When Structures Fail You
Topic: Education

Many of us these days are worried about the state of education in this country.  As a teacher, I certainly am.  I'm probably going to anger a good number of people with this post, which is fine.  It's not the first time, and it won't be the last.  Let me begin by qualifying this post:  I love teaching.  It is very gratifying to me, and it is a chance to inspire a new generation of students and scholars.  Therefore, I also treasure my students.

But there is something very wrong in America, my friends.  A dark, malevolent unhinging of our educational system has been taking place for the last several decades.  Oh, it seems innocuous, I mean after all, kids are still graduating from high school, right?  They're getting diplomas, right?  They're getting an education, right?

I've been doing this for thirteen years, so I don't make these statements lightly, nor do I make them from the armchair.  I have taught in the high school classroom and the college lecture hall, and I hae ha ample opportunity to see what is happening to our public education system, but the real problem stems from K-12 public education.  You read that correctly: K-12.  Now, I have taught with some fine educators in the public school system--competent, dedicated individuals.  So let me say this:  teachers--for the most part--are not to blame.  The blame rests squarely on a system that has become so bureacratized and corrupted by such horrendous ideologies as class warfare, eugenics, and social engineering to name a few.  Likewise, the blame lies squarely on the shoulders of politicians, policy makers, and administrators who have perpetuated this system.  So I bear little ill will toward teachers, but have little patience for the system anymore.

It saddens me because I run into people all the time who have never read a book in its entirety.  They have never read Twain, Hawthorne, Melville, Cervantes, or Shakespeare.  They cannot reference world geography, basic American history, perform the most basic math, or recite a poem.  Now there are those who can--of course--who have read on there own.  But this level of rigor and value, has long vacated the curriculm found in our public schools.  By and large, this is not the fault of students.  It is the fault of a corrupted system.

I believe in public education, but we have taken the methods that work, that keep a high level of rigor, and replaced them with standardized testing and a bland, often inaccurate, ineffectual curriculum.  You have to have seen this, whether you have children or not.  This kind of widespread decline in education is not accidental.  What did we throw out?  We threw out what worked.  We threw out education that was either partial or entirely based on classical education, reading, engaging the material, and creativity.  We are steadily throwing out grades, in many schools failing grades are not even given.  Classical education....hmmmm....."isn't that a little antiquated?  I mean, what can Cicero and Herodotus really do for us?  Isn't that just for fancy prep schools?"  No!  We have the means to implement it across the board!  It works!

"Yeah, but this is the twentifirst century, and students now will be working in fields that we can't even fathom," say the educational theorists.  Well, I've heard that before.  My response?  Every generation can say that out about the one learning under them.  When ebooks became widely available on the internet, entire works of classical literature, I noted to an educational administrator once that "if someone were of so a mind, they could garner without cost from the internet, all the great works of the classical curricula and give themselves a classical education."  Her responce distills how the persons working under the current educational paradigm think:  "To what end?  The purpose of an education is to get a job." 

"Whoa!!! Hold on on.  What?!?!?!"  Education is an end in itself.  To one degree or another it should instill autodidaction in students, so that they can use those skills to acquire a job.  JOBS are EPIPHENOMENA of education.  Education for education's sake is, sadly, a virtue that is lost on the current system of public education.

What do we do to change it then?  Can we?  First we must consider that the current paradigm--the rules as it were--no longer serve true education--period. 

Consider the words of Commisioner Jim Gordon in the recent Batman movie THE DARK KNIGHT RISES commenting on a currupted and ineffecient justice system no longer serving true justice:

"There's a point, far out there when the structures fail you, and the rules aren't weapons anymore, they're... shackles letting the bad guy get ahead. One day... you may face such a moment of crisis. And in that moment, I hope you have a friend like I did, to plunge their hands into the filth so that you can keep yours clean! "

Are we in such an educational crisis?   I think many of us know the answer to that....and feel the weight of shackles.

More later.......

Godspeed

 

A dark knight returns....

Dear friends,

I trust you are well.  It has been some time since I have actively maintained my websites.  Let me assure you now, that I am back.  I have returned from what I can only describe as a season of intense trial in my life.  Perhaps one day, I will be in a place to tell that story.  For the present, let me just say that the Lord of Hosts can sustain a man through great adversity. 

