Are Colleges
‘Schools for Fools’?
Among the subjects he decided to study was “religion.”
We just got off the phone with him and we both had a good laugh.
When our son was in high school, the influence of drugs, sex and violence was the predominant culture and so we took him out and home-schooled him.
Thankfully, and with many graces and blessings from our Lord and His Mother, he is well-grounded in his faith.
He — being the young man he is as we ourselves did at his age — still likes to explore and make comparisons of what he knows and has learned to other beliefs.
This was foremost among his purpose for taking a religion course in a secular environment. And because we are not aristocrats, bluebloods or any other category that fits with the term “rich folk,” our son had no choice but to go to a state-financed college.
A slightly different educational environment than the one he just experienced!
For the first part and what made both of us laugh is that his religion instructor has a unique way of “teaching.”
She closes the lights in the classroom and runs movies!
Not just any movies, but Hollywood blockbusters.
The students were “treated” to the Nicole Kidman film, Moulin Rouge.
The reason the “teacher” shows these films is grounded in a very simple philosophy. First one must understand that she does not run the sound with the film — only the picture. This, she explained to her new recruits, allows her to lecture without any interfering sounds; but, in case any of the students find her dissertation boring, they could always concentrate on the film to entertain themselves!
Of course, it is interesting to us that this “professional” lecturer would not only choose such an odd method of “teaching,” but would also show such a tantalizing film as Moulin Rouge; one in which Nicole Kidman is dressed in various scantily-clad outfits in many a steamy romantic scene with her on-screen “lover.”
Not exactly the type of film one might choose to run in a “religious” studies class!
The teacher also, as one might expect, encouraged the students to reveal their various backgrounds in religion.
This exercise, she explained, was so that she would be able to ensure that their essays and other assignments did not attach themselves to things they were already familiar with. The purpose of the class, she said, was to ensure the students became knowledgeable of other religions and beliefs.
Her first assignment is for the students NOT to write about their own beliefs, but to go to a religious service other than what they have experienced and opposite of their background. They are then to write an essay on their new experience.
Schooled in the knowledge that masonry has a long anti-Catholic heritage, our son inquired (here, of course, is the “wise guy” in him!) whether he should go to a lodge to accomplishment the task. Most amazingly, his teacher responded that she would not advise anyone to go to a lodge and was our son aware of the fact that the members engage in “luciferian oaths”?
Needless to say that such a statement deserves an A+ to an educator who, if they truly are sincere in their remark, has the guts to speak so boldly to those who may have no comprehension of what masonry entails.
But since our son is a believer in Catholicism and a masonic lodge was NOT considered an option by his professor, she suggested that he should go to a very famous protest-ant gathering in the college area.
He and I are well familiar with this protest-ant group and that the No. 1 attribute it exhibits in all its gatherings is an overt and distinct hatred of Catholicism and Mary’s apparitions or titles, such as Queen of Heaven and Earth!
When our son mentioned that he had already been there and “hated” the place, many of the students in his class recoiled in horror!
For those who recoiled in horror at our son’s statement it was obvious they are followers of this sect, one that likes to be close to campuses to attract young people.
And, amazingly, a sect which even has the stupidity and audacity to make outrageous claims such as Columbus discovered the New World because he was “a Jew” who was “persecuted” by the Church in the Inquisition and had no choice but to leave Spain if he were to live and not die!
Such is the case for the educational knowledge of college students who seem to have deep trouble with the true facts of history and accept such nonsense.
Our son found it pretty interesting that, after class, so many of the students who recoiled in horror about his statement came up to him concerned for his “eternal salvation.”
Why were they concerned?
Not because he doesn’t believe in Jesus, but because he does not believe in this cult’s perverted doctrines!
We bet if we queried these same young people as to whether or not one needs to believe in a certain “church” to be saved, they would all exclaim, “No!” We need, they would hypocritically state, to believe in Jesus — but, of course, the version of Jesus that is “preached” by their “church”! (Forget about the 1st Millennium Church, how could they know the Scriptures and Traditions better than their local protest-ant minister?!)
As one would expect, the lecturer would not reveal her religious beliefs to the students but said she would do so at the end of the semester — after grades have been determined, of course. To play her guessing game and determine her beliefs, we are speculating with our son that she is either “evangelical” (a member of the protest-ant cult down the street from the college?) “new age,” or, perhaps, involved in so-called “white wicca”!
Continuing our phone conversation about his first-day experience in his religious class, we did discuss, however, how this teacher also expressed surprise that our son had already explored an avenue suggested to him and found it abhorring vs. his Catholic “background.”
This, however, wasn’t our son’s only “clue” as to his teacher’s — to put it mildly — overt “prejudices” (while she, of course, would claim she is completely “objective,” “neutral” and “nonpartisan”)!
The most blatant example of her prejudicial lecturing was in attacking the pope!
According to this instructor, in her initial statements to her students, John Paul II is just a man who has (really, she said this!) lived too long and should “finally die”! Apparently, for this instructor who seemed inclined to promote many “feminine liberation” concepts, it is outrageous that the Holy Father could have possibly outlived so many of his predecessors! We guess God really has no say in this matter — according to our “religious” “expert,” that is!
Even more disturbing was the complete lack of comprehension for this religion “teacher” regarding what we, as believing Catholics call, the “Final Marian Dogma.” According to this state-financed “expert,” the Church is trying desperately to make Mary EQUAL to Jesus in the promulgation of this dogma! (Imagine this topic even came up in a first-day religion class?!)
