February 8, 2010
German Family Granted Political Asylum
in the U.S.
Parents wanted to avoid persecution for home schooling.
German Family Granted Political Asylum
in the U.S.
Parents wanted to avoid persecution for home schooling.
SUMMARY: A Tennessee immigration judge has granted a German family
political asylum. Uwe and Hannelore Romeike moved to Morristown,
Tennessee in 2008 along with their children because, according to Judge
Lawrence Burman, they had a legitimate fear of prosecution for their beliefs.
With few exceptions, Germany requires parents to enroll their children in
school. The Romeikes had been fined thousands of euros for keeping their
children at home, and police had been sent to escort the children to
school, Mr. Romeike said. They had been holding classes in their home.
In 2006 the Romeikes pulled their children out of a state school in Bissingen
in southern Germany to protest what they considered an anti-Christian
curriculum. They said textbooks presented slang terms for sex acts, images of
vampires and witches, and ethics lessons from Islam, Buddhism and other
religions. The oldest son got into fights in school, and the oldest daughter had
trouble studying.
''Home schoolers in Germany are a particular social group, which is one of the
protected grounds under the asylum law,'' said Mike Connelly, a lawyer for the
Home School Legal Defense Association, who argued the case. "The rights
being violated here are basic human rights.''
The Romeike family will now be free to live and work in the U.S. A German
consul general said school attendance is mandatory in Germany to ensure a
high education standard for all children and added that parents have many
educational options.
To read the entire article, click on this link to SYDNEY MORNING HERALD.
COMMENT: A previous post concerning this story had mentioned the fear
among German authorities that a "parallel society" might be established if
home schooling became commonplace. I'm sure memories of a divided
Germany are still fresh in the minds of older Germans, and it appears German
leaders will stop at nothing to keep the country unified. Still, I believe on the
matter of home schooling by Christian parents, these authorites have gone
too far.
Christian parents do or should acknowledge the admonition in Scripture to
obey the ruling authorities St, Paul in the book of Romans reminds us,
"Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no
authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist
have been established by God." (Romans 13:1 NIV)
On the other hand, Christians are also commanded to "obey God rather than
men." (Acts 5:29) With the ungodly instruction apparently going on in German
schools, it appears the Romeikes had every right to withdraw their children
from a bad situation. They made a wise and legal decision to move to the U.S.
Germany needs to rethink this policy on home schooling After all, Germany
was the home of Martin Luther, who stressed the importance of education in
the home. Luther, by the way, also stressed the doctrine of the "two kingdoms"
by which secular and spiritual kingdoms can coexist peacefully side-by-side.
The case against home schooling is weak. Home schoolers in our country tend
to outperform those in the public schools, and Christian home schoolers who
learn respect for authorities are no threat to a freedom-loving government.
If Germany--and the United States too--would make their government schools
better and more wholesome, there would probably be fewer home schools
and less need for a "parallel school system." One subject though that
parents cannot delegate to the state is the teaching of God's Word, especially
the Gospel. "And how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which
are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus."
(2 Timothy 3:15)
****************************************************************************************************
Want to be automatically notified each time there is a new post? Just e-mail
your request to [admin@lutheranscience.org].
****************************************************************************************************
QUESTION OF THE DAY
What is the life expectancy of a cat allowed to roam outdoors
compared to that of a cat which is always kept indoors?
****************************************************************************************************
NOTE ON VISITOR COMMENTS: Visitor comments are invited including
those containing alternate views. However, comments containing profanity
or advertisements will not be published. After posting a comment, please
allow several hours for it to appear on the blog.
*****************************************************************************************************
political asylum. Uwe and Hannelore Romeike moved to Morristown,
Tennessee in 2008 along with their children because, according to Judge
Lawrence Burman, they had a legitimate fear of prosecution for their beliefs.
With few exceptions, Germany requires parents to enroll their children in
school. The Romeikes had been fined thousands of euros for keeping their
children at home, and police had been sent to escort the children to
school, Mr. Romeike said. They had been holding classes in their home.
In 2006 the Romeikes pulled their children out of a state school in Bissingen
in southern Germany to protest what they considered an anti-Christian
curriculum. They said textbooks presented slang terms for sex acts, images of
vampires and witches, and ethics lessons from Islam, Buddhism and other
religions. The oldest son got into fights in school, and the oldest daughter had
trouble studying.
''Home schoolers in Germany are a particular social group, which is one of the
protected grounds under the asylum law,'' said Mike Connelly, a lawyer for the
Home School Legal Defense Association, who argued the case. "The rights
being violated here are basic human rights.''