In the end, I was reminded what my calling in this life is.  And part of that means shedding the light of truth on a nest of vipers in this present age.  You all have so dutifully and faithfully kept up with my work, and I invite you to continue to do so.  I hear from many of you about how my research has been of value to you.  That is tremendously gratifying and I am happy to use the skills God has given me to continue providing pertinent research on a number of "fringe" and orthodox topics.

I believe like many of you that we have entered into an age of increasing turmoil and evil.  Also, like many of you I believe that a good number of these troubles were foretold in the Bible.  As such, we may take heart because "our redemption is near," however near or far that may be according to God's perspective.  Vigilance is the key--vigilance against the growing acceptance of wickedness.  Let me encourage you to be vigilante.  Put on the full armor of God.  The lives of believers in this age must be a balance of the pragmatic and the prophetic.

Those of you who are Batman fans may be familiar with the character.  I'm a long time fan myself, which is why I took a line from the mythos for the title of this entry.  That's the kind of intensity we need--doing what's right no matter the cost.  And there often is a cost.

Stem the tide my friends, stem the tide, because it is coming.

At any rate, I will be returning to blogging regularly soon, and sending out issues of Beyond.  Godspeed to you all and thank you for your support.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Ph.D.

Dr. Judd H. Burton

FBI Memo on Roswell Crash
Topic: UFO

By now, many of you will have seen the FBI memo relaying admission of the details of the famous 1947 Roswell UFO crash.  Though the memo itself has been known to researchers for some time, it has not been known to the general public until now.  Check it out for yourself--no swamp gas or light reflected from Venus here.

Lead Codices date to first century AD
Topic: Christianity

By now, most of you have probably heard of the amazing dscovery of 70 lead codices found in Jordan dating from the first century AD.  The provenience of the codices appears to be a cave in eastern Jordan.  These texts may tell us much about the earliest Christian communities, as they appear to be related to the Jewish Christians who fled the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.  Time will tell whether they are hoax are not, which is--unfortunately--a very real problem in antiquities.  Read the story here:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110330/ts_yblog_thelookout/could-lead-codices-prove-the-major-discovery-of-christian-history

As a church historian myself, I'm reserving judgment until I've seen more analysis.  I'm hopeful, but cautious.

New BEYOND Series, News, Etc.
Topic: Giants

Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you one and all for being faithful readers of Beyond.  The new special series on giants seems to be to everyone's liking, that is to say, I'm enjoying all the feedback.  Thanks again.

One thing to check out is a new documentary on Goliath, called Footsteps of Goliath.  Compelling--click below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dHwP-KxFVw

**For more info on Goliath and other giants, check out Interview With the Giant, now only $13.40 for a limited time.  Click below to purchase:

http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/interview-with-the-giant/5943477

All the best in your own searches.  Godspeed.

Judd

A NOTE ON MONSTERS AND GIANTS
Topic: Giants

Monsters, in the language of mythology, were beings of unnatural proportions or parts, usually regarded with terror, as possessing immense strength and ferocity, which they employed for the injury and annoyance of men. Some of them were supposed to combine the members of different animals; such were the Sphinx and Chimaera; and to these all the terrible qualities of wild beasts were attributed, together with human sagacity and faculties. Others, as the giants, differed from men chiefly in their size; and in this particular we must recognize a wide distinction among them. The human giants, if so they may be called, such as the Cyclopes, Antaeus, Orion, and others, must be supposed not to be altogether disproportioned to human beings, for they mingled in love and strife with them. But the superhuman giants, who warred with the gods, were of vastly larger dimensions. Tityus, we are told, when stretched on the plain, covered nine acres, and Enceladus required the whole of Mount Aetna to be laid upon him to keep him down.

While this war between the gods and the Titans lasted the giants proved a formidable enemy. Some of them, like Briareus, had a hundred arms; others, like Typhon, breathed out fire. At one time they put the gods to such fear that they fled into Egypt and hid themselves under various forms. Jupiter took the form of a ram, whence he was afterwards worshipped in Egypt as the god Ammon, with curved horns. Apollo became a crow, Bacchus a goat, Diana a cat, Juno a cow, Venus a fish, Mercury a bird. At another time the giants attempted to climb up into heaven, and for that purpose took up the mountain Ossa and piled it on Pelion. They were at last subdued by thunderbolts, which Minerva invented, and taught Vulcan and his Cyclopes to make for Jupiter.

