Whatever you do, don't think.

[kellinator]

I just received an interlibrary loan from Bob Jones University (yes, I know, it's an oxymoron) and was struck by the large, bright pink notice pasted inside the front cover:

"The fact that this volume is included in the Bob Jones University Library does not mean that the University endorses its contents from the standpoint of morals, philosophy, theology, or scientific hypotheses. The position of Bob Jones University on these subjects is well known.

In order to standardize the work and validate the credits of Bob Jones University, it is sometimes necessary to include in this library books whose contents the University cannot wholly endorse."

I am translating this as...

"OMG the awful liberal educated people who run accreditation boards say we have to have a library with more than one opinion in it or they won't let us call ourselves a university!! Well, fine, but WE DON'T LIKE IT!! So here, have this book, but don't you DARE think about it for yourself!!"

Hey, doesn't Bob Jones know what they say about pink?

When I showed this to a co-worker, she told me about Pensacola Christian College, which makes Bob Jones look like a party school in comparison. She mentioned in particular the rule that students of the opposite sex cannot look at each other too intently, lest they commit "optical intercourse", colloquially known as "making eye babies." I replied that these people clearly are the ones with dirty minds, as they see sex absolutely everywhere.

I'd really like to wrap this up with a pithy comment, but I'm too aghast to come up with one, so I'll just state that these lunatics do more harm than good to Christianity. It's impossible to provide witness when people like these ensure Christians have a reputation as idiots. Jesus, save me from Your followers.

Comments

[sallerina.livejournal.com]

that kind of thing really amazes me. i go to a very christian university and somehow am managing to receive a very fair, equal-minded, and actually compassionate education that is no more over-dramatically evangelical than my pathos-less public undergrad education.

[redbird]

Quite. My favorite radio station is run by "the Jesuit university of New York City" (as Fordham keeps identifying itself in the station identifications).

[kellinator.livejournal.com]

Huh. I did not realize your school was Christian. That's cool. It's good to see that it can be done right.

[sallerina.livejournal.com]

http://www.pepperdine.edu/welcome/about/valuecentered.htm

even though i am not christian (jewish and largely non-observing, in fact), this is the most supportive and real academic atmosphere i have ever been part of, and i have really come to appreciate it. so places like bob jones or liberty univesity or that school in pensacola with eye babies really make me sad, because like you said, it can be done right.