What a great way for this so-called “teacher” to enforce the false beliefs of those who think our son’s rejection of a very popular protest-ant cult and his embracing of Mary and Catholicism is tantamount to a rejection of Jesus and what they see as “the way” to eternal salvation from our God!
The really astounding part to us, though, is that the same common error regarding such a simple prefix is made not just by your average person, but by a supposedly “well-educated” and “subject matter expert”! One who is on the payroll of the secular state; the same state, of course, that constantly harps on the phrase “separation of church and state” — separated, unless the “state” is hiring “experts” to teach on the subject of “church,” especially the Catholic Church!
The prefix in question is that English word “co” which stems from the Latin word “cum,” and translates to our common word “with.”
For those who may not know, when the Final Marian Dogma speaks of Mary as “Co-Redemptrix,” it is completely INCORRECT to translate this to mean that Mary is “equal” in status to Jesus as mankind’s Redeemer (as our son’s “teacher” did). This well-deserved title the Church should bestow on Our Lady, simply means that She was “with” Jesus in all ways as He, and only He, redeemed mankind!
How was Mary with (and not equal to) Jesus?
Who gave birth to the Savior?
Who prayed for Him at the Foot of the Cross?
And who is the only One who was with Him every step of the way in between those two simple statements above?
Without getting into a total defense of this all-important and badly needed dogma, we are simply amazed that one person who holds a Ph.D. in religious studies could propagate such an idiotic and misplaced attack on it.
For this “doctor” (which is Latin for the Hebrew word, “rabbi,” which translates to “teacher” in English) to disagree with this proposed dogma and the promulgation of it we do not disagree — as that is the right of anyone to do so. But to downgrade it based on a fallacy before naïve students seeking to learn about various religions is a spiritual crime and deserves nothing less than an “F” to the professor (one who professes “to claim skill in knowledge”).
In reality, this “professor,” when it comes to Mary, is turning her college classroom into a “school for fools.”
We can only thank God that our son knows better and can (and loves to) defend Mary! (Wonder if the fireworks he will produce will result in an “F” for his final grade?!)
At the same time, we think of the vision our Lord gave to St. Faustina regarding those who did not receive His Mercy as they danced their way into the abyss.
We wonder how many of them had “A+” averages at college, Ph.D.s., or taught as “teachers.”
But to attain such accolades is like panning for “fool’s gold.”
For God does not look at one’s “degrees” or educational “knowledge” when He judges.
God looks at our hearts.
And a heart which cannot understand the role that Mary has played in salvation history is a heart that is not worthy of immediate entrance into Heaven.
It is a heart that is far away from Jesus — for the Sacred Heart of Jesus was NEVER far away from the Immaculate Heart of Mary! In fact, one was formed from the other, both beat in unison and will continue to do so in time immemorial!
Perhaps, we pray, in His Mercy, the abyss Jesus showed Faustina is, for some, the bottom level of Purgatory rather than eternal perdition.
But one cannot escape either hell nor Purgatory through the knowledge the educational system our society provides today.
It seems the school of St. Augustine, St. Jerome, St. Therese, and so many others, has been closed.
And the “school for fools” is in full service (and state funded)!
There is, however, good news in all of this.
When we hosted Father John at our house the other week, we heard something that perked our ears and brought us great joy. Apparently — if his sources are correct — the Holy Father has written and finalized the Marian dogma to bestow officially the titles Mediatrix of All Graces, Advocate of the People of God, and Co-Redemptrix on Mary!
The only question is …when?
Will the Holy Father do it before he passes from this life?
We can pray fervently that he will do so. But we remain concerned and do not wish to mislead anyone because we remember the remarks Cardinal Ratzinger made stating there was no need for this dogma! We give the good cardinal a failing grade for his remarks and pray that we can give an “A” to the Holy Father for promulgating the dogma!
Perhaps John Paul is planning to do it anyway, on a feast day dedicated to Mary as our Queen. Obviously, the next date that could possibly coincide with this is May 31. This is a date that holds the historical significance of Pope Benedict XV, the secret pope of Fatima, approving a Mass honoring Mary as the Mediatrix of All Graces.
We pray, however, that our pope will not wait until that date.
We pray that he will do it this year on October 8 to commemorate the date John Paul II consecrated the 3rd Millennium to the Immaculata three years ago.
The significance for us is unquestionable and makes this date far more relevant than many have been willing to associate it with. If you agree with us, please pray with us!
But no matter what date John Paul may promulgate this dogma (and we hope he does!), we pray that it only be sooner rather than the proverbial later.
For it seems as if all is delayed by this very delay and the next act of our Lord, whether blessing or chastisement, may hinge upon it!
Indeed, there is no doubt, even from the little incident that our son encountered in his oblique classroom that there will be a storm of protest against the Final Marian Dogma — both inside and outside the one true Church!
Until this critical act for mankind is accomplished, what can we do?
Before the Lord gives an “F” to our entire society, we can only ask Mary, as the Mother of Mercy, to intercede, not only for Catholics, but for those who have never been taught the Truth whether in school or in “church”!
And may She respond to our prayers and intercede as our Mediatrix, Advocate and Co-Redemptrix before the Throne of mankind’s only Redeemer!
© 2003 Agnus Dei Presents!
