Program Host Rita Peters with Guest Michael Farris
This Weekend, Mar 11-12, or Online HERE Anytime
“Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6:
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. … and fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the admonition of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4
“Love the Lord your God with all our heart and keep His commandments, that your days may be prolonged, and teach them diligently to your children, when you are sitting in your house or wherever you go.” (Deuteronomy 6:2, 4, 7)
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GUEST INTRODUCTION
Rita’s guest this week is Michael Farris, who is well-known in the Valley as the Founder of the Home School Legal Defense Association and of Patrick Henry College, but also as Cofounder of Convention of States along with Mark Meckler and, until recently, also as the CEO and General Counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, one of America’s premier defenders of our human rights.
As a lawyer, Farris has also acted as lead counsel in over 40 reported decisions given by the United States Supreme Court and by various circuit courts of Appeal, state Supreme Courts, and other state Courts of Appeal.
Many of these cases involved disputes over human rights, religious freedom, and more recently over parental rights versus public school control of students in the areas of sexual orientation, gender confusion, and transgender identities.
OUR PARENTAL RIGHTS
So, the question that Rita raises is “what is the source of our rights as parents?” In response, Farris refers back to our founding documents, including the Declaration of Independence, which states that “we are endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights, and that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
Thus, it is clear that our founders recognized that our rights come from God and not from government. Rather, the role of government is simply to protect these rights for us. The only situation which would justify government’s intervention these circumstances would be in cases of parental abuse, neglect, or abandonment.
THE RIGHT EDUCATION
Another question is what gives parents the right to remove their children from public schools in order to teach them at home? Again, this is the big question that Farris had to deal with in his role as founder of the Home School Legal Defense Association.
WHO DECIDES
And again, the common concern for both parents and schools is to ensure that our children are given a good education. But again, this is a decision that rests in the hands of parents, along with the support and in coordination with the schools if and when the parents are unable to teach them at home.
THE GREATEST CHALLENGES
Finally, what are some of the greatest challenges to our human rights today, especially in the schools? Without question, one of those would be in the area of gender dysphoria and confused sexual identity. Again, this belongs primarily in the hands of parents as a physical and mental health issue just as much if not more than a moral issue. Therefore, the authority of the schools is limited and must be carefully monitored to prevent intrusion in this area.
THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH
Finally, what should be the role of the church in monitoring and helping to speak out in defense of our children and in support of parents in the upbringing and education of their children?
CROSSROADS RADIO: WHERE FAITH AND CULTURE MEET
These are just some of the issues that will be discussed on Crossroads this weekend. To learn more, please tune in on the following Valley radio stations: WBTX (1470 AM and 102.1 FM) today (Saturday) at 4:00 p.m. and again on Sunday at 7:30 a.m., followed by WSVA (550 AM and 92.1 FM) at 8:30, ESPN (1360 AM and 106.9 FM) at 9:00, and WNLR (1150) at 11:30.