Science, Mathematics, Education, Religion, and “Progressivism”

Science, Mathematics, Education, Religion, And “Progressivism”

July 23, 2013 by Gerald Todd

Christianity – the faith of 85% of Americans — is under attack from all sides, especially the Federal Government and its array of misinformed propagandists in academia, media, and the bureaucracies. I thought this list of Catholic priests who were the fathers of various mathematics and scientific disciplines might be interesting.
These Catholic clergy didn’t get their motivation by belonging to a Church that was anti-science. In fact, the scientific method was devised in the 12th Century at the Cathedral School at Chartres. Then the science and technology ball started rolling! The Church does stand against anything that devalues the sanctity and value of human life from conception to natural death. “Progressives” whine and complain when they are stymied from imposing their culture of death, claiming that the Church is against scientific endeavor.
Former Obama czar and now Harvard genius Cass Sunstein is lamenting over the lack of American students’ interest in science and math. (I have some bragging rights here – my Grandson Gerald II recently graduated in Math at the top of his class at U/Alaska-Anchorage. He is a product of the Carden School – the antithesis of public education as currently practiced from the totalitarian level.) Sunsteen is right in noting the kids arrive in college with poor preparation in the sciences – I might add in bad physical shape because their high school PE programs were cut, and their corpus collosi challenged because their right brain development in music and art programs were cut to make room for the political correctness of phony racial diversity, gender equality, sexual proclivity, and “hate America” themes. And they expect kids to be motivated to subject themselves to real disciplines?
I think what Sunsteen and the rest of the “progressive” crowd miss is the attitude base of today’s education process. The students are hammered with all the evils of American hegemony and destroying the earth with our technology. Schools under guidance from DC promote Godless political correctness in all its evil forms, including youthful guilt trips. The clergy-discoverers were likely motivated by God’s command in Genesis – “subdue the earth – be fruitful and multiply…” That doesn’t mean beat it to death; it means search, discover, refine, apply, and bring forth the fruit of products, processes, and opportunities for all to expand their horizons by creativity and service – giving glory to God, the only entity that can handle it!
These are the “progressive solutions” – see a challenge, centralize it. See it isn’t working, throw money at it. See it still isn’t working – throw more money and write new draconian rules and regulations, ad nauseum. If that isn’t insanity for the sake of power, just what is? Of course, it’s also job security for nonperformers expecting cushy perks for the rest of their lives – until their idiot-run cities like Detroit and Stockton go bankrupt. “California here I come…”
Why would a student become fired up about science and technology when his education process has laid a guilt trip on him for even thinking about it? At the world-famous Bakersfield Relay For Life, I fell in to walk with a young black woman and her son. She, like me, was a cancer survivor. I asked her son what he wanted to be when he grew up. A nice, well-mannered kid, his answer shocked me: “I want to become a lawyer so I can sue corporations!”
As an engineer, I’m a lousy structural designer, but a pretty good innovator currently holding forth some very fine “green” technologies for water, energy, and environmentally pure applications. These are “very fine” because they actually reduce costs and eliminate the kind of chemical hazards that require a safety shower nearby in case a worker gets soaked with iodine or acid. Do we get an ounce of encouragement from the environmental gurus on government payrolls? Hell no! It falls right back to good old free enterprise, salesmanship, and problem solving.
When President George H. W. Bush promised to shut down the Department of Education and then caved in to the “progressives” of both parties, he missed his chance for true greatness. The education process would have returned to where it belongs and competence and competition is the highest – with the parents and the local community. Now we’re stuck with three major messes all brought on by the Federal Government interfering where the Constitution forbids it to go: Health, Education, and Welfare – the playground of eugenicists and totalitarians.
“Times they are a’changing!”