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Thu 29 Apr, 2004 06:25 pm
I'm in the dark when it comes to some of the christian colleges. a few years ago theree was a controversy that some of these schools are composed of white people and are racist. does anyone have any evidence to either support or refute this?
I would never send my son to a 'christian' college. I'm afraid that after spending four years enrolled in one he would come out a homophobic, paranoid, bible-thumping virgin who is a pro-life, male chauvenist pig who believes he is a downtrodden white guy who is afraid of anyone who doesn't look like him.
It would take years to de-program him...if it's even possible.
Re: christian colleges
Gala wrote:I'm in the dark when it comes to some of the christian colleges. a few years ago theree was a controversy that some of these schools are composed of white people and are racist. does anyone have any evidence to either support or refute this?
I don't remember the controversy you speak of, and I cannot comment about all christian affiliated colleges, but the one I do have some contact with has never struck me as racist, and is definately not composed of all white people.
Doglover, as a graduate of a christian college, I will assure you I am not homophobic (fear of homosexuals, if you need the definition of that term), nor paranoid (believing others are always out to get me), nor Bible-thumping (I have never thumped my Bible). I was however guilty of being a virgin (what is wrong with waiting for marriage to have sex) and I am pro-life (sorry, but I think all life has value, including the unborn). I don't believe I am a male chauvinest pig, but I guess that would be better left to others to decide since I may be a bit biased on that one. I don't feel I am a downtrodden white guy either. And some of my African-American friends who graduated with me don't think they are downtrodden white guys either. Finally, I am not afraid of people who don't look like me. In fact, people might feel blessed not to look like me.
There is one thing I don't like. And that would be people who broadly characterize any group based on their own perceived prejudices. Have you not just done what you obviously believe all christians do? Seems like to have more prejudices than I do, but since I really don't know you I won't stick that type of a label on you.
My general experience with colleges is that the college experience depends heavily on the student. If you want to find a group of racist white people to hang out with you can find them at any school, regardless of the school's affiliation. Any generalization applied to a broad category ("Christian colleges") will be unfair. I went to public universities, but I have many friends who went to a variety of Christian colleges. Some of the colleges were legalistic (dress codes, drinking bans, etc.) but I am not aware of any overt racism either in my friends or in the colleges they went to.
(Sorry, doglover, I have to agree with Coastal Rat--dissing all Christian college grads because you dislike the only 3 (!!) Christian alumni you know personally is extremely judgmental; but then, we're all biased one way or another.)
lab rat wrote:My general experience with colleges is that the college experience depends heavily on the student. If you want to find a group of racist white people to hang out with you can find them at any school, regardless of the school's affiliation. Any generalization applied to a broad category ("Christian colleges") will be unfair. I went to public universities, but I have many friends who went to a variety of Christian colleges. Some of the colleges were legalistic (dress codes, drinking bans, etc.) but I am not aware of any overt racism either in my friends or in the colleges they went to.
(Sorry, doglover, I have to agree with Coastal Rat--dissing all Christian college grads because you dislike the only 3 (!!) Christian alumni you know personally is extremely judgmental; but then, we're all biased one way or another.)
Exactly the point I was trying to make lab rat. I absolutely believe there are plenty of people who claim to be christian who may be racist or who may "hate" homosexuals. Heck, some of them might really be christians, but they are human and thus subject to prejudices and such just like everybody else. But when you characterize a whole group you are yourself doing what you are railing against.
And I am sorry doglover if you felt I was over the top in my response, but I really wanted to make a point. I will try to stay down off that cross. :wink:
What is a Christian college anyway? We have nothing similar in Sweden. The concept seems quite strange to me.
doglover wrote:CoastalRat wrote:And I am sorry doglover if you felt I was over the top in my response, but I really wanted to make a point. I will try to stay down off that cross. :wink:
And I'm sorry too CoastalRat. I've got a bit of PMS going on today. I shouldn't have come down so hard on ya. Stay off that cross CR, somebody else might need the wood. :wink:
I'm going to have a Kit Kat bar now. Smooches.
A Kit Kat bar sounds good about now doglover. At least some kind of a chocolate break. Have a good day.
