For a long time we have conferred degrees upon persons who complete college and graduate school courses of instruction. We have heard such terms as a bachelor’s, master’s, and of course, the honored doctoral degree.

In some cases, degrees have been changed in name from what they were originally. When I went to college I got a Bachelor of Arts degree. And in seminary, which involved an additional 3 years, I was awarded another bachelor’s degree – this one was a “Bachelor of Divinity” degree. The pastoral ministry was the only profession where you went the standard 4 years of college and then a 3 year stint at a theological seminary and still ended up with a bachelor’s degree to add to the one you got at college! Some years back the authorities who have something to do with theological education decided that the seminary degree needed to be changed, and so they came up with what is now known as the Master of Divinity degree. So eventually those of us who graduated before that time were contacted and informed that our bachelor degree would be updated and we would be sent a new official certificate that would announce to all the world that we now held the coveted “Master of Divinity” (M. Div.) degree! All this for a fee of $25.00. I figured that $25.00 wasn’t going to change anything – a “B.D.” is what I got at the time and besides, I had better use for the $25.00 than buying a piece of paper which I wouldn’t hang on the wall anyway!

But on to the issue at hand -- due to distortions and radical departures from those values which are very essential to the stability, health, and assured existence of a society, certain persons holding degrees from institutions of higher learning are disgracing the degree which has been conferred on them! Therefore, why not change the identity of the degree in order to more accurately picture the individual for what he or she really is.

For instance:

Teaching
In the field of teaching there are degrees ranging from a bachelor’s to a doctorate. But in recent decades there has been an invasion of teaching that is hostile to the Christian faith. It is manifested in countless ways, but the common thread is something best defined as “humanism.” This philosophy makes humans the center of everything in terms of authority, accomplishment, determining a value system, and destiny. God is conveniently ignored, or replaced with humans becoming the center of authority on all issues that have to do with life and existence on this planet. And of course God has been effectively ruled out regarding occupying any significant status in the public school system of the United States. A group of humans comprising something called the Supreme Court has declared public schools off limits so far as God is concerned. Therefore, for those individuals that have bought into the humanistic approach to life and teach the “human centered” focus in their areas of expertise, why not award them the following degrees: B. Hu., M. Hu, and Hu. D! That is, Bachelor of Humanism, Master of Humanism, and Doctor of Humanism – actually, you can trace this problem all the way back to a place called Eden and certain events that happened there a long, long time ago!

BTW, how about taking a close look at
The "god" of Humanism

Law
In the profession of law lots of changes have taken place over the years. Time was when a lawyer worked hard at being honest and fair when practicing his profession. As with other fields there has been a deterioration of values and standards. So it is appropriate that the following degrees be awarded to those who have disgraced the profession and make it more difficult for those few who still hold to high standards as they approach their work.

How about the degree of E.L.F. (Expert Loophole Finder) for that group of lawyers who really aren’t interested in true justice, but look for the loopholes and the technicalities that will get a guilty client off the hook! It is a matter of record that some persons guilty of criminal acts have gone free because of a crafty lawyer who found a loophole or managed to get the case thrown out on a technicality! It is obvious that there is something wrong with a lawyer’s system of values when he is willing to resort to such tactics, not to mention big bucks involved, and become an active participant in obstructing true justice from being done! So take away his present degree and replace it with the E.L.F.

And for the second group of lawyers there is the E.a.L.S. (Expert at Law Suits) degree! These leeches thrive on law suits of every conceivable type, and always challenge the public to sue somebody, as they remind the potential client in their pitch – “There’s no fee unless we get money for you!” Yea, sure – do you have to guess why members of this profession drive autos in the Mercedes class and live in mansions? They also become deeply involved in politics, supporting only those candidates that will not make an issue of tort reform, as was the case with Al Gore receiving huge donations from a select group of E.a.L.S. lawyers who were involved in the suits against the tobacco industry – billions of dollars involved in this one, and you know that they pocketed more than $1.98 in this mess! Ooops! I never thought of the possibility until now – could I be sued for saying what I just said?

Even more tragic is the fact that some specimans of low life from the above 2 groups eventually end up becoming judges themselves! Little wonder that the justice system literally reeks of an odor that would gag a maggot feeding on a dead carcase in the middle of a 95 degree August afternoon!

