The big news today--at least, today's the first I've heard of it--is a ruling concerning the University of California. It seems that kids who take Christian science courses that do not teach evolution have not been given enough "critical thinking skills necessary to succeed at the University," and these courses are "academically inadequate."

Reading the rest of the article on this ruling, it turns out that the texts they are referring to are mostly Bob Jones University Press and A Beka books. Sonlight was, thankfully, not mentioned. Maybe we're just too insignificant because we don't publish textbooks.

In another article on the subject, I can see why the court would rule this way.

[They rejected] a history course called Christianity's Influence on America [which] "instructs that the Bible is the unerring source for analysis of historical events" and evaluates historical figures based on their religious motivations.

Another rejected text, "Biology for Christian Schools," declares on the first page that "if (scientific) conclusions contradict the Word of God, the conclusions are wrong."

I'm not surprised at all that a secular university would consider such statements "academically inadequate" in regards to critical thinking. In fact, I'd say that the Bible is not a good analytical tool for historical events because the Bible itself does very little historical analysis. And while I firmly believe the Bible is inerrant, most scientific claims from the Bible are based on our interpretation of certain passages.

Is that all that is going on here?

Probably not.

And this is certainly a dangerous path to walk down, especially if this becomes widespread: You are not "educated" until you have bought into the "party line" on this or that subject. And while I am wary of overly religious texts that squelch honest questioning, I am equally concerned when the "educational system" begins to pretend that it knows what is academically adequate. Such claims don't seem to promote critical thinking either.

Thoughts?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

I wouldn't call myself a "conspiracy theorist," but I do love reading and watching documentaries about conspiracies. They've probably given me some really whacked-out ideas.

Ah well. We can't all be sane! <Bwahahaha ha!>

I was just introduced to another conspiracy. I don't think Brittany's mom intended for that to happen when she innocently picked up a new book. Granted, this book is not nearly as important as the last book she handed me, but it's good nonetheless... and it's about a conspiracy!

Which, by the by, if you have not yet read "Why Gender Matters," you need to pick up a copy right now and read it. Seriously. This is a book I think everyone should read. Everyone. In fact, this calls for a phrase that drives my wife nuts: "Needs must have." I started saying it while in ASL because the signs for "need" and "must" vary only in the intensity of the motion.

I'm a dork like that. I can handle it.

Okay, now onto another interesting--but not nearly as important as Dr. Sax's work--book: "In Defense of Food."

The basic premise of "In Defense of Food" seems to be that American culture has come to believe that eating is about refueling our bodies with nutrients. This has led to the severe health related problems we now experience as a culture (and every other culture starts to experience when they adopt "the American" way of eating).

Humorous and filled with great vocabulary words, this book is informative and fun ...at least what we've read of it.

So, before you consider buying something "fortified" with a particular vitamin or mineral, perhaps you should find out what Michael Pollan has to say. It's really interesting stuff!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

My other sister had her baby today! Read more on my dad's blog.

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There is quite a bit of discussion going on right now here at Sonlight as to how to best address a recent issue. I'm pretty sure I'm not yet at liberty to say what is going on, but this did bring up an important note:

The managers of Sonlight Curriculum--including John and Sarita--are very concerned with not only the quality of the products we sell but also how useful the materials are for homeschooling families. I am very impressed with what little discussion I have been privy to, and feel that I need to give "props"/"kudos"/recognition to the efforts of "the powers that be."

This reminds me of a situation I was involved with earlier this year. I did some video work for a guy and he was very displeased with the result. I apologized, explained why I did what I had, and then did what I could to make it right. He told me later that he was impressed because I obviously cared about my work.

And that is very much the attitude of the leadership here at Sonlight. When something isn't "perfect," every effort is made to make it right.

And that makes a big difference.

I tend to think of companies as these machine-driven entities incapable of error. I forget that they have people, much like me, working on the products and services I use. And so there are errors.

But what sets aside one company from another is the amount to which they care about their product and their customers.

So, I'm going to propose an addition to an old adage: To err is human; to forgive, divine... and to make it right recognizes the forgiveness we have been granted.

When I do not try to set things right after I make a mistake, it is typically out of a desire for self-preservation; a fear that to do so will harm me. But when I remember that it is not I who provides for me, I am far more willing to sacrifice to make things right.

I do not provide. I can not provide. And so, when I realize that I have been provided for, I can rest in the grace poured out on me and give it to others. And I am glad to work within a company that recognizes that as well.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

My in-laws arrive tonight for a visit. My wife is very excited to see her family again, and this next week should be a lot of fun. And while we have tremendous support from both our families in adopting and homeschooling, I know this isn't a reality for everyone.

Much like the quintessential annoying mother-in-law.

I've never experienced that myself. I get along "famously" with my mother-in-law. I think it has something to do with the fact that, over my life, I have found that girl's mothers like me before their daughters. Ah well.

But some people do have bothersome in-laws and relatives who "get in their business" and are generally troublemakers.

How do you deal with that?

I'll give a few ideas, but without experiencing it myself, I feel a little out of my league. Though, there is a great support resource for this (and other woes) on the Sonlight Forums.

