of my students actually said, "No, you're not talking about justice, that's vengeance. Justice isn't concerned with emotions, which is why it's blind."

Folks, that's deep. Most adults can't articulate the difference between vengeance and justice.

Here's what I heard as I listened to my students.

1. People on both sides wanted to administer the strongest possible punishment. Many people who were pro-death penalty were for it because they felt that it was the strongest form of punishment. Many people who were anti-death penalty were for it because they felt that death "was an easy way out" and that having to suffer in jail for life was worse.

2. Both sides agreed that killing a person doesn't always mean the same thing. You have to take into account motives, which is why we have degrees of murder.

3. People who were anti-death penalty were sometimes not opposed to it philosophically, they just doubted the current system that could make errors. So as long as errors in the system were possible, they didn't like it.

4. Some folks brought up that the USA is one of the few industrialized nations still using the death penalty. Don't know if that's true, but if it is, that's a bit embarassing.

5. One student from Georgia said that 15 percent of his state is black, but 50 percent of death row inmates are black. I checked that fact out online, and it's true. He said the system is racially unbalanced, and therefore unfair.

For the life of me, as a Christian, I can't find compelling reasons to serve up the death penalty. I mean, can you really imagine Jesus being pro-death penalty? Didn't he kind of stop a capital punishment in mid-stoning?

Folks say, "Well, there's the death penalty in the Old Testament." Yes, and in the Old Testament, you could have been killed for preaching another religion, or not eating sacrificed meat soon enough. None of us would be in favor of that now. Jesus even said that God allowed some laws due "to the hardness of your hearts."

For me, the most striking thing is that jurors said that Peterson's lack of remorse bothered them. It bothered me too, profoundly. Which is why I can't kill the guy. The Bible teaches that all souls are eternal, and that the crucial part of this life is to come to a point of submission before God, an admission of your wrongs. Repentence, it's called. And as long as Peterson is alive, he has a chance to repent.

I suppose you could say an execution date would hasten that "come to Jesus moment." But I'm not sure. Then, it might be motivated by fear, or something. I'm not sure it's the same. I don't know.

What I think we all agree on is that Scott Peterson needs to die. The man who killed his wife and unborn baby needs to be eliminated from this world, never to return. The problem is, I think that maybe the only person who can do that is Scott Peterson himself, by offering that old self up to be crucified.

And as long as he's in jail, there's a chance of that happening.

Want Good Christian Music? Readers, Critics pick best of the crop for 2004

The end of the year always means that folks put together lists of the best albums of the year. Christianity Today polled its readers who gave their opinions. They also had their staff critics give their input as well.

I thought I'd attempt to be helpful and make a list of the best songs I've heard this year. This list is woefully incomplete so if you know of any awesome songs worth buying on iTunes, please comment and help make the list longer and better.

Bebo Norman - Soldier
Bebo Norman - Disappear
Chris Tomlin - How Great Is Our God
Chris Tomlin - Holy is the Lord
Chris Tomlin - Everything That's Beautiful
Jeremy Camp - Beautiful One
Grits - Ooh Ahh
Switchfoot - Gone
Switchfoot - Adding to the Noise
Casting Crowns - Who Am I?
Third Day, Steven Curtis Chapman, MercyMe - I See Love
Avalon - You Were There
Bethany Dillion - Revolutionaries
Bethany Dillon - All I Need
Third Day - Til the Day I Die

Cupertino Teacher Ignites Firestorm in education, religious communities. Christianity and the Declaration of Independence: What's okay to say?

Unless you’re Rip Van Winkle, you’ve probably been noticing a growing divide in the nation, especially in the Bay Area, between people who are “religious” and people who are “non-religious.” The 2004 election crystallized just how divided this country is, and how poorly we talk about our differences, and similarities.

But it just got messier.

A fifth-grade teacher from Cupertino is suing the school district in which he works because he claims his principal violated his First Amendment rights when she prohibited him from using handouts that discussed the role of God and the Bible in colonial-era history. Stephen Williams, a 38-year old history teacher, said that the district is taking the idea of separation of church and state too far by prohibiting him from talking about the role of religion (specifically Christianity) when talking about the founding of America. Parents and district officials are accusing Williams of slanting his instruction in order to proselytize.

You can read the whole article here.

As usual, the major media outlets, including the San Jose Mercury News, are doing a pretty poor job of covering the meat of what looks to be one of the major problems now facing America: the growing sense of alienation that people who share vastly different religious views feel toward the “other” side.

The issue here is particularly tense because the kids are involved. In my experience, parents want their kids to go to school and learn good things. A problem arises, however, when they feel that the schools are teaching their children things that they, as parents, don’t agree with. This makes parents feel like they’re being betrayed. Like the Pied Piper is coming to take their children, marching them into a scary sea of dangerous ideology. For example:

• Some parents get upset when birth control is taught in sex education courses. This offends their sensibilities, sometimes their religious convictions, that only abstinence should be taught.

• Sometimes, it’s about science and whether science teachers leave room in their curriculum for Creationism. Sometimes, parents’ religious convictions get challenged when they hear the very word “evolution.” More like “evil-lution.”

• And sometimes, the tables are turned, and it’s religious convictions of the teachers that make the parents uncomfortable. This is the case in Cupertino.

Since I’m both a Christian and a public school teacher, I’d like to attempt comment on some of the things I’m seeing. I don’t have all the answers, but I do know that unless religious and non-religious people start honestly communicating, we’re going to be in for a long, hard season.