Medicine
The common degree with which we are quite familiar is M.D. That indicates the individual behind whose name that degree appears has taken intensive training over a number of years to develop skills which will aid patients in maintenance and extension of their health. There was a time when an oath was taken by those entering the medical field that their skills and knowledge would be only used to enhance and preserve human life. In this field as in others, times have drastically changed. For 51 years (as of this writing on January 22, 2024 > date of Roe v Wade in January 1973) we have those persons who have M.D. behind their names, but are involved in an activity that is the direct opposite of all that the M.D. degree represents by way of the intent to enhance and preserve life! We’re talking about those individuals that bring reproach of the most serious kind on an honored and respected profession. They are involved in the violent destruction of unborn children and become very wealthy in the process. So, take away the M.D. degree and replace it with the Ex. U.H. degree – Executioner of Unborn Humans! Hey, that’s what it is, isn’t it? If it’s not, then what is it? You have a beating heart belonging to a human whom God is in the process of forming in a mother’s womb, and an individual who invades that realm with instruments of destruction -- the heart then stops beating, and the unborn victim is removed in bloody fragments! To be accurate and fair, especially to those who do truly live out and practice the intended philosophy of the M.D. degree, bestow the Ex. U.H. degree on those who have betrayed and disgraced the profession!

For more information on this issue take a look at Human Life Is Sacred!

Ministry
Degrees awarded to future ministers have changed a bit over the years as previously mentioned. There is the basic Master of Divinity, and then there are other degrees such as Master of Theology and Doctor of Theology degrees. Not so many years ago it became the big thing to pursue what is now known as the Doctor of Ministry degree. Pastors could attain this degree in a rather short period of time, and many have done so. Many schools of higher learning will bestow honorary degrees on individuals. With seminaries it is a degree called the “Doctor of Divinity” or commonly referred to as the “D.D.” degree. In the ministerial profession as in the others, there has been the invasion of corrupting influences with devastating effects. Historically our nation began to be impacted by corrupting theological influences at about the turn of the century in 1900. The ferment had started in Germany in the latter part of the 19th century. Basically in simplified terms it amounted to certain individuals teaching that the Bible is not really trustworthy in what it reports. By our superior human knowledge we have to determine what is or isn’t when it comes to subjects dealt with in the Scriptures. Really this is that “humanism” thing rearing its ugly head again – we humans are the final authority on any particular issue, whatever it may be – if you don’t believe it, just ask us!

Anyway, a lot of that theological junk began to be imported from Europe into some seminaries in America. Can you figure out what began to happen? Professors who were corrupted with that stuff begin to infect future ministers who began to spread the deadly theological virus among their congregations! We’ve got what could be described as a pan-demic condition existing as we enter the 21st Century! Praise God for those professors who haven’t caved in to this onslaught and pastors who are still holding the line and are resolved to be faithful in God’s call to preach His eternal truth without compromise!

But for those who have bought into the heresy that God’s Word is not really what it purports to be, and we have to sift through it to find a “kernal” of truth from time to time (and of course, we humans determine what is or isn’t true), let there be established new degrees for such pastors as follows:

• M. Hsy. – Master of Heresy (this one just has some of the basic heretical stuff, such as miracles didn’t really happen, Jesus wasn’t born of a virgin, His supposed “atonement” on the cross wasn’t necessary, and He didn’t come back from the dead – it is His teachings and example that are important for us - whether He is alive or not doesn't really matter!)
• D. Hsy. – Doctor of Heresy (this one is a self appointed expert – he or she not only has all of the above down pat, quoting all kind of “scholars”* in the process to try to put a bit of “authority” to it so you will be persuaded, but these ones go further and tell us that there are no moral absolutes, and no absolute propositional truths (which means "..forget about the Bible being anything really unique and special!) -- further, we are really gods ourselves – our journey in part is to discover the “divine spark” within us, and to realize that ultimately we can become “god” ourselves!) Wild, isn’t it?

*On the subject of “scholars” – a “scholar” often turns out to be someone who has taken a lot of time to read a lot of different things, then does his or her own writing and quotes someone who quotes someone who quotes someone who quotes someone (and maybe in a half dozen different languages) and presto! When it’s all put together, we have an authoritative “scholar” who tells us what’s what!

Take a close look at
The Theology Pit! to see how it happened.

There is an unbeatable combination available to every person who takes Jesus Christ seriously – that combination is the Bible and the Holy Spirit, with the result being that one can be reliably informed on the issues and responsibilities that count most in life for time and eternity! And if you have a pastor and a Sunday School teacher who stress that very strongly and seek to practice it themselves, then you are in a winning situation – go for it!

As suggested in some other places on the Range, just what did Jesus mean when He spoke of His leaving, yet still being present with His followers, and the Holy Spirit coming to do a number of things, among which was to teach His people, guide them into the truth, and show them things to come? Uh, you can find those promises in chapters 14 through 16 in the Gospel of John. Of course, if He is dead and still in the tomb as suggested by those holding M. Hsy. or D. Hsy. degrees, it's pretty hard to keep promises, is it not? Might as well slap the Bible shut, close up the church, go out, eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die