A post caught my eye this week; it was by a teacher who wrote, “Funny how lessons I’ve done for years are suddenly ‘political,’ like reading The New Colossus or The Diary of Anne Frank. Making controversial statements like, ‘Nazis are bad’ and ‘Segregation was wrong.'” A meme that has been making the rounds recently is “Books are never banned by the good guys.” There are movements all over America to limit history lessons and access to many books, all in the name of “protecting our children.” My favorite book growing up was Where the Wild Things Are (I felt a kindred spirit in the boy). It has been banned in numerous southern states; too much supernatural stuff and disobedience. If you are interested in adding to your reading material, here is a list to peruse. https://pen.org/banned-books-list-2025/
17 states teach or allow the teaching of creationism alongside evolution. 41% of Americans believe that dinosaurs and humans were alive at the same time. 40% (maybe the same people?) of Americans believe the world is 10,000 years old or less. The same number believe that Adam and Eve were the only people at first, which, if you read the actual Bible, is impossible, based on the text itself. We are a nation that is both incredibly wealthy in knowledge and starving due to ignorance. Only 7 states mandate that a person must be 18 years old to be married; most of the others allow for a parent, guardian, or court to allow marriage at a lower age.
We used to be considered first among developed nations; I would argue that we are de-volving regularly. Our new leadership is driving scholars away, and China is among the first to welcome them in. This administration is taking educational opportunities away from those who can’t afford it while they are trying to take control of colleges and universities that don’t meet their view of the way the world should operate. If we the people continue to allow this immorality to continue, there will only be one way to go – and it isn’t up. Knowledge is only dangerous to tyrants, and our founders, almost all of whom were well-educated for their time, knew this personally. The more we allow ignorance to breed, the less we will be as a nation. That isn’t something most of us want. Unless you are one of the 40%.
Prayer – Holy God, You have given us intelligence and curiosity – don’t let us waste it. Amen.
Today’s art is “Fear of Ignorance” by Richard Rodriguez.