Dear Editor:
In her weekly column Thursday, Ms. Denise Baer Apuzzo (who in
various past columns declares herself to be a religion person, and
even in her words of Aug. 22, 2002 says that she has been
”
interested in theology for years
”
) appears to fall into a major theological crevasse by not
recognizing the damage that John Dewey has authored in the realm of
religion in general, and Christianity in particular.
Dear Editor:
In her weekly column Thursday, Ms. Denise Baer Apuzzo (who in various past columns declares herself to be a religion person, and even in her words of Aug. 22, 2002 says that she has been “interested in theology for years”) appears to fall into a major theological crevasse by not recognizing the damage that John Dewey has authored in the realm of religion in general, and Christianity in particular.
Ms. Apuzzo appears to make Dewey a guard of the “hen house” when in fact he could better be described as being the fox. While Ms. Apuzzo correctly states that Dewey was one of the most significant American philosophers and brilliant theorists of the 20th century, she fails to recognize that significance nor brilliance alone doesn’t necessarily mean that truth was defended or enriched. Just because a philosopher is “a thinker” does not equate with truth.
Of course, in our relativistic culture of today fathered by Dewey et. al., truth is a whole other issue. But Ms. Apuzzo should know that Dewey was no friend of religion – any religion, including Ms. Apuzzo’s religion. Certainly Karl Marx was one of the most significant and possibly brilliant philosophers and thinkers of the 19th century, but history has shown that his classless “Dr. Jekyll” communism time and time again turned into the “Mr. Hyde” society of a few privileged individuals (remember Stalin, Mao, and Tito in particular?) who as ruthless dictators, enslaved the masses under the control of their social engineers, and who (because of their superior knowledge) promised to bring about earthly utopia.
Of course, the only utopia attained was for the dictators and their cronies, while tens or hundreds of millions of innocent people were murdered under their rule in the quest for a utopia that never came to the common people.
Ms. Apuzzo states regarding Dewey “But apparently, his turn to humanism negates all his prior good work.” Well, yes, it does negate it, just as all of Hitler’s prior good work in establishing a revitalized Germany was negated when his real intentions for personal world conquest were revealed and carried out.
And Denise, you are flat outright WRONG when you say that “he (Dewey) never ‘installed’ humanism as a foundation of our education system.”
Dewey helped author and then signed the Humanist Manifesto which was the Americanized version of the Communist Manifesto penned by Karl Marx. It was the Humanist Manifesto I (1933) which recommended “a form of nontheistic religious humanism as an alternative to the religions of the age” as well as “national economic and social planning.”
That definition expressed by the Humanist Manifesto of 1933 was given to us by no less than the man who has been called the father of modern American education. Did you get that Denise? –national economic and social planning – as well. Sounds a lot like Karl Marx’s socialism, doesn’t it?
Only Dewey could see that in order to really get this to work, it would have to begin in the education system beginning with young children, and carried on through college.
Time and written space (as well as boring you liberals) keep me from going on in detail, but the details are available to anyone who wants to take the time and research effort. The Humanist Manifesto reveals a large picture of the intent for education which Dewey shaped and of our government which has been taught by the system of education.
John Dewey had great influence in the National Education Association and reshaping America’s schools. This is undeniable fact that even the humanists concede.
It seems to me Denise, that you are greatly underestimating the effects that Dewey (who would have called you, a religious person, his enemy) has had even upon what your own children are being taught in the public school system.
Remember, humanism is a world view. And as Dewey himself said, it is a godless religion. But then I guess liberals have more urgent things to worry about like John Ashcroft – right Dennis Taylor?
James Fennell, Gilroy
Submitted Saturday, May 17 to ed****@****ic.com
