How can you survive and thrive at college and university?
Simple pointers to give you a strategy
by Tas Walker
Photo by Sanja Gjenero, www.sxc.hu
Each year thousands of young people enroll at college and university as they embark
on their chosen careers. Some leave home to enroll at the University of their Choice.
If that describes you, how do you plan to handle the evolutionary content
of your course?
It’s important to be able to identify the ‘evolutionary content’
of what is taught. Some students mistakenly think that, since they will be studying
medicine, or law, or literature, or environmental management, they will be exempt
from the evolutionary teaching. However, evolutionary ideas provide the framework
on which the whole edifice of secular naturalism is built. It’s the basis
for secular humanistic worldview, the Marxist/Leninist worldview and the cosmic/new-age
humanistic worldview—philosophies that are so prevalent on university campuses
that they cannot be avoided (but they can be resisted). Evolutionary thinking
covers every aspect of life and is the naturalist’s explanation for the origin
of everything, the problem with the world and what needs to be done to fix it.
Photo by Gokhan Okur, www.sxc.hu
So how are you going to survive? Here are a few simple pointers.
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Make sure you understand the biblical worldview. This is derived essentially from
the timeline of biblical history. This timeline is the true history of our universe,
and covers the key events of world history: Creation, The Fall, The Global Flood,
and the Tower of Babel. These four pivotal events are denied by secular academics,
which mean that they begin a topic of inquiry with an incorrect understanding of
its origin and history. So you must understand how the biblical worldview explains
each subject you are studying: geology, geography, biology, zoology, history, psychology,
law, medicine, health, diet, etc.
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Make sure you know the material that is being taught in your course. I have met
many well-meaning students who refused to study evolution because they said they
did not believe in it. The flaw with that approach is that probably more than 50%
of what is presented as ‘evolution’ actually isn’t. Rather,
much of it will be useful and factual. The problem is with its interpretive package,
with the way the material is presented to you. That is where you need to develop
wisdom and insight. At the very least, it’s important that you understand
exactly what they are teaching you. Also, where they are drawing conclusions (rather
than simply reporting observations), you need to understand the basis for their
reasoning. Ask yourself these questions: (a) Is a particular conclusion consistent
with the observed evidence?; (b) Is another conclusion possible? Read comprehensively:
in your text book, in the library, and on the web.
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Learn how to reinterpret the material you are studying within the biblical framework.
Not many people at the university are going to offer to help you do this, so you
will need to do your own research on the topic from a creationist perspective. Fortunately
there are many resources to help you these days. Check out Creation magazine,
Journal of Creation, creationist sites on the web, and creationist books
on the subject. Once you can do that you can understand the subject from both perspectives.
In the process you will likely discover insights that are completely missed by the
others in your class.
when you begin with the true history of the universe, the biblical worldview, and
think deeply about its implications to your work you will have more understanding
than your teachers
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Don’t argue with your lecturer or other students. However, feel free to ask
questions, talk about the issues and present a different point of view. If your
lecturer or fellow students are not open to hearing a different view hold your peace
and don’t try to force it on them.
So, as you step out in the new world of tertiary studies, we wish you every success.
You have the promise that when you begin with the Bible and the true history of
the universe, and think deeply about its implications to your work, you will have
more understanding than your teachers (Psalm 119:99). Enjoy the experience but be sure to be humble
and act wisely.
Further reading
Published: 15 January 2008(GMT+10)
(Also available in Punjabi and Uduh) |