First, as with most troublemakers, we need to keep our cool. I have proven, time and time again, that responding with blood boiling doesn't lead to any kind of resolution. It may feel good to blast someone, but it certainly doesn't bring about peace. Trust me.

Second, we need to become okay with living our own lives. I talk with a lot of high school and college aged kids who struggle with the transition from child to adult. This transition can be equally difficult for their parents, and learning to work together on this can help a lot. Unfortunately, I realize this problem sometimes crops up again when we go through another major life change (often involving kids).

Third, communicate--even if that means asking people to step back. I have a tendency to go after people who bug me, pointing out their errors. Others simply withdraw, convinced it is better just to sever all ties. Both of these approaches are really about ending communication. My approach has the goal of silencing the other person permanently when they see that I am right. The other approach hopes that people just leave them alone forever. Instead, we must strike a delicate balance between these two extremes and really talk the issues over. Sometimes that does mean strongly arguing your case, and sometimes it means you need to ask them just to "lay off" for a while. But we should communicate to get to an understanding, not just jettison the problem.

So, there you have it: My three tips for dealing with both the "in-laws" and the "outlaws" you come across; relative, mortal enemy, or bothersome person on the internet.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

Sarita talked about using books as a foundation for a great homeschooling experience at the virtual conference today. The talk went well, and it was fun to be in the chat room while she spoke.

Literature provides a really great way to learn, and is the foundation of Sonlight's Core programs.

"But what about books on tape?" one woman asked earlier in the day.

The chat room lit up as people gave a nod toward audio books. I also chimed in: I think they are great!

Someone mentioned that read-alouds should not be replaced, but audio books are great for other titles. And I agree: There is something special about reading aloud together as a family. But for books your children want to imbibe on their own, audio books are great.

I'm a slow reader. I often joke that I can write faster than I can read. So, for me, books on tape are fantastic. I listened to all of "Crime and Punishment" on tape in High School. And it wasn't very hard to write my papers from memory after listening to the tape.

I started listening to books on tape while trying to get through "Heart of Darkness". When I got to Chapter 2, I started the tape, turned down the volume and read as fast as I could. I got to the end of the chapter, barely retaining any of the story, and turned up the sound again.

The tape was only two pages behind me.

I switched to books on tape after that. And it's great because I can get some "reading" done in the car. I've even listened to the whole Bible multiple times in my short commute. So, while books are fantastic, and reading together extremely important, don't forget the beauty of audio books.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

Title link here.

So, my younger sister had her baby. It didn't go exactly as planned, but both my sister and her daughter are alive and stable.

It was pretty crazy yesterday. My wife and I were at my parents' house all day, keeping my mom company while we waited for the latest news about what was happening at the hospital.

Thus, today seems to be about babies.

My dad had a recent post about the medical world's odd stance on home births and abortion. This links nicely with a post from Scott pointing to an article about how abortion looks a lot like "Black genocide". But couple this with a very insightful post from Jennifer about how she used to be irritated that people would lump pro-choicers with those who killed babies and we end up with a rather crazy mix of emotions and thoughts.

I mean, my sister almost lost her baby yesterday. It was really emotional--especially for her, her husband, and my parents--and yet there are many people who want to get rid of their babies before they are even born.

It feels surreal.

I guess.

I guess that's what I'm feeling.

Okay, back to preparing for the Heart of the Matter Conference. It's been a pretty crazy Monday... especially when I realized that the conference starts on Wednesday instead of Thursday.

How did I get that wrong?

Wednesday is the new Thursday.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

Thank you all for the wonderful feedback about my Heart of the Matter article. I appreciate your kind words very, very much.

Yet, I left people hanging.

So here I will quickly, and not very formally, address the issues raised in my Bible class all those years ago. I went looking for my notes so I could provide references and double check my information, but I couldn't find them. They are buried somewhere that isn't with the rest of my college Bible notes. Sorry--this is going to be from memory (and if my prof. reads this, he'll be able to see how effective his class was in promoting long-term retention. Please don't change my grade <smile>).

1. No record of the census despite historical record of other censuses at this time.

It is likely that there were many censuses taken on a regular basis. The fact that we do not have record of every single one of them is to be expected. And, if we assume the Bible to be historically accurate (which we can with good reason*), then we really do have historical record of the census.

2. Quirinius is called a "governor" but we know he was not at this time.

An equally legitimate rendering/translation of the original word could be "leader". And while Quirinius was not a governor yet, he was involved in local leadership. ...I'm pretty sure there was another point to this, but it has slipped my mind. (I wish I had found my notes.)

3. The Romans did not require people to register in their home town, but Joseph takes Mary to Bethlehem.

The Romans didn't care where people registered, just that they did. However, lineage is very important to the Jews, so they would voluntarily travel to their home towns to keep the records straight.

So, there you have it. The answers to those three problems.

But this does beg the question: Where do we go if don't know the answer to a question?

Know of any great Bible reference material? I currently use the IVP Bible Background Commentary and Strong's. What else is good out there? I'm always looking for more great resources.

Thanks again for reading and commenting on my article!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

*Luke has shown himself to be an excellent historian in many other passages (the Bible has also shown itself to be historically reliable), thus the logic is that if he has shown himself accurate time and time again, he is likely to be right here as well.