I Am the Zealot

When having faith in Jesus sets you very, very far apart the world

Six years ago, a friend forwarded an article to me asking my thoughts. I knew this friend from our “past lives”— that time period before marriage and kids and adult reasoning and responsibility. We had many things in common in that before. We were both drawn to music that glorified our outsider status, dyed our hair, and thought we were terribly misunderstood geniuses. Thirty years on, I had committed to a life of loving and serving Jesus and my family, of staying home and raising my kids, and of sharing the Gospel to the ends of the earth. She had married and divorced, married again and had a baby, divorced again and embraced single motherhood, all while pursuing a career that had demanding hours but excellent pay and benefits. Despite our differences, we were still acquainted, and didn’t feel the tension that so often accompanies relationships where the gulf that separates the two parties is wide.

But the rifts in American politics had widened a bit by 2019, you might recall, and the article my friend send on seemed like the kind of rage bait that was becoming increasingly common. Published by Forbes, it posed a premise that had done exactly what it was written to do— terrify those committed to mainstream, industrial education into action. The hypothesis posed was simple: homeschoolers are less likely to fall into step with the agreed-up social norms. Oh, it said it differently. With more inflammatory rhetoric. And with a decidedly different slant: Homeschooling leads to extremism. But the two things, when examined without emotion, mean the same thing, just to different ears.

Is this true? My friend wanted to know. Could it be that kids in your co-op are budding terrorists? Any chance they’re plotting to overthrow the American Dream?

I couldn’t say no to any of these things—as I don’t think anyone with a shred of honesty could, regardless of what method of schooling they’ve opted for. The “we never saw it coming/he seemed so normal/they always seemed like such a good family” trope has been exhausted in the past 25 years when it comes to school shootings, mass murders, and general mayhem.

But even worse, I couldn’t set her at ease as to the true underlying thread the piece was hinting at.

See, the author’s main point, couched in between concerns about the radicalization of Americans by those drawn to violent actions, is this: “[homeschooling'] brings new challenges as it becomes a route for extremists to pass on their values.”

While this piece is specifically about homegrown Muslim terrorists, the door this statement swings open is wide, isn’t it? Take it a step further— and I think any thinking person has to— and “extremism” can look like anything those attempting to set the tone don’t agree with.

As previously mentioned, I’m a Christian. One might say a radical Christian, in that I believe that Jesus Christ is THE way, THE truth, and THE life (John 14:6) and not simply A way, A truth, or A life. I also believe that those who do not profess that Jesus is Lord are destined for an eternity in hell (John 3:36). That puts me at odds with a hefty chunk of my fellow citizens. And then I go a step further. I not only believe these things: I teach them to my children. I do not in any way advocate violence, or forcing others to worship as I do. However, I do point out a clear, black and white line rather than embracing religious pluralism or omnism. Again, this wins me no points in society at large. The word zealot is defined as “a person who has very strong feelings about something (such as religion or politics) and who wants other people to have those feelings.” Guess what? That’s me. I have strong feelings and I desire to live in such a way that I can be part of a movement within the Body of Christ to make heaven crowded.

In other words, I’m dangerous.

When I pointed this out to my friend, she didn’t disagree. I appreciated her honesty then, and I truthfully appreciate it even more now. It takes a lot of courage to admit that you’re uncomfortable with the exercise of liberties that our constitution guarantees because they’ll be misused by a fringe group. It takes even more courage to admit that maybe that fringe group also includes people you know personally.

My friend thinks that public education is morally neutral.

I teach my kids that nothing is neutral.

My friend finds nothing wrong with saying that all religions have bits and pieces of the truth.

I teach my kids that there is one God.

My friend thinks that all children should be taught that tolerance is love.

I teach my kids that if you truly love someone, you tell introduce them to your Savior.

In 2019, that was extreme. In 2025, somehow, even more so. I don’t think of my life as anything counter cultural, but it is. Opening my Bible every morning is tolerated, but not encouraged. Attending church? A cute, antiquated ritual. Raising my children myself—rather than allowing the state to be involved from the time my maternity leave expires at 6 weeks until they become adults— is not seen as playing along with “what’s best for the economy.” Growing our own food? Questioning the overall narrative? Refusing to be swayed in matters of Biblical teaching?

Zealotry.

Uncomfortable as I am with the label, I realize that I must wear it. I also realize that I was told it would be this way.

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.— John 15:18-24

It’s not homeschooling that makes me an extremist, and it won’t be homeschooling that makes my kids extreme, either. It will be our faith in Jesus, our adherence to His Word, and our commitment to being those who will be found in Him at His coming (1 John 2:28). I suppose, given the direction of the world, that’s to be feared just as much as bombs and riots.

In Christ,

Heather