WHY WOULD A CHRISTIAN SUE?
First of all, I’m very suspect about Mr. William’s decision to sue. As a school teacher, I know that there are certain channels you go through in order to resolve conflict, especially about your subject matter. Probably the very, very, very last channel is the county court system. There are about 100 other avenues Mr. Williams could, and should have gone down before he called in high profile legal teams, the most important being talking to the parents of the kids in his class and his colleagues.

Two yeas ago, a fellow teacher of mine once walked into my classroom after school while I was praying with a student. He “reported” me, and filed a grievance with the principal.

Now, I hate conflict, so this one was particularly hard for me. But I knew that something had really bothered my co-teacher, so I went right to him and we talked for a long time. I listened patiently to him and then I patiently explained how I wasn’t violating any rules. The student had approached me. The student and I shared the same religious beliefs, even went to the same church. And it was after school hours. The principal listen to both of us, and in the end, we all understood each other better. In fact, we’re probably closer than we were before.

I’m pretty sure that wouldn’t have happened if I sued him and the school for discrimination. This whole thing is beginning to smell sour to me, like it’s less about religion and more about politics. Of course, I feel that way anytime I see anyone on FOX news.

So many Christians don’t understand that even if you win a legal battle, you can still lose. Big time. Because the battle isn’t about laws, it’s about people’s hearts. When are people going to realize that it’s conversation, not litigation, that is going to endear their beliefs to his non-religious people.

WHAT ARE THE BOUNDARIES FOR A CHRISTIAN TEACHER?
Now, I’m no expert, but I am a public school teacher and I take my profession very seriously. Like most teachers, I got into the profession because I love kids and I wanted to make a dent in the vast wasteland of need that is the public school system. I believe it’s not just my career, it’s my calling, and I believe it’s what I was put on this earth by God to do in this time in my life. In fact, I’m a teacher because I’m a Christian.

But being a teacher, I know that I am also an agent of the state. This means, among other things, that I am not allowed to use my unique and powerful position of influence to officially endorse any religion to my class. That’s not what I’m there for. That’s not why I was hired. I’m not there to win souls, I’m there to teach English. And there’s a difference.

This doesn’t mean that I leave my religion at the door. That’d be like leaving my lungs at the door. Being a teacher means being a person who is actively in the lives of other, often younger people. And my faith may come up. So what’s okay, and what’s not? One-on-one conversations with students where you answer their questions about matters of faith? Go ahead. Private conversations about God with kids who are inquisitive? All day. Pointing interested kids to materials that are in line with their religious interests? No prob. Using your platform to convert kids or push your religion. Now you’re crossing the line.

SHOULD YOUR CLASS KNOW YOUR RELIGION?
As bad as it is for teachers to abuse their authority like that, I also think it’s silly for people to think that religious ideas and concepts aren’t going to come up in the classroom, or if they do, the subject should be immediately changed. I’ve been around kids long enough to know that they really wonder about God. But I think it’s kind of dangerous for the teacher in front of the class to be an official advocate or mouthpiece for a set of ideas. We’ve all had teachers who have been ideologues. It’s like they’re up there, waiting for everyone to give a puppet response of the answer they’re looking for. It intimidates students. I mean, who wants to argue with the teacher?

In the classroom setting, I personally tend to challenge all strong beliefs, regardless of what they are. I do this thing, almost unconsciously, when a student is talking: I stand on the opposite side of the room. I do it so they’ll talk louder, but I do the same thing ideologically. I stand “across the room” from students with strong ideas, no matter what the idea is.

I suppose this illustrates how I view education, and maybe where I’m different from many Christians. Some Christians I know believe pretty strongly that the purpose of schools is to make sure kids come out moral, and believing in God. As a Christian, I can’t buy into that. I think it’s pretty clear in the Bible that God gave that responsibility to parents and to the Church. If kids are rejecting the ways of Christ, that’s a problem with the parents and the church, not the public schools.

The point of public education is to get students ready for the world, for society, for America. This means they’re going to have to interact with a whole bunch of different people, some of whom have radically different belief systems. One of my friend’s aunts stood in front of me and accused the public schools of “teaching homosexuality.” Now, I personally haven’t received my anthology of homosexual literature, but if she means that I actively teach my kids that if a person is gay, it’s not cool to beat them up or kill them, then yes, I am guilty as charged. Of course, I’d say that not killing people you don’t like is also a Christian idea, but sometimes, I’m in the minority on that one.

Challenging student’s strongly held beliefs help them understand what and why they believe, which is important. But as important as it is for you to know what you believe, you also have to know how to converse and discuss with people who believe the polar opposite of you. I suppose this means framing more conversations, and less lectures.

Then again, I’m talking about teacher’s public roles, in front of the class. When the bell rings, and students linger around, hey, share away. I don’t think that’s the kind of thing that parents worry about. If my kid had a Muslim teacher, and he talked with students who were interested in his Muslim religion, I would be totally cool with that. If he had them take out their mats and pray to Allah every day at 3:15, I’d be a bit miffed. Which is another reason I don’t want prayer in schools, by the way.

Besides, the gospel of Christ is not just about words and doctrine; it’s about the fruit of the spirit. If you want to make a profound impact on kids, love them, and show them you love them.

And like the Apostle Paul said, against this, there is no law.

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