This semester has sure started off with an unexpected bang. (No pun intended!) I am taking 3 classes this semester, still plunging towards my goal of finishing up before this year ends, God willing. Well, my first class this week was a biology class...well, technically it was 'Physical Anthropology'. (sigh!) Our text books and lab books were not in stock yet, so depending on whether or not I believe the bookstore or the instructor, one of them is at fault as to why we don't have our books at the start of class.
Anyhoo, this is a class where I have to keep my own personal beliefs and opinions to myself if I want to pass. The instructor has made it pretty clear that he is expecting us to parrot back his teachings and the book's views on the tests, quizzes and essays from our 'good notetaking' to get 'good grades'. This is very disturbing to me. What about independent thinking? Isn't that what learning is all about? I have to think what he thinks to be assessed as a learning student? In one of my classes last semester, I went against everything the instructor said within my essays, and backed it all up with supporting evidence and got nothing but A's.
And that's where the problem lies...the subject matter of this class really cannot be PROVEN without doubt by him nor his books, but he is the one teaching the class, expounding his views to us, the poor ignorant students. My proof is the inerrant Word of God, but I was told several semesters ago by another instructor at the University that I could not use the Bible as a reference for a fact based paper, because it was not a factual, non-fiction source. WHAT?
One of the main topics in this class will be the 'evolution of apes to man'. And this instructor wholeheartedly believes his theories, and those 'great anthropologists and scientists' who have come before him. I feel duped, because this stupid class is a requirement to graduate. I don't want to compromise what I personally believe for the sake of a grade. (But grades are important when seeking scholarships, etc...waaah!) I know that my personal views will not be viewed as 'viable' based upon my sources, to use as substantial evidence to back up my claims. I could just suck it up, and spit it all out right back at him, and get my good grade, but that is rubbing me the wrong way too under my skin. A girl in my class mentioned that she was an atheist, and wholeheartedly believed in evolution, etc....barf! Arrrgh!
What do you think I should do?
Second question of the Day: How come if we evolved from apes there are still apes here today?
Overheard: A co-worker was bragging yesteday that she won tickets through her church's raffle to see the Rolling Stones in concert last night. Huh? Anything about that situation seem a little incongruent to you? Maybe it's just me....I dunno.
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4 comments:
Sigh........so sad. I would find it extremely difficult to write papers the opposite of what I believe and who I am. I don't do well with someone telling me what to think........... At the same time you have to finish school. My thoughts are that you'll have to suck it up and do what is necessary, knowing that it doesn't change who you are, or what you belive in.
Keep your focus on God and let Him be your guide through this difficult experience.
Lucy
Actually, as I see it, I have 2 choices:
I could stand solidly (and in this case foolishly) by my personal convictions, drop the class, and never graduate, thereby limiting my career choices in life forever....and cutting myself off from things God has ordained for me to do as an occupation to help others.
- OR -
I can take the class, take in the information long enough just to recite all this stuff right back at him, knowing full well inside of myself that the information I have to take in does NOT change what I believe or change who I am.
Throughout the duration of this class, I will be in prayer for the eyes and hearts of my classmates and my instructor to be opened by Him. Only He can give them His merciful grace to allow them to see Him in everything.
I thank you both for your comments.
hey... thanks for caring. i've been giving all my love to myspace.com lately, so i brought some of my more notable blogs from over there and put them where you asked me to. ;-)
well, the bible is a book of faith. while there are things in the bible that are factual from a historical point of view, meaning that the biblical account and the historical account are in agreement on one thing or another, there is not much in the bible to use scientifically.
the bible is not a text book and is not a science book. it was never meant to be a science book, but that does not mean the bible doesn't contain ultimate truth about our existence. what it means is that you can't recreate and test things in the bible for scientific purposes. for example, we humans cannot recreate the 6 day creation in a test tube to see what our results would be to compare them to the results in the bible. would you agree with a muslim religious scholar that the world is flat and square because the Koran said so?
science is about observation of known criteria and then making extrapolations and theories based on the results of the observation. science is about taking the work of another sciencetist and using it as a base for new process of experimentation to see where the results lead you. science is heating water over and over again to see what temperature causes it to boil. however, science is not taking a verse in the bible and then conducting experiments to support what the bible says.
biblical truth and scientific truth are entirely two different things. scientific truth is really truth as we understand it to be right now based on what we have studied and researched to this point in time. in other words it is transient by nature. medical science knows more now than it did 200 years ago. physics scholars know more now than they did 25 years ago. that is why they call their ideas theory. many of the scientific communitys theories although they are based on the scientific method require a measure of faith to accept them as valid. still the theories are continually tested and evaluated based on the data available. sometimes the data is referred to as "ground truth".
biblical truth is a construct of faith. it may be ultimate truth, but we cannot know if our understanding of biblical truth is in fact 100 per cent correct. we cannot test it scientifically. how can we really comprehend God and how he actually created the universe? how can we comprehend the infinite with a finite mind? paul said we see through a glass darkly and the psalms say that we should not lean on our own understanding, but i digress. back to my point i was trying to make in the beginning of this paragraph. we have sects of christianity who each think they have hold on the most correct understanding of God and the living out of a christian life. which is right and how could we prove who is right? the bible? each sect have their proof texts from the bible to support what they believe. where does that get us? no further I believe.
rather than take this class from an adversarial point of view why not do the research from legitimate scientific studies and make your conclusions based on the data. if the professor gives you a bad grade because you didn't parrot back to him what he wanted to hear then it won't be bacause of bad scholarship on your part. then make a complaint to the school because the point of any class should be to hone the skills of critical thinking not regurgitate what the professor feeds you.
the current popular and accepted scientific view is that man evolved from apes based on the fossil and bio data (even though they have that missing link). this has nothing to do with ultimate truth. it only has to do with the truth as best as we know it now. most christians don't get cycled about dinosaurs anymore because the fossil record and bones have been found and are evidence for everyone to see. the bible doesn't have much to say about them does it?
we christians need to re-enter the academic world not with a theological ax to grind, but rather to show that there is no great chasm between faith and intellect.
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