Wherein College Sucks

Somehow, just somehow, I’m managing to get through college without losing my mind. Or my sense of morality, for that matter. During the last semester I took numerous interesting courses. Intro to sociology was my favorite, and I also took political science. Before I continue, let’s establish that this nearly 20 year old little lady spends a good amount of time thinking about, reading about, musing on, and discussing politics. It’s what I enjoy and I wouldn’t change that about myself. I’m not one to shy away from a political conversation, whether it be conservative minded or liberal leaning. I’ve been exposed to pretty much every political ideology under the sun, and I’ve seen their pros and cons. While I’ve been in college I’ve seriously weighed ideas against each other, and have my chosen my winners. While I do lean more towards conservative and even independent sides, I am not blindly opposed to liberal ideas either, because liberalism does have some valid ideas worth perusing. I agree with classical liberalism on nearly every tenant, but interestingly enough libertarianism isn’t my cup of tea. Or coffee, in my case. Aside from my political leanings and ideas, no matter how much I like politics, I’m always Catholic first. 

So, back to taking political science. Granted, I knew what I was getting myself into so nothing came as a shock. Most colleges of today are cesspools of corrupt ways of thinking, so I took a deep breath before I dove in to this one. While I did brace myself, I was still disgusted with what I heard and was supposed to be taught, since it was supposed to be taken as truth. 

I had a professor who was incredibly biased, progressive, and also vulgar. My other classmates were amused, but I was repulsed. Not because I’m some hoity-toity person, but because I believe college professors should be held to a higher standard of decorum and class, since we’re tackling higher education here. This instructor used their platform as a professor to push and rant about their personal ideas about moral, social, and political issues, as if they were facts or absolute truths. He was extremely critical of the Church, especially priests. I fully realize and recognize that many have anti-Catholic sentiments, so it wasn’t a surprise, but rather a sorrowful reawakening to see it with my own eyes and hear it for myself. Honestly readers, at one point I started tearing up because it cut me so deep that people truly believe ugly lies and misconceptions about Christ’s Church and have the audacity to continue spreading them. 

But guess what, guys?! The Church, especially priests in their dastardly black dresses, hate women and want to take us back to the dark ages!

That’s seriously all these people got, aside from declaring that the Church has an “immoral” and “irresponsible” view on contraception. 
Really, that’s what they’ve got.

source: Tumblr

Like I said earlier, I was expecting the class to be very biased, so the things I heard didn’t come as surprises. I heard that unborn babies aren’t made up of flesh, blood or bone; they’re just “material” and “matter”. But aren’t all of us outside of the womb, also made up of matter?

It didn’t end there, folks. Planned Parenthood is a wonderful organization that “wasn’t” breaking the law, because the videos were highly edited and proven to be fake. Can you spot the lie? In reality the videos were shown to have very little editing, for the sake of compiling footage, and the scandal was never refuted by anyone, especially not by the culprits themselves. I vocally challenged him once on abortion, and someone ended up backtracking their statements; it wasn’t me. 

Moving along, I was also informed that homosexual acts are totally okay because animals have been known to do it, too. To that incredibly poor (and lame) use of logic, I thought; so you’re reducing actual people to animals? Animals who only go by blind instinct, versus people who have intellects and souls? Or according to you do people no longer possess souls either, professor? 

Aside from the near constant eye-rolling and wanting my bang my head on my desk until the pain stopped, I did get a few laughs. For example; Bernie Sanders is a lovely and relatable guy, has great ideas, and should be our next president! 

Source: Giphy

But sadly, they were serious. 

Source: Tumblr

However, that was the silver lining to the mushroom cloud because I derived great amusement from the thought that an elderly man who doesn’t understand how economics work, who is also unkempt, completely out of touch, socialistic, morally bankrupt, member of the 5%, and a demagogue, should be leading our nation. I’m still laughing to myself even as I write, seriously. It’s just rich that after all we studied about political systems and politics in general, that anyone would seriously stand by him as if his tried-and-failed ideas will actually get us somewhere positive. Maybe you could buy it if you’re entitled, lazy, uncreative, and terrible at political history, I don’t know. 

But enough about the frizzy demagogue. In the end I learned very little from that class. Sure I learned a bit more about politics, but in reality my professor taught me nothing. It was disconcerting because professors like that offer nothing to the political sphere and do true political science a greatly serious injustice. 

I (gleefully) walked away from that class thinking about how education can mean nothing when it comes to sincerely seeking the truth. 

St. Thomas Aquinas, pray for us. 

New Year, No Promises

It’s January. Every single year I always claim that I promise to blog more, but I’m done promising that. I’m not about the business of making promises or deals that I don’t intend to keep. I do intend to blog more, but my train of thought will dictate that, nothing else. 
I’m not really one to make New Years resolutions, because as I said, I don’t like the temporary. If it’s temporary then I don’t want it. That’s what I walked away from 2015 with. 

As I reflected on the past year, I came to the conclusion that it was a mix of good and bad. The good was amazing; I did a lot, saw a lot, accomplished much, and I’m simply going to continue the unfinished business while the good Lord continues to place the stepping stones before me. When He doesn’t, I’ll call out to Him to carry me like the afraid child I can be. 

In contrast, the bad was staggeringly painful. Every year, for myself at least, brings some kind of new or revisited pain. But these sorrows were different, they were the type that you’ll never forget because they were so deeply ingrained in the heart of your soul. You know what I mean. If you don’t, then you’re a lucky one. 

I’m looking forward to the coming year. Next month I’ll forever drop the teen from my age, unless I live to 113, though that’s highly unlikely. I’m looking forward to turning 20, continuing to cultivate good relationships, the last season of Downton Abbey, visiting San Francisco again, seeing Adele, spending time in adoration... I’m even looking forward to Lent. I’m looking forward to the unknown, basically. Throughout the last year God really cemented to me that He is truly good and loving, no matter what happens. It’s one thing to know it, but another to truly believe it. 

So I’m not going into the new year with a resolution. I don’t need one because my life is a constant turning of tides, and resolves come out of that versus just once every year. Right now God is setting the stage for something and I don’t know exactly what it is, but I know it’s coming in His time. My prayer is that I can be as prepared as He desires, not just with this new year, but until the last breath leaves my body in adoration of Him.