By: Rebecca Miller
Much to his surprise and delight, life is wonderful outside of being a college professor. Dr. Jerry Bergman was forced to retire from Northwest State Community College in 2017. After over 30 years of exemplary service at NSCC, plus the years of teaching at the University of Toledo Medical College, Bowling Green State University, The University of Toledo and other colleges, he wasn’t sure what to do.
According to the little book entitled The Lynching of a Darwin Skeptic: A Case of Political Correctness Run Amok which was written by The Academic Origins Science Research Defense Subcommittee, he needn’t have worried. In footnote #19 on page 37 it says, “Since this was written, Bergman obtained his dream job involving writing, research and lecturing nationwide.”
It actually could have said, “internationally”, as the information this one man has gathered while authoring or co-authoring 50 books and monographs, as well as an incredible number of articles, have made him a speaker who gets invited to speak around the world. His most recent book, entitled God in Eisenhower’s Life, Military Career and Presidency, was written after gathering facts for over 50 years. (Locally it can be purchased at Rings Pharmacy in Montpelier or at Endless Creations in Bryan.) His books cover “a varied background of interest” including history, historical figures and his beliefs about Creation vs. Evolution. Some of the other countries to which he has traveled for speaking or teaching engagements over the years, include Canada, several countries in Europe and Africa.
Last Fall he was invited by the Fiji Education Department, to speak in the High-schools and conduct a Graduate Level teacher training on science. “The leaders in Fiji are very concerned about building their science skills, because they realize they are not going to survive on tourism alone,” Bergman said in an interview. He has traveled to Fiji on two different occasions for two weeks each time, with nine in the second group including a creation researcher/scientist, a minister, an airplane pilot and other teachers besides Bergman.
They gave away 19,000 copies of a Science book called Pearls of Paradise to every single high school student in the 25 (of over 300-400 in the country) high schools where they spoke. “In Fiji that is a luxury,” Bergman said, “and that may be the only book they own.” The book has multiple two page spreads about hundreds of different fascinating science facts. (Bergman explained that it can be purchased here under the title Have You Considered: Evidence Beyond a Reasonable Doubt.) The group was thrilled to hear that after they were in Fiji, the science scores went up in those twenty five schools.
Concerning the things he observed while in Fiji, Bergman shared, “They all have phones, but no shoes. They say shoes are too expensive. The students all wear a uniform that is chosen by their school. The uniforms and the students are really clean, but the schools look their age, at least 100 years old. All the equipment is aging and in need of replacement.”
One of the most fulfilling times while there occurred when the group was invited to have a meal and to converse with President Jioji Konrote and some of his high level officers. Bergman said that the president expressed his concerns to them that “the Fijians are the minority now and that the morality of the country is not where it should be. He is the president of ALL the people, which includes the Fijians, Muslims, Christians, Hindus and all others. He is trying to unite the country and has found that it can be done if they focus on what they all have in common.” Bergman went on to explain that all the religions believe or accept that “God exists and God is the creator, so we are all children of God” so the leadership is using this to unite the country.
All of the schools are religious, either Christian, Muslim or Hindu. In each school where they spoke, no matter what religion, they all wanted the minister to say a prayer. He did have to be diplomatic in the prayers, but they all expected prayer. “They can’t believe that we can’t pray in the schools in America,” Bergman said.
“The leaders of the country all want to unite the people and not have war again. President Konrote wants to do whatever will keep them from war. They are trying to learn from their own mistakes, and those of the U.S., and get their people united! They seem to have reached a way to maintain their own cultures and yet be united,” Bergman said.
The Fiji Islands were known for cannibalism and wars. They lived by “You kill one of us, we kill two of you!” “They raised the children to enjoy human meat. The kings would brag about how many people they had consumed,” Bergman explained.
“Missionaries went to the Fiji Islands around 1830 and converted many people to Christianity quite quickly. The reason was that others would see the effect of Christianity on their neighbors and realize it was a safer and kinder lifestyle. Cannibalism began to fade, maybe over 50-60 years. The kings converted and they brought the tribes along with them. Now they are concerned about values which have come to their country from all over the world, which they feel are detrimental to the nation. They have been a British colony but are slowly becoming independent. They are re-building the presidential palace that was built by the British, and it is huge and beautiful.”
On a humorous note, Bergman shared about something that happened in the airport as they were getting ready for the 12 hour flight back to the U.S. “We were going through the security check point when the man looking at my passport said ‘You are Jerry Bergman?” and asked me to step over to the side. I was kind of worried, but when he came back he asked me to come with him and they took me on the plane and gave me the best seat in the whole airplane! “
“All I can guess is that the president must have called, because when we were getting acquainted at the luncheon he had asked me how my flight over was. I had told him that it was hard to sleep because it was cramped with no leg room. So… they gave me the best seat in the plane and I slept all the way back!” Bergman said with a chuckle.
Rebecca Miller may be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com
