Joseph, as usual, you simply disregard the quotes that disagree with your position.
See those by Truthsharer above. You pick quotations and believe that this was the position of a given Gadol, even when they may have given contradictory positions at different times (presumably under different circumstances). If that helps your black-and-white worldview, so be it; do not expect the rest of Am Yisrael to join in.
There are numerous examples of Jews following professions, and excelling in them. Perhaps you should visit the Universities in Italy in which Jews (all religious) attended and studied (in addition to their Torah studies). The fact that such people are not mentioned in your Yeshiva education does not mean that they did not exist.
As one example of such a person, try reading up on Rav David Gans.