I'm not sure I have an idea on most of these issues. One idea about "bringing God back into schools" involves a balanced presentation of the ideas from the Bible. We seem to have lost our ability to dialogue with people with whom we disagree. Are we able to consider the truth of scripture? And are people of faith able to present the practical truth of scripture without insisting that people conform to it?

But this is a double-edged sword.  Can we actually teach people to learn without insisting that we're the authority?  Do our schools really want people who learn, or do we simply want people who pass standardized tests and follow rules?  School didn't teach me to learn. School taught me to do what was required so I could get a grade.

I wonder if we don't need a new teaching on violence. What if we really embraced abundance. The industrial revolution created a scarcity mindset. Supply must meet demand. Violence is a desperate response to a scarce world. An abundant world is one where we understand that we "reap what we sow." What we give away is what we get. When we respect and encourage and help others we become the beneficiaries of a gracious, supportive society. We need to teach people to give more than they get. And we need to encourage people who do.

And when I say "teach" in the paragraph above, I mean live. At least for me, I want to live my example and let my actions speak. (This happens to be another biblical principle.) I reject people who tell me what I should do, especially if I don't see them doing it. You might disagree with me, but if my life documents what I believe, to me that's a more persuasive argument than anything else.

Thanks for the challenge.  Mike...