Disclaimer: Opinion columns reflect the opinion of the writer and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the faculty and administration of SLOHS. Controversial issues will be covered from both points of views. School news will also be covered. Any local, national or international news deemed relevant to the Expressions readership may also be covered.
Dear Editor,
I love the staff and students at SLOHS. My students know that. But I love God more, so in obedience to Him, I am writing this letter.
Without divine intervention it would be mathematically impossible to write a book filled with hundreds of predictions over thousands of years with 100% accuracy regarding their fulfillment, yet the Bible has done exactly that, with just a few prophecies yet to be fulfilled. Therefore, I have faith that the entire Bible is without error.
The Bible tells us that we are all accountable for our actions, and that teachers are especially accountable. I’m a teacher, and I don’t want to displease God any more than I already have with my sinful life, so in obedience to Him, I’m asking you to please slowly read and consider the following excerpt from the book of Romans, Chapter 1, verses 16-32, in the New Testament. It describes a deception that has happened in the past, and is happening again right now, not only at SLOHS, but throughout the world:
“For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes – the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in His sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”
But God shows His anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because He has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship Him as God or even give Him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.
So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and shameful things with each other’s bodies. They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the creator Himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.
Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, He abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them too.”
I write you these things in order to lift up those who have stumbled, or may stumble, and put you back on the right path.
I pray you each have a great summer, a wonderful life, and a perfect eternity.
Love,
SLOHS Teacher Michael Stack
snairne • May 12, 2017 at 2:02 pm
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Todd Nemet • May 9, 2017 at 3:22 pm
It is the height of irresponsibility for someone in your position as an educator to post this to a student publication, whatever your sincerely held beliefs may be.
Quoting from the CDC page on LGBT youth health at https://www.cdc.gov/lgbthealth/youth.htm :
“LGBTQ youth are also at increased risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors, suicide attempts, and suicide. A nationally representative study of adolescents in grades 7–12 found that lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth were more than twice as likely to have attempted suicide as their heterosexual peers…one study with 55 transgender youth found that about 25% reported suicide attempts.
“To help promote health and safety among LGBTQ youth, schools can implement the following policies and practices: Encourage respect for all students and prohibit bullying, harassment, and violence against all students.”
Assuming that you entered this profession to help children and nurture them, I fail to see how leading one of the most vulnerable populations of students to believe that their minds are “dark and confused,” that they are doing “vile and shameful things with each other’s bodies,” and that they “suffer within themselves the penalty they deserved,” does anything towards furthering this goal.
What if there were a student who looked up to you and who is struggling with his or her identity? How do think he or she would feel right now?
As the father of a gay student at SLO HS, I am appalled that you would think this appropriate and that you think parents are going to stand by while you put our kids at real risk of harm.
My next messages are going to the administration and to local advocacy groups.
Todd Nemet
Brandi Bryant • May 9, 2017 at 12:30 pm
Mr Stack, if you have a desire to inflict your beliefs at the expense of a child’s self confidence or self identity, then perhaps private education might suit you better. Had your letter been sent to The New Times or Tribune, this would be your own opinion and a sad but different story. Your need to send this to the school affiliated paper makes me believe you can’t separate your personal beliefs and your ability to teach and support all students, some being part of the LGBTQ community. As a parent of two SLO High students, I find your letter to be judgemental and intolerant. Perhaps you should reconsider who employs you.
Jamie Andreozzi • May 9, 2017 at 12:06 pm
It saddens me that a teacher, one who I send my kid to school to learn from every day, is expressing that God hates my gay child. I feel sorry for you Mr. STACK. You may consider attracting those to God using love, kindness and compassion and not hate. Jesus spoke of his compassion towards everyone. It is people like you who repel those who don’t know God. Or trying to grasp knowing him… And repel those who need him the most. Are you with ” Sin ” mr. Stack?
God loves us all, none of us are exempt from his love. Not even you Mr. Stack.
Bridget Bogust • May 9, 2017 at 10:31 am
Dear Editor,
I believe in the separation of church and state. As a public school teacher I have been complicit in upholding the standard of church and state separation so that all students of every creed. color, orientation, gender identity, ability, or other difference, may be supported on their academic journey. Churches exist for the language of the letter Mr. Stack wrote. Using religion to disparage or disenfranchise students is not appropriate in public schools. I’m pretty sure God would frown on that too.
I am a woman who is gay. I believe that the Lord made me the way I was intended. I am not a mistake or a sin. Because I am a good person, open to people of different sexual orientations and other differences, I have been able to help dozens of students that people, like you, have written off as evil or offending God. Who are you helping with your extreme beliefs? If those same beliefs were expressed by a Muslim, based on the Koran, what would your response be? I choose (a God of) love over your hate and judgement filled preaching. Your same argument was used to keep groups of Americans from voting before the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
If Mr. Stack really believes in God, why doesn’t he trust that God created me to be just who I am? He should save his religious talk for the church of his choice. Mr. Stack, let the rest of us make our own choices, without your judgement, please. Perhaps you might pray to God for straight people to quit having gay babies. Maybe you could address the two straight females that posed for the male- fantasy picture (2 straight females kissing) with none of the typical hate to face from people like you that feel somehow empowered to judge them.
Sincerely,
Bridget Bogust
GSA Advisor
Jacob K Peterson • May 9, 2017 at 11:49 am
Maybe my idea of love differs from yours, Mr. Stack, but I generally don’t tell people I love that they should die.