The Romeike family will now be free to live and work in the U.S. A German
consul general said school attendance is mandatory in Germany to ensure a
high education standard for all children and added that parents have many
educational options.
To read the entire article, click on this link to SYDNEY MORNING HERALD.
COMMENT: A previous post concerning this story had mentioned the fear
among German authorities that a "parallel society" might be established if
home schooling became commonplace. I'm sure memories of a divided
Germany are still fresh in the minds of older Germans, and it appears German
leaders will stop at nothing to keep the country unified. Still, I believe on the
matter of home schooling by Christian parents, these authorites have gone
too far.
Christian parents do or should acknowledge the admonition in Scripture to
obey the ruling authorities St, Paul in the book of Romans reminds us,
"Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no
authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist
have been established by God." (Romans 13:1 NIV)
On the other hand, Christians are also commanded to "obey God rather than
men." (Acts 5:29) With the ungodly instruction apparently going on in German
schools, it appears the Romeikes had every right to withdraw their children
from a bad situation. They made a wise and legal decision to move to the U.S.
Germany needs to rethink this policy on home schooling After all, Germany
was the home of Martin Luther, who stressed the importance of education in
the home. Luther, by the way, also stressed the doctrine of the "two kingdoms"
by which secular and spiritual kingdoms can coexist peacefully side-by-side.
The case against home schooling is weak. Home schoolers in our country tend
to outperform those in the public schools, and Christian home schoolers who
learn respect for authorities are no threat to a freedom-loving government.
If Germany--and the United States too--would make their government schools
better and more wholesome, there would probably be fewer home schools
and less need for a "parallel school system." One subject though that
parents cannot delegate to the state is the teaching of God's Word, especially
the Gospel. "And how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which
are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus."
(2 Timothy 3:15)
****************************************************************************************************
Want to be automatically notified each time there is a new post? Just e-mail
your request to [admin@lutheranscience.org].
****************************************************************************************************
QUESTION OF THE DAY
What is the life expectancy of a cat allowed to roam outdoors
compared to that of a cat which is always kept indoors?
****************************************************************************************************
NOTE ON VISITOR COMMENTS: Visitor comments are invited including
those containing alternate views. However, comments containing profanity
or advertisements will not be published. After posting a comment, please
allow several hours for it to appear on the blog.
*****************************************************************************************************
1 Comment
M. Keith Blankenship wrote...It is a tragedy that in the land of Luther, the rights
of Christian parents are so little respected. Yet this is part of a pattern which has
repeated through her history, and to her shame. We need only think of the
Prussian Union and other attempts to abridge religious liberty to discern the
pattern. I believe that the WELS sister church in Germany, the ELFK has
established a Christian school, which is certainly deserving of prayers and
financial support.
As an exchange student in a German high school (Gymnasium) in the early 80's, I
can vouch for the anti-christian nature of the curriculum, even thought we had a
"reli", or religion class.I can only imagine what it is like now.
Many people in the U.S. trace their heritage to Germany, as do the bulk of
Lutherans. We should pray for those who are there, for their government, and for
the churches who are maintaining a faithful witness.
M. Keith Blankenship wrote...It is a tragedy that in the land of Luther, the rights
of Christian parents are so little respected. Yet this is part of a pattern which has
repeated through her history, and to her shame. We need only think of the
Prussian Union and other attempts to abridge religious liberty to discern the
pattern. I believe that the WELS sister church in Germany, the ELFK has
established a Christian school, which is certainly deserving of prayers and
financial support.
As an exchange student in a German high school (Gymnasium) in the early 80's, I
can vouch for the anti-christian nature of the curriculum, even thought we had a
"reli", or religion class.I can only imagine what it is like now.
Many people in the U.S. trace their heritage to Germany, as do the bulk of
Lutherans. We should pray for those who are there, for their government, and for
the churches who are maintaining a faithful witness.
| LSI stands for the Lutheran Science Institute, an organization of WELS and ELS Lutherans interested in science and health issues with a special emphasis on the creation and evolution controversy. This blog's purpose is to search the Internet to find articles of interest to Christians. Views expressed are those of the author (Warren Krug) and are not necessarily those of the Lutheran Science Institute, Inc. |
For an outdoor cat, three years. For an indoor cat,
twelve years. Cats allowed to roam outdoors have a
greater chance of picking up infectious diseases and
consuming poisons. They also could get into fights with
other cats and are in danger from automobiles and other
animals.
Source: http://www.drsfostersmith.com
twelve years. Cats allowed to roam outdoors have a
greater chance of picking up infectious diseases and
consuming poisons. They also could get into fights with
other cats and are in danger from automobiles and other
animals.
Source: http://www.drsfostersmith.com
