At the Educational Freedom Coalition,
http://www.theeducationalfreedomcoalition.org/, they indicate that Bob Jones University Press (BJU Press) is "correlated", but not yet "aligned" with the federal takeover of education via "Common Core".
BJU Press has issued some statements that raise more questions than give satisfactory answers to those who have for years appreciated and/or believed in Christian fundamentalist and separatist dogmas for themselves and their children. At this late date, the best that BJU Press can offer is a seeming inclination to reject biblical separation for expediency and profit motives and adopt Common Core standards, compliantly adapting (aligning) them to an ungodly, worldly, secular humanist, freedom destroying, collectivist curriculum in a compromising spirit, while claiming to adhere to its "core philosophy" and still being "biblically focused". Some of their statements on their website read like an actual endorsement of statist propaganda. Lacking in their pronouncements are any worthy criticisms of this federal takeover of education, its socialist/communist foundations, or its collectivist "one shoe fits all" approach dictated by an elite copyrighted governing group. Such gross lack of discernment by BJU Press flies in the face of their claim that their materials teach "critical thinking skills". Where are BJU's "thinking skills"? Apparently subsumed to the state's interests!
An admission of alignment with deception in ignorance:
As BJU Press states at https://www.bjupresshomeschool.com/content/common-core-standards, "Moreover, some Common Core Standards actually align with our standards. For example, both the English Language Arts and Mathematics standards contain an increased emphasis on deeper understanding of underlying concepts rather than on mere memorization of facts. They also emphasize critical thinking and the supporting of positions with evidence. Such standards fit well with our educational philosophy. We can easily show how these standards appear in our materials."
And: "Other Common Core Standards address only the minimum requirements and may be one or more grade levels below what we recognize as good teaching. We do not limit ourselves to the level of the standards, but go beyond, based on our philosophy of learning and sound educational practices. In other words, our materials exceed these Common Core Standards in age-appropriate instruction and academic rigor."
Here is BJU's glowing, but ignorant, statement about "Common Core", titled: "Maintaining Academic Excellence: BJU Press and the Common Core 'State Standards' (CCSS)". It must be stated here that the states have never been consulted or involved in the creation of any of these standards. They were created by corporate entities at the behest of the Obama administration, who were funded by the federal government and the Gates foundation among others.
http://www.bjupress.com/resources/common-core-standards/.
Excerpts:
"To help schools needing to work with Common Core State Standards, BJU Press has compiled charts to show where our existing materials correlate with CCSS."
"Many of the Common Core State Standards highlight our already established and longstanding goals of teaching for understanding and developing critical-thinking skills."
As Debbie S. of "A Million Skies" says at http://www.a-million-skies.com/2013/04/common-core-will-it-change-way-you.html, "Bob Jones is one of those. How in the world can a Christian company and school, align themselves with a tool that touts evolution and global warming, uses news clippings about economics for Literature, instead of classics, and basically turns the students into robots, all in the name of getting into college? Yes! All of these things are happening in the world of Common Core! Therefore, in order to align with these standards, Bob Jones (and others) will be forced to print these lies, so their material will match the garbage on the standardized tests, such as the ACT and SAT. If the nationalization of education isn't enough to scare you off, then what about the idea of tracking all students and keeping a database of their information, from preschool to adulthood? WHY is this necessary? (Can you say BIG BROTHER?)"
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Perhaps BJU Press is just part and parcel of the growing compromise with the world as revealed at J. Beard's "Rapidnet" website, in his article:
"Bob Jones University (BJU)-A Bastion of Bible Christianity?", at: http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Psychology/bju/fundam.htm. Excerpt which reveals a proclivity towards psychoheresy:
"(2) The Four Temperaments: The BJU Press Testing and Evaluation Service markets the Personality Profile Assessment test in order to "reveal to parents and teachers the personalities or temperaments of children; ... to provide a basis on which to discuss with children the strengths and weaknesses of their temperaments; ... results reveal one of four temperaments (DISC Model) as dominant; suggests relative to the dominant and combined types disclosed, several ways to motivate, better understand, and deal with the needs of the young person."
The "four temperaments" is a long-discredited personality theory evolved from the ancient Greek belief that the physical realm was composed of four elements: earth, air, fire, and water. Empedocles related these to four pagan deities, while Hippocrates tied them to what were considered at that time to be the four bodily humors: blood (sanguine), phlegm (phlegmatic), yellow bile (choleric), and black bile (melancholy). These characteristics were also connected to the signs of the zodiac. Nevertheless, testing companies claim their wares are scientific, reliable means of finding out about people. But research does not support their claims! Temperament tests and inventories generally have extremely poor validity. In other words, they cannot be trusted to do what they are created to do. Therefore, BJU is wasting time, money, and people through using personality types and tests. The four temperaments represent, at the very least, an invalid psychological system and, at worst, an occult system. [BJU also offers a "Tests and Measurements" course (which teaches the use of personality tests) through its Psychology Department. And Dr. Bob Jones III states that none of his colleagues at BJU has "a problem with the four temperaments," since "most of us agree that there are definite identifiable personality types" (personal letter on file). Christians desiring more detailed information on this topic should read the Bobgans' book Four Temperaments, Astrology & Personality Testing; BDM also has a report on the subject.]"
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We also see that BJU has a proclivity towards Contemporary Christian Music, and Roman Catholicism. See David Cloud's revealing article here:
http://www.wayoflife.org/index_files/bju_contemporary_music_and_rome.html.
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Further, Fundamental Baptist Ministries has serious concerns about BJU here:
http://www.fundamentalbaptistministries.com/fbm/archives2/slippery_slope.htm.
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Perhaps BJU and BJU Press are not the separatist, fundamentalist Christian organizations they once were!
The "four temperaments" is a long-discredited personality theory evolved from the ancient Greek belief that the physical realm was composed of four elements: earth, air, fire, and water. Empedocles related these to four pagan deities, while Hippocrates tied them to what were considered at that time to be the four bodily humors: blood (sanguine), phlegm (phlegmatic), yellow bile (choleric), and black bile (melancholy). These characteristics were also connected to the signs of the zodiac. Nevertheless, testing companies claim their wares are scientific, reliable means of finding out about people. But research does not support their claims! Temperament tests and inventories generally have extremely poor validity. In other words, they cannot be trusted to do what they are created to do. Therefore, BJU is wasting time, money, and people through using personality types and tests. The four temperaments represent, at the very least, an invalid psychological system and, at worst, an occult system. [BJU also offers a "Tests and Measurements" course (which teaches the use of personality tests) through its Psychology Department. And Dr. Bob Jones III states that none of his colleagues at BJU has "a problem with the four temperaments," since "most of us agree that there are definite identifiable personality types" (personal letter on file). Christians desiring more detailed information on this topic should read the Bobgans' book Four Temperaments, Astrology & Personality Testing; BDM also has a report on the subject.]"
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We also see that BJU has a proclivity towards Contemporary Christian Music, and Roman Catholicism. See David Cloud's revealing article here:
http://www.wayoflife.org/index_files/bju_contemporary_music_and_rome.html.
__________________________________________________________
Further, Fundamental Baptist Ministries has serious concerns about BJU here:
http://www.fundamentalbaptistministries.com/fbm/archives2/slippery_slope.htm.
__________________________________________________________
Perhaps BJU and BJU Press are not the separatist, fundamentalist Christian organizations they once were!
