Protecting Our Sheep From The Judas Goat

March 1, 2002
Michael Evans
  

Albert Einstein was one smart guy.  Commenting once on public education in the early 20^th century, he said “It is nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction have not yet entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry.” 

He also said, “imagination is more important than knowledge.”  I don’t agree with this second statement but I see his point.

I do agree that imagination is a crucial aspect in the development of children, but it must be cultivated right alongside objective truth and facts.

If Einstein’s observations about public education were true in the early 20^th century, when many schools had explicitly Christian rules and regulations (in some cases even teaching historic Christian creeds), then they are even truer today.

Without a doubt there are some exceptional public school teachers in our country.  I had a couple of them growing up. 

However, this would be in spite of, not because of, this morbidly obese monster [a.k.a. big business and politically liberal bully pulpit] of government education.

Einstein was right.  It is nothing short of a miracle that modern methods of instruction have not entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry. 

Dr. James Dobson tells of a dramatic documentary that he once saw featuring a packinghouse where sheep were slaughtered. 

Inside these pens were hundreds of nervous animals who keenly sensed the danger in their strange surroundings.  A gate was then opened leading to a ramp and through another door.

In order to get the sheep to walk up the ramp, the workers used what is known as a “Judas goat.”  This is a goat that has been trained to lead the sheep into the slaughterhouse.

He goes on to explain how the goat confidently walked to the bottom of the ramp and looked back.  Then he took a few more steps and stopped again. 

The sheep looked at each other, (no doubt sheepishly) and began moving toward the ramp.  Eventually they followed the confident goat to the top, where he went through another gate that was closed behind him. 

This forced the sheep to go directly into the slaughterhouse.  Dobson comments that this was a dramatic illustration of herd behavior with deadly consequences (James Dobson, Timeless Wisdom for Families, pp.146-47).

Now I don’t mean to say that public schools are just like sheep slaughterhouses.     But there are similarities!

The Judas goat might be the overly confident and popular young guy or gal who excels at pulling others into all kinds of trouble.

Or, the Judas goat may be an insecure underachiever masquerading as a cocky and popular athlete.  Or, he (or she) may take on a different form altogether.

The bottom line is the same: “Bad company corrupts good morals” (1 Cor. 15:33). 

Therefore, whenever we let the Judas goat have access to our children, either wittingly or unwittingly, let us not then be surprised if he or she begins to move in the direction of the goat.

Regardless of how firmly rooted and morally strong your young child may be there is no sure protection against the insidious allure of the Judas goat. 

After all, all of us like sheep have gone astray…how much more so young and impressionable children!

Could it be that this “herd mentality” is intentionally fostered in the public school?  If it is not intentional it is still true just the same.

I think the “herd mentality” goes hand in hand with my original point (which I intend to get back to) that modern education tends to strangle “the holy curiosity of inquiry.”

Mark Twain was on to something when he said “I never let schooling interfere with my education.”  Neither should we.

Here is where we fathers come into the picture.  We dads have an extraordinary (but short) window into which we may build into our children’s lives a love and appreciation and “holy curiosity” of the world around them.  We ought not to neglect this duty.

David wrote, “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth, who have displayed your splendor above the heavens! (Ps. 8:1).

And also, “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.  Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge” (Ps.19:1-2).

One good way to prevent our sons and daughters from following after the Judas goats of this world is by pointing out the creative and glorious ways that God is, even now, displaying His manifold glory!

A couple of years ago the boys and I were given a telescope for a Christmas gift.  We have enjoyed looking at the “heavens” but also the writing on the fire-hydrant two blocks away.

We have enjoyed going to the Kuehn Nature Preserve and walking along the river, digging in the sand and mud for Indian artifacts.

After a recent snowfall I took Luke on an hour-long car ride on the country roads around Earlham with my camera, pointing out the subtleties  of light refraction and shading in the late afternoon sun…and letting him take a few pictures of his own.

I believe these kinds of activities will lead to further curiosities and more vivid imaginations than say, playing the latest computer version of Pong, or whatever they’re playing these days.

I just wonder if an hour in front of the tube or computer screen erases more than an hour of the benefit of outside exploration and play.

When I was ten years old I was building smoke bombs and selling them at school for 25 cents each.  I was making itching powder (by shaking fiberglass insulation into baggies) and selling them for a quarter as well. 

And even before Al Gore invented the internet I was making my own non-explosive gunpowder.  I was building and flying model rockets, constructing unsafe tree houses, and laying in the back yard at night counting UFOs.

No matter what any of you moms are thinking, these were all good things…harmless ways of exploring the everyday things in the good world God created.

Once upon a time, there was a far-away land that was ruled by a vicious king. His iron hand reached into every corner of his subjects' lives. Every corner - except one. Try as he might, he couldn't destroy their belief in God.

In his frustration, he finally summoned his advisors and asked them: "Where can I hide God so the people will end up forgetting about him?"

One suggested hiding God on the dark side of the moon. This idea was debated, but was voted down because the advisors feared that their scientists would one day discover a way to travel into space and God would be discovered again.

Another suggested burying God in the deepest part of the ocean. But there was the same problem with this idea, so it was voted down.

One idea after another was suggested and debated and rejected. Until finally the oldest and wisest advisor had a flash of insight.

"I know," he said, "why don't we hide God where no one will ever even think to look?" And he explained, "If we hide God in the ordinary events of people's everyday lives, they'll never find him!"

And so it was done. And they say people in that land are still looking for God - even today (source unknown). 

Seeing the good hand of the Lord in the everyday things of life is something that dads can easily promote in the home with minimal effort.

Several times I have received calls from my wife frustrated by the inattention of her students, my sons.  My solution is lightning fast.

It usually has to do with sending the boys outside for 10-15 minutes.  Sometimes they are instructed to run around the house 5 or 6 times. Other times they are required to go on bike rides.

With every circling of the house or every revolution of the pedals they are listening and hearing the “telling of the glory of God,” and “the work of His hands.”  

So, my brothers, be creative!  Foster a wonder for God’s creation in the heart of your children. Let them hear the telling of the glory of God! And in so doing let them also become more and more immune to the allure of the Judas goat.