Intellectual Tragedy

I have been at the University for 2 weeks now. Although I have not had enough time to truly form an accurate or comprehensive picture of the system here, I would like to post a few of my observations and ask for your prayers.

In most of my classes there are so many students that a significant portion of the group must sit on the floor. There are not enough books in the library, not enough advisers, not enough technological resources of any kind (in 2 enormous lectures the professors have not had microphones, there are about 30 computers in the main campus buildings for 40,000 students, et.), the course management is disastrous. After all of the financial and cultural reasons for this have been duly tabulated, there remains no truly satisfying excuse for the condition in which the university finds itself.

I have had Professors who enter the room late without making eye contact, begin a address to their students without pausing for breath, and exit the room 90 minutes later just as abruptly. No welcome, no announcement of office hours or offers of assistance, no warmth.

I have had instructors who are funny, interesting, and clearly love to teach. There is one who I think may become one of the favorites of my entire academic career (and I have had a lot of professors).

All of the professors seem to be knowledgeable, highly intellegent, some perhaps could even be described as brilliant. That being said, without exception, I believe that they are all spiritually empty. My professors have referred to the Bible as a book of legends or purely a literary work in multiple classes, some of which have no relation to religious topics (And this all within the first week!). But this is not what disturbs me. At every secular, and even some "christian", universities in the US one can hear the same ideas being expressed. They have permeated every realm of academic culture, although most academics have never deeply explored the layers of assumption behind their pronouncements.

What disturbs me is the virulence behind their words. The degree to which they clearly desire to convince others. How desperately they seem to be looking for confirmation that what they are saying is supported by the masses of "blank slates" who sit before them.

To give you a taste of what I am talking about, take a look at these two video clips which were shown in one of my classes today. They were followed by a diatribe against "Fundamentalist American christians" who believe in the Bible and intelligent design.



(warning: could offend sensitive souls)



(a christian children's program. . .admittedly hokey)

Please pray that I can be a light here. That I can help people who truly have intellectual difficulties in believing in the message of Christ to find the answers that they are sincerely looking for. Pray that I can be loving to those who have simply allowed sin to harden their hearts or who have chosen to follow the path of intellectual laziness and not truly explore the issues at stake.