Speechification and Debaterisms

My last post was made at 35,000 feet, flying to a debate and speech tournament at San Diego. Well, now I’m fortunate to be at another one. I am currently in Hammond, Louisiana, one hour north of New Orleans for the Masters conference.

Communicators for Christ annually hosts conferences all over the South, including the fabled Masters Conference. Along the usual tour there are two days of speech classes culminating in a group presentation. If you so choose, you can then have two days of debate, ending in a group “mock” debate.

Masters goes above and beyond. I have just finished three days of speech classes and one full day of a speech tournament. I write to you now on Sunday, right before three more days of classes and a full debate tournament. Suffice to say, it’s somewhat intensive but well worth the effort.

Part of the reason of this post to you let know that I had not indeed fallen off the face of the earth, but also to talk about the point of the conference … the point beyond the classes, learning and fellowship.

As Uncle Ben is wont to say, “With great power comes great responsibility.” With the ability to communicate comes the increased accountability to the message and influence that you may have over colleagues, friends, acquaintances, and people in general. Guest Speaker Thane Rehn also said that you really don’t know when your light is being seen. You really don’t know when your words and actions in general are making an impact. This has really made an impression on the way I view my interactions and lifestyle!

Along with these nuggets of understanding, the whole theme of the conference, “See. Hear. Speak.,” has a special point. You can interpret that statement many different ways, but I especially agree with the idea that it represents being a cultural communicator. Seeing, hearing, and speaking the truth of God’s word within the community. Quite frankly, I have been inspired to stretch out and try to impact my community with my words and actions. This is an experience I would recommend to everyone. I have learned many new tools of communication, made so many new friends, and have been very much motivated.

Musings at 35,000 Feet

There is a concept that has slowly grown in my mind over my life and experiences. Today, the reality reared its ugly head and I was forced to accept the realization that … airports are boring.

Airplanes are boring too.

So, here I sit, flying to San Diego for a debate tournament … bored.

This, happily, has not prevented me from writing a post using one of the conveniences of this Information Age, so without further ado …

As a homeschooler, I get a lot of questions related to homeschooling from my public schooled friends. What time do you get up? Do you wear your pajamas to school? Do you get snowdays? What about prom/Sadie Hawkins/Tolo/every other dance? The most pertinent question that I receive is consistently, “Would you rather be in public school?”

I usually respond, “No. Why? What am I missing?” Summarizing a host of responses, I am missing socialization with other people. This argument could have some merit depending on the specific homeschooler in question. Some don’t go out, have fun, have friends, or receive any exposure to the culture that they will someday have to face. However, as I try to point out, this is not the case with my family.

That is the usual course of conversation … however; this post is not about the usual. We invited a local teacher to help judge an upcoming debate. She sent the family an email that appeared to be critical of Christian debate (at the National Christian Forensics and Communication Association (NCFCA)) and Christian’s homeschooling in general. The teacher said that she was saddened by Christian students leaving the schools as it went against principles that “the Lord has placed on my heart” regarding, “being in the world but not of it.” Is Christian homeschooling truly a problem in this respect? I don’t believe so.

1. The public school is not the real world. Where else in life are you grouped with people all your own age? Learning to interact with people of all ages is especially important. Putting Christian children in public school simply to satisfy the commandment that they be “in the world” seems flawed prima facie (on its face.)

2. Certainly there are some homeschoolers that are too sheltered. However, being outside the scholastic system allows for a better analysis than being inside that same system. It is easier to teach the truth in areas such as science, sex, and history than to have to re-teach at home over a flawed concept already presented in the classroom.

3. Being sheltered, to some extent, allows for training and solidification in the Christian faith. NCFCA debate is expressly teaching communication so that students can learn to present the truth of the Gospel in a hopeless world. As Proverbs says, “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

4. Finally, there are plenty of opportunities to share one’s faith outside school. If you are involved in any activities, you have a harvest ground right in front of you. If you take the time to ground yourself in the Word, you don’t have to go to school to show that you are a Christian.

It is important to keep in mind that homeschooling also provides many distinct benefits as well as satisfying the requirement of being in the world but not of it. Homeschooling promotes independent study, critical thinking, development of character, solidification of values, pursuit of personal interests, and the ability to make intelligent decisions.

I will admit my bias here. I love homeschooling, the homeschooling community, and all that I have learned while being homeschooled over the last 8 years of my life. I plan on homeschooling all through high school. I also plan on continuing to debate in NCFCA. I regret that this teacher is saddened by Christian homeschoolers, as I consider the homeschooling community a strong asset to Christianity and to America in general.