Conversations with God 2

This is the second book of the Conversations with God trilogy by Neale Donald Walsch. I really liked what he had to say about Education, not that it's something startlingly new.... but it's well articulated, and then 'repetition does not spoil the prayer' :)

                                    

Here are some excerpts, and remember this is written as a conversation between God and Neale:

'You are teaching your children what to think instead of how to think'.

'Classes in critical thinking, problem solving and logic are considered by many to be threatening. They do not want such classes in the curriculum. As well they might, if they want to protect their way of life. Because children who are allowed to develop their own critical thinking processes are very much likely to abandon their parents morals, standards and entire way of life.

We are lying to the children. Pick any history book and see. Your histories are written by people who want their children to see the world from a particular point of view. Any attempt to expand historical accounts with a larger view of the facts is sneered at, and called 'revisionist'. You will not tell the truth about your past to your children, lest they see you for what you really are.

They will anyways disagree; you just won't allow too much of it in your homes or your classrooms. So they have to take it to the streets. Wave signs, tear up cards, burn bras, burn flags; do whatever they can to get your attention. They are screaming saying 'there must be a better way', yet you do not hear them.

That's how you educate your children. Most of you will say 'it's the young people and their crazy, wacko, liberal ideas who are taking the country and the world down, sending it to hell. Destroying our values oriented culture and replacing it with a do-whatever-you-want-to-do, whatever-feels-good morality which threatens our very way of life.

The young people are destroying your way of life. The young people have always done that. Your job is to encourage it, not discourage it.

It's not the young who are destroying the rain forest. they are asking you to stop it.

It's not the young who are depleting the ozone layer. they are asking you to stop it.

It's not the young who are exploiting the poor. they are asking you to stop it.

It's not the young who are taxing you to death and going to war. they are asking you to stop it.

It's not the young who are engaging in politics of deception and manipulation. they are asking you to stop it.

It's not the young who are sexually repressed, ashamed and embarrassed about their own bodies. they are asking you to stop it. (The list goes on)

But when the cries and pleas to change the world is not heard or heeded, when they see their cause is lost, they are not stupid, when they can't beat you, they will join you.

Your curriculum should have courses like this:

Understanding Power

Peaceful Conflict Resolution

Engaging Creativity

Celebrating Self, Valuing Others

Joyous Sexual Expression

Diversities and Similarities

Ethical Economics

Visibility and Transparency

Parents who do not want children questioning their values are not parents who love their children, but rather, who love themselves through their children.

You have not allowed your schools to teach that love is all there is. You have not allowed your schools to speak of a love which is unconditional.

Hell, we won't even allow our religions to speak of that.'