New Legislation
by Robert L. Rodenbush

Is there any new legislation families should be concerned about?


On October 12, 2007 Governor Schwarzenegger signed two pro-homosexual bills, SB777 and AB394, which will dramatically affect California public schools. This legislation requires that teachers, textbooks, and all school-sponsored activities positively portray alternative lifestyles. This includes not only homosexual relationships, but cross dressing, sex changes, transsexuality, and bisexuality. Further, these laws debase traditional family values by prohibiting terms that promote “discriminatory bias.” While the law doesn’t spell out which terms will be prohibited, terms like “mom,” “dad,” “husband,” and “wife” which are gender specific could be considered discriminatory.

The Campaign for Children and Families, a California-based, pro-family activist group offers the following practical interpretation of SB777, which will become law on January 1, 2008.

• Textbooks and instruction that portray marriage as only between a man and a woman, or that say people are born male or female (and not in between) will be prohibited.

• Textbooks and instruction must include discussion of transsexual, bisexual, and homosexual historical figures.

• Sex education and school assemblies will be required to discuss as viable the option of sex changes.

• Homecoming contests must allow students to run for queen or king regardless of biological sex.

• Students will be able to choose which bathroom or locker room they prefer to use based on preferred sexual identity not biological sex.

Sending our children to public school has become in essence sending them to the front line of the cultural war. Quality Christian education is not always available, and despite our best efforts to protect them, at some point our children will come face to face with those who have been indoctrinated with the humanistic, anti-Christian propaganda that is being forced upon the children of our society. They will be attacked. It is only a question of when. Unfortunately, Satan is targeting the youngest of our children. Public libraries now include picture books for preschoolers and kindergarteners depicting families with homosexual parents. Some public and school librarians advocate that magnetic strips be taken out of books promoting homosexuality so that kids will not be embarrassed to check them out on their library card.

We can build the best gymnasiums, create cutting-edge conferences, have the coolest worship services, and trendy youth group functions, but without knowledge of the Truth our next generation will still be woefully unprepared to face the challenges of these last days. The world is competing for their hearts and minds. We will not outspend them. We will not out “cool” them. It is up to parents, pastors, and churches to anticipate the philosophies and types of questions that will confront our youth as they interact with their secular peers. They need to know how to respond articulately to humanistic worldviews, answer questions about why homosexuality is wrong, and talk about the authenticity and infallibility of the Bible. It is not enough to provide fun and fellowship for our youth. We must equip them with a love for Apostolic doctrine that will stir them from apathy and prepare them to support and defend their faith.

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children” (Hosea 4:6).