Gala: you may be thinking of the controversy surrounding
Bob Jones University. Bob Jones has not only been accused of racism but has also generally earned the reputation of being rabidly anti-Catholic. The school did not admit blacks until the 1970s, and waited until March, 2000, to drop its ban on
inter-racial dating. And in
an interview with Larry King, Bob Jones III pretty much admitted that the pope is the anti-Christ:
KING: But if you call the pope the anti-Christ you will offend Catholics, I mean, that's logical to think that, right? Just as if I said something derogatory about Jesus Christ, I would offend you.
JONES: Yes, but you know, the Westminster Confession of Faith, which is supposed to be believed by all Presbyterians that have embraced the Westminster Confession as their doctrinal basis, Article VI of the Westminster Confession calls the pope an anti-Christ. This -- there is a long tradition for this. It goes -- in fact, Wycliff that I talked about a while ago, in the 14th century, he called the pope an anti-Christ. So, Protestants do not -- you know, the pope doesn't go down well with Protestants, OK.
Similar charges, by the way, have been made about Oral Roberts Univ. and Liberty Univ. (formerly Liberty Baptist Univ.). I can personally attest, however, that not all colleges affiliated with a Christian denomination are hotbeds of racism, homophobia, or religious intolerance.
Derevon wrote:What is a Christian college anyway? We have nothing similar in Sweden. The concept seems quite strange to me.
Actually the proper term would be a church-affiliated college. There are a number of privately begun colleges or universities that are affiliated with one or another church denomination and they receive some funding from churches of that denomination. Most offer a broad-based education in a Christian environment. The one I attended had as a requirement that all students take 1 semester of Old Testament Survey and 1 semester of New Testament Survey, but other than that there was no requirement to take any further religious courses.
Hope this helps Derevon.
CoastalRat,
Yes, thanks. Seen with Swedish eyes, the concept still seems very strange, though.
ok, thanks for all your reponses. i can understand doglover's viewpoint, pms or not, as to why she may be wary of said institutions. and, i respect coastal rat's view as well, up to a point, because as a woman i tend to resent, and i'm sure you've heard this countless times, when men want to make decisions about a woman's body.
i once heard a devoutly christian man say about a young woman, a college sophmore, who got pregnant and decided to have the baby and marry, that she was "taking responsibilty". i ask you, what about the man takng responsibility and using a condom? why, o, why is the onus more often than not on the woman?
with that said, coastalrat, i don't think you are homophobic, racist, etc. i think in many respects, the white christian male is at the top of the punching bag list at this time in the world. and, i'm sorry to say, that the trent lotts and david dukes, bob jones u. (thanks chicagojoe) have squarely not helped your cause.
i work with an ambitious and devoutly christian white woman in an environment that is rich in ethnicity. i work in a place that is just a poo-poo platter of people from countries other than america. she has managed to alienate a lot of people, the buzz around the buliding is that she's racist. but i think the trouble isn't that she's racist, it's that her christianity keeps her from experiencing the world outside of her comfortable christian experience.
Our very close friends have a daughter graduation from GeorgeFox this weekend, she is a totally great young lady - smart, intelligent and drop dead beautiful.
I can appreciate Doglover's concern re the mindset of those she knows who have graduated from Christian colleges.
Some in my denomination worry that those graduating from our denomination's Christian universities are all ultra-liberal, pinko/commie, die hard feminists, militant pro-choice, excessive anti-sexist, environmental wacko, anti-Bible authority zealots.
Just goes to show that all can't be tarred with the same brush.
husker, forgive my being a smart alec here, but i'm not sure what great looks have to do with character. i mean, i could say that david duke is a total stud muffin, especially after his nose-job.
foxfyre, huh? not sure i understand your post...
Well I was intentionally a bit over the top there Gala, but not all Christian colleges are bigot-creating fundamentalist. Some are quite liberal as our Christian colleges, especially the seminaries, are. My point was just to gently point out that one can't accurately sterotype Christian colleges as a whole as having one philosophical/sociological view. (Edited for clarity.)
Gala wrote:husker, forgive my being a smart alec here, but i'm not sure what great looks have to do with character. i mean, i could say that david duke is a total stud muffin, especially after his nose-job.
Sure Gala! :wink:
drop dead beautiful = all encompassing word - in a general -well rounded
Re: christian colleges
Gala wrote:I'm in the dark when it comes to some of the christian colleges. a few years ago theree was a controversy that some of these schools are composed of white people and are racist. does anyone have any evidence to either support or refute this?
in society today - evidence seems to be in the eye of the beholder
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