THE RETURN OF THE LECTERN

It's back!  After a several month hiatus while working on my dissertation, the blog is back.  Look for a series on giants soon.  Godspeed!

December
Topic: Christmas

Here's a little history and anthropology concerning the month of December. 

December, it is generally believed, was consecrated to Saturn; others, however, think it was sacred to Vesta. In ancient times the Saxons called it Midwinter-monat and Yule-monat. This last-mentioned name points to the far-back period and high festivals held this month by the Northern nations in honour of the sun. The evergreens with which houses are decked, and Christmas trees with their gifts, are relics of the symbols by which our heathen ancestors exhibited their belief in the power of the sun to deck the earth anew with green, and to laden the trees with rich fruit. The misletoe, exhibited at Christmas and the New Year in almost every house, is looked upon as a semi-sacred thing, that possesses charms and confers privileges on people possessed of it, or who may come under the support from which it is suspended. In olden times the ancient Britons believed their gods were in the oaks. When the misletoe berries were ripe, the Druids invited the people to a great feast, and the oldest Druid, dressed in white, climbed up the trees where the misletoe grew, and with a golden sickle cut it down, while the other Druids sang and prayed. We have various accounts of the misletoe, and of the strange superstitious proceedings in gathering it. The misletoe is supposed to be the golden bough which Æneas made use of, to introduce himself to the Elysian regions. It is often worn about the neck of children, to prevent convulsions and pain when getting their teeth.

New Year's gifts and Christmas boxes were given by friends to friends in ancient times. Both the Greeks and Romans gave presents and entertainments during their annual superstitious meetings. Masses and prayers were offered for the safety of persons and ships, but more particularly for vessels that went on long voyages. A box, devoted to each ship, was kept by the priest, into which money might be dropped, in order to give efficacy to the supplications of the Church; and these boxes being opened at Christmas in each year, acquired the name of Christmas boxes. In course of time all presents given at this season of the year were familiarly called boxes. Poor people begged box money to enable them to supply the priest's box, that they might have the benefit of his prayers.

The old salutation of "a merry Christmas," like that of wishing "a happy New Year," adverted to the hospitality of the rich, whose spacious halls, crowded with tenants and neighbours, were scenes of boundless hospitality. Boar's-head is sometimes served on Christmas Day, to give expression of the abhorrence of Judaism. Plum-puddings are emblematical of the offerings of the wise men; and mince-pies, with their pieces of paste over them in the form of a hay rack, commemorate the manger in which the Saviour was first laid. Dancing and gambols have been among the Christmas amusements for a long series of years.

The wassail bowl was the vessel out of which our Saxon ancestors took such copious draughts, that legislative measures were adopted with the view of enforcing temperance. Wassail not only refers to a certain liquid preparation, but it is a term applied to drinking songs, which in the cider-producing counties were sung on the eve of the Epiphany, when libations were poured out to the apple-trees for a fruitful season—a custom evidently followed in example of the heathen sacrifices to Pomona, the goddess of fruit-trees and orchards.

Dunstan, to check the vicious habit of excessive indulgence in intoxicating liquors, introduced the custom of marking or pegging drinking-cups at certain places, to restrain the draught to a limited quantity. But the contrivance, instead of being attended with good effects, led to greater excess; for those who formerly strove to avoid intoxication, were now, they thought, obliged to drink to the "pegs," it being understood that it was imperative to drain the vessel to the pin.

From the use of peg or pin-cups or tankards, may be traced phrases yet repeated. When a person is in a cheerful mood, he is said to be in a merry pin. Speaking of bringing a man "down a peg," refers to a regulation which deprived a troublesome fellow of his turn of drinking. When a person is dull, he is described as being "a peg too low." "Getting on peg by peg," means that a man is gradually emptying his cup.

Anciently, confectionery was presented to the Fathers of Rome, made up in the forms of crosses, infants, etc., to which has been ascribed the origin of bakers presenting their customers with cakes, or, as they are sometimes called, "Yule dough." It is supposed that the New Year's ode composed by the Poet Laureate was originally regarded as a Yule song or Wassail song. For such verses Christmas carols were substituted, as being more appropriate for the season of the year, observed with joy in honour of Christ's birth in Bethlehem.

Moving the Podium
Welcome to the Burton Beyond blog.  Actually, this is a new venue for the old "Lectern" in the Lyceum.  The Lectern will continue to function as the primary medium for new lectures at the Lyceum.  Stay tuned.