There has been a great deal of press lately about the huge lack of interest in science and engineering on the part of American college students (for an example, see Slacking Off in Science: From PhDs to R&D, the US is falling behind Europe and Asia in this month's Wired magazine). It is true. My personal take on this is that it is sheer laziness that has driven this. Math=hard. Business=easy. Science and engineering pay=$$$. MBA and lawyer pay=$$$$$. The average student view seems to be “Why should I make my brain hurt learning to do differential equations or organic chemistry when I can make a whole lot more money and not have to use nearly as much of my cranial capacity in law or business?” (and if you think I am saying that it takes less brain power to be a successful lawyer or businessman than to be a scientist or an engineer, yes, that's exactly what I am saying. If you are offended, hey, life is tough—get a helmet.) I am glad that my kids are going to a high school that produces far more than its share of scientists and engineers. And I also actually have no trouble with all of the foreign-born folks coming to the U.S. to fill science and engineering slots, as long as they stay here and become Americans. It has been immigration that has given our nation its strength and there is no reason to change that now. If only some of the science glamour shows (what science glamour shows, you ask? CSI in all of it variations) would make it a little clearer as to what kind of education it takes to do the things these folks do, it might help, but the common image of science and engineering among young folks is boring, boring, dull—and way, way too much work. I wish I had a solution, but I don't, so I am just lamenting the fact. (If I had a solution I would write a book).

First, let me make it clear that I reluctantly but firmly opposed the war in Iraq. In the very first entry in my blog I expressed my opposition. However, I have also always believed that once involved in a war, it is immoral to do anything other than win the war, which is why American politicians' conduct of the war in Vietnam was immoral and reprehensible. Equally immoral and reprehensible in the Vietnam War era, however, was the treatment of American servicemen by those opposed to the war; despite the fact that they were mostly conscripts, they were called war criminals and were spat upon by the anti-war elements. Those opposed to the current war have learned from this and have been pretty meticulous about separating criticism of the war from criticism of our troops. My concern is that in their opposition to the war, they are still exploiting service members. The New York Times and other papers have printed pictures of all of the service members killed in Iraq, ostensibly to “honor” them, but the fact, the reality, is that it is being done for a clear political purpose: to foster opposition to the war based on the body count. This does not honor the troops. It does not honor the memory of these troops. These were brave young men and women who deserve better from the sacrifice they have made. If you want to protest the war, protest the actions of the politicians—do NOT cheapen the sacrifice our service members have made by making them numbers in a body count.

Yes, I am a heretic. Oh, not in the conventional sense, and probably also not in the the United Methodist Church; but in the broad community of Christianity, I hold beliefs commonly held to be heretical. My heresy? I believe that there will be people in heaven who are not Christians. And why do I hold such a belief? Because of yestertoday's Gospel lesson, Matthew 25:31-46, in which the Son of Man judges the nations. Those who he blesses, he tells “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; ³⁵for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Now if as Christians “by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast (Ephesians 2:8-9)”, then Christians are not being judged here. So who's being judged? Everyone else! I guess it comes down to your ultimate conception of God: a vengeful (Southern Baptist fire-and-brimstone?) God who condemns all who do not believe, or a God of grace and mercy. Me? I'll go with the God of grace and mercy every time. So I believe in God's grace through the atonement of Jesus Christ, that I am justified by my faith, and that the same God of grace through Jesus Christ will also judge and forgive.

This passage is also the reason Martin Luther felt that all who died were “as asleep” until resurrected at the end of this age, so they could face God and account for themselves. I don't agree with Luther (on this and a few other things: even though the Lutheran church was established as firmly Arminian, Luther himself was thoroughly Calvinist in his view of predestination) but I do believe that when I reach heaven, I will see there not only Martin Luther and Martin Luther King Junior, but Mohandas Gandhi and the Dalai Lama as well.