We have heard a great deal lately about transparency and openness in government and much of what has been said is to be welcomed. Although we might question the feasibility and suitability of some of what is being proposed. But it is the performance that really matters. Are our politicians really willing to be honest and open?
This question has arisen in my mind this week as I have considered a consultation process that is taking place at the moment which looks at several aspects of current education policy. It has one particular section on Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education. This part of our children’s education has been severely criticised for being a course in political correctness, and we discussed that some weeks ago. The consultation on PHSE focuses on sex and relationship education, although there are a couple of general questions and also two on issues of personal well-being for children. The questionnaire that has to be completed raises some very critical matters. It asks whether PHSE should become part of the national curriculum, whether parents should retain the right to withdraw their children from sex education lessons, and whether school governing bodies should remain under an obligation to consult parents with regard to a school’s sex education policy. As you can see the question of parental rights and influence is at the heart of what is being considered.
There is no doubt that sex education has become an ideological battlefield for the hearts and minds of children. Norman Wells of the Family Education Trust has rightly pointed out, “Behind the innocuous-sounding words used by the sex education lobby, there is a definite agenda at work to undermine the role of parents and to tear down traditional moral standards.” Now Mr Wells is not some paranoid fanatic. He is a seasoned and reasonable commentator on matters affecting children and education. He should be listened to.
This concern about an attack on the role of parents and traditional moral standards gains further weight if we listen to Laura Kemp, a journalist with the Daily Mail who is also a stay-at-home mum. Her principle complaint is the exclusion of any reference to the stay-at-home mum on the BBC’s pre-school channel CBeebies. Every other type of family situation is mentioned and the value of nursery education is particularly highlighted, but ordinary traditional mums get no mention at all. Then she adds, “How odd that it echoes the Government’s frightening social; experiment of encouraging mothers to abandon their babies in the name of raised standards of living and equality.”
AH - equality! That is the chief mantra of the day. So what do we find in the Equalities Bill that is about to go through parliament? There is a provision that requires public authorities to “advance equality”. That is then illustrated by raising the issue of ‘homophobic bullying’. So children of five years of age are now being taught in school that a man may ‘marry’ a man, and the parents are not consulted about such teaching. This has happened in schools in Leytonstone and Broadstairs.
But will children be taught about the increased risk of a whole range of diseases from homosexual practice? That is a simple fact but, of course, no-one talks about it. There is public dishonesty on the subject, as there is about the dangers of early sex and promiscuity. The epidemic of sexually transmitted diseases among young people, the rise of cervical cancer and other health problems are all related to early sex and promiscuity, but everyone keeps silent and the government rejects abstinence by misusing statistics. There is no honesty in these matters.
So by this dishonesty the role of parents and traditional moral standards are attacked and devalued. And the dishonesty is compounded because the statistics that show the value of the traditional family with husband and wife living together are also played down. Alongside that the proven value of traditional moral standards in personal development, social interaction, health and general quality of life is also hidden.
What is the cause of all of this? Bishop Nazir Ali has once again pointed out the problem. There is, he says, the loss of a moral ‘touchstone’. People “are simply not told about the foundations on which their society is built”. He proceeds to illustrate this by speaking about the fact that in British history it is Christian values that have produced many of the benefits we now take for granted. But the Bishop does not go far enough. What we are seeing is not merely the loss of memory of our history, but also the introduction of a set of values that is diametrically opposed to what the Bible teaches. That is the root cause of the dishonesty.
These new dishonest values, which have really been around for a
long time but are gaining new impetus through the media and popular
culture, are wreaking social devastation within our nation. What can
answer and remedy this decline? Well the answer is given in the
first chapter of the book of Romans. What is happening today is
exactly what Paul described happening in his day - “the godlessness
and wickedness of men ... suppressing the truth”. And Paul’s
response to that is the Gospel. That may seem a trite answer - it’s
what evangelicals always say. But it is actually very profound. It
is only the Gospel that can accurately define the problems we face
as individuals and as a society. It is only the Gospel that can
point up a remedy and solution to those problems. It is only the
Gospel that can set out a better way to live. “For in the Gospel a
righteousness from God is revealed.” The great difference between
the Gospel and current values is this question of honesty. But then
real honesty is not a popular thing!