Saturday
Saturday marked the beginning of a 2+ year journey towards another diploma. I successfully checked in and registered for my first class as a graduate student at Bob Jones University...thus again removing myself from the "realm of grace" and becoming "subject to law"...well that's how a friend puts it...Now don't get me wrong, I've read, understood, and agreed with the principles behind the student handbook. The only "problem" I have is how other people treat the rules. For some rules are a guideline to follow towards a better life, yet others see them only as something that gets in the way of their agenda. At times being regulated produces a false sense of spirituality and leads ultimately to hypocrisy. A lifestyle of living the rules but not being behind what they reflect. Another result of regulation is, simply put,"rule burnout"...an overload of obedience for the wrong reasons (e.g. not wanting to get punished, or look bad) that brings rebellion to those standards with it. It, being regulated, could also make it difficult for an individual to set personal standards, or uphold standards later in life. For example, Q-"why don't you smoke?" A-"Because ____ told me it was bad and I shouldn't do it."
I guess my main concern is that major lifestyle regulation can create either a false sense of security or a pure disregard for authority. The false sense of security lies in upholding every comma a period of the rules thus staying out of trouble and being a "good kid." The opposite, pure disregard, come from one of two mindsets...either a constant chafing against what you want to do, or blatant pride (thinking you're above the rules or wanting attention for being different).
How can this be remedied? Two or three possible solutions: Get rid of all rules (which would result in anarchy, of course), Reduce the number of rules to be more accommodating for an individual to set personal standards while still maintaining and teaching a biblical basis for the existing regulations, Or keep the status quo and teach bible based (where a relationship with Christ is the filter for all actions), not rule based (where a list of do's and don'ts dictate actions) living, while praying that parents will instruct their kids in the same way.
posted by CEM @ 4:08 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
I vote for the status quo -while teaching the right spirit. Pride will always be a problem that leads to either hypocrisy or blatant rebellion. I believe the Apostle Paul addressed this in Galatians where he said that the law was our "schoolmaster". Also, when one is a student, your lifestyle reflects on the institution. Institutional standards, of necessity, have to be more rigid than personal preferences. dlm
Hey Chris...I think you're getting somewhere with this. I've always thought that they should only have rules that are rooted in the gospel. If you can't explain a rule to the student body from that perspective, then you shouldn't have it. For example, "you shouldn't wear blank because it is a poor reflection on Christ." If you can't honestly say that from scripture, than I think its difficult to have a rule. But then you'll hear all about "institutional standards" in order to help unity and order. Well you can make up any rule and put it under that heading. The problem I find is that people don't differentiate. Everything becomes a spiritual problem.
Great point Chris
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