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Unrealistic Expectations and Bob Jones University
I usually try and avoid having unrealistic expectations. Apparently, the good folks at Bob Jones University don't feel the same way.
They made news a few years ago for dropping a ban on interracial dating on the heels of a visit by then-newly-minted President George Bush. President Bob Jones (I wonder if there's any relation...) called it a "rule we never talk about" and besides, they "can't back it up with a verse in the Bible."
Founded in 1927, approximately 5000 (very sheltered) students attend this unaccredited institution of higher learning in South Carolina. They offer 125 majors, but the five most popular are Bible, Counseling, Elementary Education, Humanities, and Nursing. They even have an elementary school. This school is certainly a tad different than the school I currently attend. But none of this actually bothers me.
Their unrealistic "student expectations" do. Some highlights:
- From their Student Expectations page: "Dishonesty, lewdness, sensual behavior, adultery, homosexuality, sexual perversion of any kind, pornography, illegal use of drugs, and drunkenness all are clearly condemned by God's Word and prohibited here." One of those things doesn't belong with the others... (Note: Personally, I don't think many of these things are "condemned by God's word," but...)
- Students can have jobs, but they may only work in town until 10:25pm (or midnight on weekends). Freshman must have a prayer captain, assistant prayer captain, or upperclassman with them. They can't serve alcoholic beverages, and have to be home by the nightly prayer meetings. Try meeting these constraints in the real world.
- "Abercrombie & Fitch and its subsidiary Hollister have shown an unusual degree of antagonism to the name of Christ and an unusual display of wickedness in their promotions. In protest, we will not allow articles displaying their logos to be worn, carried, or displayed (even if covered or masked in some way)." (from Dress Code)
- Don't even think about using an unfiltered internet connection or e-mail account. Luckily, the big brothers at BJU will remove everything objectionable from your internet feed so you don't have to!
My buddy Mike Rundle has much more on all this. As he says:
"Listen up BJU students, this is the real world talking. There is more to life than G-rated movies and lollipops, and if you get fooled into thinking the real world will hold your hand after college then you're living on a fantasy planet. Homophobia is stupid, hateful, and wrong, and by going to school at BJU you're perpetuating an ugly part of human nature. Life is more than white people sitting around campfires singing kumbayah and practicing abstinence, and the faster you figure that out the better a world citizen you'll be."
Posted in on April 18, 2005, 11:26 PM | Permalink
Comments
i have friends back home who go to baptist universities of the same scale.
harding is pretty hardcore, but it's church of christ...i think someone was kicked out for drinking off campus...
in addition, if theyre lucky enough to be allowed to have girls in their rooms, visiting, then they must keep the door open and have all four feet touching the floor at all times...
go fundamentalism!
Posted by: satc at April 22, 2005 01:16 PM
I go to harding. I dont drink. My roomate does. (we are now grad students living off campus with real jobs).
I think its funny when people who do not attend these schools 'make fun' of them. I CHOSE this school because of some of the rules. I chose to be here. I wanted a school who would keep drinking and stuff like that that I don't think is right (even though sometimes I stuggle with those things) away from me and a potential friend or spouse.
When i start off school, I was presented with the rules and signed that I understood them, and will uphold them, or face conciqunces.
When people complain about the rules, go somewhere else. Remember that you CHOSE to be there.
Posted by: ben at November 18, 2005 01:31 PM
I guess United States freedoms apply to everyone but Christians. Sorry if you don't agree with discipline and rules, but no one is forcing you to accept anything. We know what the real world is like, we're not stupid.
Tolerance seems to be the big issue these days. Well how about you tolerate Christians for a change! You can tolerate everything under the sun - except that which you disagree with - fundamentalism.
So take some of your own medicine, and don't be a bigot.
Posted by: Sabre at January 19, 2006 04:45 PM
Hi Everybody,
After listening to the CNN News Nancy Grace show on March 28th, 2006 where a Baptist minister by the name of Tom Rakala call the Church of Christ a “cult” plus many other accusations needless to say it was very depressing to say the least.
I hoped that when Mr. Bob Jones appeared on the CNN News Nancy Grace Show of March 29th, 2006 that he might clear up some of the matters that Tom Rakala miss represented.
When Mr. Jones referred to the Church of Christ as a denomination and you’re not saved by baptismal waters and the Church of Christ is not Biblical my heart sank.
Obviously Mr. Jones is no more informed and possibly less informed than the baptist representative Tom Rakala.
I’ve listed one of Mr. Jones quotes below from the show transcripts.
“The Church of Christ is a legitimate national denomination. Their beliefs about salvation, in particular, would be one of the things I would have vast differences with them with personally because I think, you know, it’s very clear from the scripture that we’re redeemed to Christ through the blood of the cross, not by the baptismal waters. But I could not personally call it a cult in any way. It’s just a denomination who has doctrines that I personally don’t subscribe to because they aren’t biblical.”
Speaking for myself I have been a member of the Church of Christ for 47 years and I am amazed how members of the Church like Bob Jones has gotten so far out in left field. He just as well go to the Baptist church instead of the Church of Christ he would fit right in. It wouldn’t surprise me if he already did.
Between Bob Jones, Max Lecado or Tom Rakala it’s basically a toss up, one is just the same as the other.
Below is the webpage for the transcript on March 27th, 2006 Nancy Grace show with Tom Rukala Baptist. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0603/27/ng.01.html
The second webpage is the discussion that involved Bob Jones Church of Christ.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0603/29/ng.01.html
Regards,
Discussed in West Virginia
To email Nancy Grace go to this webpage: http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form5c.html?24
Posted by: West Virginia at March 30, 2006 12:14 PM
